Two things. First I have 5 AR's and one AR-10, all using NiB BCG's. I am not trying to refute any of the evidence in the referenced PDF, however, I've conducted two very non-scientific tests that makes me glad that I have them.
1. They take very little lube to achieve the same performance of a phosphate bolt. According to the OP's original post, they offer a lower coefficient of friction. That in itself should tell one something.
2. Here's what reduced coefficient of friction proved to me. When I bought my very first NiB bolt about 2.5 or 3 years ago, I took two rifles to the range and my Fluke meter. I dumped a mag as fast as possible with each, and took temp measurements on various places on each BCG with the temp probe with my Fluke meter, and the NiB ran at least 10 degrees F. cooler with the NiB bolt over a stock LMT phosphate. Not sure if 10 degrees would make anything other than a measurable difference, but it almost certainly proved that there was less friction with the NiB. I let those rifles cool to ambient, and repeated that test 3 or 4 times (don't remember for sure) and the results were nearly identical + or - a degree or so, either BCG.
I have never experienced flaking or anything else out of the blue using, NiB, and I'd swear in court that my guns run smoother with NiB. That's subjective, and obviously I can't prove it to you, but I've got no reason to fudge here, I have no vested interest in selling folks on NiB BCG's.
Lastly, and this may be very minor or totally insignificant to many or all of you, but cleaning is a big plus to me. I like the fact that I can spray them with a shot of gun scrubber, and clean them off with a piece of T-Shirt. Bolt tails might have specks of carbon, which I can normally "scrape" with my thumbnail. Job finished, onto the next gun.
I'm retired military, and although not an armorer I've had my friggin fill of scraping carbon off of bolt tails, it's a PITA and being able to scrape "specks" of carbon with my thumbnail and a shot of gun scrubber, rather than having to use a tool and scrape a coating of carbon off, makes NiB worth it to me.
In summary, I'm not trying to sell anyone on NiB, nor justify my use for them, nor debate the fact with armorers or other experts in the field of coatings, plating or whatever, just stating my experiences with them, and the fact that I've suffered none of the negative qualities that some have pointed out.
J.

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