I keep all spare small parts, bolt, and batteries in my range box. Nothing kept on the rifle.
Last edited by Cips; 06-26-21 at 18:13.
All spare parts are in my field repair kit along with tools and some other stuff. I keep batteries in the grip, for both optic and light if possible or at least the optic. But even then, if something goes down in a serious situation I’m switching guns or likely going without.
I’ve only ever had one issue that required parts replacement while shooting and it was gas rings many years ago on a Noveske upper that I assume was over gassed because it had under 2k rounds on it IIRC.
I see no need to add anymore weight, my field repair ammo can is never far away.
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Sic semper tyrannis.
Bolts do not fail "all of sudden and unexpectedly," even when they are improperly made.
They crack, either at the base of the lugs, or at the cam pin hole. The cracks start small and grow to a point where the bolt is so weak they break. The rate of crack growth, by all testing published, has been in the thousands of rounds range. Most reports note a bolt will show cracks under magnetic particle inspection, then soldier on 9,000 to 10,000 rounds and sometimes still not fail.
When bolts do eventually fail, it is usually not a stoppage that immediate action will clear, so if it happens in the middle of a fire fight, that gun is out of the fight, and having a spare bolt in the grip is pointless.
If a gun is essential to preserve your life, take two minutes to take a good hard look at the locking lugs and cam pin holes for cracks before you even load it. If there is a crack that might fail in the next few hundred rounds, you will be able to see it with your naked eye.
And even in the rare case that the bolts sheds a lug or two, but it does not jam up the action, you can still shoot an AR safely with five lugs for 500 to 1000 rounds before you start to damage the barrel extension.
In light of this, my spare bolts reside with my spare barrels and other "future project" parts . . .
Last edited by lysander; 06-25-21 at 09:01.
I would count a vertical foregrip separately. Does the ACS have room?
That's a relief, as I thought a bolt with a flaw could fail suddenly and this was the reason for MPI. Is such testing overemphasized?
Is sudden failure of the extractor or ejector possible? How should those be inspected?
Do you have photos of the cracks that precede failure?
I have a repair kit with tools to service every nut, bolt and screw on my rifle along with an entire BCG, not just the bolt.
The only spare anything that I keep on the rifle is a spare battery in the KAC Aimpoint battery cap and a spare 16650 in the grip for my weapon light.
Only thing carried on the gun/pistol grip is spare optics and WML batteries.
I have spare BCG, bolt and spare AR in a range bag in the security vault vault of truck.
A true "Gun Guy" (or gal) should have familiarity and a modicum of proficiency with most all firearms platforms.
Here is one cracking at the cam pin hole:
Courtesy of https://www.billstclair.com/weaponsm...html%3Fp=20064
I'll see what I can dig up on lugs.
I think it’s a good idea so I keep one in the pistol grip of my 6920 haven’t had to use it yet but it’ll be there the day I do....don’t notice the weight either but to each there own
If I was deployed in the field for a lengthy period of time, I could see the need. If the bolt went south during a fight, I would transition to another weapon.
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