Do you keep a spare bolt on your primary?

[chamber143]

I thought it was cool to carry a spare bolt in my pistol grip until it went flying across the gravel during the class. We were mortaring our rifles to learn the proper technique and it blew the bottom right out of a Magpul pistol grip. This was a well known instructor, and he basically said being prepared is one thing, carrying a bolt is going too far.

Well said. I think we on this forum are for the most part more prep minded than others And we want to think about every possible scenario and how to mitigate it. But sometimes you can be over achieving in this regard. I remember the saying that used to be mentioned on here. Oz’s equal pounds, and pounds equal pain. I went back to my t1 because as much as I love my eotech, It’s easily 2-3 times heavier. I do keep two cr123 in my pistol grip for light, and a spare 2032 under the larue mount of my t1 but other than that nothing else.


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[Clint]

This really boils down to the nature of the failure, as Lysander explained at length.

Batteries constantly drain a little or a lot.

It's 100% likely that one day the battery will be dead.

It's just a matter of time, and an onboard spare is a great way to deal with that kind of failure.

The bolt is different.

It essentually has an infinite shelf life and only gets used up very gradually with each shot.

It will show visible cracks hundreds of rounds before a single lug failure.

This represents a very gradual failure mode with lots of early warning and no time limit.

Just inspect at every cleaning and replace when it's convenient.

[ABNAK]

This really boils down to the nature of the failure, as Lysander explained at length.

Batteries constantly drain a little or a lot.

It's 100% likely that one day the battery will be dead.

It's just a matter of time, and an onboard spare is a great way to deal with that kind of failure.

The bolt is different.

It essentually has an infinite shelf life and only gets used up very gradually with each shot.

It will show visible cracks hundreds of rounds before a single lug failure.

This represents a very gradual failure mode with lots of early warning and no time limit.

Just inspect at every cleaning and replace when it's convenient.

Very well said.

[T2C]

I did not carry a spare bolt for my M-14. I see no reason to carry a spare bolt for the M-4 Carbine. Both weapons are much more reliable than most of the other equipment carried in the field.

[blade_68]

Oil yes, cleaning kit maybe, spare bolt nope. But I stick with "mil spec" triggers for the most part, I think that I only have 5-6 that are not standard trigger groups. I consider them for hunting use or target shooting not a grab n go. I've had more failures with lower receiver parts than bolt parts except with 7.62×39 AR's then it's extractor's and why I'll not be relying on a 7.62×39 AR. I've had more than a few parts wear out on a few rifles in last 34 years, heck one gas key worn out before bolt on my first AR. If Will was with us, He could have shown a picture of it. I gave it to him for his reference collection after swapping out with a new one. It was in a over gassed 11.5 barrel AR, like throwing a hotdog down a hallway, but it still ran. Broken few hammer pins especially with 9mm AR's.

On my last deployments I did take a spare parts kit with me but mainly for easy to loose parts, I still had them after it unused.

[1168]

What happens if you're in the back country without your range bag and your bolt breaks?

I guess I’ll git kilt in da streez.

I’m not totally against it, but I’d rather keep lube and batteries in my grip. I will (do) certainly use those.

[TheAlsatian]

My primary is a SIG 553 and I have a spare complete bolt. It will also work in my Pe90.

[lysander]

I prefer to carry two rifles, three pistols, and 17 knives at all times so ha.

[Mysteryman]

As much as I understand the point, at what point do you stop. I mean can you bungee a spare barrel to your rifle. I feel that if a part Goes down it’s going to be more than just popping new one in. You are going to have to find cover and bang that out. At which point I can flip open my back pack and grab my spare bcg and not fiddle **** with disassembling the bolt carrier and losing the cotter pin in the process. To each their own when it comes to this stuff but I feel a spare bolt on board is overkill. Maybe it isn’t but at that time I’ll just be thankful I have another bcg with me


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Again, no one said you would be changing bolts during an engagement. What makes you believe you will always have your pack with you? As I said before, if it can be field replaced/fixed it isn't a bad idea to have one with you(on the rifle). A barrel failure is catastrophic and requires tools. Gas tube failure is the same, as is the receiver extension or even a broken pistol grip. Changing your bolt takes little time and zero tools. Yes, the bolt itself is unlikely to fail without showing signs. The extractor however can fail at any time. Swapping bolts is easier and faster than changing a tiny extractor. Same could be said for gas rings or the cotter pin.

I thought it was cool to carry a spare bolt in my pistol grip until it went flying across the gravel during the class. We were mortaring our rifles to learn the proper technique and it blew the bottom right out of a Magpul pistol grip. This was a well known instructor, and he basically said being prepared is one thing, carrying a bolt is going too far.

So at the risk of losing gear you're deciding not to carry it at all? That makes no sense. I suspect your plug wasn't seated properly as well.

[vicious_cb]

This really boils down to the nature of the failure, as Lysander explained at length.

Batteries constantly drain a little or a lot.

It's 100% likely that one day the battery will be dead.

It's just a matter of time, and an onboard spare is a great way to deal with that kind of failure.

The bolt is different.

It essentually has an infinite shelf life and only gets used up very gradually with each shot.

It will show visible cracks hundreds of rounds before a single lug failure.

This represents a very gradual failure mode with lots of early warning and no time limit.

Just inspect at every cleaning and replace when it's convenient.

This is the answer right there. Field replacement of a bolt isnt a worry for me.

Of 2 times I had a bolt fail on me the first time I didn't even notice till I went to clean it meaning the gun ran fine with chunks missing from the lugs. The other time with the lug and lugs root completely sheering off I didnt notice the lugs got jammed up in the barrel extension.

Lesson: a gun will run with a broken bolt even with lugs missing.