AR upper with no BCG?

[TheDude]

In my quest to find a AR upper, ive found several with no bolt carrier group and my question is....can you just throw any BCG in there and be okay? isnt there a headspacing issue with a non-factory BCG.

 

[OneBadV8]

Most of the time, if you buy MilSpec parts you're ok. I usually buy the same bolt carrier as my upper

I'm sure you can have it headspaced if you wanted though after getting one.

 

[TheDude]

Most of the time, if you buy MilSpec parts you're ok. I usually buy the same bolt carrier as my upper

I'm sure you can have it headspaced if you wanted though after getting one.

Yeah but how difficult would that be finding someone who knew what they were doing?

 

[OneBadV8]

Yeah but how difficult would that be finding someone who knew what they were doing?

I'm sure there are lots of gunsmiths familiar with the AR.

Honestly though, I've never heard of anyone having to do that. Just get a good milspec one and you should be good

 

[MarioMarietta]

It is not nessacery 99.9% of the time they go in run all my BCG come in a box and we drop them in and rock. You don't want to run a BCG in one gun for a extensive amount of time and then switch it to another gun that can cause problems but thats about it.

 

[TheDude]

I'm sure there are lots of gunsmiths familiar with the AR.

Honestly though, I've never heard of anyone having to do that. Just get a good milspec one and you should be good

Copy that, thanks man.

 

[4sarge]

I had the same thought. Many are now selling their uppers without the charging handle or the BCG unless you pay more. I'm sure that it is a marketing ploy for more $$'s. You also see BCG's for sale without the uppers without a discussion on make of Upper, etc. Are parts just parts and all are interchangeable. I know the head space issue was a valid (or so I was told) concern at one time

 

[MarioMarietta]

It is not a marketing ploy at all BCG's are are to get and so there is a shortage and we don't have them.

 

[4sarge]

It is not a marketing ploy at all BCG's are are to get and so there is a shortage and we don't have them.

Ploy wasn't meant as a Negative and you weren't in mind when I used the example. There is at least one site here who now has a drop down box to include or disclude BCG's when ordering. Personally, I'd want the upper complete or at least want to have spare BCG if headspace isn't an issue

 

[MarioMarietta]

Yup it's alway nice to have a extra BCG laying around. I personally in all my uppers I sell haven't every had any issues. I know I will have BCG's in a couple of weeks so then I will return to selling complete uppers.

 

[mvician]

Headspace is set to a spec when the barrel extension is mounted to the barrel.
As long as everything is in spec it doesn't matter if all parts are the same brand.

 

[Fordtough25]

Good info in this thread! Glad to hear if you get good parts they swill work.

 

[sloughfoot]

Here is what Krieger Barrels says about swapping bolts....

DCM & AR-15

 

[MarioMarietta]

mvician says it how it needs to be said

 

[Mad Anthony Wayne]

milspec upper + milspec BCG = no problems. That's been my experience. You could always buy the "go" "no go" gauges yourself. They're kinda salty though.

 

[kbailey]

Just buy yourself a bravo company bcg and live happily ever after.

 

[257robertsimp]

I interchange them from upper to upper often without issues.