BCG Staking

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Have a look here:

M4Carbine.net - Are these gas key screws properly staked?

It looks like a PSA Premium BCG is $69.95 so buying or selling a used one for $50.00 Doesn't make a ton on sense to me (not that it has to).

All of that aside, what happens if the Ruger bolt fails? Do you get maimed by a ferrel hog (or tiger, lion, bear, hood rat, rhinoceros, water buffalo, honey badger or other dangerous game) or do you pack up at the range and go home?
 
Do you think I should sell it to him for $9.95?
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Being you have me in a big game hunt, I would NOT have my AR-556. I would most likely have my Ruger M77 MK II .270 WIN. Or, I could downsize and use my SAKO 75 Varmint .243. I haven't shot either one of them in over 10 years. Would you allow me to shoot a few rounds to get back in tune, then I can answer your Q?
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If your life doesn't depend on the rifle with the improperly staked screws, use it as is and keep an eye on it. If one of the screws comes loose you can tighten it up and stake it properly.
 
I was hoping DuckRyder or Ws6 would just volunteer to have me send it to them to stake it for me.
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BTW, I noticed an F stamped on my PSA bolt carrier. FNH stamps their bolt carriers with both an F and FN.



F.jpeg
 
Originally Posted by Ws6
Staking is only half of it...were the screws torque too much, too little? Dunno...

Send me a PM with your mailing address and I will send it to you to check it out. You can make any adjustments you see fit.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
Originally Posted by Ws6
Staking is only half of it...were the screws torque too much, too little? Dunno...

Send me a PM with your mailing address and I will send it to you to check it out. You can make any adjustments you see fit.
wink.gif



That would require me to source some correct gas-key screws, Permatex, and it still may not guarantee proper spec, as I do not know how flat the carrier body under the gas-key/gas-key is, etc. In short, I would probably spend $25-50 bringing this thing up to spec 100% assured, plus shipping. Further, the companies that do GOOD work use Proto digital torque wrenches, etc. to make sure those screws are 100% correctly torqued. The wrenches they use cost $4-600. If you are truly stressed about this...

https://www.azimuthtechnology.com/products-and-services/bolt-carrier-groups/
https://www.omahaoutdoors.com/azimu...56-nato-direct-impingement-a-az-bcg-556/

All of the DoD testing I am aware of with these BCG's, literally NONE of them have broken the bolt, or been deadlined for other issues. This includes guns that have seen >20K rounds of M855A1 during SEP testing. Azimuth assembles these correctly. They are using 9310 instead of C158 for the bolts, but I have not seen any data supporting this as a bad choice, functionally, and the track record of their product is solid.

I would still install the Colt "Gold" extractor spring, but otherwise it should be just fine.

That said...maybe just shoot your rifle until it dies, and then take what you have learned during that course of action, and buy something that checks all of your boxes? I think you'd learn more and be further ahead spending this $100-120 on ammo and training vs. "new cool parts".
 
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This is all a tempest in a teacup.

Ruger staked those gas key bolts.

They didn't stake it the same as others have, but they staked it.

Your operating conditions are not "operator" severe and don't warrant concern about this.

Enjoy your rifle and don't worry about it.
 
Originally Posted by Astro14
This is all a tempest in a teacup.

Ruger staked those gas key bolts.

They didn't stake it the same as others have, but they staked it.

Your operating conditions are not "operator" severe and don't warrant concern about this.

Enjoy your rifle and don't worry about it.

I honestly lean toward this, OP. When you break it, replace it.
 
Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by Astro14
This is all a tempest in a teacup.

Ruger staked those gas key bolts.

They didn't stake it the same as others have, but they staked it.

Your operating conditions are not "operator" severe and don't warrant concern about this.

Enjoy your rifle and don't worry about it.

I honestly lean toward this, OP. IF you break it, replace it.


Fixed it for you
 
Originally Posted by The_Eric
Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by Astro14
This is all a tempest in a teacup.

Ruger staked those gas key bolts.

They didn't stake it the same as others have, but they staked it.

Your operating conditions are not "operator" severe and don't warrant concern about this.

Enjoy your rifle and don't worry about it.

I honestly lean toward this, OP. IF you break it, replace it.


Fixed it for you


Train until you break something! The first thing you'll break are your misconceptions of what gear you need vs. want and what works vs. what doesn't.
 
Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by The_Eric
Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by Astro14
This is all a tempest in a teacup.

Ruger staked those gas key bolts.

They didn't stake it the same as others have, but they staked it.

Your operating conditions are not "operator" severe and don't warrant concern about this.

Enjoy your rifle and don't worry about it.

I honestly lean toward this, OP. IF you break it, replace it.


Fixed it for you


Train until you break something! The first thing you'll break are your misconceptions of what gear you need vs. want and what works vs. what doesn't.

I think a set of 4:11's with a Thumper cam, 11.5:1's, steel crank, Pink rods, and 461 Fuelie heads (double hump)..........are you keeping up?
coffee2.gif
 
Originally Posted by Astro14
This is all a tempest in a teacup.

Ruger staked those gas key bolts.

They didn't stake it the same as others have, but they staked it.

Your operating conditions are not "operator" severe and don't warrant concern about this.

Enjoy your rifle and don't worry about it.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^

All of this talk about "properly staked gas key screws" has become just as much Internet blather, nothing more. How many AR's have you seen go down because the gas key screws came loose? I've never seen or heard of one. Broken extractors, yes. Broken bolts where the bolt cam pin is drilled, yes. Even bolt lugs cracked off. But not from gas key screws backing out. I'm not saying it's never happened. But it's not something that deserves all the unnecessary attention it receives on Internet gun forums.

Young's Manufacturing who makes some of the highest quality AR bolt carrier groups around, does not, and will not stake them.

https://youngmanufacturing.net/product/ym-standard-m16-w-hmb-bolt-complete/

Here is what they say about it:

https://youngmanufacturing.net/staking-the-gas-key-on-the-ar-15-and-m-16-carrier/
 
Originally Posted by Rollins
Chris Bartocci's articles and videos are very very educational. Here is what he has to say about staking:

https://youtu.be/HZkK70Miz60?t=1788

For a competition gun it doesn't matter. For a gun you're going to use in hard times I'd rather have them staked. It's such an easy thing to do, why not. I stake castle nuts too. It takes seconds.
 
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That rifle has a lifetime warranty and they will take care of it. Id leave it alone and shoot it.

Ruger has the worst bolt carriers in the industry. They lack a ramp (or did) like all other carriers that cocks the hammer. The hammer is cocked by the firing pin on Ruger guns, which is a mystery to any gunsmith, engineer, or just anybody with a brain. I have no idea why Ruger designed their BCG that way.

The PSA premium BCG is made by FN, and is identical to a FN gun off the shelf. They are good to go, and a bargain.
 
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Here you are:


this is why I didn't want to mess with yours. It would be cheaper for you to simply give me a blank check and have me order you a correctly made BCG than it would be for you to have paid me to make sure yours was 100%. I would have done a couple of things slightly different, but this gives you a strong idea of why it's just so much easier to buy a properly assembled BCG instead of taking it apart and verifying.
 
I've got a couple of PSA BCGs - including one in nickel-boron. They really do appear to be well made. And they really are reasonably priced.
 
Originally Posted by Astro14
I've got a couple of PSA BCGs - including one in nickel-boron. They really do appear to be well made. And they really are reasonably priced.

I have some BCM BCGs I paid $160 for back in the day. It's amazing what you can get these days for the price. Thanks PSA.
 
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