Aero Complete Upper Suggestions? For Featureless.

[Sparrow Dynamics]

The USA is preparing to be Kalifornia Compliant, get your 10 RD. spare mags when available.

Saddest, yet truest comment. Just when CA was making headway with Duncan v. Becerra too.
Magpul's new 10/30 mag is an indicator.

[Jarhead]

Gun Owners need to be Activist at the Ballot Box and with the Wallet, Mid Terms just around the corner so make your presence known immediately and not wait until the Mid Terms..........don’t stick your head in the sand.

Parlor, Full 30, Rumble, VPN’s, who you shop with, buy made in the USA,etc all send messages...........

[SteelPastor]

Well... phosphate seems to what is available. However, I did find one Toolcraft/PSA BCG in Nickel Boron for $200 shipped. What about Nickel Boron coating? Thank you all.

[NorCalRefuge]

Well... phosphate seems to what is available. However, I did find one Toolcraft/PSA BCG in Nickel Boron for $200 shipped. What about Nickel Boron coating? Thank you all.

Everything that isn't phosphate is an upgrade.

ForgottenWeapons/InRangeTV actually did a thing on the original BCG's back when the M16 was first introduced. Basically, Chrome plating technology wasn't good enough, and they peeled and had problems, and was expensive... so the MIL went with quite literally the cheapest alternative available... phosphate (or something to that end).

When I built mine, I wanted a black BCG... so that narrowed down my options to Nitride or DLC. Went with Nitride because DLC seems to be perpetually out of stock everywhere.

Nickel Boron will serve you well.

[deephouse]

[LEAD LAUNCHER]

[NorCalRefuge]

No one said Phosphate isn't fine... it's just not ideal nor the best option available today.

Plenty of MIL/LEO guys run phosphate on a daily basis, as do many former MIL/LEO. Doesn't mean it's the best option out there... there's a reason phosphate is practically all that's left.

If you're issued a rifle, you gotta live with it the way it is. If you're building a rifle, as OP is, you can select nicer components. Upgrading the BCG and getting a better coating doesn't cost much more... so... why not do it?

[naz]

OP, I put in an order for white oak armament complete upper (incl CH and bcg) for $710 shipped. Nice price imho for a well regarded manufacturer. it’s 18” barrel with intermediate length gas system, so it’s more of a traditional “action shooting” style upper, but should also have a minimal recoil impulse.

Only you would know if the extra 2” of barrel length would be an issue manueuvering in your home

Also, I wouldn’t be to quick to follow the advice above about using tritium irons since it’s just 5-10yd shots. You can miss with shotgun at those ranges, and make sure the tritium would be visible.

My $0.02 would be to get an aimpoint with great battery life even if always on

[ct78]

I am now wondering if 14.5" is even worth doing? I do not relish the idea of a muzzle device/comp in an enclosed environment? Maybe I should just go 16" and just go with a thread protector? 16" looks easier to come by as well.

Thank you all for the advice and please keep it coming.

[kcheung2]

No one said Phosphate isn't fine... it's just not ideal nor the best option available today.

Plenty of MIL/LEO guys run phosphate on a daily basis, as do many former MIL/LEO. Doesn't mean it's the best option out there... there's a reason phosphate is practically all that's left.

If you're issued a rifle, you gotta live with it the way it is. If you're building a rifle, as OP is, you can select nicer components. Upgrading the BCG and getting a better coating doesn't cost much more... so... why not do it?

Because there's actually some compelling arguments that NiB & nitriding are NOT any better. There's a whole bunch of very long threads about this if OP cares to dig into it, but it's outside the scope of this thread about the availability of AP uppers.

[NorCalRefuge]

Because there's actually some compelling arguments that NiB & nitriding are NOT any better. There's a whole bunch of very long threads about this if OP cares to dig into it, but it's outside the scope of this thread about the availability of AP uppers.

This sounds very suspect.

Phosphate coatings are porous and require oil to seal against corrosion, and worse. Carbon, grime, dirt from the ground, etc... all will get into the surface and "bake" into the BCG, making it difficult to clean and requiring more oil than a less porous surface coating.

Nitride alone not only makes a more uniformly smooth surface, it penetrates the metal and chemically changes it. This means it won't scratch off like phosphate and expose untreated, bare metal to the elements.

If you want to stand by your phosphate BCG because you firmly believe it's "good 'nuff", be my guest - it's your rifle. The rest of us can use modern technology that simply was not available back when phosphate was chosen as the standard coating (again, because it was literally the cheapest option, not because it was inherently so great)... particularly when the price difference can be as little as $20.

[StandardFinn]

This sounds very suspect.

Phosphate coatings are porous and require oil to seal against corrosion, and worse. Carbon, grime, dirt from the ground, etc... all will get into the surface and "bake" into the BCG, making it difficult to clean and requiring more oil than a less porous surface coating.

Nitride alone not only makes a more uniformly smooth surface, it penetrates the metal and chemically changes it. This means it won't scratch off like phosphate and expose untreated, bare metal to the elements.

If you want to stand by your phosphate BCG because you firmly believe it's "good 'nuff", be my guest - it's your rifle. The rest of us can use modern technology that simply was not available back when phosphate was chosen as the standard coating (again, because it was literally the cheapest option, not because it was inherently so great)... particularly when the price difference can be as little as $20.

I won't claim to be an expert, but stainless on stainless has a tendency to seize. There are certain polished metals that when combined are not providing much benefit.

I think the benefits of NiB and NP3 coatings alike are that they innately have a higher lubricity without a lubricating compound. They're also much easier to clean because their surface is not as porous.

This all being said, the function of lubrication is such that oil and grease and other compounds have tiny molecules that fill the porous surfaces so that they reduce friction. You're simply "coating" the phosphate surface temporarily with your lubricator instead of permanently coating it with a less porous alloy. A properly lubed phosphate BCG will likely exhibit more wear by nature of the "coating" burning off and needing to be reapplied, but the surfaces through friction will also polish themselves out in time.

Again, not an expert, this just seems to make sense considering most firearms are not NiB or NP3 coated - gotta be a reason they don't go the extra mile besides $20.

[naz]

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Again, not an expert, this just seems to make sense considering most firearms are not NiB or NP3 coated - gotta be a reason they don't go the extra mile besides $20.

[ScottsBad]

Everything that isn't phosphate is an upgrade.

ForgottenWeapons/InRangeTV actually did a thing on the original BCG's back when the M16 was first introduced. Basically, Chrome plating technology wasn't good enough, and they peeled and had problems, and was expensive... so the MIL went with quite literally the cheapest alternative available... phosphate (or something to that end).

When I built mine, I wanted a black BCG... so that narrowed down my options to Nitride or DLC. Went with Nitride because DLC seems to be perpetually out of stock everywhere.

Nickel Boron will serve you well.

Not a fan of the poor Nib coating put on many BCGs. Nib can change the dimensions of a BCG if its not carefully done and checked. Many people have had good success however.

The advantage of phosphate is that it holds oil or grease better. I'm experimenting with a Nitride BCG and barrel in one of my rifles, its OK, but the phosphate holds lubricants better. I would not suggest a nitride barrel if you are going for high round counts.

Its important to keep ARs WELL lubed. They can run with very dirty BCGs as long as you keep them lubed. They can be covered with carbon as long as you keep the BCG wet, it will run.

Nitride is easier to clean, but seems to throws off the lube more readily.

Either will work, but you'll notice that even high end old school companies continue to predominantly supply phosphate.

I use phosphate BCGs from Colt, BCM, LMT, Daniel Defense, almost exclusively. And my spare BCGs and bolts are BCM, Daniel Defence, and LMT. I've got a couple extra Geissele bolts I bought a while back, but I think they are phosphate too.

Also, check to make sure the bolt is C158 and not 9310. Evidence is starting to come in that 9310 might be inferior.

[kcheung2]

Don't equate retail price with cost. Just like calling something "Tactical" automatically adds 25% to the selling price, saying you have some new-tech coating (regardless of effectiveness) also adds to retail price even though mfg cost may not be that much more. See Froglube as an example.