Fail Zero BCG

[JJ1911]

Disclaimer: I know that I can google reviews about this product. I am posting because I want the calguns folks opinions about this product.

I am looking at picking one up, but considering its double the price of a quality BCG like BCMn, is it worth it?

I am running a mid length 16" Noveske upper, with a BCM BCG. I haven't had any problems with my current setup, but I'm always looking into improvements! Thanks all.

[killshot44]

The money would be better spent on a trigger or barrel.....

[BMWguy206]

I use to have a Daniel Defense BCG. Decided to try out the FZ BCG and loved it a lot because it was so much easier to clean. I sold the FZ BCG to a friend and picked up a Spike's Tactical Nickel Boron BCG made by FZ and cheaper too.

In my opinion it's worth it but buy the Spike's Tactical Nickel Boron BCG instead and use that as your primary BCG since it's cheaper and made by the same company. Keep your old BCG as a back up.

What are you current mods? Do you have an optic yet?

[Josh3239]

I bought the FZ bolt. It is well made and it does what it is supposed to do. If you want to hear that it is the best upgrade you can buy for an AR and is completely lubeless then you are going to be dissapointed in my experience with it.

[Omega13device]

I haven't heard a single explanation on how it improves anything in a measurable and/or meaningful way, other than it's easier to clean. The whole slick finish thing is the answer to a question that nobody's asking.

A BCG from BCM or another quality vendor will do 100% of what anyone needs it to do.

[Mail Clerk]

Disclaimer: I know that I can google reviews about this product. I am posting because I want the calguns folks opinions about this product.

I am looking at picking one up, but considering its double the price of a quality BCG like BCMn, is it worth it?

I am running a mid length 16" Noveske upper, with a BCM BCG. I haven't had any problems with my current setup, but I'm always looking into improvements! Thanks all.

jj1911,

This has been argued before and I've always wondered why it's so much better than a completely hard-chromed version??? I mean to claim it basicaly doesn't require any cleaning after hundreds of rounds stumps me. Any/every bolt requires cleaning. My opinion, the hard-chrome one like I just bought my buddy will last a very long time and because of the plating cleans up fast. If the claims are true then one day I'll try one and find out but until then I believe in my chromed versions.

Mail Clerk

[PEBKAC]

jj1911,

This has been argued before and I've always wondered why it's so much better than a completely hard-chromed version??? I mean to claim it basicaly doesn't require any cleaning after hundreds of rounds stumps me. Any/every bolt requires cleaning. My opinion, the hard-chrome one like I just bought my buddy will last a very long time and because of the plating cleans up fast. If the claims are true then one day I'll try one and find out but until then I believe in my chromed versions.

Mail Clerk

I think it isn't so much that the finish is better than hard chrome wrt easy cleaning, it's more that said finish isn't hard chrome while retaining its easy to clean properties. Chromed BCGs have a reputation for wearing an upper harder than normal and thus decreasing overall lifespan. YMMV.

[Omega13device]

Chromed BCGs have a reputation for wearing an upper harder than normal and thus decreasing overall lifespan. YMMV.

That's an internet reputation based on theory only. I've never seen anyone actually measure it, and I've never, ever, heard anyone say their upper receiver was worn out and had to be replaced.

Even if it did have to be replaced, SO WHAT?? Almost everything wears out. Bolts and FCG parts wear out. Barrels wear out. An upper receiver is a $100 part that's easy to replace. By the time it wears out you'll have spent thousands of dollars on ammo, and at that point you're going to quibble about $100?

[Nathan Krynn]

A FZ BCG is an awesome upgrade and I run them on all but precision builds for me personally. The fact you don't have to lube takes out the biggest fail point on the AR-15. I still put a little lube though. I have one that has at least 5k rounds and no lube. Also it is much harder then any other coating and does not wear like Nickel Boron (I have had this flake all off). It is also 100% better then hard chrome as that wears and requires lube.

I love FZ BCG's and I have seen / made them all.

[PEBKAC]

That's an internet reputation based on theory only. I've never seen anyone actually measure it, and I've never, ever, heard anyone say their upper receiver was worn out and had to be replaced.

Even if it did have to be replaced, SO WHAT?? Almost everything wears out. Bolts and FCG parts wear out. Barrels wear out. An upper receiver is a $100 part that's easy to replace. By the time it wears out you'll have spent thousands of dollars on ammo, and at that point you're going to quibble about $100?

I was only speculating based on what I have heard in an attempt to answer the question as to why the other BCGs would be considered "better" given the roughly the same cleanability properties and assuming most other purported benefits of the different coatings are negligible. Given that, the "increased wear" reason was all that made any sense. No need to jump on me.

What I do know is that the military certainly dropped chromed carriers like a hot rock in the 60s in favor of parkerized carriers and they haven't looked back. My Google Fu (given an extensive and exhaustive 10 minutes of searching) is coming up blank on any reports that document increased wear as a reason for dropping the chrome plating. Could it have been a simple price point decision rather than increased wear? Certainly, but it could have been a lot of things if we want to speculate hard. Given it is a bit of a triviality I won't go any further researching it...

[JJ1911]

Thanks everyone, I have decided to stick with my BCM until I have a reason not to. I'll buy more ammo instead!

[FeuerFrei]

A FZ BCG is an awesome upgrade and I run them on all but precision builds for me personally. The fact you don't have to lube takes out the biggest fail point on the AR-15. I still put a little lube though. I have one that has at least 5k rounds and no lube. Also it is much harder then any other coating and does not wear like Nickel Boron (I have had this flake all off). It is also 100% better then hard chrome as that wears and requires lube.

I love FZ BCG's and I have seen / made them all.

My experience with FZ BCG in 2 DI guns I have has shown no noticeable wear (semi auto only) and I run them dry.
Wet or dry...you decide what is best for you.
The areas I run my guns are VERY dusty and sandy. ARs are all used for varminting and recreational shooting.
The dust gets everywhere and in everything. These will still run all day long with no lube. Lube no lube doesn't matter.
I can clean them whenever and no need to worry about squirting oil into the BCG now and again.
5000+ rounds through 16" RR HB upper and 1000+- through RR HB 20" upper. It has worked for me.
If they ever fail I will post pics here to show it.

[CHS]

The fact you don't have to lube takes out the biggest fail point on the AR-15. I still put a little lube though. I have one that has at least 5k rounds and no lube. Also it is much harder then any other coating and does not wear like Nickel Boron (I have had this flake all off). It is also 100% better then hard chrome as that wears and requires lube.

Uhhh, everything requires lube, no matter what "wonder coating" they've got on them.

That alone kinda makes the FZ useless.

[Nathan Krynn]

Uhhh, everything requires lube, no matter what "wonder coating" they've got on them.

That alone kinda makes the FZ useless.

The next 2 sentences in the quote from the highlighted one I said I have one with 5k rounds no lube, and that thing runs like a champ.

FZ BCG's do not require lube at all, I am just over cautious and have trained habits. If I was in a dusty place I wouldn't lube at all. I just live in what should be considered everglades. Also I sear there is virtually no wear on FZ coated stuff.

[Mail Clerk]

No matter if it's hard-chrome or that fancy FZ "Nickle-Boron" coating one thing is for sure for myself..... which ever is cheaper to get that's for me cuz by the time any possible wear from any of the two coatings will happen well into my retirement. Most of my shooting only happens when the timing is right/weather permiting and the ammo I have. Generally I only shoot no more than 300 round annualy while the rest of the year is spent gathering ammo for the ready.

Mail Clerk