bolt carier
- Thread starter don vito
- Start date
Destructo6
New member
A bolt carrier on a self loading rifle does the job that your hand would do in a bolt action. That is, it unlocks, opens, closes, and then locks the bolt.
On an AK or AR, gas pushes the bolt carrier to the rear, which simultaneously unlocks the bolt by keyways and keys acting upon each other.
With the obvious exceptions of the M1 Garand and M14, most self loading rifles have bolt carriers.
On an AK or AR, gas pushes the bolt carrier to the rear, which simultaneously unlocks the bolt by keyways and keys acting upon each other.
With the obvious exceptions of the M1 Garand and M14, most self loading rifles have bolt carriers.
Badger Arms
New member
Even the Garand has a bolt carrier although it's called an operating rod. The disadvantage of the Bolt Carrier is that it adds another moving part to the system. This extra part makes the whole system less accurate and more prone to malfunction.
Bobbalouie
New member
On the Garand ,M14 and Mini-14, the bolt is acted upon by an arm (carrier) which is connected to the piston in the gas cylinder at the front of the weapon. At the bolt, the arm provides a linkage which moves the bolt back and forth and rotate to lockup. Technically, this arm serves much of the function of the AR-15/M-16 bolt carrier.
The innovation on the AR-15/M-16 is that the out-front gas cylinder and connective arm and their extra weight are eliminated and replaced by a lightweight tube which carries the gas directly back to the receiver, where its force acts directly on the bolt carrier and bolt. The bolt carrier provides the mechanical linkage which transfers the gas pressure to the bolt and causes the bolt to align and lockup.
Hope this helps,
Bobbalouie
The innovation on the AR-15/M-16 is that the out-front gas cylinder and connective arm and their extra weight are eliminated and replaced by a lightweight tube which carries the gas directly back to the receiver, where its force acts directly on the bolt carrier and bolt. The bolt carrier provides the mechanical linkage which transfers the gas pressure to the bolt and causes the bolt to align and lockup.
Hope this helps,
Bobbalouie
a little different perspective
The M16 carrier is what the gas pressure from the tube is acting on. The force to unlock the bolt is DIRECTLY impinged on the bolt and causes the bolt/carrier to extend which unlocks the bolt via the cam pin action on the inclined slot in the carrier.
Now that the bolt is unlocked, the rearward momentum of the carrier carries the bolt assembly to the rear under the force of the buffer spring.
Very little force comes from the gas tube. Its function is primarily to conduct operating gas.
The major advantage of the "direct impingment" system is the overall mass of the system. Very high rates of fire can be managed and higher pressure rifle rounds can be used.
The M1 Garand can be damaged from improper ammo. The M14 has a slightly different system to allow for the high pressure but it still can be damaged.
The M16 carrier is what the gas pressure from the tube is acting on. The force to unlock the bolt is DIRECTLY impinged on the bolt and causes the bolt/carrier to extend which unlocks the bolt via the cam pin action on the inclined slot in the carrier.
Now that the bolt is unlocked, the rearward momentum of the carrier carries the bolt assembly to the rear under the force of the buffer spring.
Very little force comes from the gas tube. Its function is primarily to conduct operating gas.
The major advantage of the "direct impingment" system is the overall mass of the system. Very high rates of fire can be managed and higher pressure rifle rounds can be used.
The M1 Garand can be damaged from improper ammo. The M14 has a slightly different system to allow for the high pressure but it still can be damaged.