PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA! ..... proudly?

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D94R

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Their site states:
These BCGs are inspected to the highest of standards, to insure a high quality product that is 100% reliable for our customer… PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA!"

It would seem this statement has gone the way of "you have my word." It means nothing, apparently, anymore. What I got was a bolt that ran 100% unreliably, and something I would not be proud to put my name on.


So lets get to the problems:
The requirements for assembly of our Bolt Carrier Groups are much higher than most. Before assembling the gas key to the carrier, permatex NO.3D aviation is applied to form-a-gasket around the gas hole (per MIL-SPEC). Then Grade-8 hardware is used to attach the gas key, followed by properly staking per spec. When installing the extractor to the bolt, a crane-o-ring is inserted with the spring to insure proper ejection. Then high temperature grease is applied to the gas rings before inserting the bolt into the carrier, which allows for much smoother operation.

From the pics you'll see this description is 99% false (the verification of grade 8 hardware can not be done).
(disclosure, the exterior of the BCG was wiped down as I was running this WET for break in, the bolt however was not touched with a wipe after removal)


Immediate extraction issues with the bolt lead to the company asking me to see if the extractor o-ring was installed. It was not. Ok, simple miss when assembling... I guess. Oh... does anyone see any grease on the gas rings?
8461D1A9-1B10-4C53-8156-A42AE3F4936D_zpssympfi6w.gif

But then I grab the carrier and feel a gas key that was a bit shakey. Shakey? What? Yup, the key was extremely loose, with less than 80 rounds fired.
You'll see, if you note the gaps around the gas key bolts, the ability for the key to slide fore/aft. What you can't see is how much it could rock.
5EC25FB8-410A-40C2-B53C-45C7F3FE6E9B_zpsytyawcvt.gif
9B401214-A474-415E-BB5E-E11871706990_zpsg2rau97h.gif


But that can't be, the key is staked, and there is permatex that should be helping grip the key.
Yah... not really.
Staked, and properly staked are wildly different physical characteristics. One bolt came freely out when the key was pushed one way. The other bolt remained captive by the staking, however it freely spun inside the key allowing complete removal of the key from the carrier.
Also, what you see is not permatex but carbon (a bit more on that in a sec).
98DF2B95-B06A-450E-AB1A-9313F45A40BA_zpsjedog3ox.gif




Ok, after the extraction issue I emailed them, they replied within a day asking about the o-ring and I replied that day confirming the o-ring was non existant. It was 8 minutes after that email reply that I found all other issues. I followed up that email to them with another email showing them the additional problems. For two days I hear crickets.

I call them today to see what was going on. I feel all I got was lip service.
"the manufacture says based on the pics there is permatex, but not enough"
Just what pics are they looking at? There is ZERO permatex.
"the grease is applied to the gas rings, it must have wore off"
Wore off? In ~80 rds?

The company didn't even address the problem with the staking! And with the run-around I wasn't even in the mood to argue.

Their excuse was poor QC.
You think? But I don't believe that's completely the issue. How could QC miss EVERY PART that this BCG is built on? A single missed o-ring? Sure. But not every selling point. Especially when they so prominently state they inspect the BCG's for 100% reliability. SMH.

To be honest, I am accepting a replacement, so we'll see. I'll be very critical of the build of this next one.

The pistol is running flawlessly with my RRA bolt, for now.
 
Sounds like the guys doing the assembly either don't care about their job, or are being rushed to crank out as many as possible without proper assembly. Maybe it's just the guy who assembled this particular one. Without several from the same company, it's impossible to tell.
 
1. The gas key cap screws are not the correct size.
2. Who greases gas rings and why?
3. ENCO Grade 8 standard hex drive cap screws (Mil-Standard) are easily identified by black oxide coating, this applies to both carbon steel and stainless steel screws
4. Mil spec gas key cap screws will be 8X32 thread, 17/64" head diameter 9/64" hex key drive ANSI B18 fastener standard black oxide finish
 
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I thought the outrage would be that merely attaching the gas key to Chinese parts got it certified as "American made" or something :p
 
I thought the outrage would be that merely attaching the gas key to Chinese parts got it certified as "American made" or something :p
Yeah
People still think Harley Davidson's and Caterpillar bulldozers are made in America too.
 
Yeah
People still think Harley Davidson's and Caterpillar bulldozers are made in America too.
I understand the new Harley Street is manufactured in India, assembled in US which through creative lobbying allows them to say made in USA. The Triumph Bonneville, England right? No, actually Thailand.

Is nothing sacred? :confused:

To the OP, sorry about your bolt problems. Could you please share who made it so we can avoid it? Maybe after you receive the new one?
 
Well, I bought 2 BCG's from the same seller/manufacturer, but a year ago, and standard phosphate ones. Thanks to this post, I pulled them and checked the gas keys on mine. The Permatex is visible where it squeezed out around the port, the gas key screws are staked, and the key has no movement at all. However, in this world of Mil-spec tactical everything, I would advise (myself) not to take anything for granted, marketing can be deceiving. Hopefully heading to the range this weekend, but the Fourth is scheduled thunderstorms all day, so I think it will be a good day to clean and inspect all of my firearms.
 
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...Without several from the same company, it's impossible to tell.
I understand this, and if that is the case, mine must have fell through the cracks, assembled, and shipped itself. But really, I hope it was just a random QC failure. Still flies in the face of their advertising.


1. The gas key cap screws are not the correct size.
2. Who greases gas rings and why?
3. ENCO Grade 8 standard hex drive cap screws (Mil-Standard) are easily identified by black oxide coating, this applies to both carbon steel and stainless steel screws
4. Mil spec gas key cap screws will be 8X32 thread, 17/64" head diameter 9/64" hex key drive ANSI B18 fastener standard black oxide finish
1: Correct, they do not match the bolts in my RRA key.
2: Don't know really. But it was something they advertise and additionally missed.
3/4: I don't know what forces those bolts see, but I'm guessing for a BCG that won't see thousands upon thousands of rounds those bolts are fine. Having them installed and held correctly is probably the bigger factor.



Who is the manufacturer and/or seller?
...
This is aim surplus isn't it...
Pending the arrival and inspection of the next BCG I will withhold confirming that ;)



I thought the outrage would be that merely attaching the gas key to Chinese parts got it certified as "American made" or something
Honestly, that does have me more bent than the problems with the bolt. I mean hell, they even put it in all capslock on their site LOL!


To the OP, sorry about your bolt problems. Could you please share who made it so we can avoid it? Maybe after you receive the new one?
Yah, if the next one is a bomb, I'll verify who made them. Some sly slueths here seem to be on the trail already :)
But, I'm giving the benefit of the doubt by accepting a replacement. Everyone makes a lemon now and then.




Badkarmamib. I would recommend taking an allen to the key bolts and seeing if they will tighten more with minimal force. I wouldn't loosen them for fear of breaking the permatex seal, but if they can tighten more you'll know they are not installed properly, and the staking is ineffective as mine was.
 
Ok, thanks. You got it from Aim Surplus. I didn't have time to verify it myself earlier.

Btw, there's nothing wrong with posting, "Hey, I got a poor quality piece this time from [insert name here] and here's what's wrong with it."

That's very different from saying, "Hey, [insert name here] stole my money by selling me one crap part. I won't ever buy from them again because obviously that's all they sell is crap." ...Which you obviously didn't do.

It's just a QC alert, not a crucifixion.
 
Some sly slueths here seem to be on the trail already

When a company, does a constant cut-and-paste of their incorrect ad-o-copy to multiple products it tends to "insure" you know exactly where it came from without even knowing what the product is.
 
Very sound advice, D94R. I pulled all of my BCG's and checked them. Now I can sleep better, but I am ashamed to admit that this is the first time I have done it.
 
Apache... fair enough. I too would like to know something like this as well if someone else was posting. I figured a copy/paste of their exact wording would help someone nail a google search if they didn't already recognize the description. Just being coy for now. I've seen too many (not necessarily on here) threads run away with less information and call for the hanging of company XYZ. As you said, I do not intend to crucify, but for every aspect of this bolt to fail QC makes me believe its more than a one-off miss or coincidence and needed some attention.

But yes, it was an AIM spec'd NiB BCG. Their $100 product.
Click here for their page


If the next one is proper, then I'll gladly post about it as well.
 
But that's impossible, they say "inspected to the highest of standards". :rolleyes:

I've always had good experiences with AIM as a company, very sorry to see this. I seriously can't see any retailer removing every BCG they're selling from it's packaging and going over each component. Labor to do that would be off the charts.

What they need to do is get on the manufacturer's case, hopefully they'll be doing that.
 
"Proudly made in the USA" ,these days, translates to, designed by bean counters and assembled by a disgruntled workforce. Not generally a recipe for quality. Just my humble opinion.
 
Last I heard, the next to slave labor in many factories in China weren't exactly dancing in the aisles either. Got to be a happy medium somewhere.
 
Last I heard, the next to slave labor in many factories in China weren't exactly dancing in the aisles either. Got to be a happy medium somewhere.
According to the Corporate Masters, items built by a happy and stable workforce would be too expensive to market in this, the global economy...
 
I've never seen grease on the gas rings and in 22 years USAR none was available to do that job. CLP was it, and even new out of the box it was simply lubed and wiped down.

I've never seen any liquid goo's applied to a gas key, none of my issue rifles had it, and the two builds had BCG's that were clean. At best they are a thread glue only which means the key itself won't have much squeezed out from under the body. Most threaded fasteners only need a drop or two, pretreated ones usually are noted by the coloring on the threaded part.

Having the gas key sealed tight against the bolt body is more a manufacturing finesse point, the gas block doesn't use any liquid thread fastener, the tube is only pinned into place. The end of the tube passing into the gas key isn't sealed tight and subject to some clearance to fit the closing of the BCG rattling around inside the upper. With all the planned leaks the standard milspec system works just fine - sealing the gas key would be a useless gesture.

I'm not seeing those two points as "milspec."

What is obvious is the key wasn't staked well and that's about it. As for the ad copy - I rarely put much faith in ANYBODY"s, what is more important are the specifications that can be checked and tested, plus the reputation of the supplier and their overall honesty. If the BCG wasn't up to spec - you get what you pay for.

Cheap BCG's are pretty common here, not all are US made at all. However, up to now we haven't had any Chinese ones due to their government agreeing to a trade provision to hold back importing Norinco firearms to gain shipping in everything ELSE you see in large chain department and discount stores. Recently, however, the Administration renegotiated trade with Vietnam and they are now allowed to import firearms parts.

The problem isn't going to go away any time soon.
 
It would seem this statement has gone the way of "you have my word." It means nothing, apparently, anymore. What I got was a bolt that ran 100% unreliably, and something I would not be proud to put my name on.



Been that way for a long time. The days of workers actually caring about the product went away and were replaced by just worrying about the paycheck. Reason #1 why manufacturing went elsewhere.
 
Made in the USA doesn't mean as much as it used to. Nowadays I go by reviews and reputation. Some USA products are great but so are some made overseas. The same is true for shoddy products.
 
Been that way for a long time. The days of workers actually caring about the product went away and were replaced by just worrying about the paycheck. Reason #1 why manufacturing went elsewhere.
Maybe you have it backwards? Shareholder value theory, as espoused by Jack Welsh, former CEO of GE, put maximizing stock return over everything. Companies that used to persue high return and worker welfare gave way in the 80's to a sole pursuit of wringing everything they could from a company. Fire as many workers as you can and still keep the bare bones operation going became the new norm. Screw the workers, they're just standing in the way of profit.

Obscene CEO bonuses tied to high quarterly return resulted in mass firings. Send as many jobs as possible offshore to a cheaper labor force. Is it any wonder American workers are disillusioned?

Of course they're worrying about their paycheck, tomorrow it may be going to a worker in Shanghai.
 
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