Is JP Enhanced bolt worth the extra money?

[dlouie87]

Hello,

I'm looking at the JP LMOS and was just wondering if the "enhanced" bolt is worth the extra cost? I know that it's made out of "stronger" material but is it going to affect anything else (function, etc)?

I found a BCM for $70 http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCM-AR15-Bolt-Assembly-MPI-p/bcm%20bolt%20assemly%20mp.htm

Also the JP "regular" bolt: http://www.makereadyproshop.com/product-p/jp-bolt.htm

Just wondering what are the benefits of having the "enhanced" bolt?

-Daniel

Edited October 11, 2012 by dlouie87

[Flexmoney]

Do you plan on shooting enough to wear it out?

[dlouie87]

Do you plan on shooting enough to wear it out?

As oh right now, since I'm starting out, probably not. Does the different material affect anything else besides durability?

[wgj3]

I bought one to use with a Young's carrier. So far, it's just another bolt. I think that the difference would be in longevity. But, how much difference would that really be? Avg x rounds on mil-spec bolt; avg x+y on JP. Figure cost per round and see if it pays for itself in the long-run. My guess is that there are numerous other factors at play that could shorten or lengthen the life of either one based on each individual user... For the time being, I get to say that I have something different that is supposed to be pretty reliable; time will tell.

[Sleepswithdogs]

The bolt is the weakest link in the AR platform. JP's bolt is extra strong. $60 of insurance against a broken bolt sounds pretty cheep to me. I guess you could buy two cheaper bolts so you can keep one as a spare like a lot of people do, but this doesn't save much money.

Tar

Edited October 10, 2012 by Sleepswithdogs

[jobob]

I have the JP bolts in 3 guns. They are very well made. I've seen locking lugs break on cheaper bolts. When that happens it kinda ends your shooting day! The one that I put in my LR308 made it into a better, more reliable rifle. I think they are worth the $.

[1chota]

i have only 'SEEN' one broken bolt. i have seen beau coup broken extractors. i have a very old bushmaster 5.56 carbine that is still on its original bolt, new extractor and springs, etc, but same bolt. it has been shot alot. i don't keep round counts, but i have shot it for over 15 years. gonna shoot it this week-end at a carbine match. IF you ever break your bolt, THEN buy a JP. I like their products, but can't seen jumping over just to jump.

[jobob]

The extractor certainly is prone to breakage, or just wearing out. I don't know if the extractor in the JP bolt is made of the same super hard material, but I assume it is. Whatever. I like the enhanced bolt and think it's worth it, if for no other reason than it inspires confidence.

[TruePunisher]

FYI, the JP bolt you have in the link above is not their enhanced bolt. The enhanced bolt is 9310 not 8620 like the description reads and the 9310 bolt is about double that price.

[Religious Shooter]

I have one that came with my CTR02 upper.

If your life depended on it, it would be worth the extra insurance.

To me it's not worth it. I'd rather buy two complete (one for a spare) DPMS bolt assemblies ($43 ea from Midway) for less money than one super bolt.

Over the years I've I've had one bolt wear down --- the sharp edge of the teeth that strips the round from the magazine rounded down. And had one break --- one of the teeth broke off near the extractor.

Probably 2-3 extractors have broken on me.

[Jaxshooter]

I also have the enhanced bolt in my CTR-02. I own 10 other AR-15s in various configurations that have a variety of bolts from DPMS, Rock River , Wilson and other companies. I have yet to break a bolt in any of them including a Colt that I have had for 14+ years. I like JP parts and have used them and continue to use them in AR builds but I have never bothered with the enhanced bolt due to the price difference.

[Sleepswithdogs]

While I have not broken one myself, I have read of several instances of bolts breaking. Usually it's the lug next to the extractor that shears off, but I have also seen pics of bolts breaking through the cam pin whole.

Tar

[Sleepswithdogs]

this from Pat Rogers;

"What we see go down at class falls into these catagories.

Wear items

Specifically, extractors and extractor springs.

Bolt rings

Buffer springs

Parts guns

Parts ain't parts. If you get your stuff from gun shows and garage sales, don't expect quality

I had a guy in a recent class bragging on T1 that he built his carbine for $400 and "it is just as good as..." That feternoon it wouldn't ectract. The extractor was worn snooth and then re park'd; the extractot spring was flat (no joke) and the insert was just crumbs.

We replaced it all.

On T3 his bolt broke in half.

Hobby guns

Generally ok, but non MPI bolts may not last (we see less problems with breaking lately) and some of the new guns may not work at all. These should not have to be shot in- they should work out of the box.

Chambers are often 223, no matter what is marked on the barrel. When the gun gets hot, extraction slows down.

Worn out guns

Parts wear. Sometimes the guns are just plain shot out- more often, military guns.

Think MEAL

Magazines- serviceable mags

Extractor- serviceable

Ammunition- quality ammo, not garbage

Lube- generous lubrication

If you have that, most of the guns- even some of the very low end guns- might do well for a class or more.

On the other hand, some of the companies make absolutely great guns. They will last a long time."

This from Harv:

"I did loose a Locking lug on a Bushy bolt several years back in a course..but that gun had about 10K rds on it when it went..

Keep spares and your good. One year I ran a gun and kept a spare BCG.. the next year I just kept a spare gun.

If you don't have a spare gun, then at a minimum have a spare bolt."

This from another carbine class:

"The first class I went to I saw a lot of problems with:

Unsecured optics - EOTech fell off a guys gun

Broken bolt and pin - unknown manufacture."

This also from Pat Rogers:

"Do springs wear?

Yup.

Does a harsh firing schedule make parts wear faster

Yup. The labs know this.

Do high rates of fire cause bolts to break?

Good question. I know from M4A1 use that a harsh firing schedule will mean bolt lugs will break sooner then later.

Having said that, aftermarket hobby gun parts (bolts that are not shot peened and MPI) may break at the cam pin hole much sooner then that.

I have seen hobby bolts break in less then 500 rounds. I have also seen them break at 10,000 rounds."

[AKJD]

To the original poster. Here are four broken bolts from 16 inch carbines. In my experience the carbine length gas system is much harder on bolts than the longer systems. I saw relatively few broken bolts in M16's and it seems to occur more often in M4s.

I recenty purchased 3 of the JP enhanced bolts to see how they last compared to regular bolts. Ask me the same question in a year and I'll have a better answer.

[Religious Shooter]

I have to kind of agree the the bolts are problem parts on the AR.

Other than match triggers going on the fritz, the only breakage I've had with the AR was with the bolt and extractors. But that's been few and very far in between.

I always bring a spare carrier and bolt with me to big matches.

[StealthyBlagga]

Bolts are a potential source of failure. And for the Ranger - YES, I have broken one in a match (photo below). JP has a good reputation, and I am sure their bolt is very good, but I'd doubt it is significantly better than a quality milspec peened/MPI bolt from a good manufacturer like Bravo Company, Spikes and others. My recommendation is to buy whichever top-quality bolt you can find at the best price, install it and forget it. If you want to be really safe, inspect for signs of failure each time you clean it (and check extractor and ejector cleanliness/function), and consider replacing the bolt every 10K rounds. It's a relatively cheap part, but if it fails your match comes to a grinding halt.

[Alaskapopo]

I know bolts can break I have fired a lot of rounds in my AR's and have not broke one yet but I do keep a spare handy.

Pat

[Jadeslade]

Yes. They are worth the money. The finish, the guarantee, the research they put into it is well worth it. As far as long range recon patrol goes, your farts are the most unreliable part of your kit.

[Stlhead]

I will give my opinion, but first must comment that opinions can and very often are absolutely wrong. Yes everyone has opinions, but by no means is every opinion worth even the time to consider. If you do not know the person who is expressing the opinion, or any sort of supporting data is presented with the opinion then it must be considered suspect at best. Here is my "opinion"; JP supports the sport I enjoy, and the "enhanced" bolts that I have been using have not failed me so I will continue to use them. Is the bolt better? It does not matter to me because it works, and I am not going to change from a setup that works. The fuel I spend driving to matches exponentially eclipses the cost of a new bolt every couple of years by so much that it is not even worth considering a change to save $40. That is my opinion and it is worth every penny that you paid for it!

[dlouie87]

Thanks for the input guys. I didn't mean to stir up the pot here and I apologize if I have caused any drama with my question. I'm just going to go with the complete LMOS and bolt set up from Chris Patty and just call it a day.

Thanks again.

-Dan

[larry weeks]

Don't know if this will be definitive enough for everyone but here goes. I work for Brownells and when we were building mags for the military contract we ran thousands of rounds, full auto, through a variety of M16s and M4s. I asked the gentleman who headed the testing about bolts. Here's what he said, "Typically we went through 8600 rounds of full auto fire before a bolt lost a lug. Conversely, we had one that only lasted 2 ½ magazines before shearing a lug. Most likely this bolt was examined and passed inspection during the re-build process or missed inspection all-together.

The lugs most likely to break are just above the extractor cut but the one just below is also likely to break as well. The extractor cut leaves what I call a “fracture line”. With any hardened steel a sharp interior corner will make the part eventually susceptible to fracture on the line edge made by a cutter. Supposedly cryogenic treatment realigns the molecular structure and the stress is less likely to fracture afterward. Shot peening is also supposed to relieve stresses caused by machining but ultimately the tensile strength, hardness and resistance to shear forces are what make more durable bolt materials.

At over twice the price of a standard MIL/SPEC bolt assembly the JP Enhanced bolt would be my choice for a rifle I intended to keep or use for patrol purposes (if permitted by the agency) but not a major concern if I only plan to use the rifle/carbine for plinking or practice.

Given that the rifle will still function and fire in the case of a single broken lug (once the broken lug is removed) in a pinch or critical incident, broken bolt lugs are a moot point to me. Replace it after the crisis is dealt with."

[Jadeslade]

Thanks for the input guys. I didn't mean to stir up the pot here and I apologize if I have caused any drama with my question. I'm just going to go with the complete LMOS and bolt set up from Chris Patty and just call it a day.

Thanks again.

-Dan

There you go. Larry Weeks added a hey ho and he was my favorite RO at the AR15.com RockCastle Brownells 3 Gun this year. That was a serious sink-hole there dude!!!!

[DocMedic]

I have this bolt in both comp guns, I also had one of the extractors break in half on me at a major match. Not only did JP replace the extractor they replace the whole bolt. Rifle was about 12k rnds old. Always bring extra!

[Jesse Tischauser]

Let me start out by saying I love pretty much everything JP builds. I use a bunch of their parts in all of my guns. I had a JP Enhanced bolt break through the cam pin hole after less then 2,000 rounds on the rifle. I also had an extractor get bent causing it to stop extracting.

JP replaced both parts free of charge. They were unable to remove my buddy's boot marks from my a$$ after he kicked it on the stage with the broken bolt though.

I am confident that if JP says its a better product it probably is but being better doesn't mean it won't fail eventually and sometimes even prematurely.

Now I run a bolt from Loki Weapons Systems in all my guns. I like them simply because they cost them with NiB coating which makes them require less lube and they clean up easier.

Edited October 13, 2012 by Jesse Tischauser

[ncopenshooter]

Maybe I'm just silly, but I just carry a complete bolt carrier group in my AR cleaning kit for 3-Gun matches. Anything goes wrong, it's a 10 second fix. Yeah, MAYBE you trashed a stage, but your match isn't over and that's real insurance no matter how awesome your bolt is.