OLD Aluminum AR bolt carrier
I have been looking for one of the JP Enterprises aluminum bolt carriers, but I have had no luck. I did, however, exchange emails with a gentleman who had an aluminum bolt carrier. He stated that the carrier was marked "SE" and that he believes that this stands for Smith Enterprises. He also stated that he believes it to be at least 20 years old. I have read that there were some carriers made to increase the fire rate of M16s quite some time ago. I also read that an early piston conversion by the name of "Rhino" used an aluminum carrier. I can't find any info on Smith Enterprises aluminum carriers. Can anyone help me identify what carrier this is and tell me how reliable/valuable it is? I will include a picture, sorry if it's a bit large.
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Usually in the past when I've run into slides and functional operating parts made of aluminum rather then steel, it's to allow the firearm to function with .22 LR ammo. In the 70's/80's? when the first .22 AR conversion units came on the market their was more then one manufacturer. Maybe one of them decided to go with a Aluminum carrier? 0 -
I read your post and had to run for my old books and find the Rino piston conversion. It says the Rino used a standard bolt carrier modified with a larger, buffered carrier key with a shear pin ahead of the key screws. Nothing about aluminum. 0 -
I have an unused Rhino aluminum M16 bolt carrier that was given to me as part of a trade years ago. I have the original "Shotgun News" advertisement for it and other Rhino brand products. It cost $79.95 in the 1980s. It is advertised as increasing the rate of fire of an M16 to 1400 rounds per minute. Nothing in the advertisement mentions any piston conversion. 0 -
Observation:
That camming slot in the top of the carrier (where you insert the bolt retaining pin) is a bearing area that receives high stress during firing. Life of the [aluminum] carrier will be limited, at best before the slot is out of spec due to wear. Best, Joe0 -
Alright, so according to the info in this thread there was a Rhino piston conversion and a Rhino aluminum carrier. Regardless, I'm mainly looking for info from someone that has used the bolt I described or has any additional info about it. Unless the Rhino bolts were engraved with an "SE", it's not one of them. Smith Enterprise, if it's the same one, still sells parts but no carriers. I'll be sending them an email shortly and report back after I get a response. As far as the longevity or reliability of an aluminum carrier, I don't expect much. Thanks for the replies. 0 -
Besides the wear factor of the carrier's camming surface and the issue of securely attaching the key screws into thin walled aluminum, accelerated wear of piston ring seals etc, there is a reliability issue attendant to reducing momentum of an already very light bolt and carrier system.
If they were any good, they'd still be making them.
Certainly, they'd be cheaper and easier to produce than heat treated alloy steel.0 -
It really wouldn't matter much as for as who made it as far as reliability goes unless it has a carbon steel sleeve in it. It appears new. Aluminum seems to have a surface sticky-ness unlike steel when some compression is applied. Aluminum under trama force is in my opinion a very bad material for that purpose, aluminum likes to crack. I've sent large batches of parts back as an auto assembler in the past. The bolt cam pin is of a great concern. A heaver bolt carrier generates more force for feeding (laws of inertia). I wish the best for you. 0
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