Pretty much all bolt carriers are made of 8620 steel so they are all the same, right?  As you can probably guess the answer is no.  So what are the differences.  First, let's talk about the metal.  The first main variable is where is comes from.  There are three main classifications for the sourcing of metal like steel.  Imported, DFARS and Domestic.  Imported is exactly what it means, it is imported from somewhere outside of the USA.  When it comes to steel and if money matters, then it is probably China or India.  These steels often are not certified to a particular standard so they may contain more impurities and may not be the exact mix they are labeled as.  Generally you will find this material in the cheapest bolt carriers and it should be avoided if you can.  Next is DFARS.  DFARS is the acronym for Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement.  In order to be in compliance with this, the material needs to come from the USA (although that would be labeled domestic) or one of our military allies.  So material falling under this spec could come from Germany, the UK, or France who all make excellent steel or other maybe less desireable countries like the Phillipines of Turkey.  It's good enough for Government work as they say but still some risk.  Next is Domestic, this is the gold standard as it is smelted and drawn or rolled right here in the USA.  We use only Domestic steel and aluminum in all of our products with the exception of 416 stainless which is smelted in the UK and rolled in South Carolina and certain Titanium which comes from Germany.  These exceptions are only because there is not the current availability to purchase them from a true Domestic supplier.  Next on the list is the certifications of the metal.  8620  should be 8620 right?  Again, the answer is no.  There are actually 5 different levels of 8620 varying in purity and processing.  ASTM or the American Society for Testing and Materials has created standards to differentiate these varying levels.   The most common variant of 8620 is ASTM A29/A322 or commerical quality.  It allows higher quantities of Phosphorus and Sulfur, impurities in steel which can lead to the steel being more brittle and more prone to fracture.  Next is  ASTM A534 or bearing quality.  This as the name implies was developed for use in bearings that support rotational parts like the crank of an engine or the spindle of a drill.  It has tighter standards for those less than desireable Phosphorus and Sulfur impurities and is Magnetic Particle Inspected (remember that from the bolt) for cracks before machining.  Now, AMS 6274 is Aircraft Quality.  That is what we and other top tier bolt carrier manufacturers use.  It not only meets the tighter standards for Phosphorus and Sulfur impurities and is MPI inspected but it also adds a second vacuum remelting step to further even out the chemisty and reduce impurities.  This is the best 8620 you can buy.  It is more expensive and harder to get but is what you want for your bolt carrier.

Ed Newman

I get asked often as to why we use a 3.0 oz carbine (C3.0) buffer in our rifles.  The question often takes on the form of "why don't you use a H2 or 4.5 oz buffer like the mil-spec".  The answer takes on a couple of forms.  First, the true mil-spec rifle is a system which includes ammunition.  Any deviation from this system can and will yield diffrerent results.  Consumers run different ammuniton than mil-spec and the rifles often have other differences, such as a 16" vs 14.5" barrel.  Secondly, it was our mindset is to develop the rifle's direct impingement system to be balanced with a 3.0 oz buffer to reduced felt recoil.  The heavier the mass cycling the more felt recoil.  As semi-automatic rifles cycle at a lower rate than automatic rifles, there is not the need to slow the action with a heavier buffer.  The third factor is the use of a supressor.  If a rifle is optimized for non-suppressed fire with an H2 buffer, you would need to change to a rare and expensive H3 or H4 to bring the rifle back into balance with the suppressor,  It is much easier and more economical to move from a C3.0 to an H2 to balance a suppressor.  Based on these factors we believe it is in the best interest of our customers for our rifles to be designed around a standard C3.0 buffer

Ed Newman