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Old March 8, 2010, 09:00 AM   #10
mariner3302
Junior Member
 
Join Date: January 20, 2010
Posts: 14
I was only interested in modifying the left side of the bolt carrier/upper but no one wants to do it. I found out why, and it makes lots of sense. The bolt carrier is drilled and shaped and then hardened. It is so hard that it eats the strongest drill bits up. So the only way to do it would be to anneal the carrier and then tap it. Which would make the annealed part weak and prone to possible failure. So it needs to be drilled and tapped prior to hardening.
I still think that for the AR-15 pistols that the carrier mounted charging handle is best but I will have to wait til I can get a carrier specially made. Which equals funds.
I contacted White Oak and they don't do the left side carrier anymore and said they weren't interested in making any. It was the same story from about four other gunsmiths. I only wanted the drill carrier and wanted to do the mod myself so the modded uppers being sold I didn't look into very much.

"As mentioned above, Fulton. Looks like The modified bolt carrier and stripped upper are sold separately. The bolt carrier with bolt handle is $150 and the stripped upper is $200
http://www.fulton-armory.com/M6Parts3.htm

Alexander Arms has a beefed-up side-charging upper with a chromed carrier for $325
http://www.alexanderarms.com/sitesho...?cat=2&item=80

American Spirit sells the upper plus modified carrier for $375
http://www.americanspiritarms.com/pr...ver-38-12.html "

I think the Fulton and Alexander carriers are were manufactured by the same place then sold to each company for final assembly. They look so similar in form and function that it leads me to believe that someone did a run of carriers then sold them off.
I like the American Spirit job but don't want to spend the money. A small tapped hole in the area I showed in the picture would be easy and functional and inexpensive but I have to find someone willing to do it then put it through the hardening process. Maybe if there was a large lot it would be easier.

Last edited by mariner3302; March 8, 2010 at 09:11 AM.
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