By now, you know that I’m a huge fan of Palmetto State Armory…
I love that they proudly promote the 2nd Amendment with absolutely no apologies…
And I love that it’s their mission to offer high-quality guns and parts at affordable prices…
As I’ve said before, I think that (most of the time) they succeed in that mission…
So today we’re going to focus on the bolt carrier groups offered by Palmetto State Armory…
I’ll be sharing with you which PSA BCG I think is the best, and I’ll be doing that by giving you my Top 7 list of the best PSA BCGs (plus a bonus option!)…
By the end, you’ll have a good understanding of the different types of BCGs that PSA has to offer, and you should be able to determine which is going to work best for you…
Let’s get started!
Best PSA BCG – Top 7 List (Plus 1 Bonus Option!)
The best PSA BCG is the Premium Nickel Boron bolt carrier group. It’s the best because the Nickel Boron coating adds lubricity to the carrier and makes it easier to clean. The Bolt is also made from Carpenter 158 steel and is also shot-peened and Magnetic Particle Inspected…
The following will give more detail outlining why I think the PSA Premium Nickel Boron BCG is the best from Palmetto State Armory…
And I’ll also share with you 6 other fantastic PSA bolt carrier groups that you should consider…
1. Premium 5.56 Nickel Boron BCG W/ Carpenter 158 Bolt (NO LOGO)
As I mentioned above, I think the best PSA Bolt Carrier Group is the Premium 5.56 Nickel Boron with a Carpenter 158 Bolt, and there are several reasons why I like it…
First of all, I like that this BCG features a Nickel Boron coating. The reason why is because Nickle Boron is going to add lubricity to the BCG. Now, you still need to lubricate it, but having that extra lubricity means that your AR-15 will function smoother and more reliably even if it does start to get a bit dirty from carbon (or if it ever runs dry)…
On top of that, the Nickel Boron coating makes it really easy to clean your BCG. Typically, all you need is a dry rag and you can wipe the whole bolt and carrier clean in a few seconds…
I also like that the bolt is made from Carpenter No. 158 steel which is a very durable material. It meets mil-spec standards, and that is something that you definitely want to have (at a minimum) for an AR-15 part as important as the bolt (which takes a lot of abuse)…
Last, this BCG is shot-peened which means the outer surface is hardened, the gas key is properly staked (so it won’t come loose), and the bolt is Magnetic Particle Inspected (MPI), which assures that the steel is solid all the way through without having any cracks or weak spots…
So all in all, this is a fantastic BCG, and because it’s coming from PSA, it’s also pretty affordably priced.
Click The Button Below To Learn More About The Premium 5.56 Nickel Boron BCG W/ Carpenter 158 Bolt – NO LOGO (Over 1,430 Customer Reviews!):
2. PSA 5.56 Premium Full Auto Bolt Carrier Group With Logo
Another fantastic BCG from Palmetto State Armory is the PSA 5.56 Premium Full Auto Bolt Carrier Group With Logo, and let me explain why this is another awesome bolt carrier group that you should consider…
First of all, this is a strong and well-built BCG. The Bolt is made from a very rugged material, Mil-spec Carpenter No. 158 steel, and it’s also High Pressure Tested (HPT) and Magnetic Particle Inspected (MPI). High Pressure Tested means that it was used to fire a high pressure round, and after that, a magnetic particle inspection occurred to ensure that there were no cracks or weak areas created in the steel…
So you can be assured that your bolt is very strong, and can easily handle the standard pressured rounds that you’ll be firing from your AR…
In addition to that, this BCG has a phosphate coating, and it’s shot-peened which is a process that hardens the outer surface. Additionally, the gas key (which is properly staked so it won’t come loose) is chrome-lined, and so is the carrier. I like chrome-lining on phosphate-coated carriers because it makes your BCG easier to clean and helps ensure that your AR runs a little smoother…
On top of all that, this BCG includes. a tool steel extractor which is very durable, and an extractor O-ring (which adds a little extra strength to the extraction and helps your gun run more reliably)…
Last, I should mention that even though this is a ‘full auto’ BCG, it can still be used in semi-automatic AR-15s. The full-auto description on a bolt carrier group (for a semi-auto AR-15) only refers to the profile of the BCG, not how it functions in the gun…
So all in all, this is another fantastic BCG from PSA because it’s well-built, strong, and affordably priced.
Click The Button Below To Learn More About The PSA 5.56 Premium Full Auto Bolt Carrier Group With Logo (Over 1,350 Customer Reviews!):
3. Toolcraft LOGO’D Premium 5.56 Nickel Boron BCG W/ Carpenter 158 Bolt
Number 3 on this list of the best PSA BCGs is the Toolcraft Logo’d Premium 5.56 Nickel Boron BCG with Carpenter 158 Bolt. Now you may be saying to yourself, that this is a Toolcraft BCG not a PSA BCG, but here’s the deal, Toolcraft makes a lot of BCGs for Palmetto State Armory…
So many of the PSA BCGs that are marked or not marked by PSA are just rebranded Toolcraft BCGs, and I think that’s a good thing because Toolcraft makes fantastic bolt carrier groups…
Now, this BCG is very similar to number 1 on this list. First and foremost, it features that Nickel Boron coating, which as I told you before, I love because it adds lubricity to the bolt carrier group and makes it really easy to clean. Again, it is important to still lubricate a Nickel Boron coated BCG, but if the gun gets dirty or runs dry while you’re firing tons of rounds, that coating will come in handy…
In addition to that, this Toolcraft BCG includes a bolt made from Mil-spec Carpenter 158 steel, which is awesome, and it’s also shot-peened and magnetic particle inspected (to make the surface steel harder and check for weak spots)…
You also get a properly staked gas key that won’t rattle loose when you’re firing, a tool steel extractor, and an extractor O-ring, which as I explained earlier makes your AR-15 function more reliably with various types of ammunition…
So all in all, this is another great option, especially if you think the Toolcraft logo is cool and want to represent them on your BCG.
Click The Button Below To Learn More About The Toolcraft LOGO’D Premium 5.56 Nickel Boron BCG W/ Carpenter 158 Bolt (Over 475 Customer Reviews!):
4. PSA Custom 5.56 BCG DLC Coated (Dark Earth)
Ok, I’ll admit it… I’m a sucker for Flat Dark Earth (FDE). I have many guns, both rifles and handguns that are decked out in FDE, and I just like the color (maybe because I’m from the desert haha)…
And this ‘dark earth’ BCG from Palmetto State Armory is another one of my favorites. To begin, even though the dark earth color is cool, it actually adds real function to the bolt carrier group. That’s because it’s a Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) finish, and it’s a cool coating because it’s super durable and adds lubricity to the BCG…
So just as with the Nickel Boron coated BCGs that I mentioned earlier on this list, this DLC coated bolt carrier group will help your gun run smoother and make it easier to clean, but as always, be sure to lubricate your AR-15 regardless of the coating on your BCG…
Now, I also like that the bolt that comes with this BCG is made from Mil-spec Carpenter 158 steel (so its a very durable material), and I also like that it’s shot-peened and High Pressure Tested (HPT) to harden the surface and make sure it can handle firing a high-pressure round…
Last, the gas key on this BCG is properly staked (so it can never loosen itself while you’re shooting your AR-15), the extractor is made from tool steel (so it’s very durable), and it comes with an extractor O-ring inserted (to make your AR extract rounds more reliably)…
So all in all, if you’re a sucker for tan or FDE parts on your guns like I am, this is a high-quality bolt carrier group that will add a little bit of flair to your AR and a lot of function.
Click The Button Below To Learn More About The PSA Custom 5.56 BCG DLC Coated – Dark Earth (Over 80 Customer Reviews!):
5. PSA 5.56 Nitride MPI Full-Auto Bolt Carrier Group (Fantastic Budget Option!)
If you’re more budget-minded, then you’ll love the PSA 5.56 Nitride MPI Full-Auto Bolt Carrier Group, and let me explain why it’s a good option. For starters, the bolt is made from 9310 steel which when properly heat treated is just about as durable as Mil-spec Carpenter 158 steel…
In addition to that, the bolt is Magnetic Particle Inspected (MPI) which means that is inspected for weak points, and the carrier is constructed from 8620 which is an incredibly solid steel…
The Nitride finish is a little bit basic, but it will offer good protection for the BCG and will function flawlessly as long as it’s properly lubricated (which should be the case regardless of the BCG that you choose!)…
Last, the fasteners that attach the gas key to the carrier are properly staked according to Mil-spec standards, and that will prevent them from ever backing out or loosening up as you fire your AR-15…
So as I said earlier, I think that if you’re on a budget, this is a great BCG because it’ll be strong and reliable as long as you keep it well lubricated.
Click The Button Below To Learn More About The PSA 5.56 Nitride MPI Full-Auto Bolt Carrier Group (Over 1,635 Customer Reviews!):
6. PSA Premium 5.56 Nickel Boron BCG With Carpenter 158 Bolt (w/ PSA LOGO)
This PSA Premium 5.56 Nickel Boron BCG is very similar to the Premium Nickel Boron BCG that I had earlier on this list. In fact, the only major difference is that this one features the PSA Logo on it and the other one doesn’t. I’ll get to whether or not that’s important to me in a moment, but first, let me remind you of the features that you get with this BCG…
Again, you get that Nickel Boron coating which adds lubricity to your BCG (making your AR run smoother and more reliably) and makes it extremely easy to clean by simply wiping off the carbon with a dry rag…
On top of that, the bolt that you get is Mil-spec Carpenter 158 steel (so it’s very rugged), and it’s also shot-peened, High Pressure Tested (HPT), and Magnetic Particle Inspected (MPI). So the surface is hardened and it has also survived firing a high pressure round and been inspected for cracks or weak points in the steel…
The gas key is also hardened and staked into place, so it can never back out or loosen while firing your gun, and the extractor is made from tool steel and includes an inserted O-ring for more reliable extraction of casings…
So like I said, the big difference is the fact that this BCG includes PSA’s logo. I don’t personally care if my BCGs have logos on them or not. But there are some who will not buy a BCG if it has a logo on it, and there are others who will only buy if it shows a logo…
And if you fall into the group that likes to represent the logo, or if you just like the look of PSA’s logo in particular (which I think is kind of cool with the cannons), then this might be the right BCG for you…
I recommend checking the prices of both the logoed and non-logoed versions, and getting whichever offers you the better deal at the time!
Click The Button Below To Learn More About The PSA Premium 5.56 Nickel Boron BCG w/ Carpenter 158 Bolt & w/ PSA LOGO (Over 420 Customer Reviews!):
7. Toolcraft 5.56 Phosphate MPI Full-Auto Bolt Carrier Group (No Logo)
Number 7 on this list of the best PSA bolt carrier groups is the Toolcraft 5.56 Phosphate MPI Full-Auto Bolt Carrier Group with no logo. As I said, earlier, Toolcraft makes a lot of BCGs for PSA, and that’s a good thing because Toolcraft makes great bolt carrier groups…
Now, the bolt included with this BCG is (once again) Mil-spec Carpenter 158 steel, and it’s shot-peened (to add extra hardness to the surface) and Magnetic Particle Inspected (to ensure that there are no cracks or weak spots in the steel)…
On top of that, the phosphate coating is very durable, and the carrier and gas key (which is properly staked so it won’t come loose when you’re shooting) are chrome-lined to make everything run smoother and a little easier to clean…
Last, this BCG does not feature a logo on it. So if you like to run super minimal and sleek gear that doesn’t include many logos, then this is a very high-quality and affordable option for you.
Click The Button Below To Learn More About The Toolcraft 5.56 Phosphate MPI Full-Auto Bolt Carrier Group w/ No Logo (Over 200 Customer Reviews!):
BONUS OPTION: PSA Nitride MPI Full-Auto 5.56 BCG & 10 Magpul PMAG 30RD Gen2 MOE 5.56 Magazines
I highly recommend getting at least 10 magazines (probably more) for your AR-15, and I wanted to include this option because you get a strong, reliable bolt and 10 magazines at a fantastic price with this PSA Bundle…
This bundle features the PSA Nitride BCG that I discussed earlier on this list. It’s a good BCG because the 9310 steel bolt is strong and it’s also magnetic Particle Inspected (MPI) so it’s checked for weak spots…
On top of that, the carrier is 8620 steel (again, very rugged steel), and the gas key is also properly staked according to Milspec standards…
But in addition to all that, you get 10 Magpul 30 round magazines… That’s awesome! And the reason why is because it’s always good to have extra AR mags laying around…
Magazines do wear out and sometimes they break, and there are times when they can actually be pretty hard to get, especially when politicians are trying to band them…
So, I like this bundle option because PSA keeps everything very affordable, and I wanted to include it on this list because I think it’s a really good deal.
Click The Button Below To Learn More About The PSA Nitride MPI Full-Auto 5.56 BCG & 10 Magpul PMAG 30RD Gen2 MOE 5.56 Magazines (Over 80 Customer Reviews!):