Wilson Combat has been making high-end, custom custom 1911 pistols and firearms related parts since 1977. In this article, we review their polished, nickel boron, bolt carrier group (TR-BCA-PNIB) which is a little more expensive than their non-polished, nickel boron BCG (TR-BCA-NIB-556).
Features of the Wilson Combat Nickel Boron BCG
- .223/5.56/300 BLK NATO
- Polished nickel boron coating for easier cleaning and improved corrosion resistance
- Bolt assembly machined from 9310 tool steel for outstanding strength
- Carrier made from hardened 8620 tool steel
- Forward assist serrations
- Staked gas key
- Precision machined ejector and extractor
- Magnetic Particle Inspected
- Full-Auto rated
Weight
According to my scale, the Wilson Combat Polished Nickel Boron BCG weighs approximately 11.5 oz.
Pricing
MSRP is $209.95, but the street price is usually around $200. At the time of this writing, Wilson Combat has this BCG on sale for $167.96 on their website.
General Impressions
The machining of this BCG is excellent. The polished nickel boron coating is slick and evenly applied. Gas key staking is good. The Bolt assembly fits extremely tight within the carrier. Wilson Combat stated that this was an intentional design. Ultimately, I ended up replacing it with a JP Enterprises Enhanced Bolt Assembly which fits much more freely within the carrier. I also changed out the cam pin to a Lantac dome cam pin.
At the Range
Having sent a few hundred rounds of 5.56 NATO and .223 Rem, 55 gr FMJ, suppressed (YHM Turbo T2, YHM Turbo K) downrange, I experienced no malfunctions whatsoever.
However, the nickel boron became permanently stained/discolored, which is no surprise for this type of coating. If this bothers you, the carrier can be cleaned with Mothers Mag and Aluminum polish, but it may never look as good as it did the day it came out of the box.
Although I have not experienced it with this Wilson Combat BCG, some nickel boron coatings have been known to flake, chip or peel off.
Is the Wilson Combat Nickel Boron BCG Worth it?
It depends on what you are looking for. In my case, I wanted a Wilson Combat nickel boron BCG for a mostly Wilson Combat AR-15 build in black Armor-Tuff finish.
Is the Wilson Combat nickel boron BCG better (more reliable) than other less expensively priced nickel boron bcg alternatives? Based on my experience, no.
That said, I actually prefer the Toolcraft Ion Bond DLC BCG over Wilson Combat’s nickel boron because it is less expensive (usually by about $100), offers a lower coefficient of friction and has increased Rockwell hardness.