Walker Defense Dark Matter

High-Polish DLC BCG Review

The heart of an AR15 is the Bolt Carrier Group or BCG. A quality BCG can make your rifle perform like a champion. A mil-spec BCG might work, but will not perform as well, especially if you are trying to get the best performance out of it. Walker Defense Research has released their Dark Matter Bolt Carrier Group. This highly polished, fitted, and DLC coated BCG is of the utmost quality.

When looking for a Bolt Carrier Group, either to replace one or for a new build, there are things to consider. Do you want cheap, or are you looking for top quality that will last forever? The Walker Defense Dark Matter BCG is in the top quality group. To start with, it is a M16 style full auto carrier. So if you are fortunate to have a full auto M16, M4, etc, it will work with that. More important is the fact that the M16 carrier has the full mass, which allows it to run more smoothly, at least in my opinion. This Dark Matter carrier is also made from 8620 tool steel for a lifetime of use.

The Dark Matter BCG has a bunch of hi-end specifications. Some of these I will describe more in depth later. This BCG is for standard calibers and for use in direct impingement guns. These include 5.56/.223/300 blk, etc. It weighs 11-⅝ ounces and is made to true mil-spec dimensions. On the front end it has a C158 bolt that is magnetic particle inspected and high pressure tested. The 4130 gas key is properly staked using Optimized Carrier Key Screws (OCKS). These screws are deeply knurled to allow the staking to dig in, making them almost impossible to come loose. Lastly, the Dark matter BCG is DLC coated.

Walker Defense is all about small batch quality. Here is what they have to say about the Dark Matter BCG: “We’ve always leaned into our advantage as a company specializing in small-batch production, but we’re taking it further. Those extra touches of quality add up and give us the ability to do things that larger companies just can’t. A few quick tangible examples of this:

Each carrier is matched by hand to each bolt and cam pin to prevent tolerance stacking and to ensure ideal, consistent fitment as the bolt cams back and forth.

We also pair each bolt with its firing pin to confirm adequate protrusion for reliable primer ignition.

Using OCKS screws for ultra-aggressive staking of the gas key, so it won’t loosen at high round counts”

Those are just a few things Walker Defense does to give you the best BCG around.

DLC, or Diamond-Like Carbon coatings have been around for a while, but the Dark Matter BCG takes it to a new level. DLC coatings by themselves are extremely hard, corrosion and wear-resistant, and very slick, which gives them low coefficients of friction and superior dry lubricity. Walker Defense takes this up a notch by aggressively polishing the bare metal, before it is coated. As with most machined parts, a BCG is only as good as its base metal. This polishing is a very labor intensive process which makes the Dark Matter BCG super slick and mirror-like shiny. Then after a high quality dark black DLC coating is applied, they polish the DLC coated BCG again. This makes the BCG even more slick (and also hard to take pictures of because of the mirror finish it produces). By polishing the BCG before and after coating, you get an extremely smooth surface that carbon has a hard time sticking to. Cleanup on the Dark matter BCG is super easy. One can literally just wipe it off with a rag. Carbon just doesn’t stick to this BCG.

I am using the Dark Matter BCG in a 300 blackout AR pistol. This pistol ran suppressed for around 60% of the review. Why does this matter? Because the pistol gets a lot dirtier. The upper on this pistol is nothing special, just your off the shelf AR upper receiver. Before installing the Dark Matter BCG, I was running a Mil-Spec BCG. After I installed the Dark Matter BCG I could tell a smoothness difference. Not just in how the gun cycles under use, but also when hand cycling the action. The AR pistol is just way more pleasant to shoot now. Another thing I noticed was that the brass ejection was more consistent than with the mil-spec BCG. I attribute this to the action cycling smoother. After around 800 rounds, I can’t even really notice any wear on the Dark Matter BCG, a testament to that fantastic polished DLC coating.

The Walker Defense Dark Matter BCG is slick, pun intended. This BCG is of the utmost quality. It has all the standard features you would want in a high quality BCG: MPI and HPT tested, DLC coated, quality base metals, and true mil-spec dimensions. That does not even count the “extras” Walker Defense puts into these. One would be hard pressed to find a better, or smoother BCG. The price on these is very reasonable for what you get, definitely a high value to price ratio. If you are looking for the slickest, highest quality BCG around, definitely go look at the Dark Matter High Polished BCG from Walker Defense. These are literally super slick.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Super slick, high quality bolt carrier group that is easy to clean

Target Market:

Those wanting a superior BCG

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

Coating: Highly-Polished DLC
Compatibility: M16/ M4 / AR-15 Using Direct Gas Impingement (not for use in piston guns)
Calibers: 5.56x45mm NATO / .223 Remington / .300 AAC Blackout
Profile: Full Auto Style Carrier w/ Properly Staked Gas Key
Bolt: C158
Carrier: 8620 Tool Steel
Total Weight: 11 5/8 OZ.
True Mil-Spec dimensions
4130 steel gas key
Staked with OCKS Screws
4140 steel extractor and cam pin
Hard chrome ground 8740 steel firing pin
Magnetic particle inspected
High Pressure Tested (HPT)
Made in the USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Nickel Boron, Titanium, & Flat Dark Earth DLC

What others are saying?:

Couldn’t find anything as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

VSO Gun Channel on YouTube

Price point:

MSRP = $269.99

Retail = $229.49 with discount code “Insider15”

I need it now! Availability:

Walker Defense or Optics Planet

Our Rating:

Pros:

Super Slick mirror finish
Easy to clean
Deep black DLC coating
Properly staked OKCS screws
Polished before and after coating
M16 profile

Cons:

May not always be in stock

Score: 9.00 Amazing

Favorite Link: Walker Defense Titanium BCG Review

Titanium bolt carrier groups (BCG) are one of the mysteries of the AR world. A few companies manufacture them, but what are they really for? I’ll try to answer that with the Walker Defense Research Titanium BCG.

If you are looking at a Titanium (Ti) BCG, like the Walker Defense one, it is probably because of weight. Meaning you are trying to get the lightest possible parts around. The Walker Ti BCG weighs 7.8 ounces complete. A standard BCG weighs 11.8 ounces on my scale. That’s an off the shelf weight saving of 4 ounces. I know, that doesn’t seem like a lot, but when every ounce counts, that's a bunch. An important note is that the bolt is not titanium, it is 9130 steel with a Nickel Boron coating. The bolt is also magnetic partical inspected (MPI). A Ti bolt just doesn’t have the correct metallurgy to work, but for the carrier, it’s great. The Ti carrier, without the bolt, only weighs 5.7 ounces.

The Walker Defense Ti BCG is of the standard M16 profile. This is done so that it will work in almost every scenario, except piston guns. It is for direct impingement AR’s only. The M16 profile also gives the BCG strength and reliability. Cutting away material can weaken a BCG or make it not function correctly. Walker makes the BCG out of 6AL-4V grade 5 titanium. This even goes above my material knowledge, but I bet that they know what they are doing, especially since this titanium seems to be the standard for Ti BCG’s. An Ionbond Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) is then put on the carrier. This DLC coating gives the BCG a longer lifespan and makes it super smooth. Of course you need excellent machining to have a smooth coating, and the Walker Defense BCG definitely is machined super smooth.

Another reason for choosing a titanium BCG is for reduced recoil. The Ti BCG reduces recoil because there is less moving mass. This does come at a price. One also needs an adjustable gas block. This is a must for any lightweight BCG, not just the Walker Ti one. Then you have to tune the adjustable gas block. Good ones come with instructions on how to do this. Some might say that you can “tune” the Ti BCG by using heavier buffers and stuff. But a heavier buffer just adds more weight and more recoil. Isn’t one reason you would choose a Ti bcg is for weight? I can attest to the lower recoil of the Ti BCG. I have a Superlative arms adjustable gas block, tuned to eject the brass at about 3:30. According to the Mantis x, it reduced muzzle rise by over 50% and recoil width by over 80%. You can see in the short video that even with an A2 flash hider, there is hardly any recoil or muzzle climb. I could definitely feel the difference.

I was a little hesitant to try the Walker titanium BCG out. I just didn’t understand why I needed it. After using it thoroughly for some time, I can say it definitely makes the AR shoot so much smoother. All the claims are correct. Reduced muzzle rise. Reduced felt recoil. Faster follow up shots, due to those previously mentioned reductions. Yes, the BCG price can make you gasp a little. But in the end, it’s not much more expensive, if any, than other low mass BCG’s. Even some enhanced BCG’s are in the $250 range. The Walker Ti BCG also has forward assist notches, something a lot of the other lightweight carriers don’t have. For me, I just can’t get over how smooth the recoil impulse is with the Walker Ti BCG.

Probably the last reason to choose Walker’s Ti BCG is durability. Titanium tends to be more resistant to heat and pressure. What do direct impingement guns have? Hot gasses being directly blown into the carrier. So anything that is more resistant to heat is a good thing. Walker also correctly stakes the gas key on, so it won’t be moving around causing problems. Just lube your Ti BCG as normal, and you should get a long life span from it.

The Walker Defense Titanium BCG does everything a BCG should do and more. The “more” is why I really like it. It’s lightweight, reduces recoil, is durable, and has a standard M16 profile. Hopefully you have a better understanding of why you would want the Walker Ti BCG. So if you want that “lightweight everything”, or just a super quality bolt carrier, head over to the Walker Defense Research website and give them a look. Everything I have from Walker is top notch and is always made in the USA.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Lightweight M16 FA Bolt Carrier Group

Target Market:

Lightweight builds, competition shooters, or anyone wanting a high quality BCG

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

Compatibility: M16/ M4 / AR-15 Direct Gas Impingement (not for use in piston guns)
Calibers: 5.56x45mm NATO / .223 Remington / .300 AAC Blackout
Profile: Full Auto Style Carrier w/ Properly Staked Gas Key
Carrier Material: 6AL-4V (Grade 5) Titanium
Bolt Material: 9310 Steel
Carrier Coating: Ionbond DLC (Diamond Like Carbon)
Bolt Coating: Nickel Boron
Firing Pin: Steel w/ Chrome Finish
Made in the USA
Weight: Carrier-only (titanium): 5.7 oz, Total (Carrier, Bolt, firing pin, etc.): 7.8 oz
Adjustable gas block is highly recommended

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Carrier only

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars at Walker Defense

Surprisingly Good

When I decided to upgrade my mil-spec bolt carrier group ("BCG"), I did a lot of research. I found a review of the Walker Defense Research BCG on Pew Pew Tactical. I was impressed by the statistics . I there and when I went to the site, found the NERO, a three-d printed muzzle device. I was impressed by the willingness to explore new technologies. I bought both a NERO and this BCG. I have a JP captured spring and a Superlative Arms adjustable gas block. With the mil-spec BCG, I could only tune the rifle to 1.5 turns into bleed (22 clicks on the detentes). It was a good result. The Walker DR BCG allowed me to bleed off another 1.5 turns (28 clicks). Because of that, I have extremely little barrel movement and keep my targets well (understand that the NERO is not on this rifle so there is no effect--this is strictly the BCG. With less mass, there is less slam. Whenever I take it to the range, others notice the smoothness and my targets. I have offhanded 120 rounds at a session and it is only my wallet that caused me to hang it up in a session. Two other things to mention: 1) my clockworks stay noticeably cleaner because I am able to bleed off so much dirty gas; and 2) the coating quality goes all the way out to the edges. This second issue needs a bit more explanation. On the mil-spec BCG the edges wore nearly immediately. The quality of the finish is so good that the edges remain crisp at 1,250 rounds. I have no reservations about recommending this BCG. I would suggest that you take full advantage by getting an adjustable gas block as well. The two together really make the gun a sweet shooter. My sons have various ARs but they always find an excuse for shooting mine.