WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE: FAXON SUPERFINISHED 5.56 GUNNER LIGHTWEIGHT BOLT CARRIER GROUP - BLUE PVD
Faxon
$299.00
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Faxon
WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE: FAXON SUPERFINISHED 5.56 GUNNER LIGHTWEIGHT BOLT CARRIER GROUP - BLUE PVD
Gunner Lightweight • 5.56 / .223 / .300 BLK • Blue PVD • Limited Edition • Made in Ohio
FAXON SUPERFINISHED 5.56 GUNNER LIGHTWEIGHT BCG — BLUE PVD | LIMITED EDITION
Limited Edition 8.5 oz Complete Blue PVD Carrier Superfinished 9310 Bolt M16 Full-Auto Compatible Salt Bath Nitride Forward Assist Serrations MPI & Shot Peened Made in Ohio
Light. Fast. Limited. The Faxon Superfinished 5.56 Gunner Lightweight Bolt Carrier Group – Blue PVD is a premium reduced-mass BCG engineered to deliver fast, smooth cycling without compromising strength or reliability. At 8.5 ounces complete, the Gunner Lightweight retains every feature that matters — forward assist serrations, dust cover compatibility, and an M16-pattern carrier that maintains full-auto trip sear compatibility — while shedding the weight that doesn’t. This limited edition run adds a distinctive Blue PVD coated carrier body for enhanced wear resistance and a finish that stands out in any build.
The heart of the design is the Superfinished carrier body — a post-machining surface treatment that reduces surface roughness below what standard machining or polishing can achieve. The result is lower friction, smoother cycling, and reduced carbon fouling right out of the box. The carrier body is then coated with Blue PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) over the salt bath nitride base treatment, adding an additional layer of surface hardness and lubricity with a distinctive blue finish. The gas key is salt bath nitrided with grade 8 fasteners and is fully staked for long-term service.
The 9310 tool steel bolt receives full MIL-SPEC heat treatment, magnetic particle inspection (MPI), and MIL-SPEC shot peening before salt bath nitriding. The S7 tool steel extractor ensures reliable extraction under hard use. After passing all quality inspections, each carrier is laser-engraved with the Faxon Shield.
✔ Best for: lightweight AR-15 builds in 5.56 NATO, .223 Remington, .223 Wylde, or .300 BLK where reduced reciprocating mass improves cycling speed and felt recoil. Ideal paired with a Faxon Adjustable Gas Block for optimal tuning.
✘ Not for: shooters running fixed gas blocks on overgassed hosts without any gas tuning (reduced carrier mass may cycle too fast without an adjustable block or tuned gas port). Not for AR-10 / .308 platforms.
⚠ Note: This is a limited edition finish. Once current inventory is sold, the Blue PVD variant may not be restocked. The standard nitride (FF556BCGCNITRIDE-LW) and other PVD finishes remain in ongoing production.
Key Features
- 8.5 oz Complete — Reduced-Mass Carrier — The lightest weight possible while retaining forward assist serrations, dust cover compatibility, and M16 full-auto carrier geometry. No features cut to save weight.
- Blue PVD Coated Carrier Body (Limited Edition) — Physical Vapor Deposition coating applied over the salt bath nitride base treatment for enhanced wear resistance, surface hardness, and a distinctive blue finish. The gas key is salt bath nitrided (not PVD coated).
- Superfinished Carrier Body — Post-machining surface treatment reduces surface roughness below what standard machining or polishing can achieve, resulting in lower friction, smoother cycling, and reduced carbon fouling. Standard on every Faxon BCG.
- 9310 Tool Steel Bolt — Full MIL-SPEC heat treatment, magnetic particle inspection (MPI), and MIL-SPEC shot peening. Salt bath nitrided for increased surface hardness and corrosion resistance.
- Salt Bath Nitrided Bolt & Carrier — The same nitriding process trusted on Faxon match-grade barrels for increased surface hardness, reduced friction, and excellent corrosion resistance.
- Salt Bath Nitrided Gas Key — Grade 8 fasteners, fully staked for long-term service. The gas key is not PVD coated — it receives the standard salt bath nitride treatment for maximum durability.
- M16-Pattern Carrier — Maintains full-auto trip sear compatibility for full-auto fire control groups and many modern multi-stage trigger systems.
- S7 Tool Steel Extractor — High-strength tool steel for reliable extraction under hard use and sustained fire.
- Faxon Lifetime Guarantee — Covers manufacturing and material defects to the original purchaser. If something is wrong because of how we made it, we make it right.
What’s In the Box
The Gunner Lightweight BCG ships complete and ready to install. No additional parts required.
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Bolt Carrier Group | Complete assembly: bolt, carrier, cam pin, firing pin, firing pin retaining pin |
| Carrier Body | Salt bath nitrided + Superfinished + Blue PVD coated, laser-engraved with Faxon Shield |
| Bolt | 9310 tool steel, MIL-SPEC heat treated, MPI, shot peened, salt bath nitrided |
| Gas Key | Salt bath nitrided, grade 8 fasteners, fully staked |
| Extractor | S7 tool steel |
| Spring, Insert, & Crane O-Ring | Pre-installed |
Compare Gunner Lightweight Finishes
All five Gunner Lightweight variants share the same 8.5 oz design, 9310 bolt, Superfinished carrier, and M16 pattern. The only difference is the carrier body finish.
| Finish | SKU | Carrier Finish | Limited Edition | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue PVD — This Model | FF556BCGCNITRIDE-LW-BLU | Salt Bath Nitride + Superfinished + Blue PVD | Yes | $299 |
| Nitride (Base) | FF556BCGCNITRIDE-LW | Salt Bath Nitride + Superfinished | — | $249 |
| TiN PVD (Gold) | FF556BCGCNITRIDE-LW-TiN | Salt Bath Nitride + Superfinished + TiN PVD | — | $299 |
| Chameleon PVD | FF556BCGCNITRIDE-LW-NCR | Salt Bath Nitride + Superfinished + Chameleon PVD | — | $299 |
| Chrome | FF556BCGCNITRIDE-LW-CR | Salt Bath Nitride + Superfinished + Chrome | — | $349 |
Compatibility & Recommended Accessories
✔ Compatible With
- 5.56 NATO / .223 Remington / .223 Wylde / .300 BLK
- Any mil-spec AR-15 upper receiver
- Standard AR-15 charging handles
- Standard dust covers
- Forward assist equipped uppers
- Full-auto & multi-stage trigger systems
⚠ Recommended Accessories
- Faxon Adjustable Gas Block — tune gas for optimal cycling with reduced carrier mass
- Faxon Duty Series Barrels — match-grade accuracy, QPQ nitride finish
- Faxon Match Series Barrels — 416R stainless steel, precision rifled
- Faxon Gunner Profile Barrels — lightweight profile to match your lightweight BCG
- MuzzLok® Muzzle Devices — shim-free, crushwasher-free installation
Shop Related
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this bolt carrier group full-auto compatible?
Yes. The Gunner Lightweight BCG uses an M16-pattern carrier that maintains full-auto trip sear compatibility. It is compatible with full-auto fire control groups and many modern multi-stage trigger systems.
Do I need an adjustable gas block with this BCG?
Faxon recommends an adjustable gas block with the Gunner Lightweight BCG. At 8.5 ounces, the reduced carrier mass typically requires less gas to cycle efficiently. An adjustable gas block lets you tune gas flow to match the lighter carrier weight, which improves reliability, reduces felt recoil, and extends component life — especially valuable on carbine-gas or mid-length hosts where the lighter bolt speed can benefit from fine-tuning.
It is possible to run a lightweight BCG on a fixed gas block, but overgassed setups may result in faster-than-ideal bolt speeds and increased wear.
What is Blue PVD and why choose it?
Blue PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) is applied to the carrier body only for enhanced wear resistance and a distinctive blue finish. PVD coatings are applied over the salt bath nitride base treatment, adding an additional layer of surface hardness and lubricity. The gas key on this model is salt bath nitrided (not PVD coated).
PVD is the same coating technology used on the TiN (gold) and Chameleon variants — the only difference is the color. All PVD-finished Gunner Lightweight BCGs are priced at $299.
What calibers is this BCG compatible with?
The Gunner Lightweight BCG is compatible with 5.56 NATO, .223 Remington, .223 Wylde, and .300 BLK. All of these cartridges use the same bolt face diameter. If you need a BCG for other calibers, check out the full Faxon BCG lineup for 7.62x39, 6.5 Grendel/ARC, .308 Win, 9mm PCC, and more.
What does “Superfinished” mean?
Superfinishing is a post-machining surface treatment that produces an extremely smooth carrier body. The process reduces surface roughness below what standard machining or polishing can achieve, resulting in lower friction, smoother cycling, and reduced carbon fouling. Every Faxon BCG is Superfinished as standard — it's not an upcharge feature.
How does this compare to the standard Gunner Lightweight in nitride?
Identical specifications — same 8.5 oz weight, same 9310 bolt, same Superfinish, same M16 pattern, same gas key staking. The only difference is the limited edition Blue PVD coating on the carrier body, which adds enhanced wear resistance and a distinctive blue finish over the nitride base treatment. The standard nitride model (FF556BCGCNITRIDE-LW) is $249; this Blue PVD model is $299.
Is this a limited edition? Will it be restocked?
Yes. The Blue PVD finish is a limited edition run. Once current inventory is sold, it may not be restocked. The standard nitride, TiN PVD, Chameleon PVD, and Chrome finishes remain in ongoing production.
Where is this BCG manufactured?
The Gunner Lightweight BCG is designed and manufactured in the United States by Faxon Firearms in Fairfield, Ohio (Greater Cincinnati). Faxon’s parent company has been precision machining mission-critical components since 1978. Faxon Firearms has been manufacturing firearms components since 2012. Every BCG is covered by the Faxon Lifetime Guarantee.
About Faxon Firearms
Faxon Firearms is a precision firearms manufacturer headquartered in Greater Cincinnati, Ohio. Built on a machining heritage dating to 1978, Faxon designs, machines, and assembles barrels, bolt carrier groups, complete pistols, upper receivers, lower receivers, and complete rifles for the AR-15, AR-10, and Glock®-pattern platforms — sold direct to consumers at faxonfirearms.com and through a national dealer network. Every Faxon product is covered by our Lifetime Guarantee. Welcome to The Fellowship of Firearms®.
Faxon Lifetime Guarantee. Covers manufacturing and material defects to the original purchaser. Excludes damage from misuse, neglect, non-standard ammunition, or modifications. Register your product at faxonfirearms.com/product-registration to expedite service. For purchases through dealers or distributors, warranty repairs are handled directly by Faxon Firearms; refunds must be processed through the selling entity. Full policy: faxonfirearms.com/warranty-privacy-terms/
- configurator:compatCalibers:
- 5.56 NATO,.223 Wylde,.300 BLK,350 Legend
- configurator:partType:
- bcg
