The Cost of Cutting Corners - Colt's Hard Chrome Plating M16 Blunder
This entry details Colt's historical issue with hard chrome plating on M16 bolt carrier groups. Despite hard chrome being a sound concept for the BCG, Colt's attempt to perform the plating in-house to save costs led to substandard results. The plating failed to meet specifications, causing flaking and operational problems, ultimately ruining a good design through cost-cutting measures.











