Self loading firearm bolt carrier with integral carrier key and angled strike face

A gas-operated automatic or semi-automatic bolt action firearm comprising:

• a receiver and receiver extension;
• a barrel coupled to said receiver;
• a bolt carrier with a bolt assembly configured to be received within said receiver, said bolt carrier having an enlarged fluted boss at a rear end thereof, wherein the enlarged fluted boss has a series of longitudinal flutes spread about the circumference of the boss, wherein said bolt carrier includes an integrally formed carrier key having a spherical strike face oriented to be contacted by said operating rod when the firearm is fired to effect said bolt assembly displacement, said spherical strike face being surrounded by a cylindrical counterbore, said carrier key strike face and counterbore being angled downwardly at an angle of between about 0.05 degrees and about 5.0 degrees, wherein said counterbore has a depth ranging from about 0.001 inches to about 0.5 inches;
• a gas operating system with an operating rod for displacing the bolt assembly when the firearm is fired;
• and
• said receiver extension including drain holes in a bottom and rear thereof through which water is pumped out of the receiver extension by reciprocating action of the bolt carrier during said bolt assembly displacement.

An automatic or semi-automatic bolt action firearm comprising:

• a receiver;
• a barrel coupled to said receiver;
• a bolt carrier with a bolt assembly configured to be received within said receiver, wherein said bolt carrier includes an integrally formed carrier key having a spherical strike face oriented to be contacted by said operating rod when the firearm is fired to effect said bolt assembly displacement, said spherical strike face being surrounded by a cylindrical counterbore, said carrier key strike face and counterbore being angled downwardly at an angle of between about 0.05 degrees and about 5.0 degrees, wherein said counterbore has a depth ranging from about 0.001 inches to about 0.5 inches;
• and
• a gas operating system for displacing the bolt assembly when the firearm is fired, said gas operating system including an operating rod made of super alloy with a nickel content of between about 15% and about 22% by weight of a total material composition and a cobalt content of between about 5% to about 15% by weight of the total material composition.