ABC/R has come a long way since 2015 (v1). ABC/R v2 (2018) saw new surface texture (AA, or All Angles), reliability and compatibility tweaks for thicker upper receivers. V3 (2020) which replaces v2 incorporates feedback and input from users, as well as improvements we developed to make what is already probably the best AR/M16 bolt catch better.
ABC/R v3 is different from versions before it as follows:
* Ledge on top of the upper paddle, and bottom of the lower paddle to increase traction.
* Upper paddle options: FB (forward biased), standard (centered upper paddle), RB (rearward biased).
* "Butterfly"
lower paddle with increased surface area, while maintaining a healthy
standoff distance from an ambidextrous magazine catch's lever.
*
Longer magazine follower trip to compensate for slightly out of spec
lower receivers not locking the bolt back after the last round is fired.
Some of v3's features aren't very visible, but visual ques are irrelevant, we're not making fashion. The most noticeable changes are to the upper and lower paddle, the addition of ledge on top of the upper paddle, and bottom of the lower paddle is designed to increase friction/traction on these control surfaces. All versions of ABC/R, from v1 and forward, already offer superior traction, the ledges on the v3 would make folks wonder why we hadn't done this sooner (ABC/R v3 design was complete in early 2019).
The "butterfly" lower paddle almost doubles the available and usable surface area, the increase is not an over correction or exaggerated, it doesn't need to be to do its job. Similarly, the FB (forward biased) and RB (rearward biased) upper lever offset is modest, only 0.1" length is added, there are good reasons to not over do it. Mechanical advantage afforded by a longer lever can and will twist the bolt catch and cause it to break, force magnification from a lever is not debatable. While we added some length to the offset side, we removed some on the other side so as to not make the FB and RB variants overly heavy.
The horizontal extension doesn't extend all the way to the bottom of the v3 bolt catch, as it is important to maintain a healthy stand off distance between itself and the lever of an ambidextrous magazine catch. We have always maintained that close proximity of two control surfaces is best avoided. Placing one control surface close to another makes it difficult for the user to discern one from another without a visual, other than the obvious drawback of taking more time to do so, visual confirmation isn't always possible in low to no light conditions.
ABC/R v3 features a slightly longer magazine follower trip. The "leg" is pushed up by the magazine follower after the last round is fired, and pivots the bolt catch which locks the bolt to the rear. On some lowers that are slightly out of spec, TDP spec bolt catch's mag trip leg is not long enough to reach some magazine followers. ABC/R v3's follower trip is longer by 0.01. Again not an over correction, we're careful when adding or removing anything on the TDP design, it's just long enough to do its job, anything longer might cause malfunctions.
