Bear Creek Arsenal

Elliottsdad · March 3, 2020, 12:26 AM

Does anyone here have any personal experience with Bear Creek Arsenal products? Rifles or uppers?
I'm not really interested in hearsay (I'm fully aware they are a budget AR brand).
If you own or have owned BCA, how has the quality been (Not compared to Colt, but other economy brands)? Were you satisfied or disappointed with their products?

TJB101 · March 3, 2020, 06:57 AM

I have a BCA barrel in my AR and it’s a 2 to 3 MOA gun. I’m still running ladder tests to determine best load and bullet weight. Down the road I’ll replace it. Their barrels are so-so.

brasscollector · March 3, 2020, 07:05 AM

They make functional parts. Barrel accuracy is hit or miss, I cannot see how they have that sub MOA guarantee and still make any money myself.

TrueBlue711 · March 3, 2020, 09:13 AM

I have one of their .458 SOCOM uppers. Couldn't pass it up when it was $250. Zero regrets. Functions great so far and no complaints about the accuracy.

Fishbed77 · March 3, 2020, 11:55 AM

Quote:

I cannot see how they have that sub MOA guarantee and still make any money myself.

My guess is that a lot of their customers don't shoot enough to test out that guarantee.

brasscollector · March 3, 2020, 06:11 PM

I stand corrected, it's a 1.000 MOA expectation.

Either way. I remember pretty much using BCA parts almost exclusively for my pistol and I've run 2K-3K rounds through it with nary a hiccup that I recall.

Kreyzhorse · March 3, 2020, 09:04 PM

Built a couple of ARs with Bear Creek Barrels. Accuracy was terrible. All over the place no matter what ammo we used.

Personally, I'd steer clear. Your mileage may vary, but if I was buying a budget brand, I'd go with PSA over Bear Creek.

FrankenMauser · March 3, 2020, 09:48 PM

Currently being discussed here, as well: Bear Creek barrels

rickyrick · March 4, 2020, 12:23 PM

Ballistic Advantage makes a decent budget barrel

Hdonly · March 4, 2020, 01:10 PM

I bought a BCA complete barrel and upper a few years ago in 7,62 x 39. Not spectacular accuracy, but no complaints for the price. Function has been without any problems.

Nanuk · March 4, 2020, 04:59 PM

I have a BCA barrel on my 40 S&W AR pistol. It will stack bullets @ 50 yards. I have not put it on paper past that.

kymasabe · March 4, 2020, 08:59 PM

Of all the barrels I've tried/used in my many AR builds, the 2 BCA barrels I tried were the heaviest, least accurate, and had the thinnest/poorest finish.

armoredman · March 6, 2020, 04:55 AM

I have two BCA barrels, one a 16 inch heavy barral in .223 Wylde. It works quite well for me. The other is an M4 profile in 5.56mm. That also seems to work just fine for me. I am not a long range or bench rest shooter. Both, with loads they like, will give me 1.5-2.5 inch groups off the bench. However, I don't have glass on anything, shoot with red dots or irons.
The PSA Freedom Mid Length upper seems to group about as well with whatever stock barrel is on it.
Did I mention both the BCA barrels were the Veterans Day giveaway ones? BCA quit doing that last year.
Perhaps someday I will get upgraded barrels, but probably not. I do also have to say these two builds are the only ones I have done, not much experience here. Just got into ARs about a year and a half ago.

March 3, 2020, 12:26 AM	#1
Elliottsdad Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2010 Location: Glenwood, Iowa Posts: 238	Bear Creek Arsenal Does anyone here have any personal experience with Bear Creek Arsenal products? Rifles or uppers? I'm not really interested in hearsay (I'm fully aware they are a budget AR brand). If you own or have owned BCA, how has the quality been (Not compared to Colt, but other economy brands)? Were you satisfied or disappointed with their products?

March 3, 2020, 07:05 AM	#3
brasscollector Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2015 Posts: 526	They make functional parts. Barrel accuracy is hit or miss, I cannot see how they have that sub MOA guarantee and still make any money myself. __________________ He may look dumb, but that's just a disguise. -Charlie Daniels

March 3, 2020, 06:11 PM	#6
brasscollector Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2015 Posts: 526	I stand corrected, it's a 1.000 MOA expectation. Either way. I remember pretty much using BCA parts almost exclusively for my pistol and I've run 2K-3K rounds through it with nary a hiccup that I recall. __________________ He may look dumb, but that's just a disguise. -Charlie Daniels

March 3, 2020, 09:04 PM	#7
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	Built a couple of ARs with Bear Creek Barrels. Accuracy was terrible. All over the place no matter what ammo we used. Personally, I'd steer clear. Your mileage may vary, but if I was buying a budget brand, I'd go with PSA over Bear Creek. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

March 3, 2020, 09:48 PM	#8
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	Currently being discussed here, as well: Bear Creek barrels __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

March 3, 2020, 06:57 AM	#2
TJB101 Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2017 Posts: 498	I have a BCA barrel in my AR and it’s a 2 to 3 MOA gun. I’m still running ladder tests to determine best load and bullet weight. Down the road I’ll replace it. Their barrels are so-so.

March 3, 2020, 09:13 AM	#4
TrueBlue711 Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2011 Posts: 489	I have one of their .458 SOCOM uppers. Couldn't pass it up when it was $250. Zero regrets. Functions great so far and no complaints about the accuracy.

March 4, 2020, 12:23 PM	#9
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,236	Ballistic Advantage makes a decent budget barrel

March 4, 2020, 01:10 PM	#10
Hdonly Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2013 Posts: 340	I bought a BCA complete barrel and upper a few years ago in 7,62 x 39. Not spectacular accuracy, but no complaints for the price. Function has been without any problems.

March 4, 2020, 04:59 PM	#11
Nanuk Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2005 Location: Where the deer and the antelope roam. Posts: 3,082	I have a BCA barrel on my 40 S&W AR pistol. It will stack bullets @ 50 yards. I have not put it on paper past that. __________________ Retired Law Enforcement U. S. Army Veteran Armorer My rifle and pistol are tools, I am the weapon.

March 4, 2020, 08:59 PM	#12
kymasabe Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2005 Location: SW Florida Posts: 2,747	Of all the barrels I've tried/used in my many AR builds, the 2 BCA barrels I tried were the heaviest, least accurate, and had the thinnest/poorest finish. __________________ God's creatures big and small, eat them one, eat them all.

March 6, 2020, 04:55 AM	#13
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,299	I have two BCA barrels, one a 16 inch heavy barral in .223 Wylde. It works quite well for me. The other is an M4 profile in 5.56mm. That also seems to work just fine for me. I am not a long range or bench rest shooter. Both, with loads they like, will give me 1.5-2.5 inch groups off the bench. However, I don't have glass on anything, shoot with red dots or irons. The PSA Freedom Mid Length upper seems to group about as well with whatever stock barrel is on it. Did I mention both the BCA barrels were the Veterans Day giveaway ones? BCA quit doing that last year. Perhaps someday I will get upgraded barrels, but probably not. I do also have to say these two builds are the only ones I have done, not much experience here. Just got into ARs about a year and a half ago.