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Posted: 6/12/2024 2:16:04 PM EDT
Looking for a cheap blaster upper for an AR pistol and would like to try a side-charger. Why? Just because.
Complete 5.56 or .223 Wylde, 10.5" or 11.5" under $200. Tell me your horror stories if you've got 'em. |
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Posted: 6/12/2024 2:33:57 PM EDT
[Last Edit: fortydelta]
[#1]
I have a 10.5" that I got for next to nothing several years ago. Switched out the rail for something better. Everything else has been fine. It's my under-the-bed rifle.
I think they are a coin-toss, or at least used to be. You may get a good one, you may not. I think the problems were in the chamber specs or machining, and/or the barrel extension coming loose. Or maybe that was Radical. I don't remember. I'm also thinking that their caliber variants had more problems than the 5.56 did. Or maybe not. I'm a lot of help, I know. ETA: Just saw the part about the side charger. Can't help there. |
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MI, USA
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Posted: 6/12/2024 2:51:04 PM EDT
[#2]
Not a side charger or AR-15, but I do have a AR-10 from them that’s given me zero issues so far. I’ve taken it out to 600yds.
 Bear Creek BCA-10: First Look and Unboxing |
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Posted: 6/12/2024 2:58:17 PM EDT
[#3]
I personally know of about 18 BCA uppers. I had a problem with a 9mm upper, they replaced it. A friend had a problem with a 7.62X39 pistol upper. They replaced it. I have three in .223 Wylde, one in 9mm & one in 45ACP. I like them all & they shoot just fine. They don't shoot any better or worse than any other rifle I have, except the Mini14, they all shoot better than it. They shoot better than the AK I had.
The side charger just makes more sense to me than rear charging. Every company makes a mistake. Its how they handle the mistake that matters. Ruger screws up, S&W screws up. Years ago I had a Colt Python that went back to Colt twice. It never was right. They said it was defect free. Bullshit. It spit lead out the right side. My brother had a CZ Scorpion that broke the receiver. He sent it back, they eventually sent him a replacement, & it broke, all with WW white box. If you buy something from BCA & it doesn't work, send it back. They will make it good. |
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OR, USA
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Posted: 6/12/2024 2:58:52 PM EDT
[#4]
The uppers I got had some assembly issues. I took them down and reassembled and they ran great.
16” 5.56, 16” 450BM and 16” 7.62x39 450 and x39 are side chargers. |
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Posted: 6/12/2024 3:05:47 PM EDT
[#5]
I've bought a couple cheap complete uppers and swapped in better barrels and handguards.
Dad wanted a side charger. No complaints. |
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Posted: 6/12/2024 5:08:38 PM EDT
[Last Edit: jhereg]
[#6]
Originally Posted By Strela: Looking for a cheap blaster upper for an AR pistol and would like to try a side-charger. Why? Just because. Complete 5.56 or .223 Wylde, 10.5" or 11.5" under $200. Tell me your horror stories if you've got 'em. edited to add: I was wrong. Only the 22 is Bear Creek. The 458 is Radical Firearms. |
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Posted: 6/12/2024 7:38:24 PM EDT
[#7]
Get one, go over it make sure it all looks right, run it a bit...it'll probably be just fine.
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Posted: 6/13/2024 1:59:32 PM EDT
[#8]
I have a 450bm for deer hunting. It’s more accurate than it should be for the price. Will hold 5 shots right around 1 moa
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Posted: 6/13/2024 2:10:25 PM EDT
[#9]
My boss has one that doesn't run that I'll have to look at for him. Sounds like the gas block isn't aligned. Bolt doesn't cycle at all when fired, no gas.
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Posted: 6/13/2024 4:42:49 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FoxValleyTacDriver: My boss has one that doesn't run that I'll have to look at for him. Sounds like the gas block isn't aligned. Bolt doesn't cycle at all when fired, no gas. send it back |
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IA, USA
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Posted: 6/14/2024 12:31:07 PM EDT
[#11]
I love um. Have 450bm, 7.62x39, 16” 350 legend for the boy and a 350 legend pistol with a 12.5 faxon barrel for me The 450 is a fuggin tack driver, crazy accurate with a 99$ PA 2.5x prism. They all go boom all the time, had to send the 450 back when I first got it and had to modify the 350 mags. The Faxon barrel will not chamber the white box Winchester 145grn’ers.
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TX, USA
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Posted: 6/14/2024 12:51:44 PM EDT
[#12]
Have several built on Anderson lowers with parts from my random parts tub. They all work fine.
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IN, USA
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Posted: 6/14/2024 9:26:00 PM EDT
[#13]
I've got a 20" fluted heavy barrel side charger on my coyote rifle. When I was wringing it out I shot numerous sub MOA groups. With Hornady 55 gr Varmint Express it averages sub .75 MOA. Those are 5 shot groups, btw. Got a little less than 500 rounds through it and no failures. Only gripe I have with it is that is one heavy pig to be lugging around, and I'm not a spring chicken.
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WI, USA
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Posted: 6/14/2024 9:32:10 PM EDT
[#14]
Youll do the qc but their return/replace was good for me. Make sure you test it before you use it for defense
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Posted: 6/14/2024 11:46:25 PM EDT
[#15]
I bought a complete 6.5 Grendel upper. It shot fine but as soon as I put on a suppressor it began patterning like buckshot. I found that shoulder on the barrel was too small for the muzzle device. I think it was .720 and it needed to be .740 minimum.
I pulled the barrel and sold it, bought an Odin Works and it shot just fine. Been using it for deer hunting for at least 5 years or more, no issues. Same BCG. |
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Posted: 6/26/2024 4:11:05 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FoxValleyTacDriver: My boss has one that doesn't run that I'll have to look at for him. Sounds like the gas block isn't aligned. Bolt doesn't cycle at all when fired, no gas. A cousins son brought a bca over that had quit cycling. The gas block set screws got loose and the block shifted. Realigned the gb and torqued the set screws and sent him on his way. |
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MI, USA
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Posted: 6/26/2024 4:39:27 PM EDT
[#17]
I always say - If you want a cheap upper just grab a BCM. BCG's are now coming with for free. If you already have a CH, you can get out for $750
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MI, USA
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Posted: 6/26/2024 4:52:57 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By DetroitSounds: I always say - If you want a cheap upper just grab a BCM. BCG's are now coming with for free. If you already have a CH, you can get out for $750 For many people, $750 for just the upper is not cheap. BCA has complete rifles for about half that. Not saying that they’re better by any means, but what is cheap for some is not for others. |
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Posted: 6/26/2024 5:20:37 PM EDT
[#19]
I have 450BM and 350L side charging uppers from them. I got one of each because I couldn't decide which caliber I wanted for deer, so I figured try one of each in a cheap upper and then eventually dump them and upgrade to a nicer upper of the caliber I decided to go with. They both have ran well and shot well enough for my purposes that I just ended up keeping both and never upgraded. I get 2-ish MOA with both, good enough for what I'm doing. They won't fool anyone into thinking they're tier 1 (or even 2 for that matter), but sometimes you don't need a scalpel when a butter knife will do.
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MN, USA
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Posted: 6/26/2024 6:07:53 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By DetroitSounds: I always say - If you want a cheap upper just grab a BCM. BCG's are now coming with for free. If you already have a CH, you can get out for $750 That's CHEAP??? |
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MN, USA
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Posted: 6/26/2024 6:08:58 PM EDT
[#21]
...sometimes you don't need a scalpel when a butter knife will do. |
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USA
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Posted: 6/26/2024 6:45:47 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Diamond2J]
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By s4s4u: That's CHEAP??? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By s4s4u: Originally Posted By DetroitSounds: I always say - If you want a cheap upper just grab a BCM. BCG's are now coming with for free. If you already have a CH, you can get out for $750 That's CHEAP???  ETA - maybe he's talking a whole gun...? If you have the tools and know how you can check all the specs when you get it. Check out SOTAR on YouTube if you're interested in going that route. He's extremely knowledgeable |
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USA
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Posted: 6/27/2024 9:46:29 AM EDT
[#23]
My only experience with them was with 300blk. I wanted to dip my toes in that pool cheaply, and they were cheap. Upper ran flawless, and was more accurate than expected. Sold it when I decided a 16" 300blk upper shooting supers was kinda foolishness.
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OR, USA
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Posted: 6/27/2024 10:13:45 AM EDT
[#24]
My experience is 50/50. One 10.5 barrel I got from them for $30 on a holiday sale shoots great. The other I purchased later for double the price has extraction problems and is way over gassed. YMMV. For a disposable beater barrel 50% success may be worth it. For something reliable I would probably look elsewhere. Honoring warranty issues is one thing, but if your BCA parts spend most of their time going to and from the manufacturer for repair or replacement, instead of with you at the range, then they aren't really doing you much good. Just my opinion.
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Posted: 6/27/2024 10:23:16 AM EDT
[#25]
The side charger I have seems fine but I haven’t done much with it.
Something weird I noticed was the resonance tone of their Glock barrel. Couldn’t say no for like $25. Put it with other barrels it clinked with a higher tone. No idea if it’s different steel but it kinda sounds brittle. Not in a hurry to try it and definitely won’t run +P through it, |
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Posted: 6/27/2024 11:32:43 AM EDT
[#26]
I have one of their .458 uppers and it’s surprisingly accurate with no issues.
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NY, USA
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Posted: 6/27/2024 1:12:49 PM EDT
[#27]
I've built a few in 10.5" pistol for fun. Became a game of "how cheap can I make a functional gun?".
They shoot fine. Not particularly accurate, but that's down to the cheap barrel mostly, in my opinion. One important note on side-chargers. I'm a Lefty. Bolt is locked back. I'm holding the pistol in my left hand. I transfer it to my right, so I can slap the bolt release. "WHAM!". Friggin' side charger handle digs a trench up the side of my right hand thumb. I've done this more times than I care to admit... |
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OR, USA
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Posted: 6/27/2024 4:41:57 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By DetroitSounds: I always say - If you want a cheap upper just grab a BCM. BCG's are now coming with for free. If you already have a CH, you can get out for $750 Lol |
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Posted: 6/27/2024 4:49:50 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Gasbar419: My only experience with them was with 300blk. I wanted to dip my toes in that pool cheaply, and they were cheap. Upper ran flawless, and was more accurate than expected. Sold it when I decided a 16" 300blk upper shooting supers was kinda foolishness. So basically 7.62x39 performance? In an AR "platform?" For modest money? What an absolutely horrible idea!  Attached File |
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Posted: 6/27/2024 4:58:07 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By DetroitSounds: I always say - If you want a cheap upper just grab a BCM. BCG's are now coming with for free. If you already have a CH, you can get out for $750 $750 upper?????? Cheap? LOL. My last two used Colt LE carbines (6920 and 6520) were under $600 each. Recently $750 OTD got me a super clean 3", no lock Model 36 AND a used P&W 14.5 snake Bushmaster A2 carbine. Excuse me for repeating myself, but LOL. A sub-$200 Bear Creek blaster upper was what I had in mind, mainly because of the side charger thing. |
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Posted: 6/27/2024 9:07:00 PM EDT
[#31]
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Posted: 6/28/2024 12:04:07 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryAs per the OP, I have been looking at Bear Creek, but have no interest in .300 Blackout. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 7/10/2024 12:35:46 PM EDT
[#33]
What about .22 magum uppers? |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 7/10/2024 1:08:35 PM EDT
[#34]
Buy something else, doesn’t seem to be worth the risk. I’ve heard and seen all sorts of issues from their stuff
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Posted: 7/10/2024 1:28:23 PM EDT
[#35]
This barrel seems perfect for a binary. Lots of surface area. Or maybe not as it’s stainless. For $80 who cares.
 Bear Creek Arsenal "Hornet's Nest" Honey Comb Fluted 18" Stainless Barrel |
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