18" Bear Creek Arsenal 6.5 Grendel Upper Range Result

[Jimla]

Upper BCA UA6.5MHB1818(MF)-(15)MLOK3
Lower Rock River Arms LAR-15 with RRA TWO STAGE TRIGGER (great trigger can average about .5" groups with RRA .223 WYLDE Match Barrel)
Ammo: Factory Hornady Black 123gr ELD Match
Shot prone from lead sled

High pressure signs with Hornady Black 123gr ELD-M factory ammo. All four rounds had major ejector marks, two with flatten primers, two with blown primers.

1 Shot 50 yard scope sighting

3 Shot Group - 2.19 MOA at 100 yards

target_image.jpg
BCA_65grendel.jpg

[centerfire]

Chinese wind chimes marked "Made in the USA" by illegal aliens. Extra MOA's included at no extra charge.

[Hollis]

This looks similar to my results today of shooting my BCA 20" Grendel upper. I started out with Wolf ammo 100 gr, but it was all over the place - but these were the first shots coming out of this brand new upper I cleaned the barrel anew and switched to the Hornady Black 123 grain. I was a bit in a hurry, so wasn't able to get exact measurements, but it was over 1" and less than 3" at 100 yards. Moved to 200 yards and was able to hit around 4 inch groups. I'll get more precise results the next time I shoot. Hope to get out to the ranch and go out to 400 yards with video and documentation of all shots.


Does anyone here know the details about BCA 1 MOA guarantee? I heard they guarantee 1 MOA or less with their uppers if shot with match ammo. Is that correct?

[Jimla]

BCA uses Alexander Arms Ammunition 6.5 Grendel 123 Grain Lapua Scenar Hollow Point Boat Tail to test there barrels, not available were I live and I can't mail order. I can only buy Hornady and Wolf locally.

Lapua Scenar must work well in short chambers, because the MOA replacement they sent me could not chamber a Hornday round and eject a live round without the bullet coming off and stuck in the barrel. Requiring a rod to tap the bullet out. Unsafe so I sent it back for another try. I also sent back the above rifle because of it dangerous short chamber.

[CaptnC]

This is a general comment about hornady loaded ammo.
I hit the range a lot and where I go they don't say anything about picking up range brass.

From what I'm seeing Hornady loads their stuff hot or something! Most of the Hornady Grendel brass I pick up looks terrible. Many guys here report the same thing.

My reloads are right at max velocities for my reloading data and my brass case heads dont look nothing like the stuff I'm picking up.

I've thought it might be rough bolt heads in these guys guns, but I see it more often than not.

I'm running two Midway USA BCG and one BCA BCG that is in a BCA side charge upper. After about three firing in my guns the case head marks are not as visible. Some of my brass has 8 firings on it. It looks like I'm about at the end of this batch of brass life.

Any way, just an observation of what I'm seeing on a regular basis.

[1Shot]

In my experience even with the first firing of new Hornady cases with loads that show no sign of being over pressure in cases that were previously fired I get ejector marks. It makes me think that the Hornady brass rim is a bit soft but after the pressure from the first firing it hardens the case rim just a bit and you see no more ejector marks. I have gotten different life span out of Hornady cases. I have a batch of 80 cases that started out as factory 123 SST ammo. On the 4th firing I lost two cases to split necks. Then one on 5th and then 2 more on the 6th. I have not lost any more and am up to 8 firings. I am also using Lee Dies that many say over works the neck and causes splits. I have bought a set of Hornady dies but have not used them yet. I want to compare the two sets to see if anything changes like accuracy of round or case life. I just got a new place to shoot yesterday so hope to do more shooting soon.

[Jimla]

I think Hornady brass is a little softer showing some light ejector marks on hot days. The problem with over pressure in my case is caused by a short chamber. The "same box" of ammo was shot in another rifle at higher outdoor temp with no major ejector marks, flatten primers, or blown primers. To my understanding Jamming a bullet into the lands can increase peek pressure by 7200 PSI or more causing a safe hot Hornady round to be a dangerous round that blown primers.

[A5BLASTER]

BCA uses Alexander Arms Ammunition 6.5 Grendel 123 Grain Lapua Scenar Hollow Point Boat Tail to test there barrels, not available were I live and I can't mail order. I can only buy Hornady and Wolf locally.

Lapua Scenar must work well in short chambers, because the MOA replacement they sent me could not chamber a Hornday round and eject a live round without the bullet coming off and stuck in the barrel. Requiring a rod to tap the bullet out. Unsafe so I sent it back for another try. I also sent back the above rifle because of it dangerous short chamber.

Lmao. There is no way that below budget company is useing a high end target load to test their barrels.

Lmao. They got raided for having illegals working for them. You don't really expect them too use a high dollar high end load to test barrels do you?

[Jimla]

To be fair every good size company in this nation may have "illegals working for them" because people can apply for job with fake SS cards.

I don't think they use the good ammo to test every barrel coming out a factory, but on warranty returns they do Alexander Arms Ammo to show 1 MOA on warranty returns. I got three Alexander Arms Brass cases and the target below.

bca.jpg

[centerfire]

To be fair every good size company in this nation may have "illegals working for them" because people can apply for job with fake SS cards.

I don't think they use the good ammo to test every barrel coming out a factory, but on warranty returns they do Alexander Arms Ammo to show 1 MOA on warranty returns. I got three Alexander Arms Brass cases and the target below.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]14023[/ATTACH]

They got raided by ICE. They didn't just have a couple of people with fake IDs.

I'd like to see proof BCA test fires anything ever.

[Jimla]

Do you need a photos of the brass cases they sent me? I thought it was strange that the target they sent was a photo copy, not a original target with holes, it is possible they are sending the same copy of a target with returns. Anyone else recieved the same exact group from BCA?

ICE did not permanently closed down the BCA business so I don't think it is a major illegal operation. If they wanted to they could make the barrels in Mexico anyway, BCA does not have to hire illegals. This is not a ICE thread, so start another thread if you want to focus on that subject. This thread range report of a BCA upper.

[Rosecrans1]

BCA uses Alexander Arms Ammunition 6.5 Grendel 123 Grain Lapua Scenar Hollow Point Boat Tail to test there barrels, not available were I live and I can't mail order. I can only buy Hornady and Wolf locally.

The one BCA I had the pleasure to return came with Hornaday brass representing the test firing.

Jimla, the Alexander Arms stamped brass that came with your BCA as well as my Hornaday test firings are most likely reloads. The shear volume this company puts out and their cheapness, aka...business model they pull off, would also lend credence to them reloading brass to SAVE MONEY and test for function of their "products". (Function only)! They can't test accuracy from a new barrel with metal shavings blowing out the other end. It's very difficult to "test" accuracy in new barrels from any company doing a test firing. Companies that guaranty accuracy do the one thing that BCA does NOT. They have a Quality Assurance Policy in place from the start, (raw materials used), to finish! (inspection/function/packaging/shipping).

[centerfire]

Do you need a photos of the brass cases they sent me? I thought it was strange that the target they sent was a photo copy, not a original target with holes, it is possible they are sending the same copy of a target with returns. Anyone else recieved the same exact group from BCA?

ICE did not permanently closed down the BCA business so I don't think it is a major illegal operation. If they wanted to they could make the barrels in Mexico anyway, BCA does not have to hire illegals. This is not a ICE thread, so start another thread if you want to focus on that subject. This thread range report of a BCA upper.

Yes, I'd have to see them physically open the ammunition boxes and shoot those groups in a single cut to believe it's real. You're on your third barrel, it's blowing primers with factory ammo, and you still don't think something is kinky? Olympic Arms had a better reputation than BCA.

BCA uses temp labor. They were raided by ICE because they, presumably hired the cheapest, most questionable, temp agency they could find. It would be a safe bet they had to have an interpreter on site to communicate with the laborers. Whether BCA knew they were dealing with an organization intentionally hiring illegals or not is largely irrelevant, the quality of personnel and general disregard for anything but the bottom line is indicative of BCA's quality as a whole.

[HuntTXhogs]

They got raided by ICE. They didn't just have a couple of people with fake IDs.

I'd like to see proof BCA test fires anything ever.

I got proof they test fire stuff

I ordered a new 6.5 Grendel BCG and the one they shipped me was USED.

Dummies

I sent it back and asked for Brand New / Unfired and they refunded my money

LOL

[LRRPF52]

This is a general comment about hornady loaded ammo.
I hit the range a lot and where I go they don't say anything about picking up range brass.

From what I'm seeing Hornady loads their stuff hot or something! Most of the Hornady Grendel brass I pick up looks terrible. Many guys here report the same thing.

My reloads are right at max velocities for my reloading data and my brass case heads dont look nothing like the stuff I'm picking up.

I've thought it might be rough bolt heads in these guys guns, but I see it more often than not.

I'm running two Midway USA BCG and one BCA BCG that is in a BCA side charge upper. After about three firing in my guns the case head marks are not as visible. Some of my brass has 8 firings on it. It looks like I'm about at the end of this batch of brass life.

Any way, just an observation of what I'm seeing on a regular basis.

Hornady doesn't load their Grendel ammo hot. I would say the contrary, since their velocities tend to be slower than other 120gr and 123gr factory loads.

If you're seeing excessive brass wear and tear, it's often from short chambers, sharp edges on the bolt face, a sharp extractor pocket edge, sharp ejector channel opening, and sharp firing pin aperture edge, or a gun with an excessively large gas port with a lot of plug dwell time.

Sharp corners on the extractor can also cause shearing of brass on the rim.

I've been shooting Hornady factory ammo regularly now since it came out, and I just don't see wear and tear on the brass like you're reporting, and my sample sizes are in the thousands of rounds across multiple AR15s with various gas system lengths and barrel lengths, as well as suppressed shooting.