Testing the Bear Creek Arsenal Heavy Profile 1:7 twist .223 Wylde 18" barrel
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
- This is a range report using an 18" BCA Nitride treated 1:7 twist heavy profile barrel. Mid-length gas, chambered in .223 Wylde.
Model # B223WMHB1817(M)
I do not represent BCA or any other company or organization. I am not paid or compensated in any way for this review. I'm just a guy who likes target shooting on the cheap.
Ammo tested was:
1. IMI Razorcore 77 grain 5.56
2. PPU Match 75 Grain .223
3. IMI Razorcore 69 grain 5.56
4. PPU Match 69 grain .223
5. ZQI 62 grain LAP 5.56
6. Independence 62 grain LAP 5.56
7. Wolf Gold 55 grain .223
8. Independence 55 grain 5.56
9. Tula 55 grain .223 (steel case)
Each range trip, a single 5-round group from each ammo type was fired from a distance of 100 yards.
This is not a comprehensive test. I simply wanted to see what I could reasonably expect from a variety of readily available, inexpensive ammunition.
I paid under 58 dollars for this barrel, SHIPPED to my doorstep.
Is it worth it? You decide.
In the future, I'll be testing several other BCA barrels I purchased using the same ammo/lots in the same order of firing.
This video is provided for educational purposes only. All weapons are shown are legally owned, and legal to possess and fire in my state of residence.
Let me know what you think!
In the coming weeks I'll be testing:
BCA 20" goverment profile 5.56 1:7 twist rifle length gas nitride barrel
BCA 16" M4 profile 5.56 1:8 twist carbine length gas nitride barrel
BCA 16: Pencil profile 5.56 1:7 twist mid length gas nitride barrel.
Hmmmm, what if you started with really good (accurate), ammo to quantify the barrels quality then see what happens with the cheap stuff? I hand load for a BCA 16" Wylde, M-4 profile, & an 18" Wylde, heavy profile. Both barrels with Sierra Game Kings shoot 5/8" grps on a bad day but typically 1/2 MOA. Just for grins I have run some Wolf through them both and averaged just over 2" grps. My take away on that experiment is 'Garbage in - Garbage out'.
I don't handload. At the time, this was the best ammo I had.
Most of my other videos I generally shoot a few match loads or quality loads these days.
My experience with BCA has been pretty mixed. I have a few barrels that are tack drivers, and a lot of them that are pretty GPC quality.
I do have a 20" government profile BCA that I ran some 55 grain blitzking loads through it, and got 1/2 MOA with that one.
YMMV.
This barrel just got really weird once it heated up. I tore it down a couple of times and started over, but I couldn't get it to shoot so I sold it at a steep discount.
I got the BCA SS heavy 20 inch 1:8 .223 Wylde...haven't shot it or broke the barrel in yet but if I get groups like you got I'm going to be pissed. The .223 Wylde is supposed to stack em in there pretty tight. That's the exact reason I bought this barrel.
May have to custom hand load to dial her in....also, I've seen guys go to 62 grain and the groups tightened up some.
Thanks for putting the vid up!
my Bear Creek arsenal one-in-eight twist 556 loves IMI 55grain I'm getting 1to 2 moa groups out of it..on a different note I have tried I am I in a few other different caliber rifles and have gotten impressive results I really think that I am I is a very good ammunition I guess when you think about it the Israelis are surrounded by enemies they have to make sure there ammo is good
I have a BCA upper 1-8 16 inch I thought man this thing sucks all I was shooting is store bought crap. I decided since I had some CFE 223 and some Hornady 55 grain BTFMJ and some 77 SMK'S I would load up some for it. After some load testing I got 6 3/8 inch groups with the 55 grain and 6 1/2 inch groups with the 77 grain. I did 6 3 shoot groups for repeatability. My 300 blackout does about the same with 110 and 125 grain. All shooting done from a lead sled and at a 100 yards with a Bushnell AR optics.
Yup. I reviewed a 20" gov profile and it was a solid/mediocre performer with a mix of ammo. Tried ADI 55 grain blitzing ammo and turned in four 0.6 to 0.75 MOA groups in a row. Just gotta find the right food to feed her
Try lapping the crown I bought several of these barrels and all of them had burs on the crown.
Billy...we all have opinions, so here's mine. With the exception of IMI, the ammo you shot is garbage. As for the IMI, firstly, it's .556 ammo and will not typically be as accurate as .223. Try some .223 Fiocchi 55, 62 fmj, 69 and 77gr match and I think you will see a world of difference and not break the bank either.
Fiocchi is tested in one or two other videos. I think you guys are missing the point though. I test, generally speaking, 50-75 dollar barrels. I'm shooting a mix of "cheap" ammo because that's what I think most people who buy these barrels will shoot.
I agree that with load workups and better ammo it could probably shoot better.
This particular barrel just went crazy when it got hot. None of the other BCA barrels I've tested exhibited the same problems. There's actually a bunch of extra testing I did you don't see on the video. As soon as the barrel got 20-25 rounds through it, it opened up and started producing shotgun pattern sized groups.
No other BCA barrel I've ever shot exhibited this same behavior to this extent, including their pencil profile barrels.
I tried trouble shooting it. I reseated/retorqued the barrel, I reseated/replaced the muzzle device, and I swapped the optics and mount. I couldn't fix the issue so I sold the barrel with a warning at a steep discount.
@@inexpensivearms6952 Good info in your follow-up...thanks!
Hi IA The barrel you are shooting is capable of much better. I got one and do much better. I consistently get 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards. I would bet you have a different problem. I would suggest your trigger is probably the place to look. Do you have a target trigger? What pound pull is your trigger? My opinion is The 1/7 twist will be the best with 60 to 70 gr bullets. What bullet weight?
He said 4lb
Sorry to see that. Have you ran a borescope in the barrel ? There is a lifetime warranty on the barrels from BCA.
Break in by shooting 100 to 150 rounds accurate shooting or not then clean all copper and everything then shoot 10 or 12 rounds dosent matter what then start taking groups qorks my barrels frol bca everytime there all except one under an inch especially with handloads...the non moa shooter has 35k to 37k of brown bear lacquer 62gr HP steel case with sealed base and bullets and its 1.2moa im also using a reddot so....that says somthing about bca tbh
Did you put 100 to 150 rounds through it clean it with bore tech then I put 20-30 rounds through it and pull a snake through 2 times.. Then she's broken in and I test groups it makes a big difference after break in and you really need to like super clean that barrel Bca barrels for me usually without handloads shoot a little under 1 MOA
Thank you. You saved me, Big Time, time & money. I would rather spend $350 on a great barrel & shoot cheap ammo at MOA than spend $90 on a barrel & shoot expense or cheap ammo way off MOA. It makes no sense wasting $ on ammo trying to get good groups. For example I use Cheapo WMart Fed 55gr out of a 18", 1:7, White Oak stainless/fluted, w/scope & get 1" + - groups at a 100 yrds. &
MOA & + up to & including 500 yrs w/zero wind. 500 is a game changer. We have no idea what ammo we'll have if & when problems happen. If I have my barrel & the enemy has your barrel I'll be very happy.
I also have a BCA 18" Wylde heavy barrel ($60ish Dec '19), but I am pretty consistently getting 5/8" grps. This is with basic hand loads using the basic Hornady 55Gr FMJ. 2 steel Russian loads & American green tip shoot 3"+ 2" grps respectively. I have 3 other BCA M4 profile barrels, all shoot a little over 1". I find as a rule BCA barrels can shoot well. I know this is a stale thread but lurkers like myself may find this info useful.
I hope you would search further before making a decision based on this info. I've got the exact same barrel, and I get -.625 groups no matter how much I shoot. I'm guessing something else was wrong here.
@@drewt1081 At $60-90 a barrel its worth a try! The problem is the costs of for grip & compensator & time to put it together. Thx for the info..
My testing have shown just exactly what you said. people do videos and
never mention twist rate,bullet grain. barrel length,and shooting range.
they just show off on U TUBE.
JUST FOR VIEWS AND LIKES. IS MORONIC FOR THESE PEOPLE TO SPREAD
MISINFORMATION FOR FAME AND MONEY." IT'S TRUE YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID".
The range I go to with my nephew they have a 25-yard and 50 yard and a hundred yard but he went to college so he just straight white paper Target at a hundred yards and wasted a hundred rounds of ammo and still cannot find his vein and zero his scope he did not want to listen to me and this is the way I'm looking at this targets here !!
good maybe the 1/8 twist would have been better maybe
Possibly. I'll have a 1:8 M4 profile barrel review up in the next week. (Monday, hopefully)
if its opening up after a few groups it could be that your muzzle device is torqued too tight.
It's not. After the first range trip I removed the muzzle device and gas block and retorqued the barrel nut. Put gas block back on, put muzzle device back on with a new crush washer. I never time my muzzle devices to have more than about 120 degrees of rotation past hand tight.
Feed ramps had a touch of roughness, but I smoothed those out before I even took it out to the range.
It was the weirdest thing I've ever seen, and I'm still not sure whey it behaved like it did.
@@inexpensivearms6952 so is it shooting better now? usually i see that even with a crush washer its too tight. i always have better consistency when i used a good peel washer and only tighten it hand tight with a healthy amount of locktite. this method has eliminated many grouping problems what would otherwise appear after the barrel begins to warm up.
@@SSMaynerd I wound up selling it off at a steep discount with a caveat to the buyer.
You didn't mention you shot that from 10 yards. Guess range dosen't matter.!!!
Check the notes to this video. I lay out the ammo, range conditions and note that it was fired from 100 yards.
the only reason I tuned in was for ZQI …… oh well
ZQI is definitely not the most accurate ammo. I'll have an other video up today testing another barrel, and ZQI will also be used for one group.
ZQI has really good quality control, believe it or not . There is a video on youtube ….walking through the factory in Turkey. Really good. I purchased a BUNCH when it was at Walmart, and only shot 30-60 rounds since. I have 3500 rounds of the 5.56 , and 3000 rds of 7.62 x 54 . Worse comes to worse...good suppression rounds. p.s. I subbed your channel. Take a look at a couple of my ammo score vids. I have enough product scores to make 200 videos, but just don't have the time really. Peace
on RUclips ...enter keywords ZQI FACTORY , and that vid should come up
Thanks! I'll definitely check it out. All my ZQI is a few years old. I bought a bunch during the great LAP ban scare of 2015, and still have most of it. It's been stored in ammo cans inside a climate and humidity controlled space, but it is a few years old at this point, so who knows. It's entirely possible that it shoots great out of other barrels, but BCA is just picky. I've noticed that with some of the Wolf Gold that I have.
Inexpensive Arms I have a BCA 7.62 x 39. Build going now. They make decent stuff.
Accuracy testing with Junk ammo
I disagree. I tested accuracy with a pretty broad spectrum of ammo. Some of it was cheap, some of it wasn't. Results may vary, but this particular barrel exhibited some VERY strange behavior that was extremely inconsistent. I tried to control for as many variables as I could, and troubleshoot possible causes. My fundamentals were good, and my build was solid. Check out some of the other videos I've made. Even the free BCA barrel I used to make a cheap beater outshot the snot out of this particular barrel. I think this is a QC problem on this particular barrel.
And whats the problem with that. Lets be completely honest here. Its the most readily available ammo. Yeah sure id like hand loaded ammo by zeus and ferrari. But Who wants to spend 2 or 3 dollars a round. Lets even go one step further. When shit goes sideways, like the current world we live in, with the plague. Anything high end isnt being stocked. Its all gone. So I like to see what weapons can do with cheaper ammo.
This testing sucks