Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Bear Creek Arsenal

If anything, this thread has encouraged me to study up on points of inspection for wear and breakage... Oh, and knowledgeable guys range from Goodguys to dicks, per Campfire usual. LOL.

Shoot,

Most of the significant BCG issues seem to be with the bolt itself. Like many manufacturers, BCA bolts are made of 9310 and NOT Carpenter 158. Although on paper 9310 is a good material, it's not near as forgiving on the heat treatment process. Under treat them and the bolts with be soft and stretchy. Over treat them and they become brittle and crack. It's likely radical has similar issues, or maybe even used BCA bolts, hence the sub-200 round count snapped bolts that Blue witnessed. The best thing you can do is tear them apart every couple hundred rounds, or every time you clean your rifle and check the bolt for cracks and egging. Check your pivot pin for unusual and premature wear patterns. Check hole fit to insure it's tight an has no unusual movement. Check the pivot pin hole with your calipers to insure it remains round and uniform.

As for gassing, mine has a 16" barrel and carbine length gas. The vast majority of uppers so configured, especially from low end manufacturers, are over gassed from the factory. Now since your is a pistol upper and your dwell time will be significantly shorter, it's less likely you'll have a similar issue. Of course, if BCA over drilled the gas port "to make it run better", it's still possible.

As for diagnosis, watch your ejection. A properly gassed gun with a properly functioning extractor and ejector should throw the brass at 4 o'clock. If it's throwing it forward of that, something suboptimal. The typical solution is more spring, and/or more weight. I like to run with a Sprinco co. Blue spring, and an H1 buffer, so a little more spring, and a little more weight. On average this works well, but is not required or any of my carbine length pistol builds, so you may be fine. After you've been building AR for a while, you tend to keep different buffer weights and springs on hand for tuning. Another solution for an over gassed upper is an adjustable gas block, but I'm not going to throw that kind of money at this upper.

But your first step is to shoot it and see what happens. You might be one of the lucky one and everything may function flawlessly for your purposes. If not, come back and post about it. There will be plenty of advise waiting.

Thanks sniper et al. I’m being educated. While I still have a few flat rifles left I may go ahead with a bolt exchange depending on availability and maybe carrier assy too. Will be looking at barrels to educate myself on something besides Mauser offshoots. Don’t know enough yet to say if gas tubes and assembly hardware should be tied in at this time. When/if I start replacements I’ll start a Help! Thread. This pistol is to be a fun shooter but also a travel concealed carry pistol. If I ever use it things will be really bad with no room for mistakes. Who knows where things are headed. In Daddy’s time a good 6 shot Smith was being well armed. Today it wouldn’t surprise me to hear of someone required to expend multiple AR mags in defense of self and family.

$475 plus Magpul hand guards and a $150 BCG.

$650ish? Send me a stamped envelope and I’ll give you a charging handle.

https://www.rooftopdefense.com/prod...ter-kit-16-midlength-fsb-upper-receiver/

I'll throw in a flash hider!

Was it not taken care of before the gas key broke in half?

Friend needs recommendations for a 5.56 10.5-12" pistol build. He has a stripped lower, says cheap, LOL


Go!




Seen prices for a Ruger AR-556 pistol! Mine was $580 iirc! Now $300 more a year later. Oh for phucqk's sake Ruger, it's got a 9130 bolt!

My PSA EPT moe Shockwave full kit was $380 4/28/20. The upper alone is $450 now.

Yer wastin' yer keyboard's breath, Blue.....................just sayin'.

MM

There are Snap On tools and Chin’s tool emporium, you pick...

Thing is, he did pick, and indicated the failure experienced was ok for his investment, or some such and such.

Never said they were the best nor did i say they will last forever.

This rifle that had the screw shear had about 8000 rounds with a suppressor on it.

Some were shot at targets but most were shot at pigs and coyotes.

It is still in service today and has not missed a beat.

All companies produce rifles that have problems and maybe this one was one.

If folks don't want to buy one of these and have the funds to buy the others good on them.

I am working on a Palmetto Arms rifle that won't shoot more than 7 or 8 times before just denting the primer.

Makes no difference 223 or 556 ammo.

Mags makes no difference as well.

Is this 11 inch rifle a dud?

We will see if it can be made to run with the big dogs.

Gone in under 20 minutes

The majority of 8,000 rounds were on game?

Glad to see your reckoning is consistent across all of your internet conversations.

Well, sir, that is one big schitt pile of hogs & coyotes, then, just sayin'.

But on the truthful side of the equation, I guess I'd also say that if the gun truly has that many suppressed rounds through it, that gas key screw failure might not be unrealistic.

But on the other hand, most companies do not install gas keys & screws the right way anyway, even if the screw was to spec.

So who really knows.

MM

The population in Goodenoughville is growing at an alarming rate.

I couldn't even afford the ammo.

How's the view up there from your high horse? Not everyone needs or even wants a $2000 AR. For me its a piss poor waste of money and I'd much rather spend that money on a nice double shotgun or bolt rifle. Surely one can piece together or buy a reliable AR for under $1k even in these times.

So, six or eight months from now what GOOD parts are going to be the hardest to find?

Cumbaya...

Who said anything about a $2000 AR. A $900-1200 one should do just fine. Do you own any RARs, Axis or XPR rifles?

If we get screwed on braces, it will be light weight barrels 14.5" (for those who like pinned and welded) and 16" and over.