View Full Version : Anyone know anything about Bear Creek Arsenal?
ViniVidivici
12-25-18, 14:54
Their prices are even lower than PSA. Too good to be true? Just wondering if anyone here has experience with any of their products and service.
To be blunt. They are very slow usually and their quality control is pretty hit and miss. They will take care of you if something is wrong......just remember the original mentioning of slow.
Gave away barrels for veterans.
From my free one this year..they gave away over 3000 barrels.
Whatever ya gotta say..I love and appreciate my barrel and its as close to one of the nicest gifts I ever got.
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
everready73
12-25-18, 21:13
They may be nice to veterans and I appreciate the gesture, but if you are looking for quality stay away. They are lower end and I have heard of multiple issues with out of spec parts, barrel chambers and other issues
Occasionally do read a good review on a barrel and they are cheap but I prefer not to play roulette with something I need to depends on
They're total trash and lots of people love their low prices.
Renegade04
12-26-18, 06:47
They're total trash and lots of people love their low prices.
I, too, have seen horror stories about their barrels. I have also seen some praising them. I can say the same things about some other barrels. When you buy because of cheap prices, you are playing with fire. I found this out one time with a Radical Firearms barrel. Never again will I buy cheap, unless a tried and true manufacturer has their quality barrels on sale and, even still, they are more expensive than the cheap barrels. Put your money where it counts. It starts with a good quality barrel. Be ready to spend around $200 or better for a good quality barrel from a well-known and reputable manufacturer. BCA and a few others do not fall into that category.
Eurodriver
12-26-18, 07:25
I don’t consider myself rich. I don’t even consider myself comfortable. Fortunate, no doubt. Maybe my perception is skewed. Maybe I’ve been burned too many times. Maybe I don’t get that high that some guys get when they score a good deal.
Whatever it may be, my life is so much easier when I don’t bargain basement shop.
I’m not just talking about guns, either. Do I drive a Lamborghini? No, of course not. But I also don’t drive a Pontiac Aztek. Or buy a used shit TV. I look for a good value in my cell phone, ceiling fan, garage door opener, toilet paper, etc (I bet some of these bottom feeder gun buyer types buy that cheap single ply stuff that tears every time you use it...)
If I want something and I can’t afford to get the quality version of it - it means I can’t afford it. How much do you really save buying a cheap barrel when you’re dealing with potential accuracy issues or it’s so over gassed you can’t even suppress it? Keep in mind I said potential. You might have bought cheap and gotten away with it. But don’t you people worry that one day maybe you won’t? If you bought three off brand barrels it only takes one bad one to lose all that money you saved not buying good ones to begin with, not to mention the most important aspect of life - your time.
Note that I’m not referring to people who wait for a good deal on an identical item. There’s nothing wrong with shopping around. (Although I don’t quite understand the extent some guys go to for that, either. What’s saving $50 mean to me when I can get a Sionics barrel delivered to my house by Friday instead of waiting for Black Friday next year?)
Good luck. I wouldn’t use one of their barrels even if it were free. Just like I wouldn’t drive an Aztek if you gave it to me.
I don’t consider myself rich. I don’t even consider myself comfortable. Fortunate, no doubt. Maybe my perception is skewed. Maybe I’ve been burned too many times. Maybe I don’t get that high that some guys get when they score a good deal.
Whatever it may be, my life is so much easier when I don’t bargain basement shop.
I’m not just talking about guns, either. Do I drive a Lamborghini? No, of course not. But I also don’t drive a Pontiac Aztek. Or buy a used shit TV. I look for a good value in my cell phone, ceiling fan, garage door opener, toilet paper, etc (I bet some of these bottom feeder gun buyer types buy that cheap single ply stuff that tears every time you use it...)
If I want something and I can’t afford to get the quality version of it - it means I can’t afford it. How much do you really save buying a cheap barrel when you’re dealing with potential accuracy issues or it’s so over gassed you can’t even suppress it? Keep in mind I said potential. You might have bought cheap and gotten away with it. But don’t you people worry that one day maybe you won’t? If you bought three off brand barrels it only takes one bad one to lose all that money you saved not buying good ones to begin with, not to mention the most important aspect of life - your time.
Note that I’m not referring to people who wait for a good deal on an identical item. There’s nothing wrong with shopping around. (Although I don’t quite understand the extent some guys go to for that, either. What’s saving $50 mean to me when I can get a Sionics barrel delivered to my house by Friday instead of waiting for Black Friday next year?)
Good luck. I wouldn’t use one of their barrels even if it were free. Just like I wouldn’t drive an Aztek if you gave it to me.
This should be read twice. I mostly agree with what you say, frequently disagree with the delivery but this is gold. I feel this way about almost all purchases I make and your reasons why.
ViniVidivici
12-26-18, 08:19
Kind of what I figured. Ain't no free lunch. I just came across them and wondered. I knew the knowledge base here would illuminate things.
Barrel's the soul of a rifle, for sure. No place to skimp. I just put a Ballistic Advantage barrel in an SPR build of mine, couldn't be happier with it. (First learned of them from members of this site, what a find!) Worth every penny. More accurate than I am.
I've had good luck with what I've gotten from PSA so far, and BCAs prices were even lower. I guess like everything in life, you get what you pay for. Had no intention of buying from them until they were somehow vetted in my eyes.
RVTMaverick
12-26-18, 08:28
A friend of mine just bought a 6.5 Grendel from them a month ago... 20"-24" Fluted SS barrel/Complete Upper... I Can't wait to see how she shoots, but from a fit and finish stand point,
the Upper fit nice and Tight to his Lower.... It looked Really NICE!
IF You'd like, I'll report back how it shoots, when he gets back in town and we go run some rounds down range with it?
Peace
If it's to good to be true, then it probably is.
everready73
12-26-18, 10:23
This should be read twice. I mostly agree with what you say, frequently disagree with the delivery but this is gold. I feel this way about almost all purchases I make and your reasons why.
Yep. I used to be one of them. Always looking for best pricing or better value stuff. Once you get burned once or twice with " just as good as" you learn quick. Whether it is headphones or a barrel but quality. Cheaper in the long run
I wouldn’t mind betting the people that Euro mention have a ton of trash instead of a few higher quality guns; yet they spent the same amount of money. I know guys who deal in this type of false economy. Drives me nuts and I have all but given up trying to get through to them.
I based my business model on this hundred plus year old Ruskin quote. The only complaint I got in 35 years was that I was expensive. Funny thing is they still give me work.
“It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When
you pay too much, you lose a little money - that's all. When you pay
too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you
bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The
common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a
lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well
to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will
have enough to pay for something better.”
― John Ruskin
The guys at SOLGW in San Antonio get a lot of walk ins with AR's and they have plenty of BCA stuff come through. I have seen some of their stuff come through my classes as well.
People are addicted to cheap shit. Whether it be the latest 95" 4K Ultra LCD TV, iPhone20 or firearm. When a barrel is being sold well below what it costs to have them made in quantity from known manufacturers that should be a clue.
I, too, have seen horror stories about their barrels. I have also seen some praising them. I can say the same things about some other barrels. When you buy because of cheap prices, you are playing with fire. I found this out one time with a Radical Firearms barrel. Never again will I buy cheap, unless a tried and true manufacturer has their quality barrels on sale and, even still, they are more expensive than the cheap barrels. Put your money where it counts. It starts with a good quality barrel. Be ready to spend around $200 or better for a good quality barrel from a well-known and reputable manufacturer. BCA and a few others do not fall into that category.
Not wanting to hijack this thread, but what about AR STONER barrels? Are they still tied to the original company that invented the AR/M-16?
everready73
12-26-18, 17:02
Not wanting to hijack this thread, but what about AR STONER barrels? Are they still tied to the original company that invented the AR/M-16?
No they are not related to Gene stoner at all. They are in the same category as Bear Creek. Low end junk
They are Midway s house brand and is not an ethical name imo because of the false correlation some may be led to believe
Even for people on a budget there are much better options if you spend a few more bucks, just save up another month or whatever you gotta do. Sionics barrels are great and not much more in the long run. Green mountain and ballistic advantage are about as low as I would recommend. You can find them for not much more than $100 most of the time
The last place you want to cheap out on an AR is the barrel.
It determines the accuracy and half the function.
The other 3 critical parts are the gas block, gas tube and bolt carrier group.
All the important gas related functions are contained in those 4 components.
Bah....mines runs good....
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Honestly if you ever frequent TOS, there are lots of stories, and many horror stories, about BCA barrels.
I also find people's fascination with the cheapest possible garbage, particularly barrels, completely bonkers, especially with the cost of ammo in mind. I don't know why it is admirable to have bought an exceedingly cheap (and likely crappy) barrel and then use several hundred rounds trying to get it to run right and develop an accurate load. Without a doubt it would have been a better decision to get a good quality barrel that shoots everything much better.
Coal Dragger
12-28-18, 00:58
If you think the level of derp is high on TOS, go check out the Fudds who post at thehighroad.org it will make your head explode.
A cheap AR is like a high maintenance tramp. When it comes to barrels, nothing worse than a barrel that you doubt or won't shoot, especially in the precision realm. One problem with all of this cheap junk out here is people who expect quality stuff to be at the same price. Worse yet is the ones who know better and expect the same. Now if all you care about is a cheap date and not what comes after-spank it while it works.
Bravo Sierra
12-28-18, 08:01
"This is bar none the best AR-15 Rifle Value in the U.S. today.
We have torture tested these rifles and I would put them up against anything being sold for reliability...
Now don't get me wrong... There is nothing fancy here... Just a basic M4 AR-15 Carbine... But if you want a great entry level AR, at a really great price....
Give this Bear Creek Arsenal AR-15 a try. "
All you need to know.
everready73
12-28-18, 08:03
If you think the level of derp is high on TOS, go check out the Fudds who post at thehighroad.org it will make your head explode.
lol i have seen you over there trying to reason with them. i have the same name over there too and have done the same. Fudds going to fudd
If you think the level of derp is high on TOS, go check out the Fudds who post at thehighroad.org it will make your head explode.
Absolute truth. It’s maddening.
My dad bought one of the BCA 7.62x39 uppers. He only wanted it because of how cheap it was. Lots of machine marks. No word on reliability yet.
If you think the level of derp is high on TOS, go check out the Fudds who post at thehighroad.org it will make your head explode.
It was a little better back in the day before it was stolen from Oleg. But once all that crap happened it really went down hill. I remember getting an infarction for saying someone needed to do more reading before they made a purchase.
Coal Dragger
12-28-18, 09:37
lol i have seen you over there trying to reason with them. i have the same name over there too and have done the same. Fudds going to fudd
We could start a thread about Fudds Fudding it up, and populate a lot of it with self builds documented over there.....
Hammer_Man
12-28-18, 10:42
BCA in my mind is on par with the quality of stuff you find for sale over at Davidson's Defense. Chinesium garbage.
Thanks everyone, I just had a buddy text me yesterday as he was eyeing one of their 300BLK builds and wondered if I had experience with this brand. Thanks for all your feedback.
Five_Point_Five_Six
12-28-18, 11:54
I just went to their website. They have AR15 barrels for sale for $39.99. That tells me the people who rave about them only do so because they were cheap or free. People will sell their souls for something free.
I just went to their website. They have AR15 barrels for sale for $39.99. That tells me the people who rave about them only do so because they were cheap or free. People will sell their souls for something free.[emoji38][emoji38][emoji38] indeed!
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
All you probably need to know is that it's cheap junk that you should stay away from. With that said, I'm not self righteous enough to sit here and tell you that I've never bought cheap junk before. I have however learned my lesson from it and have nearly gotten rid of it all. I still have a CAI C39 AK I just stare and shake my head at from time to time, and a few other small things, but other than that, nothing I'm losing any sleep over. Point being, it's going to serve you better having one good AR than 100 shit AR's.
titsonritz
12-28-18, 18:42
I just went to their website. They have AR15 barrels for sale for $39.99. That tells me the people who rave about them only do so because they were cheap or free. People will sell their souls for something free.
Forty bucks for a barrel, what could possibly go wrong? :suicide:
Just be sure to get an aluminum gas block, too.
Buy once cry once!
The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. -Benjamin Franklin
Ordered a 7.62x39 upper and received one with the wrong rail (keymod) and wrong muzzle device. It took 3-4 days for them to reply to my email.
For the price I’m not expecting great quality or great customer service or great accuracy. Got it for pig hunting and don’t expect any shots over 50yards. If it’s reliable and decently accurate I’ll be satisfied.
Bcm uppers are on the rifles for uninvited visitors
I’ll post again when the mlok rail comes in and I get my scope zero’d
Austin4130
01-02-19, 09:04
My 6.5G barrel has been a 3.5" @ 100 shooter through several boxes of ammo, really disappointing.
My 6.5G barrel has been a 3.5" @ 100 shooter through several boxes of ammo, really disappointing.
Spending $100 trying to get a $50 barrel to shoot=priceless ;)
This thread is full of good advice on not buying cheap quality products. However, I don't think that one person responded with firsthand shooting experience.
My dad bought one of the BCA 7.62x39 uppers. He only wanted it because of how cheap it was. Lots of machine marks. No word on reliability yet.
I purchased a Bear Creek Arsenal complete 7.62x39 upper half for $210 to go on a Tactical Machining 7.62x39 marked lower receiver. I tossed on the rest of the parts to complete the lower. Including the rear sight, I have about $400 in this rifle. I put the upper half on my M16A1 lower to test it out. It runs 100% in full auto. Never once did it have any sort of reliability problem. I put the upper on the Tactical Machining lower and it runs 100% on it too. BTW, I'm using RZE Unimags. An added bonus is that the upper and lower have a perfect finish match. Now I've only fired a couple hundred rounds through this upper, but so far I have to say that I'm impressed about what I got for the money. There are no unsightly machine marks on it.
https://i.postimg.cc/66hQQyyp/TMBC-left-view.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/J44zHMkc/TMBC-right-view.jpg
I had one of their early side chargers years ago with no issues but they seem to have gone downhill lately.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I just bought a 20” BCA 6.5 Grendel upper with a stainless barrel.
Looks good, everything was torqued & assembled properly.
When sighting it in at 50 yards using Hornady Black the first three shots literally made one hole. It’s a fixed gas block but doesn’t feel overgassed. Unable to shoot farther than that so I’ll hold comments on accuracy. Zero failures or problems.
Hope to get it out and shoot it against my 12” PSA nitride 6.5g upper using Black, Am. Gunner and Wolf steel.
I have one ‘shtf’ rifle, a BCM 14.5” middy 5.56 w/FSB. Everything else are budget builds from Alpha Shooting Sports, Anderson, Radical Firearms, and quite a few Palmetto State Armory uppers & lowers. Overall I’d recommend PSA first for their selection & customer service and while my RF 10” 7.62x39 upperruns fine, they don’t seem to have a great rep for customer service.
I’d planned to get a PSA 18 or 20” upper but they were OOS and $280. The BCA was $230 w/BCG. That was cheap enough for me to gamble. So far it’s been a bargain.
Erie Warrior
01-05-19, 21:11
My Dad bought one of their 7.62x39 uppers a couple of years ago. I personally have shot it on two different occasions. It ran fine and accuracy was better than the AKs we had with us that day.
I snagged a free 7.62 barrel from them on Veteran's Day. I picked up their 7.62x39 upper and BCG combo. We'll see how this one does, once its all together.
Before I get flamed, this is not going to be my SHTF weapon. I other ARs and AKs for that. This is just for fun.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.