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View Full Version : Bravo Company 14.5” ELW Accuracy: A Quick Look


Molon
08-31-22, 15:42
Bravo Company 14.5” ELW Accuracy: A Quick Look


ELW stands for enhanced light-weight. This barrel is from Bravo Company’s cold-hammer forged series of barrels. The barrel has a “continuous taper” design with a smooth shoulder at the gas block journal, which reportedly improves barrel harmonics. This barrel has a mid-length gas system and a 0.625” gas block journal.

According to Bravo Company, this barrel has a stripped weight of 1 pound, 5 ounces. For comparison, a Colt 14.5” M4 barrel has a stripped weight of 1 pound, 9 ounces.


BCM 14.5” ELW

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/28568/bcm_elw_stock_phonto_01_resized-1298250.jpg




Colt 14.5” M4 barrel. (not stripped)

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/28568/colt_m4_barrel_01_resized-1298030.jpg




I purchased this barrel as part of a BCM factory assembled upper receiver group with the MCMR 13” free-float hand guard. The barrel has BCM’s pinned and welded A2X flash hider.

Shooting off-the-bench at a distance of 100 yards (using a high magnification scope), this barrel produced a 10-shot group that has an extreme spread of 0.946” with a mean radius of 0.33”.



https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/28568/bcm_elw_10_shot_group_at_100_yards_01_re-1253570.jpg




https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/28568/bcm_14_5_elw_001_resized_08-1253427b-1856118.jpg




https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/28568/bcm_elw_borescope_001-2247926.jpg



….


https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/28568/m855a1_muzzle_velocities_002-2426796.jpg
markm
08-31-22, 15:55
Not too shabby. The interesting thing about the BCM vs the Colt FSB is Where the weight is. The humble 2 oz difference feels much different because of the "govt" profile on the mil spec barrel. I love both for what it's worth.
titsonritz
08-31-22, 16:41
No pin gaged gas port info/picture? Curious mind want to know.
JediGuy
08-31-22, 16:54
Ever compare to the fluted version?
markm
08-31-22, 17:18
No pin gaged gas port info/picture? Curious mind want to know.

They were .076" historically... not sure if that has changed though.
MegademiC
08-31-22, 19:07
Wow, great performance! I was not expecting that.

Appreciate the efforts and info as always!
TMS951
08-31-22, 21:08
Seems like a nice little barrel. Thanks for the write up!

I too would be interested in gas port size if that was something you recorded?
markm
08-31-22, 21:27
Wow, great performance! I was not expecting that.

Appreciate the efforts and info as always!

Every BCM barrel we've run will hold this. Some people have said they have had mil standard accuracy, but with good bullets, they shoot.
opngrnd
08-31-22, 22:03
Excellent to see a review on this. Thanks for sharing, Molon.
Hank6046
09-01-22, 15:41
Killing it Molon, thanks for all of these little reviews
El Vaquero
09-01-22, 16:14
Good data, good post. Keep them coming.
grizzman
09-01-22, 18:12
Thanks. I like my standard 16" ELW enough that I bought a BFH 16" ELW. If the BFH groups as well as the standard, I'll be very happy.
Pi3
09-01-22, 21:41
Molon, very professional info as usual. Godd to know.
ssc
09-01-22, 22:26
I wonder if there is much of a difference, accuracy wise between the standard barrel and the BFH?

Cheers, Steve
Baldness
09-02-22, 01:15
I have the hammer forged upper with a mod 3 comp and I was pleasantly surprised by the accuracy. I had read that they weren’t that great. At 100 yards with an aimpoint H2 I’m getting around 1.5-2 moa with Australian m855. I’m sure with a magnified optic and match grade ammo that would shrink for my uses I’m impressed.
1168
09-02-22, 02:46
I have the hammer forged upper with a mod 3 comp and I was pleasantly surprised by the accuracy. I had read that they weren’t that great. At 100 yards with an aimpoint H2 I’m getting around 1.5-2 moa with Australian m855. I’m sure with a magnified optic and match grade ammo that would shrink for my uses I’m impressed.
Group sample size? 3,5,10,30? Representative, or cherry-picked?
El Vaquero
09-02-22, 10:39
These threads remind me of the good old days of M4carbine.net where there were a lot of good informative threads. True sense of posting for the better of the community.
Baldness
09-03-22, 01:24
I fired three five shot groups all prone with the same ammo one was just under 4”with a called flyer the other 4 were at 2” the other two groups were 1.5 and a little north of 1.75 I was pleasantly surprised considering no magnification didn’t buy it for extreme accuracy, just a lightweight defense rifle I guess. Just wanted to see how well it could group at 100 if I took my time The rest of that day me and my friend shot steel 8x8 plates and clay pigeons off stands from 50 to 150 yds first Bcm build for me I really am impressed for what it is