View Full Version : BCM barrel choice...
Ok so i am going to get a BCM middy (probably with a troy rail..maybe larue).
My question is, would it be worth the extra cost to go with a SS410 barrel? I plan to hunt with this weapon, as well as take carbine classes.
Or would i be served just as well to go wth a standard barrel.
Personally id go with the stainless SS410 over almost anything else.
Awesome barrel and i think ull be very happy with it.
I would be going with the lighter BFH or standard barrels for what you describe.
being an AR hunter, i suggest as light as you can go with what you want to do.
Yea the BFH barrels are lighter in weight but i still think ull be happier with the precision of the SS410.
The only thing i prefer about the BFH is the 1:7 twist over the 1:8 twist of the 410.
I guess it all comes down to personal preference.
what/where are you hunting? i could get away with a mk18 upper for about 50% of the hunting i do
Whitetails and Hogs at ranges never over 200yds.
Also at 14.5 should i worry about loss of velocity? I know its only like 200fps from a 16" barrel, but should i just go with a 16" since i will use it to hunt.
I've found that ammo selection matters more then barrel length when I'm hunting with an AR. I only hunt varmints from coyote down with 5.56 and have had good luck out to 200 with 20" to 16" and wouldn't hesitate to try 14.5". Actually have one on order to try it out.
I can't talk to hogs or whitetail thou as my experience hunting either in the west is extremely limited.
i'm just getting into the terminal ballistics of AR hunting myself, but it seems if you use a good soft point, you shouldn't have any problems at 200m with a 14.5. apparently the federal NPs are really good loads, and i'm using a 60gr fed NP for blacktail this year myself.
distances for me are greatly varying.. 400+ if i want it (i don't, not that far..) to as close as 5 feet from my nose. therefor, i'll be taking a 14.5 and a 18" gun with me next week to finish the season. i'm tempted to take my mk18 for the close stuff, especially since it IS my defensive carbine of choice, but i'm told that in general it's not advisable to go below 14.5 if you can help it. i can help it.
if we're talking about carbine length barrels, it doesn't make as much of a difference weight-wise. the biggest weight factor at this length is handguards and accessories. sounds like a decent quality stainless in medium profile would serve your needs well.
i've been thinking about pulling the medium 18" in my current hunting gun and picking up one of these- http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=2267 - and sending it to ADCO for a shave. i'd lose a little distance, but it would be so light and handy that i could justify the slight limitation.
Last question.
With the choice of either midwest ind.(T-12") or Troy (TRX 11"), what would be the better of the two?
I like the look of the longer rail, but if the troy is better quality, i'd go with it.
GermanSynergy
11-01-10, 12:00
Get the BFH with DD 12" Lite rail and call it a day. Very lightweight, accurate and versatile combo.
Is the SS barrel gonna "realistically" shoot that much more precisely??? I mean you're hunting at 200yds and under so I doubt using the standard or BFH instead of SS would mean the difference between a hit and a miss.
If you like the longer rail why not get the 13" TRX.....it's one of my favorites with 14.5" barrels.
Is the SS barrel gonna "realistically" shoot that much more precisely??? I mean you're hunting at 200yds and under so I doubt using the standard or BFH instead of SS would mean the difference between a hit and a miss.
If you like the longer rail why not get the 13" TRX.....it's one of my favorites with 14.5" barrels.
the TRX is another option i am looking at...
Is the SS barrel gonna "realistically" shoot that much more precisely??? I mean you're hunting at 200yds and under so I doubt using the standard or BFH instead of SS would mean the difference between a hit and a miss.
If you like the longer rail why not get the 13" TRX.....it's one of my favorites with 14.5" barrels.
for hunting, you really do want your weapon to be as accurate as it can be, reasonably. a man should be able to put a round through a heart at 200m, if conditions are right... but you have to take into account the compounding accuracy limitations. 3" at 200m is 1.5 MOA. since most guys probably can't do any better than that, especially under stress (if you've never hunted- taking a shot at a buck is definitely "stress"), we need to use that as a starting point... how accurate is the barrel? if the barrel shoots 1.5MOA, we're already up to, potentially, 6" at 200m... that leaves about a 50/50 chance of a heart shot. animals are not men... they don't fall down and cry when shot.. they don't fall down and take cover when shot, either- they BAIL, every time, if they can. a shot through the heart might mean following a blood trail for 50m... a shot through the lungs might mean following a blood trail for 200m.. a shot through the shoulder, not impacting lungs, heart, or major blood vessels, might mean following a blood trail for a half mile.
obviously you don't necessarily need to shoot through the heart, but you get the point. but hunting rifles are unique in that you don't need 30 rounds of consistency- you just need one clean shot. so there's no need to use a damn HBAR or even a medium profiled barrel. an otherwise quality stainless barrel, capable of 1MOA+ or better, but turned down to whatever size desired to take weight off, will deliver that one needed shot as accurately as any HBAR.
Yea the BFH barrels are lighter in weight but i still think ull be happier with the precision of the SS410.
The only thing i prefer about the BFH is the 1:7 twist over the 1:8 twist of the 410.
I guess it all comes down to personal preference.
Can you quantify the difference in precision you've found from the BFH to the SS barrels?
As someone who has hunted his entire life, I'm not sure I would want to use a 5.56/.223 for deer. Varmint and under is where I would stay for that round. .308 and up is a smarter choice.
If you are dead-set on hunting with that, a 16" barrel might serve you better (I would say 18", but I know you wanted to take classes with it). Bottom line, I think you want to try to strech one rifle into two, differing roles: long-range hunting and carbine classes (lots of CQB stuff).
Considering this, a 16" is the best option, but still a compromise. As far as material, it really depends on weight and your skill level.
Do you have the skill to take advantage of the SS410 (not meant to offend, but you need to honestly ask yourself this question)?
Have you taken carbine classes before? If so, do you think you would mind the extra weight that it has? There is a reason lightweights have become so popular.
Some food for thought. Just my $.02.
All good opinions/ideas...thanks.
On the .223 for deer topic. For Texas whitetails, it is MORE than enough. We arent talking 300lbers like you guys grow up north. A big whitetail around here is 160lbs+
When loaded with the proper bullet (soft point, bonded, ect) the .223 is fine in my opinion for deer. In fact i actually plan to document my hunting this fall, using an assorment of projectiles.
Also as to my skill set, CQB/Defensive abilities are extremely lacking (hence i want/need to take carbine classes), hunting? Been doing it for years and take pride in my marksmanship (which i think is above avg.)
Lastly, dont think that i want a long range bambi killer. 90% of the time my shots are under 150yds...i dont consider that long range.
I dont really think i can go wrong either way i go. Just trying to get some different points of view. I'll be sure to post up what i decide on.
just found a deal on DD uppers through smartgunner.com, what i want actually comes out cheaper than a BCM (with a CHF barrel too).
Thinking real hard about this one, been searching for feedback for smartgunner.....seems to be good and bad.
Whootsinator
11-02-10, 10:38
Have you thought about buying whatever you want in your next carbine, and then getting something else for hunting? You could pick up a Marlin 336 or similar in .35 Remington and have what I believe to be one of those 'perfect' hunting rifles for inside of 150 yards. 5.56 WILL work on deer, obviously, I just think there are cheaper and more effective options.
oh i have a bolt gun that i hunt with, and will probably use this year (since the season starts this weekend).
Its my favorite caliber, .243win.
Well i just ordered my new upper. Decided to keep in simple. Just a plain ol' middy 16" upper, with a midlength MOE handguard.
I figure if i ever feel like i need a rail i can get a DD omega or just chop the FSP and get a VTAC or something.
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