Eurodriver
08-18-11, 15:09
I know this question gets tossed around a bunch, and I've tried to do my best to see exactly what these BCM uppers are capable of reliability wise. To do that I know I had to be meticulous in my records from Day One.
Today I reached my first failure of ANY kind at 3,164 rounds, and figured now would be a good time to post what I have documented.
11/15/2010: Ordered BCM 14.5" Midlength with Larue 9" rail and perm'd BCM A2X. Received 7 days later. Immediately cleaned, lubed, and installed on a complete LMT Defender 2000 Lower.
11/27/2010: Fired 100 rounds of Federal XM193 with a carry handle rear sight and PMAGs. Did not clean, apply lube, or wipe anything down.
12/15/2010: Fired 500 rounds of Federal XM855 with TA31RCOM4 optic and PMAGs. Did not clean, apply lube, or wipe anything down.
12/28/2010: Fired 280 rounds of Federal XM855 with TA31RCOM4 optic and USGI Mags. Cleaned meticulously, as I was going to be gone for six months. Barrel, chamber, bolt, receiver, all were scrubbed and a generous coat of lube was applied.
05/27/2011: Fired 600 rounds of Federal XM855 w/ TA31 and PMAGs. Wiped down the bolt without disassembly, used a rag to clean the chamber, barrel extension, and receiver. Then lubed generously with CLP.
06/13/2011: Upper sent to ADCO to remove pinned FH and have an AAC Brakeout installed.
06/29/2011: Weapon received from ADCO.
Between July 6th and today I went to the range five more times. I fired the remaining rounds (1,684 of PMC XTAC Edit: First 500 rounds were PMC Bronze .223) without any cleaning whatsoever. I did not break the weapon down or sqirt lube through the ejection port. Absolutely no maintenance was done and at round 3,164 I got a double feed using a pre-2004 LE Marked USGI aluminum magazine with a green follower.
I doubt it was the weapon's fault, but I will still treat it as such until I experience more failures with that same magazine.
Specs:
14.5" BCM Midlength
Larue 9" FF Rail
H Buffer
LMT Defender 2000 Lower
Today I will thoroughly clean and lube it, no sense in beating up an upper for no reason, but the documentation will continue. I don't want a failure, either parts-related, carbon-related, or magazine-related but getting a short stroke or stovepipe would have been a sure indication of a weapon related failure as opposed to a double feed which is almost postively magazine related.
For an extra bit of info: Today I shot an 8" group of 20 rounds at 300 yards with PMC XTAC M855 with this upper. I was shooting at an 8" Shoot-n-c target and there were zero shots off the sticker. Just over 2.5 MOA. That seems to be typical for this upper and M855.
To end this, I am not trying to brag about BCM, be a fanboy of any type, or make wild claims of what this rifle is capable of. I just wanted to present the undisputed facts of what I've been keeping note of so far. Also, I have alot more information recorded than what is posted (weather, etc) so if there are any questions about something that I haven't mentioned, please ask.
Today I reached my first failure of ANY kind at 3,164 rounds, and figured now would be a good time to post what I have documented.
11/15/2010: Ordered BCM 14.5" Midlength with Larue 9" rail and perm'd BCM A2X. Received 7 days later. Immediately cleaned, lubed, and installed on a complete LMT Defender 2000 Lower.
11/27/2010: Fired 100 rounds of Federal XM193 with a carry handle rear sight and PMAGs. Did not clean, apply lube, or wipe anything down.
12/15/2010: Fired 500 rounds of Federal XM855 with TA31RCOM4 optic and PMAGs. Did not clean, apply lube, or wipe anything down.
12/28/2010: Fired 280 rounds of Federal XM855 with TA31RCOM4 optic and USGI Mags. Cleaned meticulously, as I was going to be gone for six months. Barrel, chamber, bolt, receiver, all were scrubbed and a generous coat of lube was applied.
05/27/2011: Fired 600 rounds of Federal XM855 w/ TA31 and PMAGs. Wiped down the bolt without disassembly, used a rag to clean the chamber, barrel extension, and receiver. Then lubed generously with CLP.
06/13/2011: Upper sent to ADCO to remove pinned FH and have an AAC Brakeout installed.
06/29/2011: Weapon received from ADCO.
Between July 6th and today I went to the range five more times. I fired the remaining rounds (1,684 of PMC XTAC Edit: First 500 rounds were PMC Bronze .223) without any cleaning whatsoever. I did not break the weapon down or sqirt lube through the ejection port. Absolutely no maintenance was done and at round 3,164 I got a double feed using a pre-2004 LE Marked USGI aluminum magazine with a green follower.
I doubt it was the weapon's fault, but I will still treat it as such until I experience more failures with that same magazine.
Specs:
14.5" BCM Midlength
Larue 9" FF Rail
H Buffer
LMT Defender 2000 Lower
Today I will thoroughly clean and lube it, no sense in beating up an upper for no reason, but the documentation will continue. I don't want a failure, either parts-related, carbon-related, or magazine-related but getting a short stroke or stovepipe would have been a sure indication of a weapon related failure as opposed to a double feed which is almost postively magazine related.
For an extra bit of info: Today I shot an 8" group of 20 rounds at 300 yards with PMC XTAC M855 with this upper. I was shooting at an 8" Shoot-n-c target and there were zero shots off the sticker. Just over 2.5 MOA. That seems to be typical for this upper and M855.
To end this, I am not trying to brag about BCM, be a fanboy of any type, or make wild claims of what this rifle is capable of. I just wanted to present the undisputed facts of what I've been keeping note of so far. Also, I have alot more information recorded than what is posted (weather, etc) so if there are any questions about something that I haven't mentioned, please ask.