Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 38

Thread: Accuracy Review: BCM vs Daniel Defense; Battle of the Lightweights!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    360
    Feedback Score
    0

    Accuracy Review: BCM vs Daniel Defense; Battle of the Lightweights!

    I recently decided to do a review of the accuracy of two of my barrels in my collection. The first is a BCM lightweight (non-CHF) 14.5" Midlength with a pinned BCM comp, the second is a Daniel Defense lightweight (CHF) 16" midlength with a Ranier Arms XTC comp.

    The Rifles:

    The BCM upper I purchased direct from BCM a couple years ago. It came with a Centurion rail and a BCM BCG.

    image by Photographer Pilot, on Flickr

    The DD barrel I purchased from Rainier Arms as a complete upper, from their "combat series" line. It came with a Samson/Rainier Evolution Rail and a Rainier Arms BCG.

    image by Photographer Pilot, on Flickr

    Both uppers have their barrels free floated, both using a rail system that uses a stock barrel nut, and both barrels are of the Lightweight variety. Both have a gas block journal of .625".


    The Ammo:

    image by Photographer Pilot, on Flickr

    For the test I selected three different types of ammo. Federal American Eagle 55gr M-193 clone, Federal American Eagle 50gr Varmint and some handloads consisting over 77gr Nosler CC over H322 (MarkM's recipe, except BR4 primers). These handloads are typically just under sub-MOA with my Larue Stealth. It's the ammo I used for my entry in the sub-MOA thread.

    I chose these loads as I figure that M-193 is one of the most common rounds for people to use, the 50gr Varmint is a consistent performer for many people. And I used my 77gr handloads because otherwise someone would complain about using 50-55gr in 1:7 twist barrels.

    The Setup:

    I shot 3 10-shot groups of each of the above ammo, through each rifle at 100 yards. To keep things consistent, I mounted each upper on the same lower, which has a SSA-E trigger. I mounted my Leupold VX-R Patrol 3-9X scope, which is mounted in a Larue mount. I used an Atlas Bipod for the test, and a rear bag as well. After shooting all of the groups, I measured the extreme spread (outside of the grease ring), then subtracted .224 to get the center to center number. I then averaged the 3 groups. No shots were thrown out. What I shot, is what you see.

    The M-193 test I shot from a bench, the others were shot from prone off the bipod.

    Prior to starting the M-193 test, I used some PMC X-Tac 55gr to get a rough zero for the test. Each upper got it's own zero. The Daniel Defense barrel needed 1.8 mil of elevation, and 1.2 mil of Left windage for it's setting. The BCM I left the elevation at 0, then dialed in 1.2 mil Right windage it's settings.

    The M-193 was shot last week, the 50gr Varming and 77gr Noslers were shot this morning.

    One of the rifles, as shot.

    image by Photographer Pilot, on Flickr


    The Results:

    First, let's start with the M193

    The BCM's groups were:

    3.666"
    3.462"
    3.520"
    Average 3.549

    The best group:
    BCM M193 by Photographer Pilot, on Flickr

    The Daniel Defense groups were:

    3.471"
    2.576"
    3.957"
    Average 3.334"

    The best group:

    DD M193 by Photographer Pilot, on Flickr


    Prior to shooting the AE Varmint and 77gr Noslers, I shot 2 5-shot groups with my Larue Stealth using the 77gr Nosler handloads. That way the test wouldn't be shot cold. The groups measured 0.848 and 1.061"

    American Eagle Varmint

    The BCM Groups:

    1.870"
    2.148"
    2.601"
    Average 2.206"

    The best group

    BCM American Eagle Varmint by Photographer Pilot, on Flickr

    The Daniel Defense Groups:
    2.466"
    0.970"
    1.940"
    Average 1.792"

    The best group:
    DD American Eagle Varmint by Photographer Pilot, on Flickr

    Nosler 77gr Handloads

    BCM
    1.734"
    2.258"
    1.684"
    Average 1.892"

    The best group

    BCM 77gr Nosler by Photographer Pilot, on Flickr

    Daniel Defense:
    1.501"
    1.199"
    1.054"
    Average 1.251"

    The best group
    DD Nosler 77gr by Photographer Pilot, on Flickr
    Last edited by friendlyfireisnt; 03-19-16 at 20:06.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Louisiana
    Posts
    128
    Feedback Score
    2 (100%)
    Very nicely done.
    I hope to do some testing this week of different ammo through my DD V11 and possible get my friends BCM REECE PRECISION 18".


    Sent via telegraph with the same fingers I use to sip whiskey.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Surprise, AZ
    Posts
    35
    Feedback Score
    0
    Nice test. DD consistently gets the edge, but not by much.

    Sent while driving, so?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    PNW
    Posts
    1,826
    Feedback Score
    3 (100%)
    Great report. Thanks for posting it!
    “I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”
    Thomas Jefferson

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    360
    Feedback Score
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by ballsagna View Post
    Nice test. DD consistently gets the edge, but not by much.

    Sent while driving, so?
    Yeah, I was a bit surprised actually. My perception prior to this was that the DD was less accurate. However, the BCM had groups that were more consistent through most of the test, although less accurate.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    2,587
    Feedback Score
    8 (100%)
    It's becoming more apparent that BCM barrels are slightly less capable than their top tier competitors.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    360
    Feedback Score
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by scooter22 View Post
    It's becoming more apparent that BCM barrels are slightly less capable than their top tier competitors.
    There appears to be a .3"-.5" difference in groups between the BCM vs the DD. However, as mentioned above, there is less variation in group size for the BCM than the Daniel Defense within each ammo type. The averages for the DD were helped significantly in the in the M193 and AE Varmint groups in that there was a group in each that was significantly smaller than the others. At the same time, the DD printed the largest groups with two types of ammo.

    So I wouldn't say it's less capable. As for right now, the BCM is still my go-to carbine (topped with a VX-R Patrol 1.25-4x, and loaded with 62gr Fusion).

    The Daniel Def. though is going to get moved up in the lineup though. Instead of replacing the barrel, I am going to instead put a different muzzle device on, and get an optic as well.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Louisiana
    Posts
    128
    Feedback Score
    2 (100%)
    I believe I've read on the DD site where they have achieved their best accuracy results with 62 gr ammo.


    Sent via telegraph with the same fingers I use to sip whiskey.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Surprise, AZ
    Posts
    35
    Feedback Score
    0
    Keep in mind, these results are from a single pair of barrels with different muzzle devices. While the results clearly favor the DD barrel in this case, we shouldn't make the assumption that all DD are more accurate than BCM in this barrel class.

    To prove which mfg is more accurate, we would need a test of a much larger sample size, a bench rest, identical muzzle devices vs no muzzle device, etc. But I'm sure no one has the resources and desire to do that on the scale that would qualify as scientific.

    Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate what the OP did here. He proved very convincingly that HIS dd barrel with muzzle device A is more accurate than HIS bcm barrel with muzzle device B. And I think we can HOPE that under the same circumstances and with the same configuration, we would see the same results with identical barrels we might purchase, but we don't know. There just isn't enough data from a single comparison to account for variations in manufacturing.

    It seems like many of us simply look at a test like this and count it as a win for DD. Then down the road we seem to just remember that DD makes more accurate barrels across the board as a matter of fact, without necessarily recalling what led us to that conclusion.

    My $0.02

    Sent while driving, so?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Sopines, NC
    Posts
    1,759
    Feedback Score
    52 (100%)
    Not surprised by the results for the DD barrel at all. My DD S2W barrel is a tackdriver!

Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •