14.5 LW Carbine - DD or BCM - Best Quality

[grizzlyblake]

Here's the meat of the question:

I'm looking to buy a complete factory 14.5 P&W gun and can buy either a DDM4V7 SLW or a BCM BFH ELW for the exact same price brand new.

The only real differences in the two are that the BCM has their Mod 1 comp, while the DD has a simple flash suppressor, and that the BCM is a set screw gas block while the DD is pinned.

In terms of ruggedness, reliability, and quality is one objectively better than the other?


Here's the fluff:

I'm trimming back to just a Gen 5 Glock 19 and this new 14.5 gun as I just don't have tons of time to shoot or tinker anymore with one toddler and one on the way. I have no desire to change muzzle devices or even triggers at this point.

Going to put my T2 and scout light on this carbine and be done.

Hopefully shoot once a month if I'm lucky and otherwise just forget the gun exists other than when I need it like a hammer or channel locks. Battery change yearly and that's it.

[Wake27]

Ruggedness and reliability, objectively, the DD just for the fact that it’s gas block is pinned. That being said, I don’t recall ever hearing about a BCM gas block coming loose, and unless you’re shooting a lot of junkyard prone, I prefer hybrid muzzle devices. The BCM comp is my favorite (though I’ve only experimented with a few), so I’d absolutely pick that one.

I think BCM’s barrel profile is a more gradual taper than DD’s, so maybe there is something to an argument about durability there? I don’t know, probably splitting hairs.

ETA - I didn’t know DD did factory 14.5s with a p/w.

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[themonk]

I think the DD is a better gun and will have a smaller gas port and better accuracy out of their barrel. If your good with the furniture than I think I would go with the DD. If not, you need to weigh the cost of new furniture.

I would also have a look at Sionics & SOLGW. If you don't mind going to 16" I think the FN 15 Tactical II is the gun to buy.

[Five_Point_Five_Six]

I would not worry about a BCM gas block coming loose. They use some kind of space age loctite compound similar to the stuff they use to keep Ruth Bader Ginsberg alive.

I'm a big fan of BCM's ELW profile barrels. What I'm not a fan of is their Mod 1 comp over an A2 birdcage. It's more blasty and I could not tell the difference in recoil or muzzle rise. I'd opt for BCM's extended A2X if that's an option.

To be honest, you could flip a coin and not make the wrong decision.

[Walker_Texasranger]

Funny OP because I’m super similar to your situation.

In fact, I’m picking up a BCM 14.5 BFH ELW upper pinned with a mod 1 today from UPS.

I also consolidated down a bit and carry a Glock 19 gen 5 and I’m putting a T2 on this BCM upper. It’s going on a BCM lower with an A5 buffer.

I looked a lot in to different muzzle devices and the mod 1 seems legit because it’s more on the flash hider side of a compromise but reduces recoil by 25%, compared to say a battlecomp that reduces recoil more, but is also flashier and blastier.

The DDs are nice and my dealer stocks them but have never seen a SLW in person. The dealers always stock v7s and v11s with govt profile barrels.

Don’t think you can go wrong either way. If the gun was getting a scope and bipod, might say DD because the barrels are probably a little more accurate.

[Tx_Aggie]

After spending some time shooting a friend's DD 14.5 SLW I wouldn't hesitate to buy one if I were in the market for that style of AR. They are nice, solid, well build guns and his was softer shooting than I expected. No issues making hits @ 280 on an 66% IPSC with his Vortex UH-1.

The DD rail probably has the edge in durability over the BCM, and is constructed in a way that you can swap it for another in their same line (so for instance go from key-mod to either m-lok or quad rail) with minimal effort, since they all share the same barrel nut and mounting hardware. All of the BCM aluminum rails I've messed with have required a heat gun for installation and removal.

The pinned gasblock on the DD is also a nice touch, and that flash hider is definitely less blasty than a BCM comp, if that's important to you. You can also probably order the BCM with an A2X instead of a comp, but the price might not be the same as buying something off the shelf.

Personally, I ended up with a Triarc 14.5 middy upper with a Surefire Warcomp, but would've probably just bought a DD if I'd been able to play with my buddy's rifle earlier.

[Wake27]

After spending some time shooting a friend's DD 14.5 SLW I wouldn't hesitate to buy one if I were in the market for that style of AR. They are nice, solid, well build guns and his was softer shooting than I expected. No issues making hits @ 280 on an 66% IPSC with his Vortex UH-1.

The DD rail probably has the edge in durability over the BCM, and is constructed in a way that you can swap it for another in their same line (so for instance go from key-mod to either m-lok or quad rail) with minimal effort, since they all share the same barrel nut and mounting hardware. All of the BCM aluminum rails I've messed with have required a heat gun for installation and removal.

The pinned gasblock on the DD is also a nice touch, and that flash hider is definitely less blasty than a BCM comp, if that's important to you. You can also probably order the BCM with an A2X instead of a comp, but the price might not be the same as buying something off the shelf.

Personally, I ended up with a Triarc 14.5 middy upper with a Surefire Warcomp, but would've probably just bought a DD if I'd been able to play with my buddy's rifle earlier.

How much time do you have on it? I'm definitely interested in hearing more about them.

[chuckman]

I wish I had that problem. I have each a DD and BCM, but not those. That said, qualitatively, as said earlier, flip a coin. If you can't decide, go with the lightest one.

[Tx_Aggie]

How much time do you have on it? I'm definitely interested in hearing more about them.

On the DD? About 200 rounds, so not much. I think he had around 1000 total on the rifle before my time with it. I've only shot PRVI m193 through it, and it ran great, but I can't say how it would run on cheaper, lower powered ammo.

Apparently the stock trigger was garbage. The SSA in the gun now was of course perfectly fine.

[RHINOWSO]

DD kind of floats around in the no mans land price range between BCM / Colt at $1000-1200 and KAC SR-15 at $2600.

I just don't see it doing much more than Colt / BCM, although I think DD barrels are more accurate (in general).

I have a 14.5 DD LW Carbine barrel with gas block which I scored for $185 on sale - some day I'll replace a barrel or build a new upper around it.