BCM 14.5 Mid Length T&E/Range Report

[markm]

I’m going to jump right in here and skim through the initial impressions so that we can get to some shooting….

This upper is the BCM 14.5 middy with the DD Lite 12.0 rail system and permed PWS 556 brake. I had planned to post the review in entirety at the end of the evaluation, but as I was writing up the first part of the eval, I realized it might get too lengthy for one giant post. So I thought it would be better to break the review into sections.

[markm]

Initial Impressions:

The upper comes packaged well, in bubble wrap and well oiled. As usual BCM included stickers. And a hat comes with the uppers. UPS didn’t take the time to mash the box up.

Here’s the upper out of the wrap. This is also a good pic of why the rail system is so light.



The upper also came outfitted with the GUNFIGHTER MOD 4 Charging handle.



Here’s a pic of the rail and the lo pro gas block which is set screwed to the barrel. Incidentally, the barrel comes test fired and I gave it a quick cleaning before firing a round. I typically do this to any barrel, test fired or not.



The barrel is nicely marked with “HP MP 1/7 556 NATO”. The PWS is permed with a welded over blind pin.



The basic goals of this evaluation are:

Carbine Buffer comparison and functionality
Performance observations compared to the Standard M4 14.5” barrel
Low Light shooting with the PWS
Accuracy with Match Ammo, and
Any other interesting ideas that come up.

Oh yeah!! And some full auto strings compared to the standard 14.5" upper!!

Some of the Test Ammo:

[markm]

Here's how the upper will run in the initial tests and a 14.5" Colt Carbine for comparison.

There are sights on the upper as well as a weapon light in a Gear Sector Mount now, but this is the upper as shipped.

[markm]

Day 1 Testing:

Iraqgunz and I finally got to get some shooting done this weekend. Now that I’ve finally fired the 14.5” mid length, I can say it’s undeniably a smoother running set up than the standard 14.5” M4. The first thing I did with this upper when I got to the range was load a single round of M855 into a Pmag and fire it. I could feel the difference on that very first shot.

According to several of my Quickload charts for .223 loads, the port pressure is 15 to 18 percent lower than that of the standard M4 gas system. Pressure reduction at the port is between 3000 and 3500 PSI on the load examples I have. You’d expect the middy to run smoother. And the buffer tests (below) seem to show that this is indeed the case.

CARBINE BUFFER COMPARISON:

I’ve seen a lot of posts on the forums asking which buffer to run with the 14.5 middy. That was one of the first things I wanted to test. So Iraqgunz and I headed out to the range. 108 degrees out, and there was no shade for the shooters or rifles. Just holding the rifle and touching my nose to the charging handle was uncomfortable due to the heat. It was absolutely miserable weather for shooting, but that’s what I wanted for at least one of the testing days.

(All buffers tested using Colt Stainless Steel, standard carbine action springs.)



H BUFFER:
I decided to start off the evaluation with a Colt carbine lower that has a factory original H Buffer installed. The first 30 rounds were fired for both a general function check and to get the irons quickly dialed in. Ammo was “real deal” M855. I wanted to start off with full powered ammo and work my way back from there. No surprises… flawless function.

H2 BUFFER:
No significant difference in cycle or brass ejection. After 20 or so rounds of the same flawless function and more neat little piles of brass at my 4 o’clock position, I decided to move to the next buffer.

H3 BUFFER:
More of the same! 20 rounds of M855, and the upper still runs perfectly. I can start to feel the recoil impulse change a little, and brass is still piling up neatly at 4 o’clock.
Seeing that there was little chance of functional issues with the upper and Military ammo, we decided to try some commercial and training ammo with the H3 in place.

The first ammo we tried was Hornady Steel cased 55 grain training ammo. This was jaw dropping for both Iraqgunz and I. With the H3 buffer and training ammo, the carbine shot about like an AR with a rimfire conversion installed. It was freakishly soft… Not that the upper didn't already shoot very smoothly... but I could feel the bolt group cycling slower as we were pushing the limits of mild ammo and a heavy buffer. I could feel that “whick-whack” of a slow moving bolt group when you’re starting to approach short stroking. The bolt did however lock back each of the three times we fired the last shot in the mag.

After the Hornady ammo, I tried 20 rounds of mild hand loads and 20 rounds of Walmart Federal bulk pack with the H3 buffer. Both of these rounds got the cycle speed back up and functioned very well. All of the buffers yielded tight little piles of brass. The upper cycles and ejects very consistently and flawlessly.

CONCLUSIONS on the carbine buffer system were this:

Iraqgunz commented that if he knew he had a solid supply of Mil spec or 5.56 Hornady ammo, he’d just run the H3 buffer. I think I’d be quite comfortable running the H2 buffer for everything, commercial or Military ammo. When I first got this upper I was all hot and heavy to run a fixed stock/rifle buffer on it. But now, I feel like it’s almost pointless to run the rifle buffer because the upper runs so good with the carbine buffer system.
When I run some Match ammo through it on test day 2 or 3, I’ll use an A1 stock/rifle buffer and update this portion at that time.

[thopkins22]

I fired RetreatHell's 14.5" BCM Middy for a total of 12 or 13 rounds and that was all it took for me to conclude that my carbines feel like they're violently beating themselves to death. I don't know what buffer he's running.

Softest shooting, most controllable carbine I've fired to date...enough so that I'm going to get over my aversion to pinned muzzle brakes/flash suppressors.

[markm]

I fired RetreatHell's 14.5" BCM Middy for a total of 12 or 13 rounds and that was all it took for me to conclude that my carbines feel like they're violently beating themselves to death. I don't know what buffer he's running.

I know. It's early still, but this upper may make most of my ARs obsolete. I mean... they're still functional, but when you realize there's something so much better out there....

[KingsideRook]

I know. It's early still, but this upper may make most of my ARs obsolete. I mean... they're still functional, but when you realize there's something so much better out there....

Tell me about it - I just sold my only Carbine length gas system, since I have a middy 16" Hammer Forged DD barrel build in process, and after reading the various impressions of the 14.5 Middy, I'm seriously considering a 1.5" haircut for the barrel.

Either way, carbine gas seems pointless, unless I find myself building an 10-12.5"SBR.

[Belmont31R]

I just got one with a 9.0 Lite rail.


Combines the compactness of a carbine with the soft shooting of a middy.


I havent even touched my 16" BCM BFH middy since I got this...


Edit- Im running an H1 with Colt springs, and the Hornady Training 55GR loads did the same slow-mo BCG movement on me. Never had any failures but it felt sluggish. PMC actually cycled fine for me. Speer M193 felt just fine.


Next time out Ill try some different 556 loads but Im 99% sure they will be just the ticket which is fine with me. I prefer them no matter what.

[RetreatHell]

I know. It's early still, but this upper may make most of my ARs obsolete. I mean... they're still functional, but when you realize there's something so much better out there....

I hear ya. I'm also trying not to call it too early, but this thing is just kicking some serious ass! It just "feels" really, really good. I also can't explain exactly how much of a great difference that 1.5" shorter barrel makes when shooting, but somehow it's just so much better than a 16" bbl. It's also kinda nice to run a carbine with a standard FSB again. It's been a long time since I've ran one, as I can't stand carbine length rails and refuse to use 'em. But with the middy gas system, I get to have an extra 2" of rail-estate for my support hand running the DD 9" Lite rail, allowing much more flexibility for my hand placement, as well as accessories. The only ARs I have now with carbine length gas systems are my 2 BCM 11.5" SBRs. However I do plan on buying one of their 12.5" "Kino" style uppers eventually.

Anyhoo, when I'm running this 14.5" BCM middy I really feel like I'm wielding a straight up hardcore, death-dealing fighting gun... which is a very good thing

My current round count is 900, with about 250 of those fired with my Surefire suppressor attached. I haven't cleaned it yet and don't plan to anytime soon either. I'm not trying to run any kind of test or anything by not cleaning it, I'm just ****ing lazy is all. Also, I'm running an H buffer, but will try out an H2 next trip to the range based on your positive experience with it. BTW nice write up, dude!

Here's a recent pic of mine:

[parishioner]

Retreat, you may have said it before but is your brake pinned or did you sbr it?

BTW, that thing is sweet.