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+--- Thread: 16" Bear Creek barrel (/showthread.php?tid=20004)
16" Bear Creek barrel - Cheeze head - 11-22-2019
Last winter I purchased a blued 16" barrel from Bear Creek. My first 6.5 Grendel experiment and I didn't want to spend a lot. It has been finicky as all get out. I have over 200rnd, with 120gr speer gold dots, Sierra pro hunter, and 123 gr SST's. I've used CFE, H335, H4895, and settled on AR Comp. My cold barrel is high and to the left, and the hotter the barrel, the tighter the groups. Weird huh? I've changed the COL from 2.20 to 2.50 with no real improvement. I was removing the copper after every trip to the range, but I have stopped doing that and am only running a cleaning jag with Balistol on it between trips. It has finally settled down to an 1.25-1.5" group at 100 yds. Good enough for hunting this year, but I'm thinking I want to buy a different barrel over the winter. So my question is, are the Bear Creek barrels normally this inconsistent? I'd like to keep my price around $150, what would you recommend? 16" or 18" for hunting whitetails?
Thanks for listening!
16" Bear Creek barrel - Lemonaid - 11-22-2019
Here is one opinion that you can factor in with the others and see if there is a consensus.
You have invested time and money in the break in and load development for the BCA that will go away if you switch barrels. A new barrel means new testing time and money. To get a dramatic accuracy increase you will need to go to a premium barrel outside your stated $150.00 price range.
The group buy barrel (Monster) is in your price range. The 20 inch monster barrel I purchased to swap with my 24 inch BCA bbl hasn't yet shrunk my groups much, they are in the one inch to 3/4 inches so far, but it was much quicker to get the that level of accuracy than the BCA.
In your situation I would do this:
Find out where the Sierra 120 pro hunter bullets touch the lands. If it is within your magazine length (2.260 to 2.290) load five round at that length, five at ten thou less, five at 20 thou less and five at 30 thou less an see how your groups look.
If where the bullets touch the lands are beyond magazine length, do the same test starting at max mag length.
If one of those groups is not within your accuracy acceptance range and you are certain that it's not shooter error to blame then it's time for a new barrel.
16" Bear Creek barrel - grayfox - 11-22-2019
You have indeed put time and money into your 16" tomato stake, so... don't throw good money after bad. Economics-wise those are sunk costs you'll never get back. Chalk it up to learning experience. The 200 rounds is somewhere around $100 and your time is more than that added onto it.
For hunting purposes a 16" barrel is plenty, you can get either a group buy barrel, a Faxon, or a Ballistic Advantage barrel. For economy barrels I personally like the BA ones, they shoot the best for me. Best price I've seen for them is on ArmOrAlly .com.
While we're at it I'd also look at your trigger to make sure it is a good one, not simply a milspec 7 lb gritty pull.
It's the holidays so should be some trigger deals out there for you.
Barrel, trigger, optics, there's where your investment should focus. The rest holds it all together.
But as for the BCA? use it in your tomato garden.
16" Bear Creek barrel - grayfox - 11-22-2019
One more thing, on that 16" barrel, don't do the carbine gas length, go for the mid length, bolt life and bcg response are much better that way.
16" Bear Creek barrel - VASCAR2 - 11-22-2019
The absolute cheapest barrel I would buy is the Group Buy Monster logo barrel which are currently being manufactured by Green Mountain. Any rack grade barrel is luck of the draw just because of the manufacturing variations. Some cutters are more worn when your barrel is manufactured and variations in the actual barrel steel.
I think people put to much expectation on cheap barrel accuracy. High quality barrels are more accurate with a wide variety of ammunition and normally shoot good with little to no break in. Button rifled barrels like Lilja, Criterion, Shilen get good reviews as do Wilson Combat and Noveseke. These barrels cost more but in the long run might prove financially cheaper if you want batter than average accuracy.
Accuracy for me requires a good trigger and I really like the LaRue Tactical MTB 2S on sale for $87.
16" Bear Creek barrel - Cheeze head - 11-22-2019
Thanks for the feedback. A new trigger is on the menu, along with an upgraded barrel. I bought cheap just because it was my first build from scratch. I learned a lot.
16" Bear Creek barrel - grayfox - 11-22-2019
Not to worry, lots of us have been down this same road!
16" Bear Creek barrel - Wargrendeleagle - 11-24-2019
Now's the Time to get a larue trigger! They're only $80 for black Friday prices. And if you want more than a few even cheaper
16" Bear Creek barrel - Keef - 11-24-2019
Have you tried using factory Hornady black ammo?
16" Bear Creek barrel - Cheeze head - 11-24-2019
I think the first purchase is an upgraded trigger, then start from there. I'm hunting with it right now, but it's 47 degrees in northern wisconsin today, and nothing is moving...
16" Bear Creek barrel - FLshooter - 11-24-2019
For hunting,I’d get a pre fit Criterion 18 in Hybrid barrel.Cheapest I’d go.Runs around $270.Everyone is running specials now.You May find a discount code.
$80 higher than what you want to spend.But you will save it in ammo and time.Criterions are hand lapped.Won’t require much break in.25 rds will show you where you’re at.Like others stated time and ammo equals money.And a mass produced rifle may never shoot right.Criterion is proven.I own 6 Criterions at this time.All pre fit barrels I ordered from Brownells or optics planet.All are sub moa.Still not quite up there with a Custon Bartlein or Krieger.But,very respectable with consistent accuracy.
16" Bear Creek barrel - rickt300 - 11-24-2019
I bought a BCA complete upper copy of a flat top M4 in 6.5 Grendel. I lucked out as I never had any issues with accuracy and it is still a fine shooter. The accuracy you are getting will definitely do for deer hunting, I would run the barrel for a while and get some good out of it.
16" Bear Creek barrel - ErikS - 11-27-2019
My BCA 16 shoots 123ELD-M over 27.5 grains of AR-Comp into MOA groups with no problems. It can't stand anything heavier. I noticed that BCA is showing their Grendel test on Social Media at 107gr bullets and they are drilling them. Mine sure likes lighter bullets compared to higher priced barrels. My son's BCA 20 is the same way, 123 or lighter and AR-Comp for tight groups.