NF, maybe it's my eyes but the extractor on the right seems a bit smaller than the Monster one on the left?
Why not pull them off and measure their dimensions, esp around the radius and head-piece. Also measure the gripping-gap (don't know the real name of that gripper-slot...)
If it's just an extractor problem, IIRC Precision Firearms and a few other places (maybe Brownells) have extractors you can order as a separate piece. They should specify to be a "6.5 Grendel" extractor, not just a 556 or whatever.
While they are apart clean the slot where they rest, also what is the status of the spring and o-ring. For extractors that have trouble sliding over the case bottom you can try taking off that o-ring (leave the spring in!) and cycle without it.
As a trouble shoot, you could also maybe also put the Monster extractor in place on the right (I would do this before taking out the o-ring, only trouble shoot one change at a time).
"Down the floor, out the door, Go Brandon Go!!!!!"
Pulled them apart and did some measurements. I thought the BCA Bolt would have a significantly deeper slot but while it was a bit deeper there was only 0.010" difference. The extractor is a lot different. It looks like they took a Dremel tool to it at some point, the gripping edge was cut back quite a bit and the chamfer on the forward edge was not angled as well as the extractor on the Monster bolt extractor. I think some of the problem came from what they did to the spring. No O-Ring but they had a small rubber "post" inserted inside the spring to increase the tension. This post was longer than the height of most o-rings I have seen here so it must have been putting a lot more pressure on the back of the extractor. I am done experimenting with this thing, the group buy Monster Bolt looks a lot better (fit and finish) and the one I have in my Grendel runs perfect so for $55 I will replace the whole bolt and move on. The BCA bolt with join a lot of other things I consider a POS at the bottom of the creek behind my house.
Hopefully I will be able to get this rifle shooting to see if the barrel is a keeper but I am afraid there will be more parts from Bear Creek Arsenal joining the hardware at the bottom of the creek.
The coastal region is well suited for those boating accidents. This "creek" behind my house is a tidal creek that is about 150 yards wide, 5 feet deep (at high tide), with 4 feet of soft silt on the bottom. Anything thrown in there that doesn't float sinks to the bottom of that mud in a few days leaving no trace on the surface. Anything I really want to "disappear" can be carried offshore and dropped in 3,000 to 10,000 feet of water. Took them 70 years to find the Titanic, they will never find anything I can drop overboard there.
My BCA bolt locked into battery against the no-go gauge. I replaced it with the GB monster bolt, and it passed the test. Going to cannibalize the bad bolt for parts I might need later, and go find the creek behind NIghtFisher’s house.
Purchased the BCA 24 inch stainless strait fluted complete upper. Took it to the range for the first time. Started at 25 yard shooting wolf ammo to get on paper. Nothing to brag about with the wolf ammo 2 inch plus groups at 25. Moved to 100 yards. With wolf ammo around 8 inch groups, not at all impressed. Switch to Hornady 123 gr ELD bingo right off the bat ¾ inch groups. Not bad for an old man with 3 eye surgeries in my shooting eye. Im pretty sure you younger guys with better eyesight and a better shot than me could have produced at least half inch groups or better.
You better run and purchase a lottery ticket while your luck is still running hot. LOL Looks like you came up golden on the roll of the dice with BCA. I am still tinkering with loads for my BCA. Best so for is down to 1". I am hoping that it will get better the more I shoot it. I have lost exact shot count but know it is between 75 and 100 rounds down the bore so far. Hope to get back to the range soon if the weather will cooperate. Hear lately when it is warm enough and not raining and I can get the time to go the wind has blowing hard.
The Adjuster Wrote:Purchased the BCA 24 inch stainless strait fluted complete upper. Took it to the range for the first time. Started at 25 yard shooting wolf ammo to get on paper. Nothing to brag about with the wolf ammo 2 inch plus groups at 25. Moved to 100 yards. With wolf ammo around 8 inch groups, not at all impressed. Switch to Hornady 123 gr ELD bingo right off the bat ¾ inch groups. Not bad for an old man with 3 eye surgeries in my shooting eye. Im pretty sure you younger guys with better eyesight and a better shot than me could have produced at least half inch groups or better.
Sounds like you got the same upper I bought, mine shoots great too! Haven't tried any steel cased ammo, probably won't though.
Safety Guy Wrote:I finally figured I would just call them about a military discount. Got someone on the phone first try. They told me to email them a copy of my DD214 (retirees will know what this is). Got an email back like 5 minutes later stating the discount was added to my account (you have to create an account with them first). I placed an order for a 20" SS non fluted upper and the 10% discount showed up in my "cart". With this upper and an upgraded complete lower from PSA, I'll be all in at <$550.
I never felt good about sending a copy of my DD214 out to anyone. There was an American Legion that had someone use them as a basis for identity theft.
04-21-2018, 05:30 PM (This post was last modified: 04-21-2018, 05:35 PM by Randy99CL.)
rickt300 Wrote:I never felt good about sending a copy of my DD214 out to anyone. There was an American Legion that had someone use them as a basis for identity theft.
I've used the VA health system for years and got the ID card as soon as it was available. Do you know about it? No SSN. One purpose is that you don't have to carry or provide a copy of your DD214 anymore. Stores like it.
I don't know if it's changed but you could get the card at any VA clinic or hospital. Call around and ask.
I emailed a pic of my VA ID card and my driver's license (with "Veteran" red lettering) to BCA and they approved the discount within minutes.
Edit: So now I sign in and my cart always includes the discount, even on sale merch. And BTW, Lowes does it too. Once you're in the system everything you buy is 10% off, every day.
rickt300 Wrote:I never felt good about sending a copy of my DD214 out to anyone. There was an American Legion that had someone use them as a basis for identity theft.
I sent a picture of my Retired ID card with anything important taped over; it had my name and my picture. It worked for them.
I have a photoshopped version of it that has important stuff removed. That's the one I also use for stores too, no reason for anyone to see some of it.
Just keep in mind that a modified PDF could still contain the data, but outputting it to a normal flat JPEG would be safe.
As stated before I got a bad barrel with the upper I bought and had to send it back to BCA and they replaced the barrel. Now I have been to the range 3 times with it and have shot somewhere between 60 and 80 rounds through it, lost count. I have it shooting so far 1" groups and hoping it will do better with more rounds down the tube. Today I was in my safe getting another rifle out that I was going to work on some and I had to take the BCA rifle out to get to it. I just happened to look at the stamping on the barrel that tells the caliber etc. and low and behold right there in bold stamping is 5R. I had not noticed it before and when BCA sent the upper back to me there was no information as to what they had actually done but I could tell that the barrel had been replaced. The old barrel was not a 5R. Thanks for the upgrade to BCA. I just hope I will be able to get it to shoot sub MOA.
1Shot Wrote:As stated before I got a bad barrel with the upper I bought and had to send it back to BCA and they replaced the barrel. Now I have been to the range 3 times with it and have shot somewhere between 60 and 80 rounds through it, lost count. I have it shooting so far 1" groups and hoping it will do better with more rounds down the tube. Today I was in my safe getting another rifle out that I was going to work on some and I had to take the BCA rifle out to get to it. I just happened to look at the stamping on the barrel that tells the caliber etc. and low and behold right there in bold stamping is 5R. I had not noticed it before and when BCA sent the upper back to me there was no information as to what they had actually done but I could tell that the barrel had been replaced. The old barrel was not a 5R. Thanks for the upgrade to BCA. I just hope I will be able to get it to shoot sub MOA.
Its great they stood behind their product. What barrel do you have and what type of ammo are you shooting.
It is the 20" straight fluted 5R SS. The only factory ammo I have shot is Hornady 123 SST and it HATES IT. 3" groups at best. It will not shoot the 123 SST bullet accurate even with hand loads. The 1" groups are with 120 Sierra Pro Hunter, Hornady case, CCI BR-4 primer, 28.5 grs IMR 8208, COAL 2.250 and I used a medium Lee Factory Crimp averages 2575 fps.
1Shot Wrote:It is the 20" straight fluted 5R SS. The only factory ammo I have shot is Hornady 123 SST and it HATES IT. 3" groups at best. It will not shoot the 123 SST bullet accurate even with hand loads. The 1" groups are with 120 Sierra Pro Hunter, Hornady case, CCI BR-4 primer, 28.5 grs IMR 8208, COAL 2.250 and I used a medium Lee Factory Crimp averages 2575 fps.
Both my Grendel barrels are from BCA, one shoots the SST factory load very well (good enough anyway) and the other centering the group is almost futile 3" groups are not exactly useful. This barrel is a tackdriver with the 129 gr. Hornady spire point on top of AA2520.
Glad you tried the 129 hornady spire point. I may have to try that as i have absolutely no luck with 123sst in my bca 18" 1:8 5r stainless barrel! What velocity you doing with that tackdriving load?
I have some 130 Sierra Game King HPBT loaded up in a ladder with LVR powder to try. It should make a good deer killing bullet where I plan to hunt with it, 300 yards at max mostly under 200. Right now the 120 Sierra Pro Hunter is in the line up unless I can get another suitable bullet to shoot better. I do have maybe 1/2 LB AA2520 that I have had for many years. I was shooting it in my M1 Garand at one time because I could get it much cheaper than other powders and it worked good. I then ran into a deal on IMR 4895 that was pulled down powder from M2 ball ammo and I got a good supply and still have about 20 lbs or so. I wish you could get suitable velocities with it because I would be set for quite a while. Where I used to get Accurate powder locally went out of business so I would have to order it to get it. I have some other suitable powders and bullets, 120 BTs and will get some 100 BTs, to give a try this summer so I will use what shoots best. I am planning on using nothing but my ARs to hunt with this coming year. Only exception will be I will carry along on my yearly 3 week deer hunting trip my really loooooog range rifle, 264 Win mag, in case one fellow I know there invites me to go to his place. It has soy bean fields that you can't see the end of. May even take along my AR 223 that I built yesterday to hunt in one stand where shots will be under 150 yards because I would just like to kill a deer with it. Main reason I want to use the ARs is to PO the liberals. LOL
05-09-2018, 02:26 PM (This post was last modified: 05-09-2018, 02:34 PM by Twkenny.)
Hello there fellas. First post here. I'll give the very brief synopsis of my dealings with BCA and the results I have had with 2 of their products.
I ordered a 20" stainless Grendel upper from Primary Arms and received it very quickly. I stuck the upper on an Anderson lower with a Timney trigger in it. Tried a few types of factory loads (Alexander Arms, Hornady Black ELD match, and Federal Fusion) and could not get better than a 100 yard 4" group. Awful. The Fusion was the best.
I checked my scope mounts and everything I knew to do. Shot again and it was no better. I send BCA a very mater of fact, specific email with pics of the groups. Heard back from them after a few days and the gentlemen I was dealing with asked me to sent it back to his attention. He said it should shoot at least 1 MOA with that ammo.
Weeks later, no updates. Finally heard back from them on a Thursday. They had been waiting for a replacement barrel and told me it would ship that Monday. Never shipped. Countless phone calls and emails later, I received a reply saying my barrel was not in stock. Yes, the one that was supposed to ship a month earlier.
They gave me the option of a few uppers/barrels they had in stock. I ended up with this:
BCA AR-15 BARREL: 20" 4150 BLACK NITRIDE CONTOUR BARREL, 6.5 GRENDEL TYPE II, STRAIGHT FLUTES, W/ 1:8 5R TWIST
Once I let them know which barrel I wanted they had it to me the a few days later. Had a chance to get a few down the pipe and I'm pretty happy with it considering the cost. It was a VERY windy day and I certainly did not take my time. I'm sure with handloads I'll close the groups up some. They are all Hornady Black 123 ELD Match 3 shot groups.
Sounds about what to expect to me Kenny. They are a budget company. You take a little bit of a risk with QC and customer service, but they did make it right in the end. May not have been very speedy, but again, this is a less expensive brand which probably has less man power on hand. As I see it, the end result is the key. As long as the timeline is not totally ridiculous - like months and months.
Conversely, this is part of what you pay for with higher priced brands. Not only is the fit and finish typically to a higher standard, most importantly, the QC should be far better. Part of the reason pricey barrels cost what they do is that they must pitch any that don't meet their strict standards. Likewise, customer service is typically better with higher priced brands because they have larger staff pool. Of course, this varies on company to the next. I am speaking generally.
