BCA 6.5 Grendel 18” Replacement Upper Accuracy Testing

Published on June 15, 2024
Duration: 10:25

This video details the accuracy testing of a replacement Bear Creek Arsenal (BCA) 18-inch 6.5 Grendel upper receiver. The original upper experienced an issue with an extremely over-torqued barrel nut, leading to its replacement. The testing focuses on four different factory hunting loads to assess the new upper's performance, with promising results indicating sub-MOA potential.

Quick Summary

The original Bear Creek Arsenal 18-inch 6.5 Grendel upper receiver failed due to an extremely over-torqued barrel nut. After replacement, the new upper demonstrated significantly improved accuracy, with Speer Gold Dot 120gr and Hornady Varmageddon 90gr loads achieving sub-MOA or near sub-MOA groups.

Chapters

  1. 00:10Introduction: BCA 6.5 Grendel Upper Replacement
  2. 00:48The Barrel Nut Problem: Extreme Overtorquing
  3. 01:13BCA's Resolution and New Components
  4. 01:51Accuracy Testing: Four Hunting Loads
  5. 02:13Ammunition Tested: SST, Gold Dot, Varmageddon
  6. 03:04First Shots: SST Loads (BLC2 & H335)
  7. 05:18Initial Accuracy Impressions: Much Improved
  8. 05:56Testing Speer Gold Dot Loads
  9. 06:07Testing Varmageddon Loads
  10. 08:00Group Analysis: SST vs. Gold Dot vs. Varmageddon
  11. 08:50Measured Group Sizes
  12. 09:25Future Plans: Diamondback Barrel Test
  13. 09:43Conclusion and Call to Action

Frequently Asked Questions

What caused the issue with the original Bear Creek Arsenal 6.5 Grendel upper receiver?

The original BCA 6.5 Grendel upper receiver experienced a critical failure due to an extremely over-torqued barrel nut. This issue was so severe that standard tools, even with heat applied, could not loosen it, rendering the upper unusable.

How did Bear Creek Arsenal resolve the issue with the upper receiver?

Bear Creek Arsenal replaced the faulty upper receiver and barrel. They also provided a new handguard as the original style was no longer available. The customer requested they not assemble the new upper, allowing them to re-install their original muzzle device and gas system.

Which ammunition performed best during the accuracy testing of the replacement BCA 6.5 Grendel upper?

The Speer Gold Dot 120-grain ammunition and the Hornady Varmageddon 90-grain ammunition performed exceptionally well, both achieving sub-MOA or near sub-MOA accuracy. These loads were highlighted as favorites for this rifle.

What were the measured accuracy results for the tested 6.5 Grendel loads?

Measured groups included 1.6 inches for the first SST load, 1.1 inches for the second SST load, .8 inches for the Gold Dot load, and .75 inches for the Varmageddon load, indicating strong performance from the latter two.

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