Davidson Defense Ar-15 M4 Contour 223 Wylde 16 Stainless Steel Barrel Reviews
Continuing our quest to review every AR-xv on the market, nosotros're finally making it to Conduct Creek Arsenal!
While "budget" AR-15s aren't equally budget-friendly as they used to be, we wanted to discover out only what the budgetist of the budget brands can offer in times like these.
From the photo booth to the range, I've put it to the test and the results might surprise you.
Or maybe not, I'm not a mind reader.
1014
at Acquit Creek Arsenal
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
I'll run you through who BCA is, what the AR-xv has to offering, as well equally the good and bad features I plant.
By the end, y'all'll exist armed with the knowledge of whether this AR deserves a place in your gun safe.
Let'southward get to it!
Table of Contents
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Deport Creek Arsenal
Inquire an AR-15 owner in the know virtually BCA and y'all'll probably learn three things.
First, they are very budget-friendly rifles.
2d, they are literally the only brand that offers a side charging AR-15 that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
Third, their customer service team is one of the all-time in the industry.
And that's pretty much the whole story.
While there are dozens of AR-15 makers these days, BCA has carved out their niche in the market place past offering cheap rifles in a huge range of calibers and styles.
Then, they back it all upwardly with outstanding service.
Specs & Features
The rifle BCA sent out for review is a very standard AR-15. v.56 NATO, 16-inch M4 contour butt with a one:8 twist.
Carbine gas system, xv-inch M-LOK handguard, mil-spec trigger, M4 fashion stock, and A2 fashion grip.
The only alter I fabricated to the rifle was to add a MagLock to the rifle to make it California compliant and a Bushnell AR Optic 1-4x LPVO.
204
at OpticsPlanet
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at fourth dimension of writing
Before the Range…
Near all of my guns, to me, are tools. As such, I treat them and view them in that context.
So when I become a tool that doesn't look as pretty as it could, it doesn't really carp me.
But…this BCA upper was really pushing the limits of what I would have tolerated personally.
If I had handled information technology in a store beginning, I would have put it back and asked for 1 that didn't look like a exhibit floor sample.
Before taking this to the range I brought the rifle into our office then our awesome photographer could take some proper pictures with proficient lighting to actually show what I'm talking about.
Summit of the list is this weird bird poop marking. No idea what acquired it, simply ew.
Also, this image highlights the very uneven looking end.
Weird blotch between the FA and contumely deflector.
Above the charging handle is all scratched upward.
And the barrel is scratched up in multiple places.
None of these is a real problem. None of the scratches wait deep enough to go to blank metal and it's all corrective.
Just still…I prefer beating up my own tools, not having one come looking pre-worn.
On the Range!
Some good and some bad on the range side of things.
In total, I put nigh 300 rounds through the BCA burglarize on the first day plus and so near as many once more on added training days.
For the outset 30 or so rounds I had constant malfunctions — literally, every second or third round was a failure.
It took me a little while to figure out what was going on, just I finally discovered that the trigger was failing to fully reset.
I would pull the trigger, the rifle would go bang and fully bicycle. Pull the trigger again…nothing would happen.
Tap, rack, bang firsthand action would solve the problem — just this was because it was shaking the fire control unit into resetting.
In one case I tracked downwardly that the trigger didn't want to reset, information technology was as simple equally pushing the trigger forrad a few millimeters and information technology would reset and exist happy.
Afterwards the start 30-rounds, I stripped the rifle, took a look within the lower, and didn't find annihilation out of place or wrong.
I could manually reset the hammer and dry out fire the lower without the upper fastened and recreate the problem.
I wiped out the surface area and hit information technology with a fiddling gun lube considering when in doubt, lube it. The second set of 30 rounds ran "better" with merely 4 failures to reset, only this pattern connected for a while.
Around the 100 circular mark, the problem started to solve itself and I managed a full xxx rounds without an result.
Over the side by side 200 rounds, I only had 1 failure to reset.
I let the rifle rest multiple times during all of that shooting more often than not because reloads were slow every bit hell with a CA maglocked rifle. 🙁
But Why?!
I don't know. After getting home I stripped the rifle and took out the FCG to take a close await but nothing looks wrong.
It'due south not coated in grease or has a chipped part or annihilation.
I don't see any signs of obvious vesture either every bit something wore into spec during cycling.
Once it started working, information technology ran flawlessly. Still is.
I would also similar to note that yes, the burglarize was cleaned after the photo shoot and earlier it's starting time range trip.
Merely Expect, At that place's More
I did however find another MASSIVE blem and this i causes me some business.
Before now none of the blems were anything more than than cosmetic, this one might be more than that.
To me, that looks like heat damage of some kind. While it's not in a critical area, and aluminum doesn't really temper as steel does, any happened to this lower happened after it was anodized.
At best this was yet another quality control miss, at worst…this is considered within spec.
Either mode isn't good.
Now the Expert News
Other than the trigger result, everything ran perfectly. Tula ammo, Wolf Gold, IMI, the BCA ate it all.
Information technology was also surprisingly authentic, this was shot at 50-yards using a Bushnell 1-4x LPVO off of a tripod sitting downwards using Wolf Aureate.
Sure, that isn't long-range match quality — but for a barebones AR-xv with a mil-spec trigger, "meh" ammo, and a 4x LPVO — I'thou very happy with it.
The top two shots were generally me, I chosen them high — without getting out my good shooting bags and breaking into my fancy .223 ammo, I'm willing to call this rifle right around 1.5 MOA.
Best .223 Bang-for-the-Buck
eighteen
at Brownells
Prices authentic at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
Best .223 Blindside-for-the-Buck
Going 10 for 10 on steel at 100- and 200-yards was no problem.
By the Numbers
Reliability: ane/5 (<100 rounds), 5/5 (>100 rounds)
The trigger not resetting was a existent effect. And since it wasn't something I could point at and say "ah, that'southward the cause" I'yard marking information technology down equally a QC failure more than anything.
It works at present, but it did take time to get there. This is why you should always test a firearm before trusting it.
Accuracy: 5/5
This really pleased me, for a barebones AR-15 and a mil-spec trigger I was expecting a lot worse — but the BCA put rounds where I wanted them and did information technology with a huge range of ammo and weights.
For what it is, it'due south not bad.
Looks: ane/five
Bird poop mark, scratches, weird blotches, if this upper were a blem I would understand and not think twice nearly it.
Simply I double-checked with BCA earlier writing this and they confirmed that this was a standard factory unit and that it had been inspected before beingness placed in inventory and inspected again earlier existence mailed out.
It was also exam-fired at the manufactory, so that might explain a little bit of it only not all of it.
Since information technology was inspected at to the lowest degree twice, I guess bird poop marks are within spec…?
Ergonomics: five/5
It's an AR-15. The squeamish matter BCA does is give you a sling attachment bespeak at the castle nut, so that helps plus things upward a chip. The sling points in general are great with more QDs on the stock and handguard.
Customization: five/5
Again, AR-xv.
Value: ane/five (complete rifle), iv/5 ( separat due east u pper and lower)
The consummate rifle from BCA is a staggering $i,014. Even in a pandemic, right afterwards an election, with AR-15s flying off the shelves — that is a ridiculous cost for this rifle.
1014
at Bear Creek Armory
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices authentic at time of writing
However, the separate consummate upper and complete lower are also sold and combined are under $700 total. During these times, that's a much more reasonable price.
Even with the blems and the trigger issue, nether $700 for a complete rifle is a practiced deal.
I would strongly recommend testing your rifle and ensuring that it is 100% functional before trusting it though.
1014
at Comport Creek Arsenal
Prices accurate at fourth dimension of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
Overall: three/5
I can't say this would be my commencement choice for an AR-fifteen, but information technology'due south not a wrong option either. And with well-nigh everything being sold out correct now, if this is in stock and in your cost range — get for information technology.
Brands like BCA are built on cost and book. Nothing catastrophic happened and the rifle does run great now and it required zero actual maintenance or replacement parts.
For a range or training rifle, this works.
Break-in periods for high-end rifles enrage me, but a break-in menstruation for a budget rifle makes complete sense.
Conclusion
This rifle passes my standards…but barely . We every bit an editorial team even had a word on if we should even give it a passing class or not.
At the end of the twenty-four hours though, it does run. Exterior of the trigger needing to be broken-in, the rifle runs perfectly and is surprisingly accurate for its specs.
1014
at Conduct Creek Arsenal
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
If Cs get degrees, this BCA is the AR-15 version of that philosophy personified.
Are cosmetic blems a hard laissez passer for you? Had whatsoever experience with BCA? Let us know in the comments! For some higher-quality rifles, take a expect at the Best AR-xv: Ultimate Guide!
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Source: https://www.pewpewtactical.com/bear-creek-arsenal-budget-ar-15-review/