Probably an upper that someone else returned....

Joking, congrats, hope it runs and shoots really well for you. :bthumb:

 

I got a shipping notice on mine this morning... Now I have two good reasons to get to the range. :bthumb:

 

I have a full length A2 stock on my lower. Waiting for a buffer spring spacer before I can fire it.

 

Cool! I want to see some reports when you all get them to the range!

 

Well, it's gonna be a while. Family first with an Emergency Appendectomy.

 

My upper arrived yesterday, changed the muzzle device, mounted a scope for testing, range time next week, weather permitting.

 

Nice! I had a 22Lr BCA upper that ran well.

 

I had the Bear Creek .22 Magnum out to the range this morning. Too windy to do any 100yd shooting for group size, but the accuracy it showed at 50yds is promising. It shot every bit as well as my older Ray-Vin upper.

I paired the upper with a PSA lower and didn't have any functioning issues with either ammo I tried (Fiocchi and CCI, both 40gr).

Based on this one, for the money spent, the upper is a good value if you like the .22 Magnum.

 

Today I see they are offering a 10.5" upper in .22 WMR... maybe I should set one up to run on one of my SBR lowers... 🤔🤔

 

So I picked up the BCA 22mag upper and the bolt locks back without the catch catching anything. The only way it releases is when I split the upper and lower -- any ideas on why this may be?

 

Are pictures a possibility? Or is it exactly the same as the 22lr with a heavier bolt?

 

Yeah, I can tear it down and take photos. I can't find anything that it's catching on, other than perhaps the buffer retaining pin, which would be rather unfortunate...

 

I found pictures on a review, and the buffer retaining pin is my wild guess. I see they left the gas key on the bolt (but backwards?). I assume that is to keep the bolt oriented. If that's off just a little, the slot cut in the bottom of the carrier might not line up with the retaining pin.

But that should also have caused a cycling problem on the way back. Unfortunately that problem will self solve when the pin tip breaks.

You could deepen and widen that carrier slot. I know you don't want to disassemble the receiver extension and remove the retaining pin, but that would be diagnostically relevant.

 

Or call the folks at Bear Creek and see what they say about it...

 

With my previous interactions with them, I'm guessing this will be wildly unhelpful.

Found the issue -- the bolt slides over and then locks on the hammer of my SSA-E on a sharp step on the bolt...🤦‍♂️ Pictures to follow. She's DOA since I'm not willing to swap triggers and I don't think another trigger would fare any better, but I'll try it on a lower with an MBT-2S in a bit as well.

 

BCA 22 Mag:






The sharp edge right to the left of the milled channels catches on the hammer and locks the action:

 

The sharp edge right to the left of the milled channels catches on the hammer and locks the action:

Pardon me for being "that guy".

 

BCA 22lr for those who are curious:






Top 22lr, Bottom 22 Mag


Great QC...I doubt the bottom pin will consistently light a primer, and the top pin is a tossup...

 

Maybe its because I'm less than 50 miles from them but with four uppers and two barrels from them, but I've found them to be pretty responsive the couple of times I've had a question.

 

They've always gotten back to me within a day of emailing. I can attest that CS, is very good.

DW

 

Post #3, third picture:

Bear Creek Arsenal 22 WMR AR-15 Upper: First Look | Survivalist Forum (survivalistboards.com)

 

Thanks -- mine looks exactly the same. It seems they are missing a milling op on all of them since engineering didn't put it in the design!

 

So I tried it with the LaRue MBT-2S and it locks up worse -- you can't release it by splitting the upper and lower without reaching in with a narrow screwdriver and pushing the hammer down as far as it will go. It seems BCA was relying on the rounded mil-spec hammer profile to allow the bolt to slide back past the cocked hammer. I think if I milled a 45 degree chamfer on the bolt, it would solve it, but I guess I'm going to call BCA and see what they have to say about it. I have a long drive on Friday so at least I won't be wasting too much time if the call is long and fruitless.

Not having compatibility with a couple of the most popular aftermarket triggers seems to be quite a large misstep -- out of all my lowers, I don't even think I have one with a milspec trigger in it...

 

Well, there it is.

 

The reason the BCA 22 WMR doesn't work with a "notched" hammer - such as the Swensen 2 stage, RRA 2 stage - is that the front of the BCA bolt carrier is squared off and it catches on the notch when cycling forward. The back end of the bolt is radiused, not sure why they didn't do the same on the leading end. In my younger days I'd have broken out the old dremel and used it on the hammer top or bolt front, but instead went with a new hammer & trigger.

There are a number of aftermarket hammers that will work fine.

Triggers - AR Industries

www.arindustriesllc.com

 

"Why doesn't our X we market as compatible with Y work with so many examples of Y?" isn't a question that should show up in any manufacutrer's FAQ.

 

Thanks for the information @colonelhogan44. I was seriously considering getting one of these uppers but won't waste my time or money if they won't work with the Larue MTB-2S trigger.

 

I'm pretty confident an extra milling op to give a generous fillet or chamfer on that sharp stepped bolt surface would fix it. I'm going to call them at some point and see what they say about it. The firing pin QC is pretty telling on what the culture and overall care taken in design/manufacture/QA is probably like at BCA.

 

The BCA firing pin issues reminds me of what we went through with the CMMG firing pins a couple of years ago. I still refer people to that long thread on ARFCOM that we talked about the firing pin issues and why they kept breaking.

 

I'm sure the aftermarket will pick up support for these uppers if they get popular enough

 

My lower has PSA's own EPT (Enhanced Polished Trigger), which is a nickel-plated standard fire-control group. Pull weight/feel is slightly better than mil-spec, and can be improved with lighter springs from JP Enterprises or Kaw Valley precision... after the standard setup proves itself.

There are many non-standard BCGs that don't get along well with notched hammers, most pistol caliber BCGs among those,

 

My lower has PSA's own EPT (Enhanced Polished Trigger), which is a nickel-plated standard fire-control group. Pull weight/feel is slightly better than mil-spec, and can be improved with lighter springs from JP Enterprises or Kaw Valley precision... after the standard setup proves itself.

There are many non-standard BCGs that don't get along well with notched hammers, most pistol caliber BCGs among those,

I've read that CMMG BCGs may not work with some notched hammers, but I've never had a problem with them.

Significantly, Hogan's hammers aren't notched. They are very common Geissele and Larue hammers.

 

My pistol length .22WMR upper should be here tomorrow, and I have a lower (not PSA) waiting for it, but it also has a PSA EPT FCG installed.

 

I have that trigger group in one lower I found and it does seem to work, as in it does not lock up. It's a terrible trigger compared to the other two that this upper does not work on, but it'll at least get me started. Seems compatibly with notched triggers in just a matter of chamfering that step in the bolt...which if that is the case, there is no excuse for not updating the design.

 

I have a lower with a two stage Schmid trigger in it. It has the most wicked notch in it I've ever seen, so I was prepared for it not to work with something, but I've found no problems yet with just regular 5.56 ARs and the 22lr ones.

I understand the notch to prevent run away operation if the disconnector on a fully automatic rifle breaks. Does it do anything for a semi-automatic at all?

 

My pistol length upper arrived today. I had this lower waiting... more range time next week!