Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

[CMP70306]

Looks like a BCA bolt action upper would be the ticket for you.

Jay

Precision made Bolt Action Style Uppers | Bear Creek Arsenal

Bear Creek Arsenal's Bolt Action Style Uppers, blending bolt-action accuracy with AR adaptability. Perfect choice for precision shooters and hunters at low costs!

www.bearcreekarsenal.com

That’s the one I was looking at for the ARC as I had read here the Solo 300 was having issues with the ARC cartridges.

 

[fishdart]

They are now showing the upper/bcg only on their site for $190, but all out-of-stock, so hopefully soon we can build on them with light barrels and handguards without paying for their barrel and handguard.

 

[doverpack12]

What kind of barrel length and speeds were you getting with the 22 arc and 6 arc? I’ve been kicking around a bolt action AR upper as our laws here in PA are kind of weird when it comes to hunting. For example I have a .300 blackout pistol, not legal for hunting as it is semi auto. I put a 16” upper on it and it becomes legal for small game but not big game. If I put a manually operated upper on it it becomes legal for big or small game regardless of barrel length.

The rifle would primarily be for small game out to 500 yards but could also be used on deer during our late firearms season. As such I’ve narrowed it down to two options a compact and lightweight manually operated AR in one of those cartridges or a 14.5” pin and welded barrel for one of my custom bolt guns in 22 Creed or 6 Creed.

16” barrel for both on a BCA side charge upper.
6 ARC averages 2485 fps with 108 ELDM factory. And 2550 fps with 103 eldx factory.
That gets me to 500 yards in standard hunting conditions.

22 ARC I will be selling. I thought I could gain distance over the 6 ARC but not with factory ammo. I might gain 75 yards but was looking to get to 650 yards.
Averages 2500 fps with 88 ELDM factory, 2640 fps with 80 ELDX and 3000 plus with 62 eld VT.

 

[packgoatguy]

Couple bunnies for the stewpot. Using the 77gr atomic subs, 1100fps avg. These were 90 and 95 yards respectively. I like using the subs, as they don't damage meat and are more accurate than 22lr.

It's awesome that from one 4.75lb rifle setup I can have my 77gr sub load for small game out to 150 yards, a 53gr vmax 3100fps load for night hunting coyotes out to 300 yards with the thermal clip on, and the 2750fps 77tmk load for everything else out to 550 yards.

 

[gtriple]

Not sure if I ever posted this. Turned out great and it shoots lights out.

 

[KyleR1985]

Couple bunnies for the stewpot. Using the 77gr atomic subs, 1100fps avg. These were 90 and 95 yards respectively. I like using the subs, as they don't damage meat and are more accurate than 22lr.

It's awesome that from one 4.75lb rifle setup I can have my 77gr sub load for small game out to 150 yards, a 53gr vmax 3100fps load for night hunting coyotes out to 300 yards with the thermal clip on, and the 2750fps 77tmk load for everything else out to 550 yards.

Awesome.

These?

And what is rifle report like compared to a 22lr suppressed ?

 

[packgoatguy]

Awesome.

These?

And what is rifle report like compared to a 22lr suppressed ?

View attachment 846580

Yes. It's about the same

This is what I got off the crono for my 16 inch barrel:

1095fps
1079fps
1085fps
1119fps
1084fps

So, not truly subsonic if the ambient temp is in the low 30s or colder, but temps in the 40s or warmer wouldn't get the supersonic crack for most of the shots.

A shorter barrel would be well into the subsonic range at colder temps.

But even with the supersonic crack, using a suppressor, it was totally hearing safe I thought.

 

[fishdart]

Is there a source for a 6ARC or 22ARC port-less barrel? With the prospect of a BCA bolt-action receiver/bcg on the near horizon, I want to get a barrel sorted for a future build.

If no portless, whats the go-to for a lightweight barrel in either of these cartridges?

 

[Trackselk]

Yes. It's about the same

This is what I got off the crono for my 16 inch barrel:

1095fps
1079fps
1085fps
1119fps
1084fps

So, not truly subsonic if the ambient temp is in the low 30s or colder, but temps in the 40s or warmer wouldn't get the supersonic crack for most of the shots.

A shorter barrel would be well into the subsonic range at colder temps.

But even with the supersonic crack, using a suppressor, it was totally hearing safe I thought.

I got about the same, 1030 fps but the (BCA) barrel only had about 20 rounds through it so far. With 3.1 grains of titegroup and the hornady 55gr fmj's (it's an old book load) I got Hollywood quiet rounds (with suppresor), but still need to test it for accuracy. About 980 fps average. CCI 400 primers

 

[Te Hopo]

I got about the same, 1030 fps but the (BCA) barrel only had about 20 rounds through it so far. With 3.1 grains of titegroup and the hornady 55gr fmj's (it's an old book load) I got Hollywood quiet rounds (with suppresor), but still need to test it for accuracy. About 980 fps average. CCI 400 primers

I tried the Hornady 55sp's with 3.1gr Titegroup and got minimal tip deformation, no expansion.
So I tried loading the projectiles backwards to make it a FP, I've only tested it at 25yds so far but it's reasonably accurate and smacks small game like possums and rabbits with a very audible thump.

 

[Trackselk]

I tried the Hornady 55sp's with 3.1gr Titegroup and got minimal tip deformation, no expansion.
So I tried loading the projectiles backwards to make it a FP, I've only tested it at 25yds so far but it's reasonably accurate and smacks small game like possums and rabbits with a very audible thump.

Nice! I went all the way down to 2.8 grains (once) and still didn't get a squib. I also shot several rounds of the 3.1gr strait down and surprisingly that tiny pinch of power still fired off just fine every time. Seems like a much cheaper option to the atomics, and definitely subsonic every time.
*proceed with extreme caution for those that don't know, easy to blow you gun up with homemade subs. Guy on YouTube blew the mag out of his AR, so I think you need to use more powder if you have a gas port. Mine is plugged/strait pull/portless...

 

[doverpack12]

Is there a source for a 6ARC or 22ARC port-less barrel? With the prospect of a BCA bolt-action receiver/bcg on the near horizon, I want to get a barrel sorted for a future build.

If no portless, whats the go-to for a lightweight barrel in either of these cartridges?

Xcaliber will have the journal but you can specify no port.
BCA 16” 6 ARC is 30 oz or a shade under
Faxon 16” Gunner 22 ARC is 27 oz

BCA side pull upper with back half of bolt chopped off is 18 oz or a 5 oz penalty over a solo.