Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

[Thegman]

It seems I've seen some reports of the 88 not working very well in comparison to the 80. I can't remember if there's been some that didn't open at all or if it was just minimal deformation.

They have worked great for Khntr and I was hoping the 88s would trade some internal damage for penetration and bigger exits with blood trails.

They did provide more of a 2"+ "bore hole" through their penetration and killed fine, but exits weren't large, typically caliber size so no difference in blood trails relative to 77TMK, on my small deer/hog sample anyway.

On one hog the penetration was fairly shallow. Took out upper lungs and spine, with that "bore hole" penetration, but I was surprised that it didn't seem to penetrate to the far side. There probably wasn't any more than 12" of hog to penetrate with that shot, but I saw no signs it made to the far side when I cut it up.

Starting velocity was around 2,560 and shots ranged from 100 to around 225 yards (hog mentioned above was that 200 some yard shot).

Maybe 80 ELD-X would punch through a little better (??), but all of those 75 and up ELDs seem to be a little tricky to get to work at AR lengths with AR throats.

 

[Trackselk]

They have worked great for Khntr and I was hoping the 88s would trade some internal damage for penetration and bigger exits with blood trails.

They did provide more of a 2"+ "bore hole" through their penetration and killed fine, but exits weren't large, typically caliber size so no difference in blood trails relative to 77TMK, on my small deer/hog sample anyway.

On one hog the penetration was fairly shallow. Took out upper lungs and spine, with that "bore hole" penetration, but I was surprised that it didn't seem to penetrate to the far side. There probably wasn't any more than 12" of hog to penetrate with that shot, but I saw no signs it made to the far side when I cut it up.

Starting velocity was around 2,560 and shots ranged from 100 to around 225 yards (hog mentioned above was that 200 some yard shot).

Maybe 80 ELD-X would punch through a little better (??), but all of those 75 and up ELDs seem to be a little tricky to get to work at AR lengths with AR throats.

I'm enjoying my 5.56 chamber length throat, and might even go longer for the 79gr bullets I have in route. 2.36"+ COAL is easy with the AR and a "windowed" mag. FWIW

 

[Thegman]

I'm enjoying my 5.56 chamber length throat, and might even go longer for the 79gr bullets I have in route. 2.36"+ COAL is easy with the AR and a "windowed" mag. FWIW

I'm loading to 2.318" with my mags and need to window one as well. The 75, 80 and 88 ELD-M still have a huge jump at 2.36. My 88s don't touch the lands until around 2.5" in my Wylde chamber and I think the ojive is still in the case neck at 2.36". With neck sized cases, crimp, and 2.318", some bullets were still getting jammed into the cases under recoil. Back to the drawing board on those...

 

[Trackselk]

I'm loading to 2.318" with my mags and need to window one as well. The 75, 80 and 88 ELD-M still have a huge jump at 2.36. My 88s don't touch the lands until around 2.5" in my Wylde chamber and I think the ojive is still in the case neck at 2.36". With neck sized cases, crimp, and 2.318", some bullets were still getting jammed into the cases under recoil. Back to the drawing board on those...

Interesting, I think Kyle or someone got right about 2.4 with the 77s, but can't remember which lower that was. I hope I don't have to do any surgery to make the 79gr drt fit which I have on the way finally. 2.36 works well with the Tennessee arms lower without cutting anything, maybe a little longer would work

 

[Thegman]

Interesting, I think Kyle or someone got right about 2.4 with the 77s, but can't remember which lower that was. I hope I don't have to do any surgery to make the 79gr drt fit which I have on the way finally. 2.36 works well with the Tennessee arms lower without cutting anything, maybe a little longer would work

Yeah, for whatever reason, I also don't want to cut on a lower and upper at this point to go longer than ~2.36". That's going to be my self-imposed limit for now as well.

 

[Trackselk]

@Gman and company.
Got my bca upper with bcg. 22oz! 9oz penalty if the solo website is correct at 13oz(?). Pretty easy to shave 1-4oz off of it. I'm debating whether or not I want to cut on it. The upper itself is great, an aluminum carrier would be amazing, and would drop about 6-7oz. About to set the solo and BCA bcg's side by side, but I think we'll have to have an aluminum carrier made (coppied) to fit this bored out upper.
The upper itself is only 10.2 oz without the weird plug in the rear, which I have no idea what it's for

 

[ezwy]

@Gman and company.
Got my bca upper with bcg. 22oz! 9oz penalty if the solo website is correct at 13oz(?). Pretty easy to shave 1-4oz off of it. I'm debating whether or not I want to cut on it. The upper itself is great, an aluminum carrier would be amazing, and would drop about 8oz. About to set the solo and BCA bcg's side by side, but I think we'll have to have an aluminum carrier made (coppied) to fit this bored out upper.
The upper itself is only 10.2 oz without the weird plug in the rear, which I have no idea what it's for

you'll have to let us know about cycling, that 23 degree bolt throw looks like it could be nice. Did you go 5.56 bolt face or Grendel/arc?

 

[Trackselk]

you'll have to let us know about cycling, that 23 degree bolt throw looks like it could be nice. Did you go 5.56 bolt face or Grendel/arc?

I'm not sure I'll get that far, I just wanted 223++p with the nas3 cases, but not sure I'm interested in an extra half a pound. I could cut off about 2-3 oz pretty easily, and more if I want to skeletonize the carrier. But, then it would need treated for corrosion extensively. I guess I could blue all the violated surfaces. -5.56 bolt face
- I think I will see if it will extract the nas3 cases easily. On another site they said they cycle well, and they were shooting some big 40something cartridge

 

[Trackselk]

I think I got a defective one. The handle will not go all the way down into full battery. Looks like the cam lug is binding prematurely in the upper.
Push bolt all the way in (or any possible increment), then bolt handle goes half way into the slot, and then springs back when I let go. Other than that it does look well made!
I'll know for sure when I get a barrel screwed on it, but I can't see how it will change anything. Gotta order another barrel nut so I can keep the solo+barrel mated.

 

[gtriple]

I think I got a defective one. The handle will not go all the way down into full battery. Looks like the cam lug is binding prematurely in the upper.
Push bolt all the way in (or any possible increment), then bolt handle goes half way into the slot, and then springs back when I let go. Other than that it does look well made!
I'll know for sure when I get a barrel screwed on it, but I can't see how it will change anything. Gotta order another barrel nut so I can keep the solo+barrel mated.

Is that with a round or without?

 

[Trackselk]

Is that with a round or without?

No round, and no barrel, but I also tried pushing the ejector pin in at the same time. Maybe it will go into full battery when assembled, I'll have a barrel on it by noon today

 

[Taudisio]

No round, and no barrel, but I also tried pushing the ejector pin in at the same time. Maybe it will go into full battery when assembled, I'll have a barrel on it by noon today

I feel like you will have more issues with a barrel/round inserted based on my AR knowledge. Then again, I have never put hands on the bolt action. Can you post a photo of the BCG and handle outside of the upper?

 

[Thegman]

No round, and no barrel, but I also tried pushing the ejector pin in at the same time. Maybe it will go into full battery when assembled, I'll have a barrel on it by noon today

I think what could be holding it up is the spring keeping the bolt forward without a barrel extension to push the bolt (and cam pin - which is now a bolt retaining pin) back. Try pushing the bolt all the way back while turning the bolt handle down.

The spring behind the bolt is probably what is pushing the bolt back up as the spring also pushes the cam pin forward, probably against the upper (???).

 

[Taudisio]

I think what is could be holding it up is the spring keeping the bolt forward without a barrel extension to push the bolt (and cam pin - which is now a bolt retaining pin) back. Try pushing the bolt all the way back while turning the bolt handle down.

That’s exactly what I was thinking, but it would have been a guess for the bolt action without seeing it.

 

[Thegman]

That’s exactly what I was thinking, but it would have been a guess for the bolt action without seeing it.

I haven't seen one yet either, so I'm just guessing too! I've just looked at pictures of the parts and imagining how they would work together.

 

[Trackselk]

I think what could be holding it up is the spring keeping the bolt forward without a barrel extension to push the bolt (and cam pin - which is now a bolt retaining pin) back. Try pushing the bolt all the way back while turning the bolt handle down.

The spring behind the bolt is probably what is pushing the bolt back up as the spring also pushes the cam pin forward, probably against the upper (???).

Yup, that's what I tried, I can see the cam just barely binding on the upper, but I'm picking up the spare nut now. Be back soon

 

[sebastian.cassell]

I got my bear creek 6 arc bolt upper and barrel today. The bolt face and barrel extension interaction has a little slop and I feel like that causes a lot of friction when trying to open the action. Main thing I am not liking is the spring loaded action. When the bolt is closed and handle locked down it takes very little pressure to make the bolt handle popup to open the action. All gripes aside the upper and barrel combo functioned fine with 3 rds of hornady black 105gr bthp which my gas 6 arc will NOT cycle. I bought the stainless 16” 6 arc barrel from BCA and it weighs 1.85 lbs. For $60ish I can’t complain

 

[Trackselk]

Well crap, it's much worse with the barrel on, regardless if there's a round in the chamber or not. Pics for you all, notice the strait-back cam action, and the one smooth (rain proof) side.
One Pic shows the bolt being forced forward but yet it still needs to go another 3/16"! It's looking like the upper is not machined correctly, but it might be that the bolt isn't able to be pushed in deep enough. I tried a lot of force, like 50lbs, but no difference, it's a hard stop. Back to BCA it's going,
Maybe i got a bear creek arse version...

 

[Taudisio]

Well crap, it's much worse with the barrel on, regardless if there's a round in the chamber or not. Pics for you all, notice the strait-back cam action, and the one smooth (rain proof) side.
One Pic shows the bolt being forced forward but yet it still needs to go another 3/16"! It's looking like the upper is not machined correctly, but it might be that the bolt isn't able to be pushed in deep enough. I tried a lot of force, like 50lbs, but no difference, it's a hard stop. Back to BCA it's going,
Maybe i got a bear creek arse version...
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That’s unfortunate. The carrier design is definitely different. I wonder why they left the legs on there and didn’t just cut it flush to the firing pin like the solo.

Hopefully they send you a working one.

 

[Trackselk]

That’s unfortunate. The carrier design is definitely different. I wonder why they left the legs on there and didn’t just cut it flush to the firing pin like the solo.

Hopefully they send you a working one.

Yeah, I looked at it carefully and 95% of those legs are getting chopped off first thing. That plus cutting the bolt knob off and replacing it with aluminum will save 2-3 Oz I think based on the weights I measured. But, I'll see if someone is willing to make an aluminum carrier first, that thing is a beast. Probably drop 4.5 Oz right there, plus 1.5 off the bolt knob, and it'd be within 3oz of the solo, which would be good enough for me. I wonder how light I can get the carrier by drilling holes through it as it's 10x+ stronger than necessary.