Bear Creek Arsenal Grizzly: A Glock 17 Clone that Gets it Right

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Nowhere is that statement more evident than in the gun world. Few companies’ products are more imitated than Glock. With good reason. Glock dominates the semi-automatic handgun market. But simply cloning a Gen 3 Glock, or any other design, doesn’t guarantee success. The clone must set itself apart with unique features and an attractive price point. Most importantly, the gun must perform well. The Bear Creek Arsenal BCA-101 Grizzly seems to meet those qualifications.

The Bear Creek Arsenal Grizzly

I recently acquired a BCA Grizzly for testing. The gun has two extended-range trips, accounting for 460 rounds, under its belt. It’s also endured extensive manipulation and dry fire tests at home. Likewise, it’s been disassembled and put back together at least a dozen times. The gun has yet, however, to be cleaned because I wanted to see how it held up.

Let’s go through what that process revealed. But first, let me assure you, Glock guys, that I’m not about to pronounce the Grizzly “just as good” as a Glock. That’s a ridiculous notion that a mere 460 rounds cannot determine, even were I so inclined.

That said, here are the Grizzly’s details.

Bear Creek Arsenal Grizzly Features

We noted that a successful clone needs a feature or two to make it stand out. Bear Creek has given the Grizzly more than a few. From grip to sights, this is a feature-rich handgun, making it very attractive to potential buyers. Let’s start with the “Bear Fur” grip.

Grip the Grizzly

The first thing I noticed about the Grizzly’s frame, other than the obvious Glock grip angle, was the “Bear Fur” stippling on the grip’s sides, front, and back. It looks like bear fur. It’s obviously a gimmick, but it works.

The first thing I noticed about the pistol’s frame, other than the obvious Glock grip angle, was the “Bear Fur” stippling on the grip’s sides, front, and back.

The stippling feels good in my hand and provides a very positive grip. It just takes a fun approach, which I appreciate. I barely noticed the understated finger grooves, but they are there if you pay attention. The frame also features two “Bear Fur” index points just forward of the Glock-like takedown tabs. Comfortable thumb grooves adorn each side.

The flared mag well is nice, and I appreciated it when changing magazines during drills. Finally, the 4-slot Picatinny rail beats the proprietary Glock rail hands down. Sorry, Glock guys, but that’s just a fact. Easy accessorizing should be a thing.

Barrel and Slide

Bear Creek presents the gun so well that I have to address the barrel and slide together. A stainless-steel-finished factory Glock barrel looks nice, but you really only see it through the ejection port and the muzzle. But the Grizzly’s slide features two side windows and a long window on top. The effect is visually striking, and I like it.

The windows also help shave two ounces off the Grizzly’s weight, along with the deep cocking serrations that are better than the standard Glock. Those windows will also help a bit with heat dissipation.

The Bear Creek Arsenal Grizzly’s slide features two side windows and a long window on top.

The slide is optic-ready, with an RMR footprint for numerous options. The sights are a standard three-dot, but the dots are photo-luminescent. They show up well in daylight, low light, and even darkness. They are also steel, not polymer like the Glock. The rear sight is adjustable for windage.

The slide and barrel are both machined from the highest grade 416R stainless-steel. A durable nitride finish tops off the slide, while the barrel, as noted, has a stainless-steel finish.

Improved Controls

The Grizzly’s trigger is better than a factory Glock trigger. There, I said it. Glock factory triggers aren’t exactly known for their crispness, but that’s just Glock. You buy them because they run.

So, once again, Bear Creek has to stand out, and the improved trigger is part of that. That said, no one will confuse the Grizzly’s trigger with an H&K VP9 or Walther PDP. It’s still a bit mushy, just not as mushy as the Glock. The 6-lb. break is also a little cleaner.

The pistol has improved controls throughout.

The mag release is also better than the Glock’s, with more surface area. The slide release is about the same, though it’s very stiff—it may loosen up with time and use. Neither of these controls is ambidextrous. The takedown tabs are identical to the Glock 17, as is the disassembly process. I had no issues with that.

But Does the Grizzly Run?

Everyone loves cool features. Most of us also like our guns to look good—and the Grizzly does. But those things mean nothing unless the gun runs reliably. I have 460 rounds through the Grizzly and fired three different loads over two range trips:

115-grain Sellier & Bellot FMJ (200 rounds)
124-grain Igman FMJ (250 rounds)
124-grain Federal Hydra-Shok JHP (10 rounds)

Global Ordnance generously provided the Igman rounds. I greatly appreciate their support.

The author has 460 rounds through the Bear Creek Arsenal Grizzly and fired three different loads over two range trips.

Reliability

As I noted earlier, 460 rounds do not establish long-term reliability. But this is an initial review, so those 460 rounds do indicate how the Grizzly functions. Trust me, I’ve had manufacturer-provided test guns that couldn’t get through the first magazine without malfunctioning. And they didn’t improve.

The Grizzly performed very well in all my tests. I fired slowly for accuracy, and I ran drills. I induced malfunctions with snap caps and LiveFire Level 3 Malfunction Rounds. Additionally, I even mag-dumped it a couple of times. The Grizzly was smooth through the entire course of fire.

The author induced malfunctions with snap caps and LiveFire Level 3 Malfunction Rounds.

The two included KCI magazines ran perfectly, as did the two Glock 17 mags I rotated in. It was 100 percent reliable with all three loads and magazines. No failures to feed or eject. The only stoppages were shooter-induced, as noted.

Handling and Accuracy

The Grizzly, unsurprisingly, handles like a Glock 17. It has the same grip angle and feel. The trigger is a little better, and the mag release is larger, which I like. The flared mag well eases reloading. However, I found myself manually racking the slide thanks to the very stiff slide release.

The sights are good, though the bluish-green color seems a bit odd at first. I didn’t shoot the Grizzly in low light, but I’m confident the sights would do well in those conditions based on my other observations.

The gun transitions well, whether using the iron sights or an optic. For these tests, I ran a Meprolight MPO Pro F closed emitter red dot. The optic mounted solidly and held its zero through the 200 or so rounds I fired with it.

For the tests, the author ran a Meprolight MPO Pro F closed emitter red dot.

The Grizzly was accurate through all my tests. I shot it mostly from 7 to 10 yards at six-inch plates and a dueling tree. I hit 12-inch plates at 25 and 50 yards, though I’m not as good at those ranges as I should be. The Grizzly did what I asked as long as I did my part.

The Grizzly is Solid

I liked the Grizzly. Skepticism is a must when evaluating a firearm, especially a clone. Looking like a proven design doesn’t guarantee performance.

Again, 460 rounds aren’t enough to establish long-term reliability and durability. Bear Creek uses quality materials and they didn’t change the design. However, the company did add some nice features. Only time and thousands of rounds will tell whether the workmanship is true.

But most shooters will not put thousands of rounds through a Grizzly. They just won’t. This gun seems primarily intended for new gun owners entering an admittedly expensive world, and folks with less disposable income who still want a solid gun. I think the Grizzly is a good option there.

My experience with Bear Creek Arsenal is limited, but I appreciate that they’ve introduced a seemingly quality pistol that just about anyone can afford. Did I mention that the Grizzly’s MSRP is $295?

That price point will no doubt attract some derision because American gun culture has convinced itself that “affordable” equates to “cheap.” Sometimes it does, but not always. I don’t think it applies to the Grizzly. I think this gun is a great value, and that Bear Creek Arsenal has a winner here.

And it takes Glock mags. You’ve got to love that.

For more information, please visit BearCreekArsenal.com.