While the question of .22 WMR vs. .17 HMR rages on, there is no question that each has its place. Although each round is more expensive than .22 LR, they are still less expensive than standard centerfire ammo. So, it really comes down to personal preference and intended use. For those that land on the side of .17 HMR, Bear Creek Arsenal offers its BC-15 line of AR-15s.
Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 .17 HMR Rifles
The line includes five different models (only four are pictured because Bear Creek Arsenal doesn’t have photos of the fifth). Three of the five rifles are available with a 16-inch barrel and two with a 20-inch barrel. The heavy barrel design provides excellent recoil control over the already light recoil .17 HMR rimfire round.
Each rifle features an M4 flat-top billet upper receiver with the new 15-inch M-LOK rail for attaching accessories. Correspondingly, all five rifles utilize the BCA bolt carrier group with E9310 bolt construction. Likewise, they include a right-side charging handle (Gen 2, patent pending). The uppers pair up with a BCA MIL-SPEC standard or forged AR-15 lower, depending on the model.
The rifles feature free float barrels in 16- or 20-inch options with a 1:9 twist rate and 1/2×28 thread pitch. As a result, suppressors can be readily attached in place of the included flash hider, which is already installed.
The 20-inch heavy barrels are constructed of 416R stainless steel and feature a stainless finish. Similarly, the 16-inch barrels are constructed of 4150 Chrome Moly Vanadium and feature a Black Nitride or Parkerized finish, based on the model.
If you already have an AR-15, Bear Creek also offers complete .17 HMR uppers ready to go. Available in 7.5-, 10.5-, 16-, and 20-inch options, each includes the 15-inch M-LOK rail described above. Likewise, they come with everything noted above, with the addition of the buffer spring and buffer.
Although the completed rifles do not ship with a magazine, the complete uppers each ship with one 10-round magazine.
Availability
The Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 .17 HMR AR-15 rifles are available now with MSRPs of $539.99 – $604.99. For more info, please visit BearCreekArsenal.com.
Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 20-inch Specs
Forged Lower | Standard Lower | |
Weight (lbs) | 7.5 | |
Magazine Capacity | N/A | |
Length | 20 | |
Profile | Heavy Barrel | |
Twist | 1:9 | |
Finish | Stainless | |
Material | 416R Stainless Steel | |
Thread Pitch | 1/2×28 | |
Caliber | .17 HMR | |
Flutes | None | |
Gas System | Blow-Back | |
Charging Style | Right Side Charging | |
Bolt Material | E9310 | |
Receiver Material | Forged | Billet |
MSRP | $604.99 | $574.99 |
Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 16-inch Specs
Forged Lower | Standard Lower | Forged Lower Parkerized Barrel | ||
Weight (lbs) | 6.75 | |||
Magazine Capacity | N/A | |||
Length | 16 | |||
Profile | Heavy Barrel | |||
Twist | 1:9 | |||
Finish | Black Nitride | Parkerized | ||
Material | 4150 Chrome Moly Vanadium | |||
Thread Pitch | 1/2×28 | |||
Caliber | .17 HMR | |||
Flutes | None | |||
Gas System | Blow-Back | |||
Charging Style | Right Side Charging | |||
Bolt Material | E9310 | |||
Receiver Material | Forged | Billet | Forged | |
MSRP | $562.50 | $579.99 | $539.99 | |