Bravo Company 14.5” ELW Accuracy: A Quick Look

[Molon]

Bravo Company 14.5” ELW Accuracy: A Quick Look


ELW stands for enhanced light-weight. This barrel is from Bravo Company’s cold-hammer forged series of barrels. The barrel has a “continuous taper” design with a smooth shoulder at the gas block journal, which reportedly improves barrel harmonics. This barrel has a mid-length gas system and a 0.625” gas block journal.

According to Bravo Company, this barrel has a stripped weight of 1 pound, 5 ounces. For comparison, a Colt 14.5” M4 barrel has a stripped weight of 1 pound, 9 ounces.


BCM 14.5” ELW






Colt 14.5” M4 barrel. (not stripped)






I purchased this barrel as part of a BCM factory assembled upper receiver group with the MCMR 13” free-float hand guard. The barrel has BCM’s pinned and welded A2X flash hider.

Shooting off-the-bench at a distance of 100 yards (using a high magnification scope), this barrel produced a 10-shot group that has an extreme spread of 0.946” with a mean radius of 0.33”.
















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[Mark D]

Nice write up. @Molon, and impressive shooting. I like BCM kit, but I didn't realize the barrels are that accurate. What load did you use?

[YVK]

@Molon good review, as always. In last several months you tested this barrel, the Triarc, and the Hodge. If you were to build a quick handling, soft shooting, and reliable rifle, would any one of those stand out over others?

[secondstoryguy]

I have one of their old ELW 16" uppers and its very accurate...just dont hang a supressor off it.....major POA shift after a few rounds.

[WobblyPossum]

That’s surprisingly accurate considering how many people have reported poor accuracy with the BCM BFH barrels. I hope they’re all like that now.

[TGS]

I have one of their old ELW 16" uppers and its very accurate...just dont hang a supressor off it.....major POA shift after a few rounds.

@Molon, can you test this? That'd be interesting to see results on.

That’s surprisingly accurate considering how many people have reported poor accuracy with the BCM BFH barrels. I hope they’re all like that now.

I honestly hadn't heard that. Not doubting it, just I hadn't personally heard that. Both of my BCM BFH barrels were 1.3-1.5 MOA barrels.

[Wake27]

@Molon, can you test this? That'd be interesting to see results on.



I honestly hadn't heard that. Not doubting it, just I hadn't personally heard that. Both of my BCM BFH barrels were 1.3-1.5 MOA barrels.

I hear it a lot. My experience has never shown them to be inaccurate, but part of it is people saying that 1.5 MOA is inaccurate… between that and the amount of people that can shoot 1” groups at 100 with irons and M193, I won’t really listen to anything about groups sizes unless photos are included or I have a generally good idea of who is talking.


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[titsonritz]

I hear it a lot. My experience has never shown them to be inaccurate, but part of it is people saying that 1.5 MOA is inaccurate… between that and the amount of people that can shoot 1” groups at 100 with irons and M193, I won’t really listen to anything about groups sizes unless photos are included or I have a generally good idea of who is talking.


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Yep, this right here. I have the same gun as in the OP, I never would have bought it if my first BCM 14.5" wasn't a solid performer.

[WobblyPossum]

I’d love to see a test of one of their precision barrels, mostly since my next AR build is going to be an SPR-inspired setup.

[titsonritz]

I’d love to see a test of one of their precision barrels, mostly since my next AR build is going to be an SPR-inspired setup.

Give Monty a call
https://centurionarms.com/mk12-barrel/