Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15
Bear Creek Arsenal · Carbine · In Production · 2014
Also known as: BC15, BCA BC-15, BCA AR-15
Overview
The Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 is a budget-priced complete AR-15 carbine built and assembled in Sanford, North Carolina. The standard rifle pairs a 16-inch barrel with a carbine-length gas system, a forged 7075-T6 flat-top upper receiver, a mil-spec forged AR-15 lower, a BCA bolt carrier group, an A2 flash hider, and the company's Talon 15-inch M-LOK split-rail free-float handguard. Bear Creek manufactures its own barrels in-house, offering them in 4150 chrome-moly-vanadium with a phosphate (Parkerized) finish, black nitride, 416R stainless, and cold-hammer-forged variants. The BC-15 is offered across an unusually broad caliber range for an entry-level platform: 5.56 NATO (1:7 twist), .300 AAC Blackout (1:8), 7.62x39mm (1:10), .350 Legend (1:16), and 6.5 Grendel (1:8). Barrel lengths span from 4.5-inch pistol configurations up to 24-inch rifle barrels, with pistol-, micro-, carbine-, mid-, and rifle-length gas systems matched to each. The platform's appeal is value: complete rifles routinely sell well below comparable name-brand AR-15s while retaining standard mil-spec parts compatibility.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 2722 g (96.0 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 3290 g (116.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 825 mm (32.48") |
| Barrel Length | 406 mm (15.98") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Direct Impingement |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Trigger Pull | 31 N (7.0 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 920 m/s (3018 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1700 J (1254 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 3600 m (3937 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 178 mm (7.01") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Aluminum Alloy |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 5.56x45mm NATO · primary · 5.56x45mm NATO — also known as 5.56mm NATO, 5.56x45mm, .223 Remington
- .300 AAC Blackout — also known as 300 BLK, 7.62x35mm, .300 Whisper
- 7.62x39mm — also known as 7.62 Soviet, 7.62x39, M43
- .350 Legend — also known as 350 LGND, 350 Winchester Legend
- 6.5mm Grendel — also known as 6.5 Grendel, 6.5x39mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Selector
- Features: Carbine Length Gas System, Free Floating Handguard, M Lok Rail, Picatinny Rail, Flat Top Receiver, Rotating Bolt, Forward Assist, Dust Cover, A2 Flash Hider, Rear Charging Handle, Talon Split Rail
Variants
- BC-15 .300 Blackout — Caliber
- BC-15 7.62x39 — Caliber
- BC-15 .350 Legend — Caliber
- BC-15 6.5 Grendel — Caliber
- BC-15 5.56 Pistol — Pistol
Service history
Operators
- Civilian Sport Shooters · as BC-15
Production
Production years: 2014-present
High-volume budget production; one of the largest US AR-15 makers by output
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Notes
MSRP varies by configuration, roughly $400-$650 for complete rifles and pistols. The 5.56 model uses a 1:7 twist; caliber trims use twists appropriate to each cartridge (.300 BLK 1:8, 7.62x39 1:10, .350 Legend 1:16, 6.5 Grendel 1:8). Specifications listed reflect a representative 16-inch 5.56 carbine; weight and length vary with barrel length and profile. Bear Creek began making complete rifles in 2014 after starting with barrels in 2013.
Background
Bear Creek Arsenal grew from a Sanford, North Carolina machine shop into one of the highest-volume AR-15 makers in the United States by undercutting established brands on price while keeping barrel and receiver production in-house. The BC-15 became a staple recommendation for first-time AR buyers and budget builders, and the company's willingness to chamber the platform in less-common cartridges like .350 Legend and 6.5 Grendel broadened its reach into hunting and target niches.