Long story short, Matthew asked me if I’d like to try a new rail made by Spikes Tactical that he had recently picked up to try himself. Sure thing. I spent a little over three months using this rail on the bench and in the field coyote hunting. Here’s my experiences and thoughts.

Product image from Spikes Tactical website

Pros:

Lightweight

Integrated full-length ARCA rail with R-Lock

Bar style barrel nut

Integrated anti-rotation tabs

M-LOK slots at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions

DPMS high rail only

Cons:

Lightweight

Outside diameter size

The barrel nut

Integrated anti-rotation tabs

DPMS high rail only

“Built in” QD sling cup attachments

Proprietary barrel nut wrench required- Sold separate from the rail

Initial thoughts

Upon receiving the Spikes Tactical  ARCA CRR M-LOK .308 rail, I was surprised at how skeletonized it was, but yet retained plenty of material in the area of the integrated ARCA rail. I will admit. I was a bit skeptical of how rigid the rail would be. The rail is the standard 6061-T6 aluminum.

It was nice to see the R-Lock in the ARCA rail. While I, and most predator hunters, don’t use a ball head with the R-Lock system, having the R-Lock in the rail makes it more universal.

I was disappointed in the requirement of a proprietary barrel nut wrench. They’re not the only company that does this, but their wrench is an additional $53.00 on top of the purchase of the rail.

From a builder’s standpoint, I dislike the barrel nut. When I looked at it, and I saw the bag of shims, I knew that it would not allow me the precise torque adjustment that I prefer for BRD rifles. More on this later. The barrel nut is made from 7075-T6 aluminum and looks to be very similar to a Bar nut. As I don’t have any large frame AR rifles utilizing the Bar, nut, I can’t explicitly say that they are interchangeable.

Aesthetics. This can be very personal but can have an effect on operational or performance characteristics if designed poorly. While I don’t see any of the latter, except maybe for the QD cups, I can say that the visual appeal of the rail is not there for me. I will add that the rail does have some “sharp” areas on it. I do not grasp the rail when shooting off of a tripod, so I didn’t experience any negatives from this. If you are one who may grasp the rail when shooting off of a tripod, a barricade, etc., or if you transport your rifle laying on a seat as I know that some do, you may find this to be problematic at times.

Installation

This rail was installed and removed a decent bit as I changed up the barrel configuration three different times. The upper started as a 243, then went to a 22 Creedmoor, and I finally settled on a 6 Creedmoor.

In the Pros and Cons I listed the DPMS high rail in both categories. Here is the reason. The DPMS high profile rail is the most common large frame platform for upper receivers. That said, BRDGW rifles currently use DPMS low profile rails. So, I didn’t have an upper on hand that it would fit. Also, the most popular non-reciprocating large frame upper receiver on the market is a DPMS low profile. Meaning that this Spikes rail is incompatible with it.

I also listed the integrated anti-rotation tabs in the Pros and Cons. It took me three upper receivers before I found one that would fit the anti-rotation tabs. Being that this wasn’t my personal rail, I was not going to modify the anti-rotation tabs to fit the other upper receivers. Which is something that you can most likely do should you run into this.

Why I despise the barrel nut. I am OCD on the barrel nut torque for BRD rifles. The barrel nut for this Spikes Tactical rail only provides you with four possible mounting solutions using shims to achieve the gas tube alignment position. I went through a lot of shims being that I installed 3 different barrels. It’d be nice if Spikes would include at least 4 more gas tube slots and corresponding holes for the rail mounting screws. Adding more alignment locations would aid in achieving a more precise torque value, but if enough locations were added, then the shims could be done away with. Granted all of this comes with added machining time and costs. I’d gladly take that additional cost for what would make this a better product. A little good about the barrel nut is that it is a Bar style nut. This aids in adding rigidity at the upper receiver extension. Albeit at the cost of a larger diameter rail, which is to be expected in an integrated ARCA rail handguard. As many times as I had the handguard retaining screws in and out of the barrel nut, the screw holes and screws held up great. This is a weak area that I’ve seen in other similar rails. Either the screw heads or the screw holes begin to strip out.

Aside from the above, installation of the handguard was as simple as most standard handguards on the market.

Test Lower

At first, I threw together a test lower with components that I had laying around. Most of which are components found in the BRDGW Pro series of rifles. Except for the stock and the trigger.

I listed the light weight of the rail as both a pro and a con. This is due to the overall balance of the rifle. Most people don’t think of this as being a thing when shooting off of a tripod, but it is. Granted, we can influence the balance point of a rifle more on a tripod depending on where we lock the ARCA rail in the head. This can provide us with different handling characteristics. I originally put a Magpul PRS Gen 3 stock on the test lower.  I’m not a fan of this stock for a few reasons, but it actually balanced well with the different barrels and the skeletonized Spikes handguard. The balance point with the 243 barrel was right on the front lip of the magazine well. Generally, I prefer the balance point to be a little front heavy to neutral, and this was close. The 22 Creedmoor and 6 Creedmoor barrels are a different profile and provide for a different balance point.

I ended up removing the Gen 3 PRS stock and installing my preferred B5 Precision stock. This also provided a better balance point with both of the Creedmoor barrels. While I was at it, I removed the trigger and replaced it with my preferred Triggertech Diamond trigger.

Range Time

While shooting groups and testing at the range, I did a couple of informal rigidity tests. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of deflection that I saw when bottom loading the handguard. It wasn’t as much as I figured it would be. That said, if I was to use a clip-on thermal, there is a possibility that I could see some discrepancies between it and the optic under some what I would call above average loading of the handguard.

I shot some groups with all three of the barrels. With the 243 I shot factory 58g and 75g Superformance ammunition. In the 22 Creedmoor I shot the 69g TMK handload that I had been using to coyote hunt with. For the 6 Creedmoor, factory 87g Hornady ammunition it was. I didn’t see much of a change in groups between the Spikes handguard and the BRDGW rifles that these barrels had been in. Nothing that I can confidently say is this or that.

Field Testing- Coyote Hunting

Now for the fun part. Getting to put fur down. As I previously stated, I settled on running the 6 Creedmoor barrel. All of the hunting was done at night and off of a tripod. As much as I like to day hunt coyotes, time is a thing, and that isn’t how most people are hunting them at the current time. And, for what it’s worth. For the last few years when I do day hunt, I hunt off of a tripod. Not a bipod. The farthest coyote that I can recall killing and putting hands on was a little over 300yds when using this handguard. So, not far at all.

As far as the actual performance of the rail goes in the field. I don’t have much to say about it. I did not have any real negative experiences with it in the field. To be fair, I do not attach a lot of items to my handguards. Just a laser module for marking downed coyotes when needed in thick grass or woody areas. I did not use a bipod, or mount one, but I know there are guys that do at night. I also didn’t utilize the QD cups as I do not use a sling when hunting at night. More on this in the final thoughts later.

Over the many hunts that I used this on; there were a couple of times that I bit the dust while walking in. Once while walking a ditch line and the ground gave way, dropping me about 6 feet down. The other while walking in hardened crusted snow, until it wasn’t anymore, dropping me about a foot causing me to lose my balance. Neither time produced any negative effects to the handguard or rifle. There were some times when walking in tall grass or wooded field edges with low hanging trees, that something would get caught in one of the many openings of the handguard. Something that I generally don’t experience with other handguards as the items just brush along the rail due to less possible snag points.

I use Fatboy tripods and Invert60 ballheads. All of my personal rifles have a 5” Fatboy ARCA rail on them. I did have to loosen the tension just a bit on my ballheads to allow for proper camming of the ballhead lock with the Spikes handguard. When I walk into a stand, I walk in with the rifle locked into the tripod. I had no negative experiences doing this with the Spikes handguard. No slippage. The rail was always tight in the ballhead.

As you can see by the wear marks in the pictures, I didn’t use much of the ARCA rail when mounting it to my tripod. The majority of the time I was within the first few inches. There were a few times that I mounted further out to provide for more rearward weight bias, but this is not a common practice for me. Something that I did notice at times, is that when I would change the location on the ARCA rail, that I’d have to change the tension a bit on my cam lock for the ballhead. I’m going to make an assumption here that is most likely due to the coating wearing off of the rail through use. As I’ve had this happen with numerous other brands of ARCA rails, too. I will admit. I did not take a micrometer or calipers to the rail and begin to measure locations on the rail to check for machining tolerances.

This rail with the profile of my barrels, balanced out nicely. For the majority of my hunts, I stayed on the rifle scanning. With the balance, I was not being worn down. I was not fighting the rifle. It balanced well in the ballhead. The rifle reacted quickly and positively. Again, I like a neutral to slightly front heavy rifle.

Final Thoughts

This rail is not for me. That doesn’t mean that it might not be for you.

One of the big negatives for me is the size of the rail. It is 18” long and is a nice length for the 20” and 22” barrels that I used. It’s the diameter. The outside width of the rail that I used measured 1.898” and the outside height measured 2.350”. In other words big. This provided me troubles. Not while in the field, but during the transition times between stands. It was too big to fit in the racks of the primary hunting trucks. I really had to wedge it in the holder of the rack, and sometimes I would spend minutes doing this. Sometimes I could get a retention strap around it and other times I couldn’t. When I could, it wasn’t uncommon for it to come off and fly to the front hitting one of us. Lol. If you are the person that lays your rifle on the seat, beware that this rail does have some shard edges to it. It could cause damage to the seat material. If you use a gun case between stands or have a rack made that your rifle lays in during transport, then this is of no concern to you.

The weight. It is light. If you use a smaller profile barrel and care about the balance of a rifle, then you may find some concerns with this. If you’re looking for absolute weight reduction, then this may be for you.

I weighed the complete upper that I was using. With the 20” 6 Creedmoor barrel, JP low mass carrier, SLR melanite adjustable gas block, and a rear charge upper receiver with a Radian Raptor charging handle, the weight was 6lbs 6.9oz. That’s with no suppressor. I weighed the Spikes rail with barrel nut and screws and it tipped the scale at 1lb 2.3oz. This is considerably lighter than other handguards with integrated ARCA.

To put the above in perspective, I weighed a 16” large frame AR rail that is used on BRDGW rifles. The rail with barrel nut, attaching hardware and a Fatboy 5” ARCA rail. It tipped the scale at 1lb 0.3oz. Being that I will not utilize the last 13” of the Spikes handguard, the integrated ACRA rail becomes less of a factor as I require the smaller diameter rail and I have all of the ARCA rail that I will use.

The “built in” QD cups that are not built in. They are attached by two very small screws. As previously stated, I did not use the QD cups. I do have concerns, though. Might be valid. Might not be. Just take it for what it’s worth. More guys are using slings in combination with a tripod. This is why all BRDGW rifles have a QD cup in the end plate and a true built in QD cup in the rail. Some guys are packing in tripods and slinging rifles, while others are using a sling to add tension to the shooting system when clipped into the tripod. A method that has been around a while in the military and LE communities. Both of which provide added stress to the QD cups. My concern would be a cup coming loose due to screws coming loose. Just something to think about.

For the average nighttime predator hunter who wants an integrated ARCA rail while saving weight, and the diameter of the rail doesn’t affect you, then this could be for you. Check it out. If you’re a day and nighttime hunter, or a nighttime hunter who runs a bipod on your rifle in addition to the tripod, maybe do some more research and see what you can find on long term testing of this rail. Will it have enough rigidity to do well for your hunting style. Maybe you want your rifle to be a multi-role rifle for some long-range shooting/ competition and hunting. I would also research this rail further. My personal preference would be to go with a heavier handguard for long-range shooting and competition.

This was not meant to be an in-depth review. I only had it short term. It’s meant to provide insight on a rail that some people may find interesting to use on their predator hunting rifles. If you have used, or are using this rail, please leave some comments with your experiences. If you are looking at an integrated ARCA rail handguard, I highly recommend that you also consider one from MTE Machining. These are great handguards.

BRD Gun Works LLC

Turning Predators into Prey

What are some advantages?
• Reduction of weight in correlation to size
• Thermal conductivity
• Rigidity

What are some disadvantages?
• Price
• Rigidity and component flexing concerns
o Carbon fiber needs to be the same weight as steel to maintain or exceed the rigidity of steel
• Brittle
• Larger diameter required to retain the rigidity that is similar to, or equal to, that of a steel or aluminum component
• Consistency in manufacturing
• Thermal conductivity

What is Carbon Fiber

At its core, carbon fiber is an inert material. An inert material does not react with other materials or substances under normal conditions. As it pertains to carbon fiber, carbon fiber doesn’t expand or contract like other materials. Other examples of inert materials are brick, concrete, some plastics, and some metals such as gold and platinum.

In industrial processes inert materials are used to support and carry catalysts. Substances that increase the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing a permanent chemical change. If you’re familiar with chemical bonding agents such as JB Weld, two part epoxies, and automotive body filler, you have a base chemical that has a specific quantity of catalyst added to it to allow it to harden after application. In bonding agents, this change in the chemical process is what holds the two items together. Or bonds them.

It is a similar concept to the catalyst used in cerakote. The catalyst speeds up the curing process of the coating. This allows it to reach its full performance properties faster. It also has an effect on how glossy the final product looks after the curing process. This is done by adjusting the ratio of the catalyst. An example of this is the BRD black that is used on rifles where a client wants the rifle all black.

Carbon fiber is also known as graphite fiber. It is a lightweight, strong, and stiff material that is made from thin strands of carbon. It’s not until it is permeated with a resin compound and baked that it forms carbon fiber.

Thermal Conductivity

Carbon fiber as used in firearm components, does not conduct heat or cold well. It tends to be an insulator of heat and not a dissipater. This is why it’s commonly believed that a carbon fiber barrel dissipates heat quicker than a steel barrel. When temperature readings are taken with an IR temp gauge or a barrel attached temp gauge, these readings are surface temperatures. Being that carbon fiber has a lower thermal conductivity than steel, the heat from the barrel core below the carbon fiber has not yet reached the surface. It’s staying in the barrel core longer. Hence the lower surface temp. We will get into this a bit more when discussing barrels.

Barrel, handguard, and other manufacturers of carbon fiber components for firearms use their own proprietary resins in the application of carbon fiber. Some barrel manufacturers have been adding aluminum in their carbon fiber layers to aid in increasing the heat sink capabilities of the carbon fiber and barrel. Not all manufacturers do this, though.

Carbon Fiber Handguards

Reduced thermal conductivity of the carbon fiber can be experienced in colder or hotter environmental conditions. More so in colder conditions. This is a benefit that some individuals like and will seek in carbon fiber handguards and grips. If you take a rifle with an aluminum handguard and one with a carbon fiber handguard and set them outside in colder environments for the same length of time, you will find that the aluminum handguard will be colder than a carbon fiber. As the outside temperature drops significantly, especially below freezing, a greater difference between the two handguard materials will generally be greater. This is why some individuals that reside in colder climates prefer to have a carbon fiber handguard.

Now for a subject that most individuals don’t consider, and to be honest, isn’t a real concern when discussing predator hunting rifles, but that is the ability of a carbon fiber handguard to act as a heat sink. We’ve already established that carbon fiber in firearm components is not a good conductor of heat. We know that aluminum is a good conductor of heat. As a barrel heats up from extended use, an aluminum rail enables efficient heat dissipation from the barrel to the handguard through radiant heat. This can prolong shooting sessions as well as aiding in maintain consistent barrel performance. We do not get this advantage with a carbon fiber handguard, but the carbon fiber handguard does have the advantage of the handguard not heating up under such use. Making it cooler to hold than an aluminum handguard.

As you may be able to deduce by the above talking points about carbon fiber handguards and about the overall thermal conductivity, that carbon fiber has its advantages and disadvantages as it pertains to thermal conductivity.

Let’s touch on rigidity and weight, as it too, is an advantage and disadvantage when discussing carbon fiber use in handguards. We will deep dive this a bit more when discussing barrels, but it does have both positive and negative influences on handguards.

Like with barrels, carbon fiber needs to be the same weight as an aluminum handguard to have the same rigidity as the aluminum handguard. This results in a carbon fiber handguard that is a larger diameter than a respective aluminum handguard. Depending on the manufacturer, this difference can be great. This can create a hindrance to the shooter in the ability to use the handguard when shooting, as the diameter is large enough that doesn’t fit the average hand size well. This larger diameter can also create transportation or storage concerns due to the large diameter of the carbon fiber handguard. In addition, the use of a larger diameter carbon fiber handguard comes with a larger attachment system to attach the handguard to the upper receiver. The combination of both of these, commonly ends up with a carbon fiber handguard that is heavier than some quality aluminum handguards. So there is no weight savings, but there can be a weight gain.

Large Frame AR handguards. Pro & Nyx rifle handguard on the left & Lancer LCH7 on the right.

On the opposite end of this are carbon fiber handguards that are the same diameter, maybe a little smaller in diameter, than an aluminum handguard. While these handguards will generally have a weight savings as compared to the aluminum counterpart, they are generally thinner and less rigid. This leads to flexing of the carbon fiber handguard under pressure. An example of this is when you add an ARCA mount to the M-LOK rail. Dependent on the design and shape of the carbon fiber handguard, when you load the gun on a tripod to take a shot, these handguards will flex at the M-LOK mount due to the thinner cross section. As compared to aluminum or larger carbon fiber handguards.

There are many manufacturers of carbon fiber handguards. Some may only produce handguards for the AR-15, while others produce handguards for both the AR-15 and large frame AR rifles.

The two most common carbon fiber handguard manufacturers that are seen on predator hunting rifles is Lancer and Smoke Composites. These are also the handguards that have been used on the BRD Gun Works Carbon and Elite rifles. Handguards from these two manufacturers greatly differ in both design and size.

The Lancer carbon fiber handguards are approximately 2.2” in outside diameter and are octagon in shape. The Lancer handguard uses a large aluminum housing that screws onto the receiver extension for attachment of the carbon fiber handguard. The barrel nut screws into this housing to secure the barrel. The Lancer LCH7 16.25” handguards were used on the Invictus Carbon and Elite rifles. With the housing adaptor, the handguards weighed in at 15.1oz. Compare this to the 16” ultra-lite handguard that is used on the Invictus Pro rifle that weighs 12.3oz with the barrel nut. The ultra-lite handguard is 3.1oz lighter, and in testing and R&D, we’ve found the ultra-lite handguard to be more rigid than the Lancer LCH7. The ultra-lite rail measures 1.75” in diameter which is about a .5” less than the Lancer LCH7.

16.25″ Lancer LCH7

16″ Ultra Lite used on the Pro and Nyx rifles

The Smoke Composite handguards are much smaller in diameter than the Lancer handguards. They’re also much thinner. While the smaller diameter provides for a handguard that is easier to grip, and aids in storage and transportation, it is less rigid than the Lancer and aluminum handguards. Making it prone to flexing under load when shooting off of an ARCA mount. The diameter of a large frame AR handguard is 2.12”, while a 15” handguard weighs 8.5oz with the barrel nut. In comparison to the ultra-lite handguard as mentioned above, the Smoke handguard is 3.8oz less than the ultra-lite handguard, but it is also much less rigid. A down side to carbon fiber is that it is more brittle than a substrate such as aluminum. I’ve used a number of Smoke Composite handguards. Some on PCC competition rifles and some on predator hunting rifles. They flex. I have cracked more than one. Smoke Composite now makes their own ARCA mount that is specifically made to the contour of their handguard. We’ve used a few on the smoke handguards, and while it’s a huge improvement, it still doesn’t have the same rigidity of a Lancer or aluminum handguard. That said, I wouldn’t use a Smoke handguard without using their ARCA plate. At the time of this writing, their ARCA plate is $89.00.

Carbon Fiber Barrels

I think it’s important to clarify that carbon fiber barrels are not entirely carbon fiber. It’s a misconception by a lot of individuals that they are. To include into this, some carbon fiber barrels use less carbon fiber than one may think. It’s dependent upon the barrel design.

A carbon fiber barrel starts life as a standard barrel blank. We’ll use 416R stainless steel, as that’s what is used the most in carbon fiber barrels. This blank is then machined and profiled down to the barrel core dimensions as specified by the barrel manufacturer. From here, there are a couple of ways to go. The most common is the traditional way of carbon wrapping a barrel. When carbon wrapping a barrel, manufacturers use a resin to adhere the carbon fiber layers. This resin is generally proprietary to the manufacturer. These carbon fiber layers are feed from a spool to the barrel as it spins. Some manufacturers will add enhancements to their carbon fiber layers. Proof Research is one, and they add pieces of aluminum which they state aids in thermal conductivity and increasing heat transfer.

The other is the installation of a tensioned sleeve over the profiled barrel. Generally these are carbon fiber and do not contact the profiled barrel. Creating an air gap that is said to enhance cooling. Some barrels done this way also have vents machined into them to allow air to circulate between the sleeve and the profiled barrel underneath.

A number of years ago, Proof Research barrels were made for them by Bartlein barrels. Many don’t know, but Bartlein barrels has been doing work with carbon fiber barrels for a long time. One of the many things that they found out is that carbon fiber barrels need to be the same weight as a 416R barrel to maintain or exceed the rigidity and performance of the 416R barrel, and is one reason why they’re of a larger profile. This results in a significantly larger diameter than the smaller, more standard, profile of a 416R barrel of the same weight. This size of carbon fiber barrel is not practical. What we find with the larger diameter profile barrels from Proof Research, Carbon 6, and some others is a heavier profile carbon fiber barrel that will provide a weight reduction of a .5lb to around 1lb depending on the profile and manufacturing process as compared to a 416R barrel of similar profile. Here’s an example with the Carbon 6 243 Win barrel that I’ve used a lot of. A 20” 243 Win C6 barrel with rifle +2 gas length, .875” gas block journal, and a 5/8×24 thread weighs 2lbs 13.2oz. The BRDGW 22” 22CM heavy profile fluted barrel with rifle +2 gas, .875” gas block journal, and a 5/8×24 thread weighs 3lbs even. The C6 243 Win barrel with less bore material due to bullet diameter and 2” shorter barrel length, only saves 2.8oz over the longer and smaller bore diameter (more material) of the 416R 22CM.

Carbon 6 20″ 243 Win .875″ gas block journal

Carbon 6 20″ 243 Win .875″ gas block journal

BRDGW 22″ 22 Creedmoor heavy profile fluted 416R barrel

The heavier profile also has an added benefit when adding a suppressor. A suppressor will change the vibration of the barrel, which can have an effect on accuracy and precision. Even a titanium suppressor will do this. Without a deep dive into this, its principal is very similar to Browning’s old BOSS muzzle device, or barrel tuners that are currently seen in F Class shooting as well as some other shooting sports. A heavier suppressor will have a different effect than a lighter suppressor. This is where barrel profile comes in. Barrel whip is real. This is tied to barrel vibrations. One last thing on this. Some 416R barrels are too small of a profile to mount a suppressor to without heavy machining modifications. A carbon fiber barrel with a larger profile can allow for the mounting of a suppressor, without the added weight of increasing the barrel profile of a 416R barrel.

You will find carbon fiber barrels in various profiles. Some manufacturers offer carbon fiber barrels in a few different profiles that do not correlate to the sizing of a 416R barrel, while other manufacturers are all about cutting the weight and therefore producing carbon fiber barrels that are a much smaller profile than other carbon fiber barrels.

In our experiences with the small profile carbon fiber barrels, you can cut a significant amount of weight over a 416R barrel, but it comes at a cost. Generally, a barrel that is less rigid. One that heats up quickly and doesn’t dissipate heat as well. And a barrel that will generally open up or walk sooner than a 416R barrel or a heavier profile carbon fiber barrel. Machining can also introduce concerns to the internal bore of the barrel to include but is not limited to increasing the curvature of the bore. Introducing stresses due to the machining process. And machining the exterior of the barrel can open up the inner bore diameter. These can be more pronounced when greatly decreasing the external barrel diameter for a carbon fiber barrel.

Carbon fiber barrels have a tendency to open up in group size and/ or string shots before a 416R barrel will. There is nothing that dictates how soon or within how many shots this will happen. There’s a number of factors that go into this. I’ve seen carbon fiber barrels start stringing in 4 to 5 shots, and I’ve seen it in 11 to 12 shots. While this may not affect the average predator hunter, it is still a consideration as it’s a direct effect on performance.

Steel has a higher expansion rate than carbon fiber at it heats up. Carbon fiber used in the construction of barrels has a negative thermal expansion coefficient. Meaning that it shrinks as it is heated. But, this only occurs in the direction parallel to the fibers. There is a slight amount of growth in the perpendicular direction, but nothing significant enough to note. This, combined with the smaller diameter barrel core, can contribute to why a barrel walks as it heats up.
One last bit on carbon fiber barrels and thermal conductivity. AKA, heat dissipation. As already discussed, it takes heat longer to dissipate out from the steel barrel core. This can result in overheating of the barrel core in the area of the throat. If this occurs, the higher average heat temps and higher average peak heat duration can result in quicker and greater throat erosion and fire cracking of the bore. This is something that the average predator hunter may not be concerned with, but it could be of concern to someone who hunts hogs and gets into big groups.

Is BRDGW Moving Away From Carbon Fiber?

Yes and no. I’ve dropped a bit of information here to hopefully provide some useful information about carbon fiber components, as well as some advantages and disadvantages.

In a decision that wasn’t easily made, BRD is moving away from carbon fiber handguards and for the near future, carbon fiber barrels on BRD rifles. The ultra-lite handguards used on our Pro rifles will be replacing the carbon fiber rails. As discussed in the handguard section, these handguards weigh less than the Lancer carbon fiber handguards, while being more rigid and smaller in diameter for better handling characteristics. If a client wants to customize a rifle with carbon fiber components, this will be an option with understanding the pitfalls of the lead times for those components.

Due to extensive lead times on carbon fiber barrels from my preferred carbon fiber barrel manufacturer, I’m looking into different options. Carbon 6 has been the carbon barrel company that’s been used exclusively at BRD Gun Works LLC. Once I’m out of the carbon fiber barrels left in stock that will be the end for now. I’ve shot a lot of different carbon fiber barrels from various manufacturers, and I’ve not found a carbon fiber barrel that shot to my expectations or has been as consistent as a Carbon 6. Not even Proof. Unfortunately, their lead times over the last year have become delayed and significant. This has put me in a position to miss promised lead times to many clients. By a significant amount. Some are still waiting on their rifle(s). As it is, I was ordering batches of barrels in advance so that I could keep a steady flow of barrels available. Now, I need to order carbon fiber barrels a year or more in advance. Being more of a custom shop for the AR platform, this isn’t conducive to business. While some cartridges are a staple in the predator hunting community, there is still an ebb and flow of what individuals want. Whether that be barrel length, profile, chambering, or something else.

While I assess and test other carbon fiber barrel options, our Pro barrels will be fluted in the Invictus series large frame AR’s and replace the carbon fiber barrels. The C6 carbon fiber barrels that I used in BRD rifles were a heavier profile with a .875” gas block journal. While a C6 20” 243 Win carbon fiber barrel weighs just under 3lbs in this configuration, in my opinion it is one of the reasons they shoot so well and is worth giving up a little weight savings.

I’ve been running one of the Nyx fluted barrels in my personal 22CM. The Nyx barrels are a custom BRD profile, and for the large frame AR’s they’re a large profile that are fluted with flutes specifically laid out for depth and width to reduce weight without having a negative impact on barrel performance. As stated earlier, these barrels are more rigid than a C6 carbon fiber barrel and weigh just a bit more than a C6 barrel of the heavier profile.

At the time of this writing a new model has been recently released in both the Vertex and Invictus series of rifles to reflect the change. It is the Nyx. The Nyx is what is replacing the Carbon and Elite models.

Invictus Nyx Side Charge 243 Win

Vertex Nyx Side Charge 22 ARC

The Nyx uses a Smoke Composite carbon fiber stock, the ultra-lite handguard that’s used on the Pro rifles, and the Nyx barrel in a custom BRD profile. The Invictus large frame rifles will have a fluted Nyx barrel. I and Chad Dop have been shooting the Nyx for about a year now. I’m shooting a Vertex Nyx in 22 ARC and he’s shooting an Invictus Nyx in 243 Win. The changes have had a positive effect on performance in the Nyx.

I don’t think carbon fiber barrels are a fad. I believe that they’re here to stay. I do plan on having them back in BRDGW rifles at some point. As an option in the Pro rifles, which has been very popular for us, and as an option for the Nyx rifles. Those who know me know that I won’t sacrifice performance just to make money or to be able to offer something. It is my mission to produce the best predator hunting AR rifle available.

BRD Gun Works LLC
Turning predator into prey

Pros of a lightweight rifle:

• Improved mobility

• Reduced fatigue

• Faster transitions

Cons of a lightweight rifle:

• Increased recoil

• Recoil management

• Lightweight rifles are more difficult to shoot well consistently

• Light rifles generally are not as predictable

• Not as forgiving as a heavier rifle

In my opinion, overall rifle weight is widely misunderstood and can have a significant impact on a shooter’s ability to shoot a rifle well. Rifle weight also influences another aspect of a rifle that has a direct correlation to its shootability. Balance. Both of these are considerations when shooting off of a tripod as well, as the head of a tripod acts as a fulcrum. A point of leverage that we can manipulate to achieve different effects in the rifle. I may address in the future.

Let’s dive into this a bit more and look at it from a predator hunter’s standpoint. The majority of factory rifles are heavy. Especially in the large frame AR platform, and this is before you mount an optic, suppressor, or whatever accessories you may want to add. When looking at more custom rifles, generally, you will find options that are already below the weight of a factory rifle without trying to go “lightweight,” and then sometimes that lightweight is only one to two pounds less and comes at a greater cost. Both tangible and monetarily.

Key Points

A rifle that is a pound or two heavier will provide for a more stable platform that is easier to shoot well consistently, and it is more predictable. Shot placement is king. Being consistent and predictable will put more fur on the ground. If you can’t shoot your rifle well, it doesn’t really matter, because you’re probably not going to hit what you’re aiming at.

Shooting fundamentals are critical to executing any shot. Especially at longer distances. They’re even more so with a lightweight rifle, as these rifles are more sensitive to input from the shooter.

• Getting the stock into the shoulder pocket for better stability

• A shooter’s input into the stock will influence a lightweight rifle more than it will a heavier rifle

• Getting a stable and solid shooting position

• Some lightweight components used in rifles are less rigid and can flex under a load

• Carbon fiber rails are an example

• May require a specific ARCA rail to increase rigidity

• Pressure input to the rifle at shooter to rifle contact points

• Inhibit your ability to acquire and maintain a precise aim point through the breaking of the shot

• A lighter rifle isn’t as forgiving when you’re not the most stable or when in awkward shooting positions

• Makes executing the fundamentals more difficult

A lighter rifle will have more recoil and be less forgiving. This is relative of course. Smaller cartridges will have less of an affect than larger cartridges, or magnum cartridges for most individuals. I keep seeing larger, magnum type cartridges such as the PRC family, trending upward in use in the predator hunting community.

• Small errors introduced as a shooter produces significant error in downrange dispersion

• Your ability to break a clean shot is affected

• Harsh recoil typically results in a flinch and/or trigger jerk as the individual anticipates what is coming as far as recoil

• More recoil has a negative effect on your neurobiological thoughts

• Commonly produces negative thoughts

• Startle reflex

• Pre-ignition movements which translate into rifle movement

• If the recoil produces pain, the effects will be even worse

• Recoil management is negatively affected.

• When you come out of recoil you have no idea what happened

• Lose target during recoil

• Decreased ability to read shot placement or see your hits

• Decreased ability to track multiple targets

• Increases time to provide a follow-up shot or to engage a secondary target

Weight has a core aspect that affects the shootability of a rifle and the performance of the shooter. Balance. A balanced rifle is smoother and faster when moving it, and often will provide more stability than a rifle that isn’t. It also allows the rifle to recoil in a consistent manner from shot to shot.

• An unbalanced rifle may require more shooter input to achieve the desired results.

• You could see a point of impact shift or change in group size with a rearward or forward change in balance

When talking about a balance point, there are two types. Stock heavy or front heavy. They both have positive and negatives to them.

A stock heavy balance point aids the rifle in being quicker to point and maneuver, but it decreases the stability.

• Makes it less steady when aiming and shooting- muzzle is less steady

• Can cause more muzzle rise during recoil

• Makes follow-up shots or tracking more difficult

• Rifle is more prone to movement in unstable positions

• Usually requires more input pressure on the stock

A stock heavy balance may be desirable to some.

• It may be more comfortable for smaller frame shooters

• If fast target acquisition is desirable

• A rearward weight bias aids in this

• Can cause some to swing through a target

A front heavy balance point aids the rifle in improving its stability and reducing muzzle rise.

• Aids in maintaining sight alignment

• Especially at distance

• Counter acts muzzle rise

• Aids in improving follow-up shots

• Aids in tracking ability

• Aids in seeing your shots

• Can aid in accuracy due to increased rifle stability

A downside to a front heavy rifle is that it can make the rifle feel less maneuverable and slower to react to shooter input.

I’ve mentioned a tripod a few times, and how the head is a fulcrum. Balance position off of a tripod is different in application in some ways. I’m not going to go in-depth on this at this point. I may touch on this in the future. I’m just going to mention a few key points that could benefit predator hunters.

• A balanced condition in unstable conditions or shooter induced wobble can increase reticle movement due to the fulcrum distance

• Extending the anchor point, moving the rifle rearward on the tripod, increases the fulcrum distance

• This aids in minimizing induced mechanical wobble

• You’ve extended your base with the tripod base

• A downside is that poor recoil management can create a different point of impact shift

Conclusion

As predator hunters, the majority of us are not hiking through rugged terrain or mountainous areas where 2lbs, or more, can have a significant effect on your performance throughout the hunt, as well as when it’s time to make the critical shot. From talking to many clients, as well as having conversations in forums and social media groups, what is usually the forefront of the discussion is the ability to shoot 400 to 500yds or so. Shooting longer ranges is where a rifle with a bit more weight will make the task easier, as well as benefit the accuracy and precision. With the previous said, looking at it from the view of tournament hunters where an individual is most likely covering a lot of ground hunting for 24 to 48 hours, mobility and fatigue are real considerations.

This isn’t meant to persuade you in one way or another. It’s meant to inform. Each person has their own preferences for what they want in a rifle. This comes from my experiences. From R&D. From talking to other serious shooters and hunters that have been on both sides of the weight spectrum. In my opinion, most hunters will benefit from a rifle that is a bit heavier. Is saving a couple of pounds worth it to you? Only you can weigh the advantages and disadvantages as they pertain to you, and make that decision.

Rich Gonzales and Nick Nabor

Do you want to step up your game? Do you know what separates a lot of the top tournament hunting teams from the rest of the pack? They can flat out shoot! They rarely miss. They know their equipment and DOPE. They kill most every coyote that comes into the call. Generally, these teams also have a guy or two that is very proficient at long range shooting. I know of some teams that have guys that can consistently kill coyotes at 600 and 700yds. Even at night.

Rich Gonzales long balling it with his 6 Creedmoor. Green dot on the horizon was where the shot was taken from.

I know that I’ve had stands where pressured coyotes, or “educated” coyotes have come to within 500 or so yards, and then they won’t commit any closer. Maybe you’ve experienced this, too? Two weeks ago, I was hunting with a buddy and we had six coyotes hanging up at about 600yds. This was after we closed the gap by 200 or so yards. But we couldn’t move any closer through the open field towards the wood line they were on. Neither one of us were shooting a cartridge that was sufficient for making a clean shot at this distance. Even if I was, that distance is a little more than what I am proficient at.

Invest in You

So, what goes into killing more coyotes? Proficiency and practice! Mainly anyway. There is something to be said for quality equipment, but that’s a rabbit hole that we won’t go down here. We may skirt the edge of it, though.

I’m not going to get into a caliber debate, but I will leave you with the following. Choose the proper ammunition and/or bullet for the cartridge that you are shooting. The bullet needs to have enough velocity to perform as it’s designed at the impact distance that you’re shooting at. Bullet design is also critical to its terminal performance. For the most part there are two camps here. The bullet goes in, but doesn’t exit. It dumps all of its energy inside of the animal. The other is more common of the typical expanding style bullets. The bullet goes in and exits. It’s relying upon expansion for the temporary and permanent wound channels, combined with loss of blood. When this occurs, the bullet is not dumping all of its energy into the target. It has retained energy, as it has passed through the target. You also want to make sure that you’re shooting a bullet that is appropriate for coyote sized animals. Meaning that for the most part, you don’t want to be shooting a bullet that’s designed for medium game, or even larger. This will lead to pass through shots that generally will pin hole or ice pick both sides of the yote. Generally this does not equal a DRT result. Dead Right There. This is the result that I, and most coyote hunters want. Especially tournament hunters. The more time that you have to spend looking for a coyote that ran after you shot it, the less stands that you will be able to make. If you want to kill a lot of coyotes, you need to make a lot of stands. One last thing on this. Some cartridges allow for more of a fudge factor on shot placement. Most all cartridges will work for coyote hunting, but there are options that greatly increase your lethality on coyotes.

6 ARC 58g V-Max Entry- No Exit

6 Creedmoor Exit

Practice. Practice. Practice! And get off of the bench. This is where I see many coyote hunters fail. They don’t’shoot or practice all year long. I see it all of the time at the main range that I go to. Just last week I was at the range on a few different occasions and each time I saw guys struggling to get their thermal sighted in. Some were having gun issues. A couple of guys were trying to diagnose why they weren’t hitting their POA and were blaming the optic. Maybe. But doubtful. In talking with these individuals, they were all getting ready for coyote hunting. Mind you, here in Iowa we can hunt year around. Most will look at it as October or November through around March. Yet the majority of them said that the rifle had been sitting since last season. Some hadn’t even been cleaned or lubricated.

Shoot year around. I know things get busy, but make it a point to get out at least a couple times a month. Get off of the bench if your range will allow for it. It’s fine to shoot from the bench to work on your fundamentals, but shooting from the tripod will verify those, as well as force you to work on other skills.

One of my preferred drills for being consistent on a rifle is the dot drill. This drill can be done a couple of different ways, but I typically use it for getting on the gun in a consistent manner. Take a backer of some sort and put a few rows of 1”, or whatever size you prefer, dots on it. Set it up at 100yds. I do this from the bench as well as the tripod. With a zeroed rifle, position the rifle on bags. On the first dot, get yourself settled, proper sight picture, etc., and execute a shot. It should be in the dot. Get up from the bench now. Maybe walk a short bit. Get back into position and repeat the process. Get settled. Proper sight picture. Etc. Execute the shot. It too should be in the dot. Repeat this for each dot. You’re looking for consistency in POI from dot to dot. As the barrel warms, it may start to walk, but you can take this into account. If you’re all over from dot to dot, then you have something going on in your fundamentals. You’re not consistent on the gun. The process is the same from the tripod, except that you’ll step away from the tripod between shots. You can also stay on the gun between dots and shoot it more as a precision type drill. Testing your natural point of aim, trigger pull, follow through, etc.

Dot Drill Target Example

If you or your range has steel, set up some steel targets at different distances. Shoot them from the tripod if possible. Are you shooting with a buddy? Have your buddy call out a specific target. Then you find and engage it. Want to make this more difficult? Add a timer and a Par time. Meaning a set time that you have to put a shot on target. Most, if not all, timers have this function. Once set, the timer will beep giving you your go signal. At the time that you preset, the timer will beep again signaling that your time is over. You can even run a Par time to a single target when you’re shooting by yourself. The video below is me running the 6 ARC with 80g VT ammunition on a 4″x4″ plate and 8″ plate at 220yds.

You say that you’re limited to 100yds and don’t have any steel or fancy targets? That’s OK! You can work on shooting groups. Your fundamentals. You can put targets of different sizes and shapes up at 100yds. This will add a varying amount of difficulty. You can even run a Par time if you wanted to. There some free timers in the app stores that may work OK if you don’t have a timer.

Whatever you do, make your shooting count! Don’t just go and make expensive noise.

It’s always a good idea to check your zero from time to time. I can’t recall how many times I’ve heard somebody say “I don’t remember where my zero is. Guess I’ll find out.” If you zero off of a bench, always verify it from the tripod. Sometimes the POI may shift between the two. I recently experienced this myself. Usually my POI’s are the same. Not this time.

Speaking of zeroing. When you zero your optic, make sure that all attachments are in place. More specifically, if you use a suppressor make sure that it’s on. Generally speaking, adding or removing a suppressor will change your POI. Sometimes by a great amount. The other day when I was at the range a guy was zeroing his thermal. He had made the comment to me that he had forgot his suppressor, but he wanted to get zeroed. OK. Good luck with that. I tried to talk to him about it, but it went nowhere.

If you clean your rifle barrel, foul it before you decide to take it hunting. It’s not uncommon for a clean barrel to have a different POI from a dirty barrel. One that has carbon and copper in it. I generally will put about 10 rounds through a clean barrel before I will hunt with it.

On Stand

The following may create some criticism and arguments. Generally, I won’t shoot at runners. For one, I’m not very good at it. Probably because I don’t do it enough to get good at it. I have dumped a few on the run, but I’ve missed many more and wasted a lot of ammo. Guys that I know that kill a lot of coyotes, generally won’t shoot at runners either. Tournament or out of state hunting is a bit different. In these cases, the majority of the time, one is not worried about going back and hunting that spot any time soon. If ever again.

What I’ve come to find is that a lot of the time a runner may stop and provide you with another shot opportunity. The same applies when multiple yotes come in. After the first one is dumped, the others begin to scatter. It’s not uncommon for some of them to stop and offer shot opportunities if they haven’t been mag dumped on and have it in high gear headed for the next county. If the belly of the coyote isn’t dragging the ground in an ultra low high speed drag reducing posture, or the ears are not pinned back, there’s a chance that the coyote may stop again. This is where your call can come in handy, too. Sometimes a quick hit of a preset that is a howl or coyote distress may distract that coyote from its thought long enough that it’ll stop and provide a shot opportunity.

I don’t mind leaving a couple to run off on a stand. I’ll go back after them at another time. I do believe that like a domesticated K9, that a coyote will associate things as positive or negative as it relates to things in their environmental area, and that they tie this to experiences. Like how we train dogs. Take a dog with an underground fence for example. It may take a few zaps from the collar, but at some point most dogs will know that hey I can go to this point. Beyond that, I’m going to get a pain in my neck. A good example of this is this past winter. I pulled into a field edge to hunt a field. Scanning the field I see a coyote already out there mousing around. I get the rifle set up and I drop the call a few feet from me. This coyote was about 200yds from me. I turned on a rabbit distress at a low volume. He immediately turned and ran back to the woods that he came from. Gee. Do you think he’s heard that sound before and had a negative interaction? Lol. I did call that yote back out with some pup distress.

Gear- Kind Of

I said that I wasn’t going to make this about gear, and I’m not. But there are a couple of things that need to be mentioned if you want to increase the number of coyotes that you kill.

Make sure your rifle works 100% and that it shoots consistent groups. Know the limitations of your rifle and other shooting related equipment. Be realistic about this. Certain cartridges may not provide the needed terminal ballistics at 200 or 300yds or further. If your rifle is an MOA rifle, that’s ok. Just know that you may be limited with some shots. Can you make that headshot at 150yds as that’s all that you can see of the yote? Can you take that quartering away shot at 100yds. It’s a small vital zone and there’s a good chance of a gut hit. I think you get the idea. If you or your rifle is larger than an MOA shooter, than this has to be taken into consideration. Can you make that shot at 200 or 300yds? A practical example. The vital area of an average adult coyote is roughly 6” to 8” in diameter. If you’re shooting say 1.5 MOA, that’s 3” at 200yds. That’s half or about half of the vital area. Further out you go, it doesn’t get any smaller and environmental conditions may not always be perfect for you to shoot your average.

Consistency. I’ve used that word a bit. Where it really comes into its element is in your shooting platform. A solid and robust tripod will greatly aid you in making precise shots, shots at longer distances, as well as mitigating recoil and staying in the optic. It can also decrease the time spent making the shot. AKA shot timing. Like cartridges, tripods are a hotly contested and debated topic. Here’s what I will say. Tripods are money well spent. Yes, a decent amount of money. Get rid of the center column tripod. Get rid of the flimsy tripod that has the legs flexing and bowing when you load it. Make the move to an ARCA mount. While some tripods have 3^rd party 3D printed or manufactured ball heads, just skip these and get a quality tripod and ball head. It will provide more stability and a smoother operation. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had somebody get behind one of my rifles on one of my tripods and they’re blown away by how stable and solid it is in comparison to theirs. It is money well spent if you want to increase your odds of killing more coyotes.

There is No Secret

Hitting AND killing every coyote that you shoot at. It’s that simple, and it’s no secret. This is the number one way to increase your end year totals. Yet many fail to do this. I myself miss more than I’d like at times. But those who are putting up large numbers of coyotes every year have a few things going for them. They have land access, and lots of land access. Some may be in a target rich environment. They kill higher than 95% of the coyotes that come in on a stand. They hunt and hunt a lot. Most are not “weekend warriors.”

No matter how much you hunt, or what kind of hunter you consider yourself to be, you too can up your numbers by killing every coyote that comes in. Or a high majority of them anyway. Invest time in yourself and your skills. Enjoy this adventure.

BRD Gun Works LLC

Turning predators into prey

The above concerns are commonly seen in over gassed AR’s, or AR’s with excessive operating pressures.

Over gassing is a condition in which the bolt carrier group has an excessive amount of gas pressure applied to it over a period of time, resulting in an increase of timing in the AR platform, which then correlates to non-optimal extraction and ejection of spent cases. If excessive enough, over gassing can result in functioning concerns and excessive wear on critical components.

What are some contributors to over gassing?

• Larger than optimal gas port diameters
• Long dwell time combined with large gas ports
• High pressure ammunition- Handloads or some factory ammunition
• Addition of a suppressor- Most suppressors will add back pressure, aka bore pressure
• Combination of the above listed factors

Pro Tip: the easiest “field expedient” way of checking timing (AKA gassing) is by observing where the firearm is throwing the spent brass. Here’s a caveat to this. Ejector spring and extractor spring tension will influence the ejection distance and position. Check out this article on extractor tips. Shoot 5-10 rounds and see where the spent brass is ejecting to and where it is landing. It should typically be making a nice pile, or “group” at a 3-4 o’clock position and typically six to eight feet away. If you shoot with a suppressor, repeat the previous check and note your findings. If you’re ejecting spent cases before the 3 o’clock position without a suppressor, it’s most likely that the gun is over gassed. If you add a suppressor and the group moves forward to a 1-2 o’clock position, you’re getting too much gas and the casings are coming out so fast they are hitting your deflector and bouncing forward.

Optimizing the buffer system to the gun increases the operational performance as well as reducing wear on critical components. This is where we start. If we are unable to get the gun properly timed either due to an excessively large gas port diameter, pressure of the ammunition being used, addition of a suppressor, or a combination of these factors then we look at adding an adjustable gas block to further regulate the port pressure downward.

In the AR platform, the gas that drives the system has several components which affect operation. First is the port pressure, which is determined by the location of the gas port on the barrel, and which also determines the length of time the gas has to travel to effect operation of the bolt.

Next is the size of the gas port, which determines gas volume introduced into the system.

Last, is the barrel length past the gas port, which determines the dwell time, or time that the system is pressurized.

The pressure factor of the ammunition being fired is the last variable related to gas. However, it should be noted, that when using suppressors which have bore pressure (AKA backpressure) created by the baffle-chamber design most common in the industry, this effectively lengthens the barrel, often dramatically increasing the dwell time and creating additional prolonged pressure on the breach-face of the bolt. These characteristics creates an over gassed condition, increased cyclic rate, felt recoil, and blowback into the action which in the AR platform will result in gas exiting the ejection port and sometimes through the charging handle.

The three core components to the AR operation trifecta are:

• Springs
• Gas
• Mass

In that order.

It is through adjustments of these core components that we achieve optimal performance characteristics in the AR platform, and within reason can reduce over gassing and the effects that it has.

The action spring (AKA buffer spring) to a large degree determines how long the bolt carrier group stays locked in battery. It regulates the speed of the reciprocating mass, which in the AR is the bolt carrier group and the buffer. The buffer spring slows the mass, and it also creates the force which returns the bolt carrier group back into battery. Action springs such as those by Springco USA come in various spring rates and allow you to tune the system. Other springs such as the magazine spring and hammer spring also contribute slightly to the timing of the gun as they do provide slight resistance in the rearward stroke of the bolt carrier group.

For the more technical minded people, force divided by mass gives you acceleration, so if you increase the mass of the buffer you can slow down the cycle of the bolt. But, reciprocating mass affects the tuning in a couple of ways. By increasing weight you increase the amount of time it takes for the reciprocating mass to begin moving.

This is a benefit in over gassed guns, guns that are under sprung, and guns that have a longer dwell time in that it aids in keeping the bolt carrier group in battery which in turns reduces chamber pressure. Once the heavier mass starts moving it also moves slower the heavier it is. This reduces the cyclic rate. Now for the negatives of a heavier reciprocating mass. Too much reciprocating mass can cause the chamber pressure to be reduced too much, and create functional concerns. Heavier reciprocating mass provides for more felt recoil over a longer duration. This is due to the mass bottoming out against the bottom of the buffer tube, and the amount of time it stays there due to the buffer spring taking longer to get that mass moving forward. All of this will typically translate into more movement of the firearm which directly affects how much the reticle moves when firing a shot. This can increase the difficulty of spotting your own shots or to quickly place follow-up shots. Excessive reciprocating mass can also cause premature gas ring wear.

Bottom line is that empirical data has shown that increasing spring rate and then increasing buffer weight as required provides for better performance in the AR platform, as well as reducing wear on critical components.

This also applies to most SCS buffer systems. Systems such as the JP SCS allow you to tune the SCS using various springs that are of different spring rates, as well as replacing the steel weights with tungsten weights that you can purchase.

It should be noted that not all SCS style buffer systems will allow you to change spring rates. They only allow you to change the weights. This is the equivalent of only installing a heavier buffer.

While I’m not a proponent of adjustable gas blocks on duty or defensive AR’s, I do use them on predator hunting and competition guns. The adjustable gas block, such as SLR Rifleworks, allows us to reduce the amount of gas flow through the block, which is effectively like reducing the gas port diameter.

Another benefit of using an adjustable gas block for AR’s in these roles is that a lower reciprocating mass can also be used. This can be in the form of a lower bolt carrier weight, a lower buffer weight, or a combination of both. Remember how I stated earlier that a heavier mass will increase felt recoil over a longer duration of time? The opposite is true for a lighter mass. It will reduce felt recoil, reduce the duration of the recoil, and in most cartridges will change the recoil impulse to more of a quick and sharp hit which does not move the gun as much and results in less reticle movement. But when using a low mass system you must use an adjustable gas block and have it set correctly. Otherwise you can run into operational concerns as well as premature component failures.

When adjusting gas blocks, what I have found best with most cartridges is to set the gas block so that it always locks back on an empty mag after firing one shot with the ammunition that I will be using. I will then verify this with a couple of 3 shot sequences to verify last round bolt hold open on an empty mag. If a gas block is set right at that ragged edge of reliability, it may lock the bolt open after one round, but fail to do so after a string of 3 quickly fired shots. Once I get consistent last round bolt hold open I will generally turn the gas block screw out one to two more turns. I’ve found that this provides me with an operational envelope that will work year around and with the range of ammunition that I use. Now if going to a location that may have a significant elevation or atmospheric change, then you may find that you need to make additional adjustments.

While this is not in-depth information, but more of a hitting the wave tops type of article, I hope this gives you a better understanding of the relationship of the gas system and buffer system.

BRD Gun Works~ Performance on Demand

These are a few of the most common adversities that create fitment and operational concerns within the large frame ARs, and is why that BRD Gun Works does not offer upper receiver groups for the large frame guns. Large frame ARs also come into the shop for more service concerns than the AR-15.

Currently the only TDP that I’m aware of is the one owned by Knight’s Armament, as they have military contracts for their SR25. The TDP is proprietary to Knight’s Armament, unlike the AR-15 in which the TDP is platform wide. Without a platform wide TDP, this means that there are no set specifications to which components are to be made to, which results in no platform wide compatibility.

The designation of AR-10 for large frame ARs is technically incorrect. The AR-10 is a specific platform within the large frame guns and stands for Armalite Rifle 10. In the large frame ARs we have two main platforms, DPMS and AR-10. The rest of the large frame guns are comprised mainly of proprietary designs specific to the manufacturer that makes it.

The most common platform is DPMS. Within the DPMS platform we have sub-platforms:

• DPMS Gen 1- with two possible rail height specifications
  • High rail- .210″
  • Low rail- .150″
• DPMS Gen 2

Also within the DPMS platform you may find that while the receivers are of the DPMS design, that a manufacturer may use proprietary components in the receivers. An example of this are the pivot and take-down pins on the Aero Precision M5 lower receiver. The pins required for Aero’s M5 receivers are longer than the DPMS pattern pins. Recently, there was a large frame AR in the shop for service. While it was a DPMS Gen 1 pattern it had proprietary parts in the lower receiver. The thread portion of the mag catch was longer and the bolt catch detent was also substantially longer due to the depth of the detent hole.

The DPMS Gen 1 guns are full size AR platform receivers. What is commonly thought of when we think of large frame AR’s. But as previously mentioned, there are two different specifications for the upper receivers as well as the handguards. There is the “high rail” option that has an upper receiver tang height of .210”ish, while the “low rail” option is .150”ish. The high rail option is the most commonly seen rail height in the DPMS platform.

The Gen 2 DPMS AR’s utilize a shortened receiver set which makes the overall size very similar to the AR-15. This creates a lighter and more compact AR that can still fire the long action cartridges. While it uses the same magazines as the Gen 1’s; the receiver internals, rail, and barrel are specific to the Gen 2. Image below is of a Gen 2 receiver set.

A note of caution with the DPMS platform. Machining tolerances and specs can and typically will vary between manufacturers. It is not uncommon to have large frame guns come in with receivers that don’t fit properly. To have bolt carrier groups that will not properly cycle or will not lock back on an empty mag. Bolt catches with follower tangs that are not long enough to properly engage magazine followers.  

The most incorrectly used designation….. AR-10. The Armalite AR-10 was designed by Eugene Stoner, and was the basis for the AR-15 design. It should be noted that the AR-10 is a distant 2^nd to the DPMS as it relates to complete firearms and components. While the AR-10 is for the most part proprietary, it is considered to be a platform due to the availability of 3^rd party aftermarket components and support. There is very little compatibility between the DPMS or AR-10 platforms. Basically none. Aside from the buffer system that can be used, there are is no other compatibility.

Magazine selection. This can be confusing for some.

• DPMS Gen 1 and Gen 2:
  • SR25/ LR308 magazines
• Armalite AR-10:
  • Original- SR25 pattern
  • Approx. 1996 to 2011 AR-10B- AR10 mags: modified M14 magazines
  • 2012 AR-10A- SR25 pattern
• Proprietary designs vary and can include:
  • HK417
  • FN FAL
  • FN SCAR
  • HK41/HK91/G3
  • And a few others

So I should probably touch upon buffer systems. Over the years I’ve had a large number of large frame ARs come in with damage to the lower receiver due to excessive free-travel of the bolt carrier group. I’ve also seen guns with bolt carrier groups that wouldn’t fully cycle. Again, these concerns were attributed to home built guns that were not built with the proper components. Check out this video I made about 4 years ago on BCG free-travel.

There are three commonly seen large frame AR buffer systems:

• Rifle length receiver extension, rifle length buffer, and rifle length spring
• DPMS short .308 buffer, carbine receiver extension, specific 308 spring rate spring
• Armalite AR-10 system: Intermediate length tube, rifle spring, and carbine length buffer

Let’s look at some specific differences between the DPMS and AR-10.

The receivers are of a different shape. The DPMS upper receiver has a more rounded design at the rear of the upper receiver right before the buffer tube housing, while the AR-10 has more of an angular cut on the upper receiver.

Other differences:

• Barrel and bolt
  • Headspace
• Bolt carrier group
  • Armalite is specific
  • DPMS Gen 1 is specific
  • DPMS Gen 2 uses a shorter bolt carrier
  • Some carriers use proprietary components such as POF and their roller design
  • Rock River Arms bolt carrier is longer than DPMS and Armalite
• Other proprietary differences
• Buffer system as described above
• Gas tube
  • DPMS tube is approximately 15.125”- rifle length gas
  • AR-10 is approximately 15.5”- (+.325″ longer)
• Handguards as previously mentioned
• Barrel nut
  • DPMS threads are 1-7/16” and 16 TPI- 2A
  • AR-10 threads are 1-7/16” and 18 TPI-3A
• Magazine catch

I mentioned the differences of the DPMS and AR-10 gas tube above. I feel that it’s important to also mention that there are proprietary gas tube lengths within the DPMS platform. One such length is the “intermediate” length offered by Wilson Combat. At the time of this writing, within the last couple of years there have been other gas system lengths introduced into the AR-15 platform also. One such length is the “patrol” length used on some of Rosco Manufacturing K9 barrels. I mention this for the home builders. There have been large frame ARs come into the shop with functional concerns that were found to be caused by an incorrect gas tube length.

This is not meant to be an all-inclusive article, but rather to provide some insight to the complexity of the large frame ARs. It largely applies to those whom may be considering doing a home build, and is mainly to give a heads up. The majority of large frame ARs that come into the shop for functional concerns are home builds, and in my experiences the root failures were due component selection and assembly due to a lack of experience by the individual who put it together.   

BRD Gun Works~ Performance on Demand

Fall is almost here. Iowa youth deer season is in swing, and other hunting seasons will soon be following. We are lucky that we are able to hunt coyotes 24/7 with thermals. IR in Iowa is off limits during the deer seasons. Per the IA DNR, no person shall use an infrared light source to hunt coyotes during any established muzzleloader, bow, or shotgun deer hunting season. Iowa has recently opened up a 24/7 raccoon hunting season on private land. I know of guys who have dedicated thermal guns for raccoon hunting now. Hopefully this will help the crops and other wildlife that coons are so hard on.

I do hope that your year has been a blessed one so far. I wish you a safe and great hunting season. May your bag limits be filled and I do hope that you are able to make some personal records. Enjoy the great outdoors. The sunrises and sunsets on stand or in the fields. Mother nature in all of her greatness as the woods and fields become alive around you. Those special moments and bonding when hunting with kids and your buddies.

God Bless.

BRDGW at 2024 The IA Deer Classic- Bigger Booth

We will be at the 2024 Iowa Deer Classic. But with a bigger booth! The Classic will be March 1st through the 3rd. Put it on your calendar! This is a premier event. In the 3 days there is over 10,000 people in attendance. Vendors. Displays. Seminars. And more!

If you came and saw us last year, we are in the same area, but just a couple of booths down in booths 204 and 206. I felt really bad last year as we seemed to consistently be blocking the isle with people waiting to talk to us and watching some of the awesome videos that we had playing on monitors. We also had people going in the booth to our left to look at some of the guns. With the bigger booth I do hope that we will be able to provide more individualized attention within the booth. More room to come in and look at the guns and FatBoy products that will be on hand for display and sale.

I hope to see those of you that I had the pleasure of meeting last year! I hope to see some of the familiar faces to BRDGW. And if I haven’t met you and you’re going to be there, please stop by and say hi!

Some images from the 2023 IA Deer Classic.

SOT 2- SBRs and Suppressors

We have jumped into the SOT NFA side of things with an SOT 2. What does this mean? We are now able to sell and manufacturer SBRs and suppressors. While I have no intentions on manufacturing suppressors, I am working on things behind the scenes as far as selling suppressors.

I am proud to announce that we have become a Diligent Defense Co dealer. I currently have an Enticer L-Ti in house that we’ve been using and I look forward to doing some testing with. So far, I’m impressed with it!

With the recent changes to “AR Pistols” by the ATF, the popularity of SBRs has continued to grow in the predator and hog hunting communities. I’m excited to be able to continue servicing those individuals who like to hunt with short barreled rifles. One of which is me.

FatBoy Tripods and Products- In Stock!

If you didn’t know, BRD Gun Works LLC is a FatBoy dealer! Looking for an Elevate? Are you looking for the new Levitate level head? What about a 3 section Traverse tripod? Or, the Invert60 ball head? We have them and more!

Why FatBoy? Because stability is key for accurate and precise shooting. This starts at the gun and carries down into the tripod and head assembly that you’re using. Not all tripods or heads are equal. I’ve owned 2 Vets and RRS equipment. I’ve shot off of many other popular tripods on the market. Before becoming a FatBoy Tripods dealer I shot off of a FatBoy 2 section off and on for about a year. Then I purchased their Invert60 and 3 section tripod with money out of my own pocket. I ran these for awhile and was very impressed how solid and stable they are, how quiet they are, and how quickly they adjust. The Invert60 was so smooth with quick and easy locking and unlocking. Not to mention a solid lockup. I’ve been using the new Levitate level head lately. I’ve never been a level head fan. Until now. There are a lot of options on the market, but if you’re in the market for a quality tripod that won’t disappoint and has a lifetime warranty, then the FatBoy should be at the top of your list. If you have questions or would like to discuss it, hit me up.

Hang a Hat on Your Yotes

Rick Hadley of Ridge and Valley Pursuits started something when he sent a picture of a coyote wearing a BRDGW hat that he killed. Since then, I’ve been receiving pics from others doing the same. I love it! Here are a few.

22 BRD Wildcat

The 22 BRD wildcat cartridge in the AR-15 rifle has been putting down coyotes for the last year in both Iowa and Wyoming. During the day, and at night with a thermal. See some the the results of this cartridge and follow along on a few thermal kills. While you’re at the BRDGW YouTube channel, hit that subscribe button!

Few of The Recently Completed BRDGW Guns

Don’t try to make a cartridge do something that it is not designed to do. I’m frequently asked, why don’t I push the velocities on all cartridges that I handload? Simple answer. When using the correct cartridge for what I want to accomplish, the gains are negligible. Why would I sacrifice something else that is more important. Usually precision. So, here is my take on it as it relates to the AR platform.

What are some pitfalls of chasing velocity when pushing a cartridge?

• Pressure
• Increased wear on critical components
• Possible extraction and feeding concerns due to increased gun timing- AR
• Possible case failure
• Narrower accuracy/ precision “nodes”
• Bullet may not shoot as “flat” as a lower velocity
• Negligible gains in external ballistics as compared to component wear
• Less consistency in the load
• Exceeding limits of the bullet construction

Why is chasing velocity a thing? Because individuals want to believe that the most velocity will provide them with the “flattest” shooting bullet. This is especially true with predator hunters that hunt at night. How often do you hear, 22-250 like velocities. This in of itself has people pushing .223’s, 22 Nosler’s, a host of .22 caliber wildcats, some of the 6mm cartridges, etc. At times exceeding their limits in that chase for velocity.

The velocity fallacy used to be rampant in the long range shooting sports, such as PRS. Still kind of is amongst shooters that may not know better. But, if you ask a lot of the top shooters in these long range shooting sports about the velocity of their cartridges, most will tell you that they’re running a velocity that is less than their competitors. One that may be conservative for the cartridge that they’re shooting. Their reasoning is that the extra 50 to 150fps in velocity does not provide them with a large enough gain in external ballistics to be valid when everything is taken into account. While the slower velocity that they’re running provides them with ammunition that is more consistent. It is this consistency, combined with knowing their equipment that provides their repeatable results.

Pressure is a requirement in an AR, but it can also be detrimental to it. When chasing velocity, pressures are being increased. Especially with certain types of powders, as well as the burn rate of the powder being used. Some cartridges within the AR-15 are limited to the amount of pressure that the AR is capable of handling. In some cases, this can be significantly less than the same cartridge when chambered in a bolt action rifle. While there are other cartridges that this applies to, the 6.5 Grendel and cartridge variants based off of this bolt face, are a great example. In the AR we are looking at approximately 53,000 psi due to the bolt design, while in the bolt action rifle it is closer to 60,000 psi. This is where handloaders can get into trouble. Either by using incorrect load data, or by seeking extra velocity and thereby pushing the limits of the bolt. Which is the limiting factor of this cartridge in an AR.

Another consideration as it relates to pressure is overbore cartridges. A overbore cartridge is one with a relatively large case volume or case capacity, coupled with a relatively small diameter bullet. In the simplest terms, a very big case pushing a relatively small diameter bullet is acknowledged as the classic overbore design. But, this can be mathematically related to obtain a case volume to bore area ratio in metric or imperial units. Which then also provides us with comparison data. To express the Overbore Index as a mathematical formula one can take the case capacity in grains of water divided by the area (in square inches) of the bore cross-section. This gives us an index which lets us compare various cartridge designs.

A few examples of overbore cartridges are:

• 22 Creedmoor
• 22 Grendel
• 22-250
• 6 Creedmoor
• 22-243
• 243 Win
• Numerous .22 caliber and 6mm wildcats

You’ll notice that some of the cartridges listed above, are also cartridges that are commonly pushed to, and beyond, their limits in search of velocity. One concern with a overbore cartridge is the formation of a carbon ring in the throat of the barrel. This is a ring that forms in the chamber neck area. More specifically, in the area of the chamber between the end of the case and the freebore transition area. The tremendous amount of heat and pressure transforms carbon fouling into a very hard coating that is difficult to remove once it has formed. An established carbon ring manifests itself with sudden and progressive spikes in pressure. Pressures bordering on the dangerous, and in most cases a loss of accuracy/ precision are the result. So when these types of cartridges are hot rodded in search of the ultimate “flat” shooting bullet, things can go south quickly when the dreaded carbon ring forms. For what it’s worth, I personally clean the 22 and 6 Creedmoor’s every 60 to 70 rounds.

As it relates to handloading, here is a large concern with pressure. One that I’ve seen arise too many times throughout my 20 plus years in the shooting sports and industry. Temperature sensitive powders. These are powders that will have swings in pressure and velocity due to environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, pressure, etc. I’ve witnessed some serious injuries from the result of guns destructing in the hands of shooters due to loads that were developed on the hot side in cooler environmental conditions, and were then being shot in conditions over 100 degrees. Add to this, some of the temperature sensitive powders that produce a sustained, but increasing pressure curve over a longer duration during the burn sequence. This can be a recipe for disaster. As someone who hunts all year long in varying environmental conditions, I prefer to use a powder that has proven to me to be pretty temp stable throughout different conditions. I do not like to run a “summer” load and a “winter” load. The compromise to this, is usually a lower average velocity.

For every action there is an equal or opposite reaction. With increased pressure, increased wear on critical components is the result. In the AR platform this wear can be found in the following components:

• Bolt- Due to bolt thrust, early unlocking, case failure, and wear of other components
• Cam pin
• Firing pin retainer
• Fire Control Group components
• Buffer system
• Barrel- throat wear can be of concern- Especially in overbore cartridges

The above are just a few components that can have accelerated wear due to excessive pressures. I’ve also seen damaged lower receivers and gas keys that resulted from improperly built guns that were subjected to increased cyclic rate because of increased pressures.

As far as pressure goes, I’ve yet to touch on suppressor use and the effects of one on the AR operation. With most suppressors, when one is added it increases the bore pressure which in turn increases the timing of the firearm. This can result in brass wear as the case is still obturating when the bolt is unlocking and attempting to remove the case from the chamber. This can result in torn case rims and other case concerns. This increased timing can also result in double feeds, as well as a failure to extract or a failure to feed. If the timing of the AR is not addressed and then we add in ammunition that is higher in or excessive on pressure, the magnitude of operational concerns can greatly increase.

Case failure can occur in a few different ways. Most of the failure that I see due to pressure result in:

• Case web separation
• Case head separation
• Blown primer/ primer pocket
• Neck separation

Blown primers or primer pocket failures are what I see the most of. I’ve seen this with both large and small primer cases. When this occurs, bolt face damage and/or bolt component damage can occur due to gas cutting from the hot, high pressure gasses escaping the primer area.  

Not all cases are created equal. Manufacturers use different brass alloys, as well as different construction techniques and specifications. Some brands of brass fair better to higher operating pressures than others do. A prime example as it relates to pressure related failures are a couple of niche brass manufacturers that used a case web thickness of approximately .175”. Much thinner than what is commonly seen. This was done due to an interior redesign of the case to increase case volume. What would occur is case web separation in certain cartridges that were pushed to higher, or excessive pressures for increased velocity. The case web area in most barrels is not supported by the chamber. This is evident by the chamfer around the circumference of the chamber as you look at it from the action end. When it was known that this brass would be used, gunsmiths would reduce the chamfer angle into the chamber to provide for more support of the case web. Another example of brass manufacturing variations that stands out is Norma brass for the 6XC cartridge. There was a time when this Norma brass was approximately .012” shorter than the chamber reamers that were being used. This resulted in excessive headspace dimensions. Only to compound concerns when the cases were run at higher pressures by the 1,000yd competition shooters.

When handloading, it is not uncommon to find powders that as they approach their upper charge limits will have much narrower accuracy/ precision “nodes,” or just will not produce desired results. When chasing velocity this may result in a load that doesn’t produce a “good” group, or may require a handloader to use a powder that achieves the velocity but that has other less desirable features such as temperature sensitivity. When working loads for various cartridges, it is not uncommon that I will find the best precision with a lot of powders to be about one grain under the listed max charge weight.  Another undesirable powder characteristic is one that has a drastic and abrupt pressure spike. When these types of powders are pushed for velocity, they can quickly create dangerously high pressures, while not providing any accuracy gains. The above characteristics contribute to a load that just isn’t consistent. At moderate ranges this may not be an issue. This could be the difference between making and missing a shot at further distances, with certain types of shot presentations, or under certain shooting conditions.

The main reason that I do not chase all of the velocity is for exterior ballistics. So, let’s briefly touch upon this.

As far as predator hunting goes, it is popular to sight a rifle in for max point blank range. So say that you commonly shoot 300yds and in. You’d zero your rifle for 300yds and then learn your holds from the muzzle to 300yds. I do not zero my rifles this way. I do define the max range that I consistently kill at, or most likely would kill at. I use 300yds as this number. Whatever yardage that you choose, you do need to make sure that your ammunition provides the terminal ballistics for the animal that you’re hunting.

Now, every rifle will have two zero points in the trajectory. Your first point of zero will be when the bullet rises up in trajectory to the reticle of the optic. The second zero is as the bullet falls back down in trajectory. I use these two points as a slider. Moving one moves the other. Next, I will define a “kill box” size. The size can be dependent upon the cartridge used. A faster cartridge will typically have a smaller “kill box” than a slower cartridge. But, a higher BC bullet at a slower velocity may provide similar results.

In the following information of real data from some of my personal guns, as well as “shop” guns, you will find charts. These charts are calculated from Berger’s Ballistic Calculator that is available on their website. Information out is only as good as the information that you put in. With that said, when I calculate these charts, I find that they are usually really close and may only require slight tweaking when I verify them in the real world. Verification. Yes, verification. After I get a gun zeroed based on the information in the charts, I will then proceed to shoot at different distances all the out to 300yds. I will then “tweak” as needed, or make notes of impact discrepancies at what yardage. The Berger calculator is not the only ballistics application that I use. I also use Strelok Pro. Sometimes in conjunction with the Berger calculator. This may not currently be available due to U.S. sanctions of the Russia/ Ukraine war. There are a number of quality programs or apps out there. Hornady’s 4DOF is another good app, but in my experiences it is geared more towards long range shooting. The bullets that Hornady has loaded into it are not commonly used for predator hunting. Hornady frequently updates this, so maybe that will change. Some apps are free, while others like Strelok Pro will cost you a nominal fee. If it is available. Some, like Hornady’s 4DOF are free, but then have additional features that you have to purchase to unlock.

For the data inputs you’ll note that I selected 30 degrees F for the temperature. This is to somewhat represent our Iowa winters. Although, with wind chill, it frequently gets below zero. -20 degrees F or more isn’t uncommon. To keep things simple, I also did not calculate any wind speed. For elevation, I used the elevation that is prevalent for my area. We may get to 1,000’ or even a little more, but in my experiences it doesn’t make a large enough impact on trajectory to account for it. The same applies to inclination. Though, I do hunt in some areas that have a decent ridge or valley, this isn’t common enough for me to factor it in for all of the places that I hunt. The sight height is close with the thermal that is used on most of the guns. This measurement is probably one of the factors that influences my need to typically adjust when verifying the data.

With most of my personal 6mm calibers I use approximately a 7” box for a coyote at 300yds. Now, using known data gathered from my gun and particular load, I will determine my trajectory points from 20 yards out to 300yds. Next I look at my verified known points and use my “zero” slider to change my zero points and see how it affects my rise and my drop. What I’m looking for in these numbers is for them to be 7” or less when combined. As an example. My 6 Creedmoor is currently “zeroed” with a 70g load that has approximately a 1.7” rise to my first zero point which is approximately 38yds, while the drop from the second zero point of 220yds to 300yds is approximately 4.9”. These combined provide me with approximately a 6.6” box from the muzzle to 300yds. Now, if I move the zero points I can either increase the rise to the first zero point, which in turn will decrease the drop past the second zero point. Or, I can decrease the rise to the first zero point, which will then increase the drop from the second zero point to 300yds. Personally, with most cartridges that I shoot, I will take a little more drop past my second zero point. For me, I can account better for a little more drop than I can for the rise that I will have on closer coyotes. But the key take away of this is that I can hold on a coyote out to 300yds and be confident that as long as I do my part, that I will get a hit. Notice, I didn’t mention wind drift. Velocity does play a role in wind drift, but in my experiences it doesn’t have as significant of an effect as it does with elevation. Though, wind is the king when shooting long and is typically the contributing factor for most misses. But, we are talking predator hunting here, and most of which is done with a thermal.

Now, let’s look at my personal 6 ARC with a 20” barrel using a 58g V-Max load that I developed for it. With a 220yd zero, I have a max rise of approximately 2” and a drop from 220yds to 300yds of approximately 5.7”. Now remember these numbers for the next example that I will give. So, combined, from the muzzle to 300yds I have a box of approximately 7.7” Under perfect conditions, a little bigger than I would like, but it still keeps me on the fur of a coyote from the muzzle to 300yds.

Using my same 6 ARC with a 20” barrel, but now a 75g V-Max load that I have developed for it, let’s take a look at the numbers. They may surprise you. First off, I will address the velocity. The 58g load from the 20” barrel averages approximately 3322fps, while the 75g V-Max load averages 3080fps from the same barrel. That’s a difference of 242fps. A lot of people would gawk at that and say that’s a big difference. I don’t want to lose that much velocity. It won’t shoot as flat. Now, remember the 58g load numbers that I told you to keep in mind, and let’s look at the verified numbers for the 75g load. With the same 220yd zero, which is what is running, I have a max rise of approximately 2.2” and a drop from 200yds to 300yds of approximately 5.9”. Combined, that’s approximately 8.1”. Individually, that’s about .2” more rise and about .2” more drop than the 58g load. So, less than a ¼”, or, just call it a ¼”. Most people can’t shoot this difference. I know that I can’t. So, with a difference of approximately 242 fps, the heavier and slower 75g V-max load shoots almost as “flat” as the 58g load. BUT, let’s look at a couple more numbers. Numbers that we will have to assume are good by Berger’s calculator. I do not have the means to measure downrange velocity. At 300yds, the 58g load is approximately 2185fps while the 75g load is approximately 2239fps. Velocity and bullet mass are inputs for energy. At 300yds the 58g load has approximately 615 ft-lbs of energy, while the 75g load has approximately 835 ft-lbs of energy. That’s huge. So while the 75g load shoots almost as “flat” as the 58g load, it also carries a lot more energy on target. But, why? A lot of this has to do with the higher BC of the heavier 75g V-Max bullet.  

But you say that you don’t shoot to 300yds? Let’s look at 200yds in the above tables for the 6 ARC. This is not an uncommon distance for most coyote hunters. The 58g V-Max load has an approximate rise of .8” while the 75g V-Max load has an approximate rise of .85”. The 58g load has the muzzle velocity advantage by about 30fps. The 58g is approximately 2530fps while the 75g load is approximately 2500fps. But, the 75g trumps the 58g on energy at 200yds with approximately 1041 ft-lbs of energy compared to the 58g with 824 ft-lbs of energy.

Here is more data. The 22 Creedmoor. The shop 22 Creedmoor is a 22” barrel that is currently shooting an 80.5g Berger Full Bore bullet at an average velocity of 3241fps. Typically, I run a 230yd zero on this gun. With this load the max bullet rise to 230yds is approximately 1.9” with a bullet drop of approximately 3.5” from 230yds to 300yds. This is different than what the chart states, but it is a real world result that has been duplicated many times. This the importance of verification of the data. Combined, this gives the 22 Creedmoor approximately a 5.4” box from the muzzle out to 300yds.

Are you curious about the ever popular 243 Win? Based on our gas gun data with a 20” barrel and Hornady’s Superformance 58g factory ammo, we see average velocities of approximately 3713fps. With a 220yd zero, I see a max rise of approximately 1.42” out to 220yds. From 220yds to 300yds the bullet drop is approximately 4.5”. Combined, this give an approximately box of 6” from the muzzle to 600yds.

So far, everything has been related to gas guns with factory ammo, or handloads that are reasonably within load data parameters. But, what about handloads that push the envelope? These are approximate numbers from guys that I know are running bolt guns and ARs with the lower velocity. I do not recall the barrel length of the bolt guns, but they are at least 24” barrels while the ARs are 20” barrels. They are with 70g Nosler BT bullets. I have not personally verified this data, but it is for demonstration value only. I used the same data inputs and a 220yd zero. The max bullet rise of the 70g load at an approximate average of 3450fps (AR) is 1.6”. The max bullet rise of the 70g load at an approximate average of 3800fps (bolt gun) is 1.21”. So, approximately a .4” difference. The bullet drop on the 3450fps avg load from 220yds to 300yds is approximately 4.62”. The bullet drop on the 3800fps avg load from 220yds to 300yds is approximately 3.68”. A difference of approximately 1”. The combined totals are as follows. The 3450fps load with an approximate box size of 6.2”. The 3800fps load with an approximate box size of 4.89”. A difference of approximately 1.3”.

Knowing that there are only a couple of powders that approach 3800fps from a 24” barrel, one can safely assume that 3800 fps is a hot load. One that is most likely flirting with or above max pressures. This brings me to the questions of. Is the approximate .4” difference in rise and approximate 1.3” less drop at 300yds worth it? Is it worth reduced brass life? Is it worth the reduction in barrel life? Is it worth the possible consequences should something go badly wrong? Is it worth the extra stress and wear on the gun? Both loads are capable of delivering shots well within the kill box at 300yds. Is it worth it? Only one person can truly answer that. For some it is.

Let’s address an elephant in the room. Cartridges in platforms that they are not optimal for, but do safely provide the high velocities that a lot of people crave. While there are cartridges that can be chambered in the AR-15 or large frame AR to easily achieve velocities upwards of 4,000 fps, they’re not optimal for the platforms that they’re used in. Some of these cartridges are, but not limited to, the 22-250, 22GT in the AR-15, the WSSM cartridges in the AR-15, the 220 Swift, some Ackley Improved cartridges, as well as some select others. I know. I know. These cartridges are being used in the AR platform, and I’ve built rifles in some of these cartridges. But, I did state that they are not optimal.

A few things as it relates to some of these cartridges. Each one may not apply to all of them.

• Feeding concerns that require downloading magazines for good firearm operation
• Required downloading of magazines due to cartridge case diameter
• Specialized or modified mags that may or may not provide for reliable feeding
• Feed concerns in general
• Short throats and limited bullet selection to be able to load to a COAL that will fit in a magazine
• Sacrificing case volume due to required bullet seating depths to maintain a magazine COAL
• Required use of light for caliber bullets that generally have a lower bullet BC

So let’s touch on a couple of the above items. I mentioned required reduced magazine capacity. The 22-250 for example, utilizes a much tapered case body. In the AR magazine, this taper causes the cartridges to tilt in the magazine when loaded. Very similar to how the 7.62×39 does in an AR mag. It’s for this reason that I recommend to people who use the 22-250 in an AR to limit themselves to 6, maybe 7 rounds in a magazine. Due to the cartridge size of the WSSM cartridges, as well as the longer bullets used in most of them, these cartridges require a modified lower capacity magazine when used in the AR-15. Then they still may have feeding concerns at times. I’ve even seen magazines where a portion of the front of the magazine has been removed so that the bullet can be seated longer and still feed out of the magazine. While this trick has been around a long time (I first found out about it back in the day of NRA High Power shooting), it does not create for a reliable mag. Then you have cartridges such as the 22GT. Due to the diameter of the case, it requires being downloaded in an AR-15 magazine. As these rounds are loaded into the magazine it causes the magazine to bulge. When too many are inserted, the bulge keeps the magazine from being inserted into the magazine well. Due to COAL concerns, this cartridge in the AR-15 platform is better served by the lightweight .22 caliber variants. Most of which will have a lower BC than the light to medium weight bullets .22 caliber bullets.

If you’ve read this far, you may think that I hate velocity. I don’t. As I stated at the beginning of this, I believe in choosing the cartridge that will provide you with the velocity and ballistic performance that you are wanting. Not taking a cartridge and trying to make it achieve velocities that will produce very high or dangerous velocities. Or, in the case of handloading, making sacrifices by using powders that may produce a higher velocity but at the expense of a more important load attribute. In my personal preferences, I will sacrifice 50fps for a 5 shot shot group that is consistently a .5 MOA group over one that is .7 MOA. OR 100fps for a .5 MOA group over one that is 1 MOA. I also don’t like the idea of making compromises on reliability or magazine capacity just to gain a few hundred feet per second in velocity. I’d rather choose a different cartridge that will provide close to, or similar results without compromising the integrity of the gun. As I stated in the beginning. I’m frequently asked, why don’t I push the velocities on all cartridges that I handload? Simple answer. When using the correct cartridge for what I want to accomplish, the gains are negligible. Why would I sacrifice something else that is more important? Usually precision. So, here is my take on it as it relates to the AR platform.

So, what do you think about chasing velocity?

Predator Hunting Machines

Custom predator hunting rifles continue to be built and finding their way to their new owners. In the last two months I’ve received numerous pics of killed coyotes sent in by owners of new BRD rifles. It’s great to see them being put to use so quickly! As rifles go out, orders continue to come in. If you’d like to get your coyote killing machine started for this season, that window of opportunity is quickly closing. You can email or call 515-442-0294 to get your BRD rifle underway.

Wyoming Trip- 41 Yotes in 3.5 Days

The 22 BRD wildcat made its way out to Wyoming last month. Nick Turley went on a 3.5 day hunt out there with the wildcat and his 243 Win customized BRDGW Invictus Elite. He killed 41 coyotes in that time. Using the BRD wildcat, Nick hunted mainly during the day doing some decoy dog’n, but he did put a thermal on it for a little bit of night hunting, too. The wildcat accounted for 20 of his kills, with his longest kill at 427 yards with the 22 BRD. Nick had a thermal on his 243 and killed the other 21 pasture poodles with it. Check out some of the pics below, and stay tuned for more info on the BRD 22 and this trip.

Break Time! But, Not For Me

Chad and JD took a break from doing some testing with the 22 BRD wildcat and 6 Creedmoor to go bow fishing down in Louisiana. Chad just had to cast a line a few times. They had a great trip with excellent results. 

BRD 243 Win- Custom Chamber Test Barrel Spun Up!

The 243 Win test barrel has been spun up. Late last year I had a custom chamber reamer made for both the 6 Creedmoor and the 243 Win. The specs on these reamers are designed around the use of lighter weight bullets that are commonly used for predator hunting. Testing of the 243 Win has begun with the Superformance 58g, Hornady 75g V-Max, Hornady 87g V-Max, and the Nosler 70g handload. Stay tuned for more on this!

Look Sharp- Make a Statement

Have you checked out the BRDGW laser engraved leather patch hats yet? Last month we did a pre-order sale on these. If you missed it, there are still some left in the online store. Check ‘em out here!

Show Your Passion!

Are you looking for a way to make a statement about your passion for coyote hunting? Check out the “Hang Fur” laser engraved tumblers on the website. Available in 20oz and 30oz, as well as in multiple colors. Go to BRDGW Gear in the menu on the website! Or, click here!

Few of The Recently Completed BRDGW Rifles

That doesn’t stop the work at BRDGW. It’s the busy time of year building those custom rifles for the upcoming predator hunting season. Building upper receiver groups for clients. Working on some barrel projects for a couple of gentleman. Keeping the service and repair side moving smoothly. Then there’s the behind the scene projects at BRDGW. Testing and data collection on the test barrels. Which by the way, a new 243 Win test barrel will be spun up soon. Continued testing of the wildcat cartridge. Continued load development and testing for the 6 ARC, 243 win, 6 Creedmoor, and the wildcat. And, some other things in the works. All on top of piles of video that need to be edited and put on the YouTube channel. If you haven’t been to the channel, stop by and hit the subscribe! BRDGW YouTube

I’ve previously mentioned that the trend this year for barrels is carbon fiber. That has not changed. What has changed, is the ratio of carbon fiber barrels to the 416R barrels. It is now approximately a 5:1 ratio. Five carbon fiber barrels to every 416R barrel. This demand has been evident across the industry. The unfortunate result is increased lead times. I’ve been working with a very specific barrel manufacturer on the carbon barrels, and Gene has informed me that they’ve upgraded the electrical in their shop and brought in more CNC machines. Our discussions have gone well, and I’m excited to be able to speak more about this at a future time.  

Client Success- Submitted Pictures

I love receiving pictures from clients of their success with BRD Gun Works rifles!

Success in the field means controlling all of the variables that you can.

Your equipment should not subtract from your shooting abilities, but should enhance and add value to your shooting. This starts with your rifle and extends to your shooting platform. Tired of watching those educated coyotes hang up out there at 200 to 300 yards, and not come in any closer? Are you trying to hose down a scattering group of pigs? With the right rifle, skill, and a tripod that is solid and steady without flex or excessive movement, those longer shots on coyotes or smoothly tracking those running pigs is made much easier.

This is where the Fatboy tripod and Invert60 ballhead enter the game. The Traverse tripod is a solid and rugged tripod that is available in 2 or 3 section legs. The 42.5mm tube diameter provides for excellent stability, while being strong and quick to deploy! Designed with features that greatly benefit the predator hunter: legs that don’t cross, lightweight at 5lbs 14oz with the bowl, a total height that is tall enough for most any terrain features, large rubberized leg locks that are easy to adjust and provide ultimate noise reduction, ½” toolless spikes that deploy quickly and easily, and it has a 100lb weight capacity. Oh, and don’t forget the lifetime warranty and the nice carrying case that is included!

The Invert60 ballhead allows for versatile shooting angles and smooth movement with its 60mm head. The 1911 (Picatinny) and ARCA Swiss adaptor make it compatible with a wide range of equipment. And, the quick release lever makes it easy to quickly attach and detach your gun, and the fine tuning adjustable tension allows for precise control. Fatboy’s excellent rubberized tension knob increases rip in all weather conditions, and also provides for very quick locking and unlocking of the ballhead with less rotational movement than other heads on the market. Get them at BRDGW below MSRP and free shipping on tripods!

Some Recent Client Builds