Having shot more ARs than I can count in both the AR-15 and the AR-10 designations, I will admit it takes a lot to get me excited about an AR. I am not a big fan of run-of-the-mill firearms. I am always on the lookout for something a bit different. When I first learned about an AR chambered in 7mm Rem Mag, I knew it was going to be different. Enter the Bear Creek Arsenal BC8 Huntmaster.
Bear Creek Arsenal BC8 Huntmaster – 7mm AR
As I unboxed the rifle, any doubt I had about this rifle dissipated like other ARs. The BC8 is massive. Bear Creek produces many configurations of ARs from standard Mill-Spec to the tricked out to the max and the behemoth BC8, a proprietary AR on steroids. It is available in 270 Win, 30-06, 300 Win Mag, and the newly released 7mm Rem Mag. I had been waiting for this rifle for a year and finally received the email saying the rifle was ready to ship. I was excited to give it a go.
The BC8 Huntmaster 7mm Remington Magnum
The BC8 begins as a billet and differs from many ARs as it possesses a right-side charging handle on the upper receiver. This means instead of the standard charging handle on the top of the rifle, it has an operating handle. The side charge handle attaches to the bolt by means of a cap screw. While examining the rifle, a coworker who is an AR purist immediately noticed the lack of a top charging handle. I explained the lack of sights, which constitutes mounting a scope.
When mounting a scope, the top mount charging handle makes chambering or clearing a round much more difficult and sometimes impossible, depending on the scope choice. Not so with the side charging handle. Aside from the charging handle, the Huntmaster looks like any other AR if all ARs were set up to run 7mm Rem Mag cartridges. However, once the two are set side by side, the difference is apparent. The BC8 is much bigger.
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Built for Hunting
The BC8 Huntmaster, as the name implies, is set up for hunting. The lightweight profile 20-inch barrel sits inside the rifle-length octagonal-shaped M-LOK slotted handguard. The barrel is finished off with a flash hider. The M-LOK slots also keep the handguard from getting hot, as an afternoon range session proved.
The Magpul MOE stock keeps your eye at the proper height for shooting with an optic. The Velocity 3lbs trigger is as crisp as any bolt rifle trigger you will encounter, breaking at a crisp 3.7 lbs.
The Huntmaster is shipped with a 5-round proprietary magazine. While the BC8 rifle dwarfs a standard AR, the same furniture fits this rifle. The side charge handle is easily removed for disassembly by removing the cap screw and plug screw in the rear, where the charging handle would be. Once this is accomplished, the rifle is disassembled like any other AR.
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Not as Heavy as You Would Think
The rifle is not nearly as heavy as it would seem, coming in at 11.25 pounds. It does a nice job of soaking up some of the recoil the 7mm Rem Mag produces. I’m quite a bit more recoil sensitive than I was 20 years ago. However, after firing several boxes of ammo in an afternoon testing session, my shoulder was no worse for wear.
The flat top rail of the BC8 lends itself to optics. I mounted a Leupold 16x scope with high Vortex rings. Although I could see through the scope and was able to shoot some nice groups, I think an extra set of high rings would be more comfortable. This would be especially true in a hunting situation, as I had to really jam my cheek against the stock to get a full field of view when looking through the scope. I experienced the same thing with an AR-10. I try to keep the scope as close to the bore as possible and still be comfortable when shooting.
At the Range
Loading up for a testing session, the weather finally broke, and I chose three different loads to try. The 1-10 inch rate of twist already had clued me in as to what bullet should perform the best. I was not surprised when my go-to 7mm Rem Mag ammo of choice, loaded with 150 grain Sierra Game Kings, printed a sub-MOA group from the BC8. The bad news is that Federal no longer produces this load. The good news, at least for me, is I have four cases left, and even if I lived to be 100, I would be hard-pressed to go through them all.
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Paired up with my favorite load, I chose the 139 grain Hornady Whitetail and a box of Federal Fusion loaded with 160 grain bullets.
Performed Flawlessly
The BC8 performed flawlessly with both the Federal cartridges as well as the Hornady ammunition and was able to print groups that would make some bolt-action rifles jealous.
Though the BC8 is a bit heavy for some hunters, the hunting that I do comprises getting into the stand and spending the entire day in that stand. The only packing in is the trip in and the trip out. With the accuracy and the ability to reach out to longer distances than the 7mm Rem Mag possesses, I might have found my next deer rifle.
Bear Creek Arsenal BC8 Huntmaster 7mm Remington Magnum
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| Barrel | 20 inches 1-10 twist |
| OA Length | 42.125 |
| Weight | 11.25 |
| Stock | Magpul MOE |
| Sights | N/A |
| Action | Semi -Auto |
| Finish | Anodized receiver/ barrel parkerized |
| Capacity | 5-round magazine |
| MSRP | $1,199.95 |
PERFORMANCE
| LOAD | VELOCITY | ACCURACY |
| Federal 150 grain Sierra Game King | 2,973 | 0.932 |
| Federal Fusion 160 grain | 2.,635 | 1.311 |
| Hornady Whitetail 139 grain Interlock | 3,017 | 1.142 |
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in feet per second (fps) by chronograph, and accuracy in inches for the best five-shot groups at 100 yards.
For more information, please visit Bear Creek Arsenal.
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