First Look: Bear Creek Arsenal 8.6 BLK Pistol

AR-10 pattern, large-format pistols chambered in a cartridge ideal for suppressor use.

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posted on August 7, 2024
Bear Creek Arsenal 8.6 BLK Pistol

Bear Creek Arsenal, a company well-known for selling affordably priced firearms in a variety of calibers, is now entering the 8.6 BLK game by offering large-format AR pistols and uppers chambered for this relatively new cartridge. 

To make space for the larger 8.6 BLK cartridge, this new large-format pistol is built off an AR-10-pattern receiver and can be had in varying barrel lengths including 7.5, 10.5, 12.5 and even 16 inches for rifle uppers. These barrels have a phosphated/parkerized finish and a thicker HBAR “SOCOM” profile with a fast twist of 1:3-inch, which is needed to stabilize the heavy bullets that are loaded in 8.6 BLK projectiles. All new Bear Creek Arsenal 8.6 mm Blackout uppers also include a right-hand-side charging handle side for an added level of convenience to shooters. Pistol-length uppers are also built around a 6.5-inch M-Lok compatible handguard and include a flat-top upper receiver to facilitate the mounting of an optic.   

The 8.6 BLK Cartridge was designed by Kevin Brittingham, the same designer of the .300 BLK intermediate cartridge, which is also known for its subsonic efficiency when used with heavy projectiles from shorter and suppressed barrels. Much the same way, the 8.6 BLK aims to achieve the same goal as the .300 BLK, but on a much larger and more powerful scale. Typical subsonic 8.6 mm Blackout bullets can weigh between 285 to 350 grains and use the extremely fast 1:3-inch rifling twist. 

To learn more about the new large format AR pistols chambered for 8.6 mm Blackout or other firearms built by Bear Creek Arsenal, visit bearcreekarsenal.com.

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