Back in October of last year I reviewed a
very innovative AR-15 platform rifle from Adcor Defense. This
rifle used a free-floating gas piston system with several unique
and useful features. The rifle functioned perfectly, and the
adjustable gas regulator is very useful to have, if using a
variety of ammunition, or for use with a sound suppressor.
Now, Adcor has integrated their two-position
gas regulator for use with the simple and reliable gas
impingement system, which has served well for decades on the
AR-15/M-16/M-4 platform rifles. This regulator is marked for use
with either 5.56mm or 223 Remington ammunition, and is a very
good feature to have that option, as most gas impingement system
rifles are marked for one cartridge and not the other. To get
223 rifles to function well with 5.56mm NATO ammunition in
standard rifles, the higher-pressure 5.56 ammo works the action
too hard, accelerating wear and parts breakage. 5.56mm NATO
rifles will work with 223 Remington ammo, but only if they also
accelerate wear when using the high pressure NATO ammunition. A
rifle set up properly to run smoothly using only 5.56mm ammo
will sometimes not function properly when loaded with 223
sporting ammunition. The Adcor adjustable system solves this
problem, and allows optimum pressure regulation for using either
cartridge, and will also regulate pressure better when using a
suppressor (silencer) or when the weapon becomes dry and dirty,
or when using sub-standard ammo.
The Adcor gas impingement rifle functioned
perfectly, and exhibited excellent accuracy. To change the
regulator position, all that is needed is a bullet or other
pointed object, to push in the retaining pin, allowing the
regulator to rotate, or to be removed for cleaning. To check the
regulator, I set the position for 5.56mm NATO ammo, and loaded
the rifle with 223. Sure enough, it would not cycle, but
rotating the regulator to the proper 223 position, the weapon
cycled flawlessly. This is a very good, reliable gas system to
use on an AR-15 rifle. This Adcor rifle also has all the great
features of their piston gun, such as the dust seal on the
chamber, and the forward reversible charging handle. The Adcor
solves the problem of using 5.56mm ammo in a 223 rifle, and that
of using 223 sporting ammo in a 5.56mm NATO chamber. Great idea!
A couple of months ago I received a package
containing what appeared to be an AR-15. I opened it up, but
finding no info packed inside the box, I just gave it a quick
glance. Good-looking AR, with rails, M-4 profile barrel,
telescoping buttstock, and flash suppressor. Very popular
configuration, but I figured it was just an AR like dozens of
others, and set the box aside. That was a mistake. As I
retrieved other weapons from the gun room for review, I would
notice the box with the AR, and planned to get to it later.
Finally, after it sitting patiently awaiting its turn on the
range, I opened the box, removed the weapon, and took a closer
look.
There are many variations of the AR-15/M-16
rifle system on the market today, with some straying farther
from the original concept than others, and at some point, the
question has to be asked; “When is an AR no longer an AR?”
The subject of this piece, and the weapon to which I referred in
the preceding paragraph, looks like an AR, but is not an AR.
The Brown Enhanced Automatic Rifle has
wandered far from the original AR concept, but shares some of
the better features of the Ar-15 with that wonderful and
innovative rifle. To be clear, I love the AR-15. Properly set
up, it is one of the most accurate and reliable semi-automatic
rifles ever produced. It is ergonomically superb. The weapon is
easy to shoot, fits almost any shooter, is relatively
lightweight, and beautifully accurate. The B.E.A.R. retains all
of those qualities, but has a unique upper half that takes the
AR design and makes it more user-friendly, and more resistant to
dust and sand contamination.
The BEAR gas system differs from the direct
impingement system of the AR, but the BEAR piston also differs
from any other piston system of which I am aware. The BEAR
piston is very simple, requiring few parts and no O-ring seals
or piston rings of any kind. The gas system parts are built to
such close tolerances that none are needed. Most uniquely, the
BEAR gas piston does not contact the barrel, but is instead
supported solely by the upper hand guard, which is mounted
rigidly to the upper receiver. Adcor claims that this
free-floating system improves accuracy, and judging by the
results exhibited by this sample rifle, they have a right to
make that claim. The only connection between the barrel and the
piston system is the small gas tube, leading from the gas block
to the regulator block. The regulator block does not touch the
barrel. The regulator has two positions, easily changed, to
allow the operator to go from a suppressed weapon to one
without, and to also adjust for dirty or weak ammunition. The
piston taps the rod, which is securely attached to the bolt
carrier. Carrier tilt is a complaint often voiced by users of
other piston guns, but the rod on this BEAR travels through
guides in the upper hand guard, eliminating carrier tilt in the
buffer tube.
As mentioned, the upper hand guard is unique,
is a critical part of the BEAR rifle system, and is not just an
afterthought, as on most AR rifles. As is popular, the hand
guard contains plenty of Picatinny rail to accommodate
accessories for the weapon. Rigidly attached to the upper
receiver, the upper hand guard supports the piston system, and
with the piston rod, guides the carrier as mentioned above. It
also is dovetail-mated to the lower hand guard, which can
quickly and easily be detached from the upper guard to expose
the gas system for disassembly and maintenance. The accompanying
pictures and video will explain this better than I can with the
keyboard. It is a very unique and innovative design.
On the bolt carrier is a dust wiper. The BEAR
has a dust cover, as do most AR-style rifles, but the dust wiper
is in addition to the cover. After the weapon is fired, a dust
cover stays open until manually closed. The dust wiper seals the
upper receiver from intrusion by sand, dirt, snow, etc. after
each shot is fired. If the bolt is closed, the dust wiper is
sealing the ejection port from contamination. The polymer wiper
is attached to the carrier, and is spring-loaded to seal the
ejection port as the bolt closes. Great idea, especially for
those in dusty environments.
Another really innovative feature is the
charging handle that rides in the upper hand guard. The BEAR
also has the standard AR-style charging handle, but in addition
to that, there is the folding, ambidextrous charging handle up
front. This is a very handy feature, especially if the weapon
wears an optical sight, like the Hi-Lux CMR shown here. Also,
the weapon’s action can be cycled with the buttstock firmly
planted on the shooter’s shoulder. The operator can keep the
weapon on target, and still cycle the bolt carrier. The forward
charging handle does not reciprocate with the bolt, but stays in
place while firing. It is also easily reversed for use by
right-handed and left-handed shooters, without tools.
The Adcor BEAR wears a Magpul telescoping
six-position buttstock and Magpul pistol grip. The grip has a
storage compartment inside. The rifle also comes supplied with
two Magpul P-Mag magazines, which are some of the best
available, but can use any AR-15/M-16 5.56mm/223 compatible
magazine. For bench work, I prefer the twenty-round surplus
magazines from the US-Vietnam war era.
Speaking of bench work, for accuracy testing,
I mounted my mule; the Leupold Mark 4 8.5 to 25 power
target/tactical scope. This scope allows me to get all the
accuracy that I possibly can out of a rifle/ammo combo. Velocity
testing was done with the chronograph set out twelve feet from
the muzzle at an elevation of 541 feet above sea level,
approximately. Temperatures hovered around the seventy-five
degree Fahrenheit mark during all velocity testing. Velocity
readings are the average of several shots fired, and the results
are listed in the chart below. Velocity readings are listed in
feet-per-second (fps). Bullet weights are listed in grains. FMJ
is a full metal jacket bullet. HP is hollowpoint. V-Max is a
polymer-tipped varmint bullet. TSX is a Barnes Triple Shock
homogenous copper hollowpoint bullet. The handload listed uses
the TSX bullet with 24.5 grains of Ramshot TAC powder, a
Remington small rifle primer, and Winchester commercial .223
Remington cases. Accuracy results are listed below in inches,
and are the average of four groups with each type of ammunition.
Accuracy testing was done with the rifle resting in a Target
Shooting, Inc. Model 1000 rifle rest, to eliminate as much
shooter error as possible. The rifle was allowed to cool between
each brand of ammo tested.
Ammunition |
Bullet Weight |
Velocity |
Accuracy |
Stryker V-Max |
55 |
2854 |
0.375" |
Lake City M855 |
62 |
3012 |
0.75" |
Hand Load TSX |
62 |
2766 |
0.88" |
Winchester USA FMJ |
62 |
2820 |
2.00" |
Buffalo Bore HP |
77 |
2701 |
0.50" |
Black Hills HP |
69 |
2536 |
0.82" |
Wolf Gold HP |
75 |
2443 |
1.25" |
The BEAR proved to be very accurate with most
ammo, acceptably so with some, and superbly accurate with the
Buffalo Bore, Stryker, and even the military green-tip
ammunition. Functioning was perfect with most ammo tested, but
the Stryker V-Max load did not have sufficient energy to
completely cycle the bolt, with the gas regulator in either
position. Everything else tried functioned perfectly.
After accuracy testing, I tried out a new
scope on the Adcor BEAR rifle. The Hi-Lux CMR series scope
proved to be a rugged, reliable optic. The BEAR came supplied
with some very good Magpul folding backup sights, but like most
folks, I prefer an optical sight on my rifles. The CMR has a
30mm main tube and an illuminated reticle with ranging
capabilities. It has variable magnification from one to four
power, making it useful in close quarters and also out to
moderate ranges. The CMR has multi-coated lenses, and a bright,
clear image through the scope. It is a very versatile scope, and
appears to be well-made. I mounted the Hi-Lux atop the Adcor
BEAR using a one-piece mount from CDNN Investments. These are
some dandy scope mounts for a Picatinny rail, and are very
inexpensive.
The Adcor BEAR exceeded all of my
expectations. It is a rugged, reliable, accurate rifle of
innovative design, well-executed, exhibiting superb
craftsmanship. It is certainly not another “me too” AR-15
rifle. Weighing in at seven pounds with its sixteen inch FNH
hammer-forged barrel, it balances very well, shoots accurately,
and promises to be a very good rifle design for the twenty-first
century.
Check out the BEAR rifles online at www.adcorindustries.com/wordpress/.
To order high quality 5.56x45mm and 223
Remington ammunition online, go to www.buffalobore.com,
www.luckygunner.com,
and www.theamericanmarksman.com.
To look at the Hi-Lux line of scopes, go to www.hi-luxoptics.com.
To order the scope mount shown here, go to www.cdnninvestments.com.
To order the 3 Bucc brass catcher, go to www.3bucc.com.
Jeff Quinn
NOTE: All load data posted on this
web site are for educational purposes only. Neither the author nor
GunBlast.com assume any responsibility for the use or misuse of this data.
The data indicated were arrived at using specialized equipment under
conditions not necessarily comparable to those encountered by the
potential user of this data. Always use data from respected loading
manuals and begin working up loads at least 10% below the loads indicated
in the source manual.