BCM or Palmetto upper?

Looking for a 16" CHF upper..no frills for now. I don't need a rail..so just looking for opinions on which you feel is of better quality.

Thanks
Josh

Both are good, Id give the edge to BCM though.

BCM proven time an again to be high quality highly reliable. PSA makes good stuff but between the two go with BCM

I just ran 500 rounds through my BCM 14.5 Carbine yesterday an even got in the sand a bit and never stopped

Wich ever one is in stock if.... both are it depends on what you want to spend..for the $90 difference Id go BCM first if it was available.I believe both are the same quality but BCM has the more use and experience over PSA in my opinion just like if I had to choose Colt SP6920 or BCM equivilent id go Colt first for the same reasons.

I had the same conflict 2 months ago and decided to go with the BCM. Don't regret it at all its flawless get the BCM BCG to go with it.

BCM, not even close.

BCM. The better of the two for sure.

Good info. BCM is a bit more...but I'm more than willing to spend the extra money for quality..

Having owned both I would go PSA. The BCM did not impress me at all. It did nothing better than my PSA or Spikes, but it did cost more. That means it is better right?

What is it about BCM that makes it better?

Exactly, the PSA is an FN barrel and a "properly tested" bolt. FN is definitely a tested brand. And the BCG being tested makes it the same as the one BCM sells.

I'd the bcm more popular as it just gets better recognition?

Both use FN CHF barrels. Different logo on the upper receiver, otherwise the same. Bolt carrier groups are arguably the same (minus logo of course). BCM has a better charging handle (if you opt for a Gunfighter). PSA comes with handguards, BCM doen't. BCM customer service is probably quicker to respond than PSA, but either will make it right. If BCM has it in stock they will be much quicker shipping than PSA. BCM has a longer history than PSA. They are the same specs on paper and based on my small sample size of 3 PSA uppers and 1 BCM upper, there is no noticeable difference between the two other than logos. Performance and reliability has been equal as well.

I'd go with what is in stock (if you can't wait), followed by price, followed by pick the logo you like. Really can't go wrong with either one.

Flip a coin

The real world testing and experiences of some of the top shooters in the country.

I know money will buy you a lot of endorsements but there are reasons why guys like Pat Rogers use them personally.

That being said PSA does use quality parts and could easily be as good as BCM with time...

+1

Your source for this is? I couldn't find this info on BCM's website.

I don't think I've ever seen BCM officially coming out and saying who makes their CHF barrels although there aren't many companies making them.

My PSA has been flawless.

My roomates BCM has been flawless.

You will be happy with either, so which ever fits your budget is your best bet.

They are both "mil spec", so they should be of equal value....right?

edit: spelling

When I was making my choice I was told by many; "pick the lower that has you're favorite logo" or "the question when choosing a lower is who DOESN'T make a good one"

I went with the PSA, $79.99... Just ordered an A2 detachable carry handle sight and charging handle from them with free shipping so shipping may still be free

I'd vote for the PSA, my buddies have lowers ranging from Delton, Spikes, and DPMS, they've all been great.

There is a big difference between uppers and lowers...

Agreed. Which is why I'm trying to make a good decision prior to laying out some coin. BCM would ship in a couple days max. PSA could take a month. BCM is more $$. We'll see.

Lots of hard use by LE/mil and known carbine instructors plus agency orders to back this up. If the OP values quality, then a basic BCM complete upper is the proven commodity. If you want the cheaper upper, get the PSA.

I was JUST contemplating the same desicion for my first ever build (assembly)!

Between these two, they are comparable right? Already have a MI SS G2 12" handguard ready.

http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCM-BFH-16-Mid-Length-Upper-Receiver-light-weight-p/bcm-urg-mid-16lw%20bfh.htm

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/ar-15-05/complete-uppers/psa-16-hammer-forged-cmv-mid-length-light-profile-stripped-upper-without-bcg-or-charging-handle.html

the PSA is $349 w/ free shipping right now, that's a $160 difference...

They look similar on paper. Bravo co is better established and has a more sophisticated marketing apparatus, having an ownership interest in a forum, appearing in magazine articles. Personally if I was buying a first/main upper I'd buy lean towards bravo co. If I was a 19 year old broke college kid I'd get a Psa and not worry about it.

I was reading the specs on PSA recently. Impressive, most impressive. A cold hammer forged FN barreled upper for 300 is pretty god damned hard to beat. I'd then order a bolt group from CMT or LMT from Bravo and call it a day.

I'de go BCM - Since I have been crawling around these forums, I can recall plenty of PSA drama, and nothing on BCM

You won't be disappointed with either. If you are, both companies will take care of you just fine.

There have been issues with BCM as well (most recently a batch of bad upper receivers). The difference is, with BCM the attitude and consensus was "Send it back, BCM will make it right, everyone makes a lemon now and then, it's how they take care of it when it happens that matters."

However, with PSA's problems (of which there really have been relatively few, especially factoring in growing pains) they get blown out of proportion and propagated as "this is why they suck, throw them under the bus!" When in reality the problems were addressed and resolved quickly by PSA, just as anyone would expect from a stand up company.

If PSA was given the same courtesy as BCM with regards to "Send it back, PSA will make it right, everyone makes a lemon now and then, it's how they take care of it when it happens that matters." there wouldn't really have been any drama.

I didn't mean to allude that BCM is problem free. What you say May exactly be the reason that drama seems to permeate from the PSA threads moreso. That being said... From the parts I've seen from both (lowers mainly, and BCG) I would still get BCM.

My apologies, either I work too hard these days or need to learn how to read again I thought this was about lowers

I'll agree that BCM's lowers are slightly better finished, but, put a PSA premium BCG next to a BCM BCG and the only difference you'll see is the laser engraved logo. Either one is G2G.

I've have both BCM and PSA uppers and have been very happy with both brands. I don't think that BCM is necessarily worth more than PSA for what one gets, but BCM offers some options that PSA doesn't and vice-verse. I would rather that both companies would just leave their logos off of the uppers, bolt carriers, etc, but they both do it, so that doesn't factor into the decision for me. BCM tends to ship more quickly and has a longer track record, but also costs significantly more. I wouldn't hesitate to buy either again, depending on my needs.

The biggest difference between the two brands is the butt fugly logo that BCM uses. That logo is why I don't buy BCM, it's good stuff but fucking ugly. BCM does have better perceived customer service, better brand recognition, but the quality of barrels and bolts are the same on paper. PSA has a big price advantage.

Sorry but there's a big difference between uppers not being cosmetically "ok" with people on this site and shipping a ton of middy uppers with carbine length gas tubes.

Further, if I remember right, PSA had the same exact problem with some upper receivers as BCM.

It isn't that the same courtesy isn't being given, it's that the degree and frequency of the errors differs significantly. No one gets pardoned for all of their errors. Everyone gets some understanding for some. It's when you start having big errors or a frequent number of problems that people stop being forgiving.

That being said, I'd proudly own either. I do currently own a BCM gun. I intend to get a PSA in the near future.

BCM All The Way!!!

Read the Filthy 14 article here

Sorry, but this is EXACTLY what I was referring to when I said "blown out of proportion and propagated". There was NOT "a ton of middy uppers with carbine length gas tubes.". There were EXACTLY THREE out of a batch of 300 that shipped with carbine gas tubes. PSA resolved the problem for the THREE individuals that had the problem uppers, fired the person responsible for assembling them incorrectly and changed their QC process to include test firing of ALL uppers prior to shipping. I don't see that as a fail on PSA's part, but rather customer oriented improvement of their processes to prevent something similar from happening.

Also, BCM's batch of bad upper receivers (mid March this year) were not cosmetic defects, they were out of spec uppers that would not allow both the take down and pivot pins to be seated. Now, BCM did make it right for those effected, immediately halted production of uppers when the problem was identified to them and they did not resume until they inspected all of their uppers and culled the defective ones. The right thing to do, but it doesn't change the fact they went out the door in the first place.

The only other problems that I have seen from both companies were quite a while ago with canted front sight bases. Both companies made those right as well.

Someone put some ridiculous number of rounds of Wolf through a Model One upper. I guess Model One needs a SWAT article

What about PSA's canted FSB issues recently?

What about them? Has PSA responded? Did they resolve the problem? I have seen people reporting canted FSB's on BCM's lately too. This is what I take issue with. When PSA has a lemon (or several) this and TOS turn it into "a ton" or all of PSA's stuff are lemons and stitch together incidents of unrelated and relatively few problems to be an EPIC trend of FAIL. When BCM has a lemon (or several) it gets summarily dismissed as "shit happens occasionally" but they're real good at correcting it when it does happen.

I don't know why people want to try to keep making things into bigger issues with PSA than they are. Maybe there is resentment and butt hurt because somebody found out they paid more for something that is the same spec but cheaper elsewhere and they just can't believe it could be possible. That there must be something wrong with the other brand to justify the price difference between the two.

Hasn't anybody noticed that as PSA gains more sales and better recognition that they have been slowly increasing their prices? Could it be that they have been using the profits from ammo and other things they sell to be able to keep their profit margins on their ARs slim to none in order to gain market penetration? And as they do, they keep raising prices? Maybe it's because the quality of components they use really are the equal of BCM and others.

I don't recall BCM ever getting this much flak, even when they were starting out. They seem to have pretty much done the same thing PSA is doing know (albeit keeping a better handle on growth rate) by offering a product superior to the commercial grade rifles (at a competitive price) and equivalent to Colt (at significant savings). As BCM gained favor and increased sales, their prices increased to finally sit at the level they should be given the quality of their products (this know puts them in the SAME price range as Colt).

I don't have a dog in this fight, I own PSA, BCM, Colt and DD rifles/uppers (with DD being my prefered choice). The only thing I see is different standards being applied to two different companies, with deference being given to the older one. I for one am glad to see another company putting out a quality product at a good price. Competition benefits us as consumers and allows us to have higher quality products at lower prices. The company that gives me the highest quality product that fits my intended application, at the best price, and stands behind what they sell is who will get my business. As market prices fluctuate, my needs change or products improve, my choice of vendor or manufacturer will too.

Im not saying they havent done what they needed to do to fix this and other issues theyve had. I'll admit I didnt hear about a BCM FSB issue, so I'll have to research that a bit. I wouldnt hesitate to own either, as I do, and havent had issues with either. My main point is that I seem to be hearing quite a few more horror stories coming from that company than I do from the likes of BCM. Regardless of how they will/should take care of it, Id much rather not have to deal with it in the first place for whatever reason these issues are happening.

I just got sucked in by PSA's $299.95 20" upper with free shipping. So, we will see how long it takes to ship and how it looks when it arrives. As it happens I have a built up PSA ($49.95) lower with a A2 stock and a PSA BCG and CH sitting around waiting for an upper. I noticed they had the $349.95 Middy and the $299.95 M4, but I'm a sucker for the 20" rifles and not so much for the 16" M4, so I pulled the trigger. $300 is a great price and so long as quality is as good as my other PSA products, a steal.

hmmm sounds like me

and example was the bashing Spikes gave PSA

I have to respectfully disagree with this statement. I have 7 PSA lowers and have used 5 of them so far. Fit and funtion is perfect. They are finished as well as any I've bought. I only have one of there 20" uppers at this time w/ PSA BCG. it has been exceptional. I bought a PSA 16" middy that should arrive tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing how it compares to my BCMs. From seeing others feedback I have no reason to believe that I will see much difference. Especially being it will have a BCM BCG in it being PSA was out of stock. I do have a couple of PSAs BCGs and can't detect a difference between them and my BCMs. However, some of PSAs BCGs have lately been coming without the MP/HPT marking on them. Even though they state they are tested, if I got an unmarked one I'd send it back. That wouldn't be acceptable.

That is eactly my point. When PSA has three incorrectly assembled uppers and it becomes "tons" or a few canted FSB's get multiplied into "a whole bunch" or "most", and, BCM's few issues remain a few isolated issues because they are held in high regard, it's hard to make an accurate assessment. Like I said earlier, a lot of the drama with PSA is from people greatly exagerating previous posts and applying their own bias. PSA has had some issues, some even serious, but the actual number of problems and rate of problems has been severely over inflated and dramatized.

You may be right, but thats always going to happen in retail. For that reason, people tend to go with the company that seems to on paper have the better track record. I still wouldnt hesitate to buy from either.

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