Bohica MKIII purchase...Mistake????

Hey all very new to the .50 game. I just bought a Bohica and I pick it up next week. I did some reading but maybe not enough. I think I got a good deal on it. My buddy says he shot it 15 times. It looks to have the new bolt and a SWFA SS 10x42 on it. 100 rounds of ammo (factory) along with 10 match grade rounds... I'm getting it for 1000.00 I just found out that Bohica is out of business..RIGHT?? So what do you all think?? Maybe im jumping the gun by asking before i have even shot the gun,but I have read that there is a few problems with rounds sticking in the chamber...any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Can you back out of the deal? There is an old saying "You get what you pay for." Also what are you going to do for support? What if the firing pin or another part breaks? I am just saying.

At this point I'm committed......I would hate to think that what machined parts would cost!! But I haven't read anything about any parts actually breaking....maybe I'm trying to make myself feel better...LOL

It sounds like a pretty good deal with the scope and ammo being worth at least $400.00, that leaves you with $700.00 into the upper. Some have had extracting problems from minor to very hard. Have heard of a couple going KABOOM but don't know enough to comment on it, could be the nut behind the gun, don't know. Have heard of failure to fire from weak spring but that can be fixed with a new hammer / spring, this could be a big danger so follow the hangfire rule of waiting a minute before opening the bolt and don't stand behind it when opening. I have never seen one at a match so can't tell you about how well they shoot.
Take it out and enjoy it and if you have any problems you can keep the scope and ammo and try to get your $$$ back out of the upper and buy something that has good customer relations and still open.

Ed

Thanks Ed! The guy said he hadn't had any problems with the cartridge sticking that he was shooting (15 shots) with LC AP ammo. I have read a lil bit about them being pretty accurate. I don't plan on really shooting this gun allot..key words..DONT PLAN..but who knows I might get the fever when i shot it for the 1st time.

I had 1 screw break on my bohicas bipod, that's it. Approximately 250 rounds down raange with no other problems.

I suggest blue loctite on all of the rail and handguard screws.

cool I'm feeling better about this! Thanks guys! any other advise would be great!
I just looked at my serial number and im at the end of the 500's...I hope it has the new fireing pin in it.

They are not the greatest .50 ever built, but at that price you really can't go wrong. I had one of the first ones made and it was decent. They won't win any beauty contests, but they are serviceable. I'd say the scope and ammo are worth more like $600, so you're really not paying much at all for the upper. I'd guess you wouldn't have too much trouble getting your money back out of it if you don't like it.

I had no issues with mine in a couple hundred rounds. I sold mine to get a lefthand Ferret50 and the increase in quality of the Ferret50 is evident, but it also comes with a concurrent increase in price. You're getting a heck of a deal and it's a good entry into the .50bmg world. Warning though, you WILL become addicted...

I agree here those rounds would probably be worth about $350 and the scope about $200, so for $650 you got the a 50BMG upper that you could probably turn around and get $8-900 for. So I don't think you did to bad, I believe the reason they got shut down was due quality issues and how it relates to safety, how many, and under what circumstances they went boom is up for debate though. When I first got into the 50BMG I looked into the Bohica uppers, because of the cost, but later decided my money would be better spent on an AR-50, knowing that Armalite has been around and will be around for a long time.

awesome deal IMO

Im getting pretty excited...I get to pick it up tomorrow and just my luck we are supposed to be getting like over 3 inches of rain in the next two days! I need to find a long range....best I can do it 100 yards here close. Id have to drive 45 mins to use a 400 yard range and I have no idea what they charge to rent it out since it a PRVT police range.
Its also got Badger scope rings and flip up covers on the SWFA scope so I hope this will last me a while!!
Im really hoping I don't go out an pop off these 100 rounds in a day or two and CRAP....Honey I need some $$$ for ammo...LOL

I've had my Bohica for a couple of years without problems. It does not like Lake City brass and I keep a rod to punch the brass out with shooting LC brass. Other wise it shoots great. I've even got the Bohica steel single shot lower. I did polish my chamber with a 50 BMG hone and it works much better. I've ran several hundred round through mine. Make sure you have the heavy Wolf spring and either take out your old bolt stop or get the Bohica one with yours so you can put a different upper on your lower without doing a bunch of changing. Above all be sure and tke the recoil spring out of your lower. I suppect that the one Kaboom was because someone thought it was cool to let the bolt fly forward and it caused an out of battery problem. That won't be a problem if you just use your hand.

I guess we will see how it likes the LC brass, since I all the ammo I got was LC stamped.... funny thing is I live less than 3 miles from the Lake City Ammunition plant here in KC LOL....
I have the heavy spring already in there...My AR came with that. I'm hoping I don't have to go buy a hone to work the chamber but we will see after I shoot it tomorrow...I will be at the range making sure my 7mm Mag is ready for deer season.
I got about 25 rounds of empty brass also...I guess I'll get rid of it after I do my 1st round of shooting tomorrow. Will be interesting to see how my shoulder will hold up to a few shots.LOL

Now from a reloaders point of view, the above is sacrilege!!! You can save a ton of money over the years if you reload. And if you really dont want that brass and it is either once or twice fired. Then IM me and we can see if their is a price we can agree upon (help with buying new ammo for you). I like reloading cause not only does it save me money, but I can also taylor the round to my rifle. Well than and the fact I have a tight chamber and HAVE to neck turn.

PM sent Max

Don`t worry too much about your MK3. Go out and shoot it and have lots of fun! I always put the weapon on safe when pulling the bolt back. No problems with ammo or anything else at this time.

Had a small setback. The extractor spring went flying today....didn't loose the extractor thing god so Im taking to a gunsmith to have them figure out the spring since cannot buy them now. I wish this had the upgraded bolt handle on it but oh cannot have it all.......

I love mine... I got about 200 or so rounds through it, mostly reloads and some milsurp. The only thing that I've broke on it was the allen screw that holds the extractor spring backed off and the spring got mangled up, I contacted Chris and he sent me several new ones. Also he sent me 2 extra extractors, 2 extra bolt handles, and a couple of firing pins.

I think a Grand ain't bad for the deal that you're getting...

- Clint

Hey Cajun,

Tell him what the extractor spring is. If I remember correctly, it aint nothing but some piano wire. Now the ejector is something else that I do not know about.

Yeah, it's like a little piece of spring steel or something... it could be piano wire I guess... it just holds the extractor in place and allows it to move back and forth. There is an allen head screw that holds that "wire" in place... when mine back out the wire came back and when I worked the bolt it bent it 90 degrees. Then the extractor quit working. But after applying some locktite to the allen screw it hasn't backed off since. Maybe if ya'll are interested I can take it apart tomorrow and take some pics...

- Clint

Ive got a mk-iv and have only got about 45 rounds through it, but so far mine shoots great.

I wouldn't be afraid to buy it, as (like me) you probably won't shoot hundreds of rounds a year through it, and if you get real serious about bmg you'll probably buy a dedicated gun anyways.

I've got a MK III (I think), and I'm happy enough with it. Super-accurate, at least as good as I shoot. No real problems in about 180 rounds.

I think you did good. As said, the accesories are worth a bit. As for mine, the amount I shoot it....I've put 180 rounds through it in 2 years. I'd say it'll be 5 years before I manage to put 1,000 rounds through it (if that soon). If I get that serious, i'll be getting a factory-built .50 anyway.

That said I'd have liked to have gotten the upgraded bolt handle and a spare extracter+spring.

Have fun and let us know how it goes from here.

Took it to a gunsmith about 30 mins from me...he said he will have it about a month and it will be better than Bohica ever thought about making it.

Post the results!

Where is Bohica? Are they still around? I just agreed to a deal with another member and when I went to find them, they have all but disappeared!

I don't want to welch on the deal, but I'm getting worried here.

L.J.
CBPO

Will do... he said he didn't think the ejector was quite up to the standard it should be so he was going to tweak it a little bit.
Will let you all know as soon as i get it back and take it to the range. If anyone has a spare upgraded bolt handle id love to chat with you about it.

There are uppers in the channels that are still available from looking around a little bit. I wouldn`t hesitate to get another if I found what I was looking for. Although trying to find replacement parts may seem a little daunting, if one was persistent, I am sure they could find what they were looking for.

I would talk to a few machinists if you can`t come up with a bolt handle that someone had. Show them what you have and show them the special offset camming action that it provides when turned a certain way. There are plenty of knowledgeable guys out there that could make one for you if you can "network" with them. The good ones are magicians in their own right. Part dumpster diving looking fellow...part hi-tech engineer...part miracle worker. I would hang out with any of them any day!!!

Im thinking the cam on the bolt handle might be a little tough to make if someone didn't have a pattern to go off from. This guy is good but wow is he ever backed up!! if it is going to take 3+ weeks for a extractor spring and reman on the ejector I hate to think how ling for a bolt handle...LOL I guess Ill just have to ask him.

If he is seriously backed up, that is a guy you need to talk to. Someone else or many else`s, know he is worth the wait for something that works.

Thats what I figured....A friend on the police dept. sent me to him. He said that he's good but it take a while to get your stuff back because he's so back logged. I guess he had my friends Remington 700 for almost 4 months "tweaking" it. LOL But he said it never has shot better now that he has it back.

One guy on the old Bohica forum used two screws to mount a roughly triangular piece of steel to the bottom corner of the receiver opening where the camming should take place. He filed it until it was camming how he wanted it (testing with an ammo he had most of his sticking problems with).
Chris said it voided his warranty, but that isn't an issue any more...

I saw those pics somewhere in the past few days.....That's way out of my league to be drilling and such on my upper. but if I did take those pics to this guy I bet he could do that to mine...maybe even TIG weld it in so it looks like it came that way.
Something to think about.......

Criminy––why would anyone buy a piece of crap you had to modify in that manner?

I have an MKIII it is ok, American eagle rounds stick in the chamber , its more of a novelty thing to me just to say I own a 50cal, I would sell it if I could

My Bohica never had a single problem with the Summit remanufactured Brazilian (I think) ammo I purchased at J and G sales. Maybe I just got lucky, but I'd try a few different types of ammo.

Drop me a line. I might be interested.

Dittos, my Bohica loves the CBC Brazilian brass and never has any trouble with it. I just have trouble reloading Lake City brass for some reason. I check it in my Wilson Go-No Go gage and it seems fine but it would stick some what. Then I purchased a 50 BMG hone for it to polish the chamber and it helped somewhat but I still prefer CBC or Winchester Brass for reloading. Both are easy to resize and never stick.
I know some people here don't like Bohica but I sure enjoy mine. It shoots great. Too bad something went wrong with Chris and Mark in the business aspect of selling their Bohicas. I purchased mine almost 3 years ago directly from Chris and I received it 5 days from the day I ordered it. He also took great care of me when I had any questions or problems.

Ya, but we all know that you are one of the very few exceptions to rule. Or how Chris operated. Remember, where did the "Two more weeks" become famous from? I am just saying.

My experience has been positive as well. Mine is among the few MKII's out there, and it has given me no problems. My rails/handguard came crooked but it was an easy fix. Once the brake was upgraded it became a pleasure to shoot. Chris was a little difficult to get a hold of at times, but he always got back with me within a day or two. Mine has no issues with LC brass, which is all I've fired through it. I may sell it someday for a Noreen or maybe a Barrett M99...but for now it does everything I need it to.

From Serbu about 10 years ago

Yep...:)
Here's some of the early Serbu history from the start:

Serbu_History

Serbu is king of that shit, LONG LONG before Bohica existed...

As I've said many times before, I've never had a major issue with BOHICA. My upper came with a crooked crown, was fixed within 1 week, now shoots MOA or better, haven't had a round stick on me yet (CBC and LC brass), haven't had any other issues that weren't my fault.

Chris or his wife was always nice on the phone/emails etc... I think it's a shame they're not around anymore. What's more, I'm still extremely curious why the sudden "We're being ATF'd" etc.. then shutdown.

IIRC, they had a semi-auto in the works.

Still waiting to get mine back....it's only been 2 weeks but seems like a year when you have a new gun that you cannot shoot.

Love my BOHICA. Only had one stuck case which was the very first round fired from it. My only regret is I didn't get the upgraded firing pin or some spare parts now that they are out of business.

The new firing pin is a big improvement over the clips on the original. It would be real easy for a machinest to make.

And then Ares restarted it.

OK I got my bolt back today looks great. he couldn't get the old ejector out so he drilled it out and machined me a new one and put a new stronger spring in it . When i now put the bolt to the rear even with a live round it pops it out on to the ground much better...now I just have a to wait a few days to go shoot it. I cannot wait!!

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