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Posted: 11/13/2011 6:51:14 AM EDT
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Took the BA89K out this Saturday for some testing and pumpkin destroying action!
Stay tuned for pics/review. 
Overall the finish and feel of the BA89K is solid. 
The trigger housing is pretty plain, but certainly serves its purpose. The detent has worn a path from Safe to Fire, but still clicks in place solidly. 
I adjusted the rear windage over all the way to the left side of the sight mount to zero it. I was hitting a medium sized pumpkin at 75 yards supported and braced on a rest. I am impressed with the accuracy from the 4.5" barrel. 
As a professional GMAW and GTAW welder the welds on the BA89K did not impress me. I even considered redoing the welds and refinishing. The welds are sufficient, but could be more uniform. I'd like to try my hand at welding together a receiver in the future. 
The first thing I noticed less than par when I received the BA89K was a big drop of hardened paint at the end of the barrel. I broke the paint off and the paint is not uniform on the end of the barrel. During the first outing the spring and detent for the cocking support tube worked their way out of the cocking support tube. I was lucky to notice the detent as it rolled out of the cocking tube, but the spring was lost. I went to the hardware store and purchased a spring and cut it to length. Although the spring is too large in diameter, it will work until I can get a replacement. 
The bolt, locking piece, firing pin and spring all fit together very well, the action is very smooth. 
Overall I had a few problems with the bolt not fully seating with a fully loaded NEW HK magazine. When a few rounds were removed it functioned fine. This is probably because the spring is still very strong and puts too much resistance on the bolt. The other magazine, which is labeled 9X19.MP-5 in white lettering on the bottom left of the magazine functioned flawlessly. The spring in this magazine is also not as strong as the HK magazine. The brass ejected at 90* in a consistent arc, no problems with ejection ever over 200 rounds. Overall I'm happy with the BA89K, and hope to submit my FORM 1 very soon, as well as get a threaded barrel extension added for my 9MM suppressor. 
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| Congrats on your purchase. These guns are a good alternative if your not looking to spend $1300-2600. You probably already are aware of this but the bolt carrier is cast instead of machined from billet as is the bolt which is a MIM casting. Obviously they are working but many have had problems with these parts. Personally the bolt heads are hit/miss I have one that I will be exchanging for a machined one that Bailey says will be available soon but the gun right now has an RCM bolt head. |
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Nice Write-up!
I was actually debating on the BA89K, but bought a MKE AT-94k about 2 weeks ago. I bought it new, but the production run on the box had 4/2010 - welds look nice on mine compared to the pics I have seen on here and the HK site. I think the Bellator is a good low cost choice for a clone now that ATI is no longer importing the MKE. |
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