It’s an unusual chambering to find in an AR platform, but yes, there really is an AR-style rifle chambered in .30-06. Hey, this is America, where we do things a little differently. It’s not uncommon to find an AR style rifle in .300 Blackout, 6.5 Grendel, .458 SOCOM, and in the PCC world, 9mm.
But if you’ve ever wished for the power of a .30-06 caliber in an AR-style rifle, wish no more. The Bear Creek Arsenal Huntmaster is an impressive-sized rifle that offers the recoil reduction of an AR. It’s perfect for long-range and offers quick follow-up shots from a platform many are already familiar with.
Who Is Bear Creek Arsenal?
Bear Creek Arsenal (BCA) is a firearms manufacturer headquartered in Sanford, North Carolina. My experience with BCA so far is great and their guns are more than affordable. BCA has a slew of AR upper and lower combinations in both the AR-15 and AR-10 platforms.
One of their most notable features is their side-charging handle system. I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of the rear charging handle on AR-15 rifles. Many like this design because it is easier to cycle the bolt when chambering the first round.
BCA produces everything from standard AR-15 rifles in 5.56 NATO to larger chamberings like 7.62×39 and .450 Bushmaster. The company also manufactures a range of upper receivers, barrels, and firearm accessories, allowing people to customize or build their own firearms.
You can purchase a complete rifle from them or purchase an upper or lower separately. In the past, I have reviewed their AR-15 5.56 and their 9mm PCC and loved them both.
BC-8 Huntmaster .30-06 AR
The BC-8 Huntmaster is not what you would call a common caliber for an AR-style rifle. Chambered in the.30-06 Springfield cartridge, this rifle combines the power of an older cartridge and a modern, semi-auto rifle.
They had hunters in mind when they designed this rifle. It features a 24-inch barrel, which is a great length for a long-range AR.
The side-charging handle is particularly useful on this rifle because of the stronger buffer spring. BCA attached the side charging handle directly to the BCG. They made a cutout on the upper receiver to allow room for the charging handle to move with the BCG since it is reciprocating.
As I’ve mentioned in past articles, the only downside to this is the charging handle must be removed before you can take the BCG out. This isn’t a big deal to me, however, for a hunting rifle. It’s a simple process and takes only a few minutes.
Of course, you can’t do any rapid firing, at least when using a long-range scope, but it does make follow-up shots easy.
The 24-inch barrel has a 1:10 twist and a custom muzzle break on the end. The Huntmaster is built with a heavier AR-10 frame because of the size of the cartridge. This makes it a beefy-looking gun, which I like. Weighing in at around 9 pounds, it has enough weight to help with recoil when using a brace or bipod.
BC-8 Huntmaster Specs:
- Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
- Barrel Length: 24 inches
- Action: Semi-automatic
- Charging Handle: Side-charging
- Frame Material: 7075-T6 aluminum
- Stock: Adjustable
- Handguard: Free-floating
- Weight: Approximately 9 pounds
- Magazine Capacity: Compatible with modified AR-10 magazines
- The Huntmaster’s precision and power make it a compelling option for hunters pursuing large game, as well as enthusiasts who enjoy stretching their skills at the range.
Why .30-06 for an AR?
The .30-06 Springfield has long been a favorite of American hunters and marksmen. Originally introduced in 1906 for military use, it became popular with civilians because of its versatility, power, and reliability.
Capable of taking down everything from whitetail deer to elk, the .30-06 has excellent ballistics that allow for long-range accuracy with plenty of stopping power.
Ballistically, the .30-06 outperforms many modern rifle rounds, such as the .308 Winchester, when it comes to the bullet’s velocity and energy. A standard 150-grain .30-06 bullet has a muzzle velocity of around 2,900 feet per second, which is impressive. This is one reason so many continue to use the round for hunting.
The idea of chambering the .30-06 in an AR platform is not popular, but I find it exciting. One of the most iconic rifles to fire a .30-06 is the M1 Garand. Multiple machine guns also fire the round, so why not an AR as well?
It’s hard to argue that any rifle is as customizable as the AR platform so this opens up a whole new world for .30-06 fans.
On the Range with the Huntmaster
While .30-06 has been around for ages, it’s not cheap to buy. I remember the days of hitting the range with a bucket full of ammo and no worries about dumping it all down range. But nowadays, you can feel the money slipping away every time you pull the trigger.
I wanted to get this thing zeroed in with as few shots as possible. For a .30-06, a 100-yard zero is a standard starting point. This distance allows you to take advantage of the cartridge’s relatively flat trajectory out to 200 yards and beyond. It’s also the limit on the range available when I zeroed it in.
After mounting the scope, I used a bore sight to get the scope lined up enough to be on paper with my first shot. This helps save some ammo and time.
One of the first things I was curious about with this rifle is how well it cycles. Some calibers work great with the AR platform and others have issues.
For this, I fired a few fast rounds to see how it handled it. As I mentioned above, this isn’t the type of rifle you speed dump with, but I wanted to do it just once. I fired all six rounds in the mag as fast as I could. The recoil wasn’t bad, but it reminds you of the size of round you’re firing. There were no issues with feeding or cycling.
A great trigger makes the difference
I fired a couple of more mags at 100 yards using a rifle stand. For the price, I wasn’t expecting such a great trigger. There was no take-up at all before a clean “click.” On my trigger gauge, I had an average of 2.3 pounds per pull.
While there are a ton of other things that go into a rifle’s accuracy, the trigger pull can make or break your shot. At 100 yards, I was getting great one-inch groupings using Sellier & Bellot 150gr SPCE.
What pairs well with the Huntmaster?
This caliber/rifle combo may not be for everyone, but I think it’s pretty cool. I get a little tired of the same old stuff and like to see someone shake it up a bit.
Here are a few items that would go great with this rifle:
BCA 5-30 x 56 Rifle Scope
If you’re wondering what scope to use with the Huntmaster, don’t worry. Bear Creek Arsenal doesn’t just make rifles; they also produce optics, including the BCA 5-30 x 56 Rifle Scope. This high-powered optic is a perfect match for the Huntmaster, and like the rifle, it’s affordable.
The scope features a second focal plane (SFP) design, meaning the reticle size remains consistent as you adjust magnification. The tactical MIL reticle provides precise holdover and windage marks, making it easy to calculate shots at long distances. The zero-stop turrets allow you to return to your original zero quickly after making adjustments in the field.
The scope is built with a durable aluminum body that’s both waterproof and fog-proof. Its 56 mm objective lens gathers plenty of light, making it effective in low-light conditions such as dawn or dusk — prime hunting hours. Pairing this scope with the Huntmaster creates a great hunting setup that’s affordable.
BCA 5-30 x 56 Rifle Scope Specs
- Magnification Range: 5-30x
- Objective Lens Diameter: 56 mm
- Reticle: Tactical MIL (SFP)
- Adjustment Type: Zero-stop turrets
- Tube Diameter: 34 mm
- Weight: 27 ounces
- Price: Approximately $399
Liberator ear muffs
These ear muffs are high-quality and comfortable. I’ve used my pair for more than a year now and am loving them. A voice prompt lets you know when they are powering on/off and the mode they are in. You can change the mode for multiple settings, depending on what you’re doing.
They have ANR noise-canceling microphones which make the sound clear even when there’s a lot of noise around you.
Probably the best thing about this pair is the gel-like padding that goes over your ears. You can get them in black or FDE and they run on two AAA batteries.
Bipod or gun rest
Magpul makes one of the best adjustable bipods, but you can also go with TruGlo if you want a decent cheaper one. Get the M-Lok option for quick mounting on the BCA rifle. If you don’t want to mount a bipod, you can also find a good gun-rest or quick-clamp mount for shooting longer distances.
Different, cool, and fun
I like having something different, and the BCA Huntmaster is a big caliber in a platform that I’m used to. The gun is fun to shoot and has a great trigger for a stock gun. It’s a little on the heavy side, but I don’t mind this for a long-range rifle.
If you are an AR-15 junkie and love hunting, this is a great combination. Check it out and see what you think.
