The Most Budget Friendly Range Finding Thermal? Goyojo GRS225RF Review

Female coyote bagged at 40yds with the 225RF.

If a thermal scope is a game changer, then a thermal scope with a rangefinder is doubly so. Anyone who's used a thermal optic knows that it can be very difficult to judge range through one (not that it's exactly easy with a standard scope, either), which is why for many years now nocturnal coyote hunters have favored fast, flat shooting cartridges. The flatter your trajectory, the greater that margin for error you have when taking a shot at an unknown distance. And, of course, using a standard rangefinder at night is difficult if not impossible without using a light source. 

Enter the Goyojo GRS225RF thermal scope, which they were kind enough to send out to me for review. The 225 represents the thermal sensor category (256), while the RF denotes the range finding capability (they do have a non-RF model as well). I believe that the 225RF is one of, if not the cheapest thermal optics out there with a range finding capability, coming in under $800. So is the 225RF the deal of the century, or too good to be true? Read on to find out.

I'll break this review up into sections to delineate certain areas of interest. We'll be looking at performance, features/tech, ergonomics/usability, form factor, and value. After considering all of those, you should be well on your way to determining if the 225RF deserves a place on one of your rifles.

PERFORMANCE

256 is on the low end of the sensor scale in thermal these days, which runs from 144 all the way up to the newly released 1280s. As I said in my review of the DNT Hydra 225, an apt comparison is to relate these to video game consoles. If the 144 is a Playstation 1, then the 1280 is a PS5. The 256 then sits at the level of a PS2, which gives decent if not mind-blowing performance. The 225RF does appear to be a high performing 256 sensor (maybe analogous to a PS2 game released at the end of its lifespan). You can detect thermal signatures from hundreds of yards away, but your ID distance is going to be much shorter. In practical terms, I found that I could spot deer and coyotes from 500+ yards away, but wasn't until 2-300yds that I could accurately determine which was which.

As for the laser rangefinder, Goyojo states that it works out to 1000yds. I never lased anything that far away, but I was able to get accurate readings (verified with my Vortex Impact 4000) at 391yds. Hitting the range finding button on top of the scope pops up a set of green brackets on the optic that serves as the "reticle" for where the ranging laser will hit. Returns were pretty quick and you have the option of continuous ranging if so desired, as opposed to a single hit.

If you are used to using a 384 or 640 sensor thermal (PS3 and PS4 in my anaology, respectively), then you'll definitely notice a step down in graphical performance. Your ID distance won't be as long, and performance will not be as good in humid conditions. But for the first timer,  I think it's more than acceptable. I was IDing coyotes at 250yds+, and shot one at 40yds without issue. For someone looking to get into thermal hunting on a budget, I think it's a great option.

The 225RF has a base optical zoom of 3.5x, with digital zoom from 1-8x. Digital zoom isn't great on any optic, and is worse on lower sensor optics as compared to higher ones, so I use it very sparingly. Durability wise, I haven't done a drop test or anything with the 225RF, but it's held up just fine to going coyote hunting. It also hasn't missed a beat in zero degree weather, even when the optic and screen themselves start to frost up.

To finish this section, we'll touch on battery life. This is an area where I've been very impressed with the 225RF. It has both a built-in battery (charged via a USB-C port on the right side of the optic) and takes an optional backup CR123 where the Parallax adjustment would be on a traditional scope. Goyojo claims over 7hrs of battery life using both, and I believe it. Sitting out in zero degree weather for over two hours, scope running the whole time, I think I lost one "bar" of charge on the built in battery. I think this is excellent performance and it's nice to not have to worry about swapping batteries or carrying an external power pack around.

A very frosty 225RF after over 2hrs in 0 degree weather.

FEATURES/TECH

That particular coyote leads nicely into the discussion of the features of the 225RF. Like most thermal optics, it can record video, use Picture-in-Picture zoom, switch between color palettes and reticle types/colors, etc. All very standard stuff. Unfortunately, the technology side is where the 225RF comes up a little short compared to more expensive options. First, the Recoil Activated Video feature was not very consistent. I'd love to show you footage of me shooting that coyote, which came in fast before I could manually activate the video recording. Instead of capturing the shot, the RAV instead kicked on as I was walking around looking for the yote. So I have a good 10 minutes of footage looking at the ground, and nothing of the actual shot. This RAV activation without shooting has happened several times (and I don't recall this happening with other thermal optics), so I'll probably just shut this feature off.

The 225RF also offers some ballistic solver capabilities, where if you plug in your bullet/rifle data, it should show you where to hold after ranging a target. I say should, because that program is currently not working correctly, which was confirmed after speaking with one of their pro staff members. This is a great tech feature to add to a RF optic, and it's too bad that it's not currently working. Hopefully that can be fixed with an update. 

I've also noticed that there's a noticeable shift in the optic between 1x zoom and 1.1x or above--the reticle appears offset, and then the whole screen shifts when you zoom in. The reticle doesn't actually change position, so you're aiming at the same spot, but it's just an odd thing to see; I keep the reticle at 1.1x so I don't have to worry about it. Also worth mentioning is that the PiP reticle does not align with the primary reticle, but is slightly offset to the right in my case. Both can't be correct at the same time, obviously, and I believe that the primary reticle is the one that's accurate. Another minor annoyance that can hopefully be corrected in an update.

Speaking of updates, that's another area where the 225RF leaves something to be desired. Instead of updating via their app, as many other thermal optics do, you have to manually download an update file (typically from a Google Drive link), plug the scope into a PC, and then drag the update file into the 225RF folder. It's a clunky solution, and it should be noted that your data is wiped during the update, to include your zero, which is pretty annoying. Fortunately, if you write down your X and Y zero settings before updating, you can simply enter them back in; I've found the return to zero using this method to be spot on.

Finally, the app is also very basic. You can see a live view and your videos, but I've had issues where the videos won't play, and couldn't get any of them to download to my phone. You then have to download them to a PC (or a Mac, using a third party program--it won't detect the 225RF otherwise), and even then I've still had issues. To sum it all up, if app and video related features are important to you, you may want to pass on the 225RF for now, at least until these issues are addressed. If you're just using the scope to hunt with and don't care about the videos anyway, then you shouldn't have much of an issue.

ERGOS/USEABILITY

The 225RF has a pretty simple set of controls. Closest to the rear we have three buttons--power, camera activation (tap for photo, hold for video), and laser ranging (tap for ranging, hold to swap between color palettes). The only other control is the "turret" where you would normally control your elevation on a traditional optic. Pressing and holding this brings up your options menu, and you twist the turret to select your options, then press when you've made your choice. One quirk I've noticed is that the menus seem to rotate in opposite direction of what I expect; not a big deal, obviously, just takes some getting used to. All in all I find the 225RF to be pretty simple to control, and I don't have any real complaints.

FORM FACTOR

Unlike many thermal optics, the 225RF has the familiar external form factor of a traditional scope, though it's far different inside. It should be noted that Goyojo is not alone in using this form factor, and that they also do make thermal scopes with a more "standard" setup. This traditional scope form factor comes with some pros and cons, so let's discuss them now.

First for the pros is that you can mount the 225RF like a traditional scope using 30mm rings. This allows more versatility if you have an older platform without a picatinny rail, which the more standard-style thermal optics typically require. Secondly, I could see the more familiar setup perhaps being an aid to someone new to thermal optics--it might be a little easier to get the hang of. Since there's nothing where the windage turret would traditionally be, I found this to be a convenient spot to mount a Sig Romeo 5 on an Arisaka offset RDS mount, giving me a backup and close range optic.

There are some cons to this design, however. I found that the spacing of the 30mm sections are atypical due to the way the housing is shaped, so many of your standard one-piece AR mounts with fixed spacing between the front and rear rings won't fit. Goyojo does supply some high (roughly 1.5") rings with the optic, but while they work, they do appear to be pretty low quality. Don't expect a pair of Seekins, put it that way.

Secondly, unless you use a pair of aftermarket QD rings, you won't have the ability to quickly detach the 225RF to use as a handheld scanner or swap to a daytime optic. I really appreciate that feature on some of my other thermal optics, so it's something to keep in mind if that's important to you. Finally, the whole setup is quite long, similar to a traditional optic, and does require that total amount of space between the rings, so this wouldn't be something you could easily run on some smaller setups. None of these form factor cons are deal breakers by any means, just something to keep in mind.

VALUE

The Goyojo GRS225RF represents a great value for the technical capabilities you're getting. As I mentioned before, I think it's the cheapest rangefinding thermal optic out there, coming in at under $800. You get decent thermal performance, excellent battery life, and the ability to range a target through the optic, making this a great option for someone just getting into thermal optics. However, the technology and app side of things definitely leave something to be desired, and if you're planning to use this to record hunts, you may want to consider other options.

The technological aspects are able to be updated, though, so hopefully they're improved in the future. I'd like to see the ballistic solver fixed, and the optic be able to be updated through the app (along with saving videos). As for the sensor, I think it performs well for a 256, but whether or not that's enough horsepower for your uses is up to you. In sum, I think the 225RF is a good option for those on a budget, and with a few tweaks, it could be great.

Big raccoon taken at 100yds.

The Perfect SPR Scope?

SPR's seem to be all the rage these days, and for good reason. There's something incredibly satisfying about ringing steel at long range with an AR, especially doing it in rapid succession (which SPRs excel at). Of course, an SPR is only as good as its optic, because you can't hit what you can't see. There's a few considerations most shooters typically want in an SPR scope: reasonable/length weight, good glass, usable magnification range, good reticle, durability, and solid controls. With all those in mind, let's review the Athlon Ares Gen 3 2.5-15 and see how it stacks up.

It should be said that everyone has different ideas of what an SPR is, and how it should perform. For me, it's not a heavy precision rifle that will only be shot from the bench, but a lighter and more mobile "run and gun" type of setup. Whether it's competition, hunting, duty/combat, etc, I don't want an overly hefty rifle if I can help it--I have a bolt gun for that. At the same time, I don't need it to be an ultralight rifle where every ounce is agonized over. I like to keep the optic weight under 30oz if I can for an SPR, which generally limits you to 30mm tubes and 50mm or less objectives.  With a 30mm tube/50mm objective, just under 14" long and just over 27oz, I'd say the Ares is just right in this category. 

Ares BTR Gen. 3 2.5-15x50 specs

The Ares is made in China* with Chinese glass, but I found it to be quite nice. If you haven't been paying attention recently, there's been some really nice glass coming out China--not to the same level as Japanese glass, but not that far behind. There was no significant chromatic aberration to speak of (and I spent some good time shooting this in the snow!), and the image quality was good. The Ares is easy to look through and I really have no complaints about the glass. For a comparison, I would say its probably a little bit above the Vortex Strike Eagle line--and I've shot the Strike Eagle 5-25 out to 1050yds. The 50mm objective lets in plenty of light, perfect for dawn and dusk.

*It appears that Athlon is also making these in Japan now as designated by a "J" at the end of the model number. This adds another $100.

For the magnification range, I'm looking for 1-3x on the low end, and 15-18x on the top end in an SPR scope. 2.5-15 is thus a great range to have in a scope like this, and it makes the Ares extremely effective in the SPR usage window, which is generally out to about 6-700yds in a 5.56 rifle. I got a chance to shoot this out to a little past 400yds, and it definitely excelled there. As for the reticle, I like the APRS13 Mil Reticle quite a bit. This is a first focal plane optic (that's all I shoot, really), and it's got a good "Christmas tree" of wind holds without being excessively busy.  One thing that some people might prefer in an SPR optic would be some kind of a bigger center aiming point, as in their Helos 2-12. The Ares has a very small "floating dot" which is very fine and not for those with aging eyes. Personally, though, I find that I can simply bracket my target inside that open center area, and even if I can't see the floating dot clearly, I know I'm going to get a hit. After all, an SPR generally isn't used for ultra tack-driving precision.

APRS13 FFP Mil Reticle

The only area where I think the Ares falls a little short is in the illumination department. It does have 6 brightness settings with a stop/off in between each, thankfully (a very useful feature for hunting and/or duty use), but even at the brightest setting, it's quite dim. This is clearly only intended for low light scenarios, where it does well. Unfortunately, one of the downsides of an FFP optic is that they can often be difficult to use at low magnification, as the whole reticle obviously shrinks down. One way to combat that is to have a reticle bright enough to be seen in daylight, giving you a way to aim quickly at those close range targets. The Ares does not get bright enough to allow you to do this, so while the field of view at 2.5x is very nice, making a quick snapshot is much more difficult. For this reason, I've been running an offset red dot for short range work.

As for durability, I've got no complaints. I haven't used this thing as a hammer, or anything crazy like that, but it's been in the trunk of my car, banged into other rifles and side door of my safe,  and been slung/carried around without any issue. Of course, an optic is only as good as the mount that its in, and I've been using the extremely nice Audere Levitas from Darn Fine Shot, their exclusive US importer. This is a great SPR combo, as it's got a built-in bubble level in the back of the mount to keep you square for those long range shots. Finally, one of the really nice additions that Athlon includes with these scopes is a pair of threaded scope caps. Made from aluminum, these low profile caps add very little weight and are able to be folded completely back. I really, really like these and I'd love to see more manufacturers take Athlon's lead and include a set of high-quality caps with their high-quality optics.

Control-wise, the Ares is pretty standard. The magnification dial is smooth, and with the included removable stud it's a breeze to rotate. You've got an adjustable eyepiece and elevation, windage, and parallax turrets in the usual places. Turrets are you typical .1 mil per click (10 mils per revolution) and are nice and tactile; it feels good to dial on this thing. You've also got an optional zero stop on the elevation turret, which I consider the bare minimum for a scope that might be getting knocked around, as an SPR scope often is. There's even a revolution counter for those times when you're really dialing the scope for an extreme shot, which is especially handy for rimfire shooters exploring the limits of .22lr.

Unfortunately, the Ares does not have locking turrets, nor a capped windage turret. I know some people might disqualify the Ares completely as an SPR scope for these reasons, and it's too bad that Athlon didn't make that design choice. Myself and most people I know only dial elevation if we're going to dial anything, and hold for wind. This makes a windage turret superfluous other than for zeroing purposes, and a capped windage turret is a great way to gain some zero security. I think Vortex made the right call by capping theirs on the Strike Eagle 3-18, and in the future I'd like to see Athlon either make both turrets lock, or do a locking elevation and capped windage.

Street price on the Ares is in the $6-700 range, and I think you're getting a lot of scope for the money. Athlon is a brand that I know to offer exceptional value for the price, and the Ares is no exception. If they could add locking/capped turrets and bump up the brightness, then I think the Ares 2.5-15 would be the hands-down choice for an SPR scope under $800. As it sits, I think it's still an excellent optic and I don't plan to take it off my SPR any time soon.

Multi Optic Setups

 

All kinds of optics! This setup was just for laughs, 
you don't need two red dots AND a prism sight.

Spend just 5 minutes scrolling through gun content on Instagram (Gunstagram?) and you'll probably see a bunch of rifles with a ton of accessories, including several different optics. But is running multiple aiming systems just a fad for internet points, or is there an actual reason? Let's take a minute to explore that and see if it's something you actually need.

Multi Optic systems can be broken down into a few different categories. For today, we'll just be talking about passive aiming systems, ie scopes, red dots, etc, and not considering lasers. Those certainly are aiming systems, but they're generally more niche and designed for night vision usage, so we'll omit them for the sake of brevity. The general classifications we can break these multi optics systems up into is Backups, Extra Magnification, Close Range, and NV Aiming. There are definitely some blurred lines/carryover between these categories, for what it's worth. Finally, this is primarily a discussion about rifle systems, specifically the AR, but obviously these concepts are not exclusive to Stoner's platform. Let's dive in.

Multiple optic systems have been around as long as optics have existed, generally in the Backup category. In the AR world, we first saw optics come into widespread usage in the 90s within the special operations community. Black Hawk Down is a great example, with the famous "Gordon Carbine" sporting a carry handle mounted Aimpoint, with the iron sights able to be used thanks to a pass-through hole in the mount. Another classic would be the iconic Mk18 Mod0 with an Aimpoint Comp M2 at absolute- or lower-1/3rd height and fixed iron sights, often times a cut down carry handle.

MK18 Mod0 with an Aimpoint Comp M 
at Lower 1/3rd height, and a hacked off
carry handle fixed rear sight.

Nowadays, the most common way to do backup sights is to have a set of flip-up irons on the rifle, the Magpul MBUS probably being the most common. Out of the way when you don't need them, and able to be popped up in a second, they're a great way to add redundancy to a rifle--especially one that you might have to trust your life to, like a duty or home defense rifle. With the advent of higher mounted optics, though, standard flip-up irons may not be able to be cowitnessed through your primary red dot. Or, in the case of a scope, you can't use irons through them anyway. A solution to that would be a set of offset iron sights, Magpul again making a great set.

Probably the next most common setup would be a multiple optic configuration set up for added magnification. With a red dot sight as your primary optic, making shots on smaller targets and/or at extended ranges can be tough. Using a flip-to-side magnifier is a great way to to add magnification when you need it, while still retaining all the advantages of a red dot when you don't.  Many of these are on QD mounts as well, meaning that they can easily be popped off the rifle to save weight, or be used as a standalone monocular.

PSA Sabre with MBUS Gen 3s and PA 3x magnifier.

The Primary Arms Micro 3x Magnifier with the Pegasus reticle is a great example of a magnifier that punches above its weight class. The reticle is out of the way at the bottom, and lets you do some auto-ranging if you're trying to make shots on a standard sized target at unknown distances. Another recent and very interesting development is the offset prism sight mount, like the Staker Precison. It can be used with ACOGs as well as other optics using the same footprint, like the Primary Arms Micro 3x prism. It's designed to let you use your red dot as a primary optic, but gives you the option to make a more precise shot at extended ranges, using the reticle of whatever prism sight you choose. It may not be for everybody, but I think it's a great concept.

Staker Precision Offset ACOG mount
with a Primary Arms Micro 3x.

The Close Range multi optic setup is just the opposite. Your primary optic is some kind of magnified scope, generally without a 1x bottom setting in these cases. In order to make those close range shots quickly, you add an offset or top mounted red dot sight. There's a number of great standalone offset red dot mounts, such as Arisaka, Athena Precision, ADM, etc. A standalone offset can be added to just about any AR setup, and with a number of great budget red dots out there (Holosun, Sig, Vortex, etc), doesn't have to break the bank. While many offset mounts are at a fixed angle, Arisaka offers two mounting angles (35 and 45), and the Athena is able to articulate to get you exactly the angle you need. Be sure to pick a mount that keeps the optic in line with the bore (as the ones mentioned do), or else your trajectory will get wonky at extended ranges.

Romeo 5 (tan) on an Arisaka Offset mount.

Of course, depending on what optic and mount you're using, you could also add the offset red dot directly to your scope mount. Reptilia, Scalarworks, Badger, and Geissele are just a few companies that offer that option. One thing to keep in mind is that it's generally easiest to have the offset optic at the same height as your primary optic, making it a quick roll over to your secondary without having to move your head around. The standalone options generally come in at the standard 1.5" height, though Arisaka does offer a 1.93 option. With the modular mount systems, they are setup to put it exactly at the same height, making things very easy.

509T on the Scalarworks add-on offset
mount, putting both optics at 1.93".

Finally, we come to the Night Vision multi optic system. As I noted before, these categories overlap, and an NV red dot can obviously be used for close range targets and/or as a backup sight.  NV dots are used in conjunction with some sort of magnified optic, whether a prism, LPVO, or higher magnification scope. Generally speaking, NV dots are placed at the 12 o'clock position, making them easier to acquire without knocking your NV into your scope. Because night vision can't really see through a traditional scope, the NV dot allows you to passively aim (ie aim without shooting a laser) and shoot in the dark. It's worth noting that optics with large/tall turrets (looking at you, Arken) may not be able to go this route, as the turret may block the dot. This same caveat can also apply to offset dots, where the dot may be blocked by the windage turret.

Probably the easiest way to add an NV dot to a scope is to pick a modular optic mount that has it as an option. Primary Arms, Reptilia, Geissele, Badger, Warne, and more companies all offer this feature. There are also companies that offer aftermarket dot options to mounts that didn't have them (or certain footprints), like Baldknobber Armament and Koeng Co. Keep in mind that your height over bore starts to get very high; for this reason, I prefer to keep my 12 o'clock dots limited to mounts 1.7" and lower. There are also standalone "clamp" type options, where the red dot is mounted to a ring that's then attached to the optic. Trijicon offers one such mount, and one of the benefits is that it can be adjusted to any angle you'd like, if the 12 o'clock position is too high or blocked by your turrets.

507C (with DT Wrks ARD) on a Reptilia 1.7" mount with RMR top ring.

When it comes to prism scopes, the classic is the RMR mounted on top of an ACOG; many ACOGs like the TA11, TA31, etc. come with threaded holes in the optic for the mount to be added. Some prisms, like the Vortex 5x Spitfire, have a mounting footprint machined into the top (Venom/Viper in the Vortex's case). Others, like some of the older Primary Arms models, have a picatinny rail built in to the top to allow easy mounting of a red dot of your choosing. Primary Arms came out with an offset mount add-on for the Micro Prism line, as well as a 12 o'clock mount. The offset mount worked fine, but the 12 o'clock mount was very flimsy and clearly would not hold zero. Fortunately, a company called Fotonika stepped up to the plate and came out with a quality mount for the 1/3x and 5x Micro prisms. It offers a variety of footprints so it fits most red dots on the market.  

PA Micro 3x in a Fotonika Mount with EFLX on top.

Clearly, there are some valid reasons to have multiple optics on a rifle. If you've got a basic range rifle with a decent LPVO, there's probably no need to spend the extra money to add another optic. But, if you're relying on a rifle for duty use, want to shoot at night, or need a close range aiming solution, then maybe a multi optic system is right for you. As with all gear and setup considerations, I highly recommend that you get out and use your rifle "in the real world" to figure out what you need. Shoot competitions, hunt, take a class, etc. You'll find that when you put your equipment through a real test, any changes, upgrades, or deletions will become obvious very quickly. Trust me, I've been there!

Primary Arms red dot on an Athena
Precision fully adjustable offset mount.

Just One Rifle Suppressor? B&T SRBS 762 Review

Back in the dark ages (AKA just over two weeks ago) when tax stamps cost $200, many people—including myself—set out to get "just one" suppressor to cover all of their bases. For most of us, that meant a .30 cal suppressor that could be used on most, if not all of our rifles. My first can was a Rex MG7K .308, which I still use, though fortunately I have a lot more options now. Today, with tax stamps being free, I'd never tell anyone to only limit themselves to one suppressor, but if I had to keep only one rifle can, it would be the B&T SRBS 762.

My SRBS was sent out by Longbow Arms of Clarksville TN; if you're in the area, check him out! We have a rather interesting can here, this one being an older "Gen 1" slab-side model, 3D printed from Inconel. It's 6.6" x 1.7" or so in its dimensions, and it's a rather svelte 12.7oz—not bad for an extremely durable can. This model came with B&T's SureFire-compatible HUB mount, which I used for a little bit on my Block 2 with a SF Warcomp and had no issues. Ultimately, though, I ended up switching it out for the Cryptid Designs Muzzle Brake HUB mount, this particular one in 5/8x24 for my BCA-10 chambered in .308. This is a neat muzzle device that has a HUB mount built right into it, so you don't need to use a separate mounting system. The single port muzzle brake acts as a sacrificial baffle here, as a 16" .308 is quite a beast to tame.

The aforementioned BCA-10 is where the SRBS spends most of its time, and it does a fantastic job on an AR-10. It's a low-backpressure can, which is greatly appreciated on an overgassed rifle, and it also translates the recoil impulse from very snappy to a more gentle push. I noticed a positive difference in recoil even between the SRBS and a traditional can, and it makes the rifle very pleasant to shoot. It's not a short can, so it wouldn't be my preference on a longer CQB or "run and gun" rifle, but for a shorty or on a DMR-style rifle, it's right at home.

Sound performance was very solid, especially given the fact that a semi-auto will never be truly quiet, particularly with supersonic ammunition. Besides the AR-10 and 14.5" Block 2 in 5.56, I also ran this on a 10.5" 5.56, a 6" .300blk, a 10.5" 7.62x39 AK, and even my Sig Cross (16" .308 bolt action). 5.56 performance was decent, with a nice low tone; 7.62x39 and .300blk supers gave similar results. .300blk subs weren't super quiet but not terrible, as might be expected.  Finally, the bolt action .308 performance was acceptable—I wouldn't want to do it for more than a shot without ear pro (if that), but there definitely was suppression of the gunshot. I was surprised that it performed as well as it did, given the fact that it's a flow through design.

Speaking of backpressure, as I mentioned it does very well. Long strings of fire are very doable without noticeable gas to the face, which is a big deal on a semi-auto carbine that will be run hard. This is a feature that many first-time suppressor buyers might not value as much, until they stick the can on the end of an AR and run a few Bill Drills back to back. Doing that with a traditional can, like my Rex MG7K, gets unpleasant pretty quickly unless you've tuned your AR for suppressed usage (more on that in the future). Just like lugging around a very long and heavy suppressor, gas to the face is something that can really turn people off to shooting suppressed. The SRBS gets top marks in this category.

Going a bit into the more niche aspects of shooting, namely in low or no light (particularly under Night Vision), the SRBS is a mediocre performer here. There was occasionally visible flash even during the day shooting it on my AR-10 and AK, and I performed my standard 5.56 flash test on it: 3 rounds of M193 out of an 11.5" 5.56 rifle. As you'll see in the video, flash was not bad by any means, but it also was noticeable for all three rounds. Better-performing cans, like the Griffin Recce 5K, are almost invisible by the third shot. Some of this is to be expected from an overbore situation (namely, a .30 cal can for 5.56 rounds), but it's something to be aware of. I've heard that the "Gen 2" tic-tac pattern SRBS 762s are better with flash, but I can't confirm this.

Finally, we come to the aspect of value. These cans are available in both Inconel and Titanium, with the Ti versions being more expensive. Silencer Shop currently has the Inconel version without the SF-pattern mount listed for $975, which I think is a pretty decent price. When you look at the other competitive options on the market—Velos 762, CAT ODB, Hux Ventum, etc—I think it's a pretty good choice. Only the Ventum is cheaper, but it's also a few ounces heavier.  

There are definitely some new options coming out that might be even better values, thinking specifically of the Ridgeback Sahara 300 among others.  

There's never been a better time to get into the suppressor game, so what are you waiting for? A .30 cal can is probably the best first centerfire can to get (assuming you have rifles larger than 6mm), and when you add suppressors in the future--which you will!--it will still have a place. Suppressors are like guns: having specific cans for specific setups is extremely nice, and lets you maximize your performance and shooting experience. The SRBS is a decent jack-of-all trades which performs best on semi-autos but can still work on a bolt gun in a pinch. I can't say that I've shot every .30 cal low backpressure can, so I won't claim that the SRBS 762 is the best of them, but I do know that if I had to go down to just one suppressor for all of my rifles, it would be this one.

The Cheapest Battle Rifle? BCA-10 Review

Mention battle rifles to even a casual firearms afficionado, and they’ll inevitably think of the big three of the Cold War: the FN FAL, the HK G3, and the M14. There is, of course, another famous contender (though it is often overshadowed by its more-recognizable younger brother): the AR-10. The term “battle rifle”, by the way, is one with a generally agreed-upon definition, namely a semi- or fully automatic rifle chambered in a full powered cartridge and feeding from a detachable box magazine.

 

Gone, unfortunately, are the days of cheap "big three" battle rifles. The Bear Creek Arsenal BCA-10 thus stands as probably the cheapest battle rifle out there, coming in around $500. Bear Creek Arsenal is another term that firearms enthusiasts probably have a connotation for. They turn out some of the lowest cost guns on a very saturated market, and their reputation is generally regarded as less than stellar. This was my first experience with a BCA, so I was interested in how it would turn out. They sent this BCA-10 out over 1.5yrs ago, and I’ve put 500 rounds through it in the meantime (.308 ain’t cheap, man). For my initial impressions, check out my First Look video. Let’s jump right in.

When I review a firearm I rate it under a few different categories: reliability/durability, accuracy, shootability, fit/finish, and value.  Right off the bat, I changed out a few components on the BCA-10 shortly after getting it because it’s overgassed, no two ways about it. I almost always prefer to shoot suppressed, and I knew that I would be impacting the reliability and durability of this rifle if I shot it much suppressed without doing anything. So, I switched out the BCG for a Bootleg gas-adjustable BCG and the buffer (it uses short AR10 buffers) for the Kynshot hydraulic buffer. As a point on how overgassed this thing is, the rifle runs just fine on the fully suppressed BCG setting, with no suppressor on the rifle (using M80 ball).

 

I also took the liberty of swapping the stock trigger for a Sig 2 stage and the waffle stock and A2 grip for a Magpul SL-S and a Thril grip, respectively. I view this rifle as a blank canvas to work with, not as a finished masterpiece. The odd flash hider/brake muzzle device was swapped for first a direct thread mount and eventually a Cryptid Hardware Mandrake 5/8x24 Brake/HUB mount (a very handy muzzle device which I like quite a bit). Running the BCA-10 with a traditional suppressor in this configuration is still overgassed, but very manageable if not shooting too quickly. With a flow-through can like the B&T SRBS 762 from Longbow Arms, the rifle is much smoother to shoot.

 

As we’re talking about reliability, an overgassed rifle is typically very reliable, if a little higher in recoil. However, when I ran the BCA-10 with a suppressor and no adjustable BCG, it did become unreliable from extreme overgassing, causing the bolt to move too fast to pick up the next round. Other than that, the only remarkable happening in my review was when I broke a firing pin a little over 200rds in. BCA quickly sent me out two more, and so far the current firing pin is running fine. When it comes to durability, the barrel is nitrided so it should easily last thousands of rounds. Assuming there aren’t any more firing pin issues, I don’t have any worries about the lifespan of the rifle.

 

On the topic of accuracy, the BCA has been more than acceptable. I certainly didn’t expect accuracy equal to a $5000 SR25, and shooting a generic 175gr handload it shot almost exactly 1 MOA.

Various M80 ball loads generally shot between 2-3”, with my best 5rd group coming in right around 1.5”. This was enough for me to make consistent impacts on C zone steel at 600yds using a Viper 1-4, so I really have no complaints on this front. The big 3 are usually around the same accuracy level, or worse, so it stacks up just fine. I currently have it kitted out like a DMR, with a 3-12 on top, and it seems to do fine in this role.

 

I mentioned changing out the trigger; the stock mil-spec style trigger was totally fine, but in a more DMR type role, the 2 stage Sig makes more sense. It’s no Geissele, but it is pretty similar to the Schmid 2 stage. The only complaint I have with the Sig is that the trigger bow is a little thin for my preference, but not offensively so.  The break is probably in the 4-5lb range, and it does what I need it to.

 

But how does it actually feel to shoot? In its stock configuration, it definitely gets your attention. Adding the adjustable BCG, hydraulic buffer, and a flow through suppressor, though, and this thing becomes downright pleasant to shoot. Of course it kicks harder than an AR-15, but recoil is very manageable. Shooting 50rds in a day won’t leave you sore or black and blue. The ergos will depend on what you personally decide to add as far as grip, stock, and forend attachments go, but I’ve got no issues.

 

For the fit and finish, this rifle certainly won’t turn any heads, but it also isn’t ugly. The upper and lower are very much plain-Jane AR-10, while the front rail is probably the cheapest aspect of the rifle. It works fine, but definitely looks budget. I think the paint job helped spruce it up, but if I was to make another upgrade, it would probably be a new rail. Deleting the pic rail section in the middle of the rail saves a few ounces, I’m sure, but also means that your real estate is very limited if you want to run a light, laser, thermal clip-on, etc. I’d rather just have it and not need it.

 

At the end of the day, the BCA-10 is a budget AR-10 that is going to need some upgrades right off the bat if you plan to suppress it (an AGB would probably be the best option). It comes ready to fire from the factory, but I’d imagine most people will at least want to swap the stock, as the waffle stock doesn’t have any padding to mitigate the .308’s recoil. If you’re in the market for a high-end, buy once/cry once large frame, this is not the rifle for you. But, if you’re someone who wants to own an AR-10, doesn’t mind swapping some parts, and is ballin’ on a budget, then definitely give Bear Creek Arsenal a look.

Nowhere To Go But Forward

Hey gentlemen, I just wanted to let you know what's going on with my platform. Last week, YouTube deleted my channel for having three "strikes" in violation of their firearms policy, strikes in which they never actually explained to me what the specific violations were. Every strike was appealed and subsequently denied, often within minutes. 2.5 years, almost 700 videos, 75M+ views, tens of thousands of watch hours, and 34.5K subscribers, all gone in an instant. I of course appealed this channel removal too, which was also quickly denied. I'm working hard from other angles (such as contacting them via X) to try to get through to someone who can help, but there are obviously no guarantees.

I'm not the only channel that's been affected by this recent draconian crackdown on gun content. Primary and Secondary, a large and long-running channel, was just removed. AK Operator's Union (360K subs) and Tactical Rifleman (1M subs) are both on strike 2 and not posting for the time being. Garand Thumb, Mr. Gunsngear, and MAC (3 of the biggest gun channels on YouTube) have recently had dozens of videos deleted per their social media posts. It's no secret that Google/Youtube is openly biased against gun content, and clearly they're starting to move in force against 2A content. If current trends continue, I will not be the last YouTube channel removed, and we may see the end of gun content as we know it on YouTube before too long.

But all is not lost. I've had a Rumble channel for over a year, and I will continue posting my long-form content there. The views are lower than YouTube, but there is none of the censorship (FRT/Full auto, working on guns, posting direct links, etc, are all good over there). I've also had no issues with Instagram, where I'm at 1K followers and post anywhere from 3-6x per week. Current YouTube rules don't allow for creating a new account, but they apparently have a new pilot program for banned creators to start new channels. I currently "don't qualify" but hopefully that will change in the future.

In addition, I'm also building a website, theforwardassist.com, where I plan to post long-form written content in the form of blogs/articles. I'll be able to post direct links to products, embed my videos, and share pictures too. I'm obviously extremely disappointed and frustrated by YouTube's current policies, but I remain committed to bringing people quality information and useful content. Forward Assist is changing but it's definitely not going away.

Nowhere to go but Forward!

Thanks and God bless,

/FA