Bear Creek Arsenal has been in business for more than five decades, but they’re just now seriously breaking into the market for semiautomatic rifles and handguns. The BC 101, Bear Creek’s Grizzly, is a double-stack 9mm Glock-inspired handgun that draws inspiration from much more expensive Glock homages.
The appeal of Bear Creek begins with the price tag. While I’d usually wait until the end of a review to drop details on cash money, this is the lead, and I’m not going to bury it. The MSRP on these is just $295.
That makes this one of the lowest-priced full-sized 9mms available. While there may be a few other lower price-point guns out there, there are few that come with the built-in feel of a custom Glock. While the Grizzly doesn’t have the same feel of a Shadow Systems, much less a Zev, it is this aesthetic that Bear Creek is baking into the design.
What makes the Bear Creek Grizzly different?
We’ve hit on the price. But there’s more. The threaded barrel available on some models is a nice addition (and it adds nothing to the price). While the gun, in my opinion, doesn’t need a comp, you may want to run it suppressed. The 1/2×28 threads on a threaded barrel make that easy. If nothing else, the threaded barrel adds to the aesthetic.
The grip on the Griz has a “bear fur” texture. The whole grip profile has been thinned out, and the surface area has small wavy grooves that almost look like hair. While it isn’t the most aggressive texture, it does provide a solid improvement over the stock Glock texture.
I’d like to extend the texture higher on the frame. The areas where my thumbs fall are a bit slick. There is indentation there for anchoring your grip, but I’d still like something more textured.
There are some cosmetic cutaways. These windows lighten the slide some, but I don’t have an estimate of how much. They definitely give the gun a dynamic look, and Bear Creek offers stainless barrels in multiple rainbow colors. Bling.
The slide does have deep serrations all around, which makes handling the gun easy. Support hand manipulation is a breeze with the Grizzly slide design.
The controls are sufficient. The mag release is easy to find, if not wildly oversized. As it doesn’t stick out far, I’m not hitting it accidentally with any style of grip or manipulation, which is a win. This takes Gen 5 mag releases, so adding aftermarket parts is an option.
The slide-stop lever, though, is small and stiff. I need to concentrate on dropping it to keep my thumb from slipping off. This is partly due to its small size, partly due to its lack of texture. I’m far more inclined to run the slide with my support hand than I am to drop it with this lever. The fix is easy enough, though.
How does it shoot?
I’m on my initial range trips with the Grizzly. To date, I’ve got no complaints. The gun cycles cleanly and runs from Glock mags, so there’s a solid foundation under the action that has a long track record for success.
The trigger is a triumph for a gun in this price range. The reset is longer than I’d like, but the break is clean and crisp. There’s a bit of take-up before you hit the wall, but then it is easy to feel, and the break, somewhere just north of 6 pounds, is precise.
The sights are not high enough on the threaded versions. As someone who frequently shoots suppressed, I often replace the factory sights on handguns. The lower they are, the more easy they are to holster and conceal, but they don’t have the same surface area for one-handed manipulation or for sight picture. If I were to make one change to the Grizzly, I’d begin here.
Otherwise, it shoots like many other defensively-minded handguns. These aren’t meant for shooting nice, tight groups. Everything from the ergonomics to the shape of the trigger shoe is meant for fast shooting with acceptable accuracy. Defensive shooting was predictable, and I hit a 12″ steel plate at 100 yards on my third attempt.
On both sides of the Grizzly frames, ledges extend out for finger and thumb rests. This is a real win at this price point and—again—a feature that is often found on much more expensive guns.
And below, at the base of the grip, the plastic flares out decently. While this prevents the addition of many aftermarket mag-well extensions, it makes reloads faster than those of many stock guns in this class.
The gun ships with two 17-round mags. It accepts Glock mags, which is a massive benefit for any gun at this price point. Glock factory mags are not ridiculously priced, but there are others. KCI mags seem perfect for the Grizzly, and Magpul mags are a solid option.
Where does the price show?
There are a few finer points that show where corners have been cut. The optics plate on top of the slide has a different finish than the slide. It has a flat finish that contrasts. Underneath it, though, is a precut footprint for a Trijicon RMR.
The black frame has stainless pins, too. I’m not sure what to make of these. Stainless steel, on the whole, doesn’t have the strength of many carbon steels, yet the material is far easier to maintain.
The Bear Creek Philosophy
Bear Creek makes guns and parts. They make these guns and parts in North Carolina, which, at least for me, was an unexpected discovery. Their mission is to “provide the highest quality of firearms for the everyday American.”
The everyday American is worth more exploration. BCA provides a very high value to its customers. It should be noted that you can buy two Grizzlies for the entry price of some of its direct competitors.
I have a lot of experience with handguns. These are not the highest quality. They are, however, solid. At the junction of price and performance is value—which very few seem to understand anymore. I would say the Grizzly represents an exceptional value.
And they guarantee their work. In addition to guaranteeing their products and workmanship, they provide a money-back guarantee that extends 30 days from the date of purchase. That speaks volumes.
Conclusions
My expectations for the Grizzly were modest. Those expectations have been exceeded, to say the least.
Is it a Glock Killer, as I’ve seen some dramatic headlines say? We all know better. It is, however, a gun that should sell well. The Grizzly would make a good truck gun. I could make a case for owning several.
The next step is to understand how the company keeps costs low. Part of this is the direct-sales model. Most of these are ordered online and shipped to your FFL for transfer (which will add $ to the price). The practice, nearly perfected by PSA, isn’t popular with most mom-and-pop gun shops, but it works and allows BCA (or PSA or whoever) to keep the money that would go to distributors or reps.
And that cost savings means you have more to spend on the extras. Mags would be my first suggestion. After that, you’ll need a solid holster. I’m working on determining those fits, as this isn’t a one-to-one for Glock 17 holsters as I’d hoped. Any cash you have left over may best be spent on ammo and training.
