Review: Black Rain Ordnance BRO-PG13 .308 Rifle
Major Pandemic 10.01.14
Fit, Finish, Feel, and Features
Where many DPMS GI and new GII format rifles usually need some “tuning” to get them humming along, the Black Rain BRO-PG13 .308 Rifle just freaking works. Even the typically problematic, inexpensive steel cased .308 ammo runs without problems.
I credit this reliability to several design updates and features. On many models, Black Rain Ordnance offers a hydrographic dipping, which is then coated with ceramic for durability. Not only does this add a huge amount of style to the already cool billet upper and lower receiver set, but the ceramic topcoat also delivers a super slick and extremely hard surface internally and externally, which makes the gun cycle very smoothly. Add in the slick NiBo coated Bolt Carrier group, and you have one extremely slippery running setup. My experience is that nearly every AR format .308 rifle I have shot and owned has been more reliable when run wet with plenty of lubrication. It is logical to reason that the slick cycling of this BRO-PG13 enhances reliability greatly, even when not run wet with lube.
Another design decision enhancing reliability was to enlarge the ejection port to reduce failures to eject. In most cases, folks believe that if rounds continue to not fully eject that the ejector spring on the bolt must be under powered. When it comes to the .308 AR format, it is usually that the ejector spring is so overpowered that it fumbles the round after extraction or the brass is not making it out the narrow ejection port. Black Rain enlarged the ejection port for reliability and stayed with a standard power ejector spring on their bolts. This prevents the vast majority of ejection problems and also saves you from having to walk half way across the range just to retrieve your spent brass.
Black Rain Ordnance is also now including their own adjustable gas blocks on all their rifles, including this BRO-PG13 .308 Rifle. I often note that an adjustable gas block is one of the single biggest upgrades you can include on any AR format rifle. Beyond delivering a significantly lighter shooting rifle, an adjustable gas block allows the shooter to tune the gas pressure to their particular rifle and ammo. In doing so, there is less hot gas blasting back into the receiver, which in turn delivers less component wear, a cooler running rifle, more consistent/reliable cycling, and I believe improved accuracy due to longer and slower un-lock times. The result is that the BRO-PG13 .308 Rifle is very enjoyable to shoot for extended periods.
On top of a fit and finish that would make high-end BMW owners happy, Black Rain also includes a ton of upgrades and standard equipment, such as NiBo bolt carrier group, high end Magpul grip and stock, anti-rotate pins, and Black Hole’s own barrel. Like the 5.56 models, the BRO-PG13 barrels are made from premium match grade blanks from Shilen, Lothar, Black Hole Weaponry, and others. Due to the still insane demand for barrel blanks, you cannot request a specific blank. In reality, all the top tier barrel blanks all perform about the same unless you are insanely talented behind the trigger, but if you are that picky, you are probably building your own rifle anyway. I highly doubt you will see better accuracy.
Black Rain’s spiky pineapple flash hider is cool and does the job of reducing flash while offering a little brake effect, but this is the one part that I will likely replace with a recoil reduction brake. The spiky flash hider does not increase concussion back to the shooter like a brake would, so if you want it for hunting, I would stick with the flash hider model. Most of their rifles are available with a choice of a standard brake or pineapple flash hider.
Function and Accuracy
As noted, the BRO-PG13 .308 rifle are not plagued with the reliability issues of the early DPMS .308 format rifles. Based on the 500+ rounds of various ammo types pushed through my rifle, I have not experienced any problems with feeding, ejection, or ignition, so basically I feel I have AR-15 reliability out-of-the-box on a .308 AR platform. Of note, I am using a variety of PMAG LR-20 mags, which I have found to be the single biggest reliability improvement for DPMS format rifles. Black Rain includes one of the Magpul LR20 mags in the included, custom, soft sided case to assure you get started off right.
To test accuracy, I strapped on Burris 4.5-14 Fullfield tactical scope with Precision Reflex Gatorgrip mount to the BRO-PG13 .308 Rifle. This is a typical scope magnification setup for snipers and hunters, but some will want to boost up the magnification to maximize accuracy at longer distances.
Turning to my usual ammunition suspects, which includes Hornady Tap, Match, and Custom .308 rounds, I set out to the range. I also pulled a selection of standard military ball ammo and steel cased rounds. The results were nothing but impressive. Of course, the steel cased rounds performed a bit more sporadically, with groups just under 1.25″ at 100-yards, and the ball ammo still delivered a couple decent looking 5-round sub-MOA groups if I took out a flyer here and there. Once I filled a magazine with the Hornady rounds, the groups dropped to consistent 1/2 MOA 100-yard groups. One rather impressive five shot group was a very tight .247″ with 168gr Hornady Match rounds. I will take that any day from an autoloading semi-auto rifle.
Part of that out-of-the-box accuracy is a great, higher power optic, a stable rest, and the barrel, but Black Rain’s drop-in trigger (DIT) was a significant contribution to the accuracy. The trigger is a drop-in cartridge style similar to Timney’s. In talking with Black Rain, they began making them in-house after the availability of match triggers became a stumbling block that delayed orders being fulfilled. Like almost every top end trigger maker, Black Rain Ordnance is using a billet cartridge chassis with a precision EDM cut hammer and sear. The result is one of the single best factory included triggers I have tested. There are lighter triggers out there for sure, but this is about as light as I would want in a hunting and potentially defensive rifle.
Final Thoughts
So what do we have here in the Black Rain Ordnance BRO-PG13 .308 Rifle is a ½ MOA tack driver that operates better than any out of the box .308 DPMS format rifle I have tested or owned, with the looks of a custom beyond the imagination of most builders.
Now the $3,000 price. Yeah it’s up there, but Black Rain cannot keep them in stock. Maybe it will ease your mind a bit knowing that a basic DPMS .308 will set you back $1,200 and that this tricked out rig delivers looks, features, performance, and accuracy far beyond a rack grade DPMS .308.
This rifle is not for everyone, and nor should it be. It delivers accuracy that will outshoot most factory bolt guns at a rate that will create 4 5-shot groups in the time the guy with the bolt gun shoots one. I would venture to say that most people who buy this rifle will strive for years to finally train themselves to use the full accuracy potential of this rifle. I consider myself a pretty decent shot, but I know in the right hands with the right ammo, the BRO-PG13 .308 Rifle could deliver consistent ¼ MOA groups continuously. The price is worth every penny, considering “match grade” upgraded Remington 700 bolt guns are easily selling for $3,000-$5,000.
If I were to recommend only four rifles for the rest of my life based on the information I have currently, Black Rain’s rifles would be on the top of my list if price was not a deciding factor. They deliver all the little bits, pieces, upgrades, and features in a factory-backed warrantied rifle that you can just walk in and buy. I believe the folks at Black Rain Ordnance have again hit their goal with the BRO-PG13 .308 Rifle.
Specs
- Item: BRO-PG13
- Caliber: .308/7.62 NATO
- Finish: Silver Skulls Anodize
- Weight: 9 lbs. 8oz.
- Stock: UBR/BLK
- Rail: 12″ QUAD/BLK
- Flash: MFS/BLK
- Total Length: 36.5″
- Barrel: 18″ Stainless Spiral Fluted/BLK
- Gas/Piston: D.I. Gas
- Gas Block: Adj. Low profile
- Receivers: Milled Billet Aluminum
- Rifling: 1X11
- Grip:: MIAD/BLK
- Mag: 20 RND PMAG/BLK
- Trigger: BRO-DIT
- MSRP: $3049
