It was free . Carbon 15 .

[Hazzydog]

I was given a Bushmaster carbon 15 . My boss ended up with 3 ARs . His daughter got one . He kept the DPMS and he gave me the carbon 15 . I have read that they are good . But I have read that they suck . . It is very lite and I have a weak left hand and arm so I'm hoping it's worth putting a better stock and a holosun 510c sight on it but if the gun is dangerous I don't want to be firing it . A cop owned it first then me . My son has put about 100 rnds. Through it . And I have only shot it about 25 rnds . It is the model with forward assist and dust cover. Should I use it or put it away ? I don't want to sell it if it's junk to someone and then they get hurt . Like I said , it was free.

 

[BigBlue 94]

A real Carbon 15 or a replica? The real ones bring a decent sum compared to the run of the mill AR.

Ive never heard of them being unsafe.

 

[someguy2800]

They are perfectly safe. My father in law has one and its a decent rifle. I wouldn't take it to war but then I'm not planning to go to war, so its a perfectly functional AR for recreational uses.

 

[gotboostvr]

A buddy had one and he actually ran it pretty hard. It was his "tractor gun". It took a pretty good beating bouncing around the farm. He shot it alot too.

He always regretted getting rid of it, even though he has fancier AR's now.

 

[1KPerDay]

Only one I've shot didn't work right, constant jams. I hope yours works better. They are nice and light for sure.

 

[David Hoback]

It will be fine. I’m wondering though. You call it a “Carbon 15”. To my knowledge, Bushmaster & Professional Ordinance both had rifles called that. Which is yours? You mentioned a new stock, which makes me think you have the Pro Ord, but you said it was a Bushmaster. Either or, they are fine. There is no danger in using either one.

This is the Bushmaster “Carbon 15”


This is the Pro Ordinance “Carbon 15”.

 

[David Hoback]

Oh wait… you have this one, don’t you? Yeah.. this was made by the same vender that makes the rifle for Pro-Ord, but licensed by Bushmaster.

 

[CapnMac]

It is the model with forward assist and dust cover.

That sounds like a Bushmaster-sold version (ah, as noted better above).
Prices online ping-pong around, saw both US$700 and $1400.

Carbon fiber is very strong along the long fibre axis, and does not "like" sharp angles or bends.

Are they unsafe? Plenty of them out there not going kablooey (despite claims on arfcom & the like).

That being said, if the upper cracks or deforms, it will not be a good day. If the lower cracks or deforms it will be a similarly bad day.

Shooting a box or two at a time probably not an issue. Would not be my choice for a 3-gun or 2-gun match.

 

[Hazzydog]

A real Carbon 15 or a replica? The real ones bring a decent sum compared to the run of the mill AR.

Ive never heard of them unsafe.

It's a Bushmaster ,forward assist , dust cover, no iron sights. Very smooth action but the trigger pull is heavy. By smooth I'm comparing it to my AK lol . But it says Bushmaster on it . Bushmaster bought out para ordnance I Think.

 

[David Hoback]

They tend to crack at the rear… either the Pivot pin hole or the buffer tube threaded inlet portion. But that’s all. It’s not actually a carbon Fiber. It’s a High Impact type Polymer with strands of Carbon impregnated in the casting.

 

[1KPerDay]

This is the Pro Ordinance “Carbon 15”.
View attachment 1097333

that's the one I shot. sounds like it's irrelevant to the OP. NVM

 

[Gordon]

I had one about 20 years ago I think. Notice the older school dress ? I gave it to a son in law in Az. and he hasn't complained about it since. It never gave me any poblems but was a little flimsy LOOKING .

 

[GooseGestapo]

I once had the occasion to handle the Stoner prototype of the original M16 that’s stored in the archives at Anniston Army Depot circa 1968. I was impressed with the light weight and handling of it. Given my familiarity with the M1Carbine and others, I really liked it.

I never could warm up to production M16’s due to butt stock dimensions and looseness of upper to lower receivers and hand guards.

Yes! I was 12yrs old and my Dad was #2 in the Comptroller office and it was an annual open house for employees family’s. Coincided with Memorial Day iirc. The M16 and M2 Browning were on open display. My older brother was 17 and knew more than I did and steered us in the right directions.
The small arms section wasn’t the highlight at the time. It was watching Atomic Annie (280mm Howitzer) fired with a training round, and riding a M60 tank chassis through a water test tank.
But handling the spun fiberglass stock, Aluminum receiver (in the white) M16 is what sticks with me..

The Carbon 15 was (Pro Ordinance) was the closest thing I’d handled to the original Stoner concept.
My favorite personal AR15 has a polymer receiver, DPMS flat-top upper w/16.5” light weight barrel and Magpul forend and locking collapsible butt stock and detachable sights.
It’s my bump in the dark , go see what it was, gun. Typically with a 20rd Magpul magazine with 20rds of 62gr PtSpt’s.

My best friend/college room mate firing it......

My other AR sporter has a similar set up but a DPMS UPPER/lower w/CMMG light weight aluminum hand-guard with a 1.5-4.5x illuminated recticle scope. It’s a sub MOA shooter and is my hunting AR in 5.56. It gets swapped off with a Bear Creek Upper in 6.5 or a .300BO M4 upper.

I like em lightweight!

 

[Dustbowl]

I bought one when they were on close out. Had about 350 rounds through it when the lower cracked on the top of the buffer tube threads. So pretty much an expensive parts kit at that point. Traded what was left of it for some ammo.

It was a great lightweight rifle, but that thin threaded part of the lower just couldn’t handle the stress.

 

[Hazzydog]

Will the parts of a the carbon 15 lower receiver fit a mil spec aluminum lower like from PSA or someone else . Will my upper fit the aluminum lower? Or will my parts fit a aluminum upper .?

 

[David Hoback]

I had one about 20 years ago I think. Notice the older school dress ? I gave it to a son in law in Az. and he hasn't complained about it since. It never gave me any poblems but was a little flimsy LOOKING .
View attachment 1097363

Ok… but the Original Carbon 15, which was released in 2003, (almost 20 years), had a STAINLESS barrel, and the Dust Cover/Forward assist were not offered on the Carbon 15 until 2009…. Eleven years ago. So….

 

[David Hoback]

I bought one when they were on close out. Had about 350 rounds through it when the lower cracked on the top of the buffer tube threads. So pretty much an expensive parts kit at that point. Traded what was left of it for some ammo.

It was a great lightweight rifle, but that thin threaded part of the lower just couldn’t handle the stress.

Yup… exactly where I said they crack. Seen it more than once. More than a whole bunch o’ times actually. One reason I’ve never built on Composite Upper/Lowers. I will say the Bushmaster was the best of them.

 

[Gordon]

Ok… but the Original Carbon 15, which was released in 2003, (almost 20 years), had a STAINLESS barrel, and the Dust Cover/Forward assist were not offered on the Carbon 15 until 2009…. Eleven years ago. So….

I KNOW THE LOWER WAS A BUSHMASTER "CARBON 15" I really forget if that was the upper it came with and it may have been 13 years ago. I've had so many . I didn't warm up to that polymer lower or upper stuff.