Advice for a New Bushmaster AR-15 Owner

[cox3497]

Hey Guys and Gals,

I need some advice and commentary on my new purchase. I just purchased a Bushmaster BCWA2S20 AR-15 .223 AR15 (20" A2 with the flash suppressor). I picked it up new off of gunbroker.com for $655.88 plus $30 shipping and my transfer fee (the shipping and transfer fee isn't all that much more expensive than tax in my state would have been had I bought it locally). I'm pretty sure that this is a good price, correct??

Also, as I'm not very knowledgeable about the AR-15 (many years with other firearms designs however), what should I know about this rifle design, and this Bushmaster in particular. I've heard (from searching this forum) that Bushmaster is having some quality control issues as of late. What parts/areas of the rifle should I look for these in?

Any other advice you have to offer about the quality of the rifle, functioning of the rifle, areas to pay attention to, etc. is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks a lot!

cox3497

 

[04SilverSCFX4]

You should definately register with www.ar15.com. These guys are the AR guru's and there's a great equipment exchange there too.

 

[dmftoy1]

The best advice has already been given. (sign up for AR15.com) That being said I wouldn't worry a bit about Bushmaster quality. My M4gery has been absolutely flawless. It get's shot the most of my 2 AR's and required quite a bit of ammo from Natchez last year and even got me into reloading for the 5.56.

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[Lebben-B]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that registering with ARF.com would be a mistake for an inexperienced AR owner. While some of the regular posters are knowledgeable, it's definitely a challenge to sort the wheat from the chaff if you're just starting out with ARs.

The AR series is a pretty simple design. Keep the bolt/bolt carrier lubed and you should have few problems.

Buy as many magazines as you can afford and always use high quality magazines. "GI" mags are okay for the most part but tend to wear out quickly and are easily dented and dinged because of their thin aluminium construction. Brownell's sells an all steel AR mag for a reasonable price. I have a couple and they compare favorably to the much more expensive Heckler und Koch steel AR mag.

As for ammo, most mass produced Bushys come with a 1:9 rifling twist in the barrel. The barrel's twist should be stamped somewhere on the barrel, usually between the front sight and the flash surpressor/compensator. This is a good general purpose twist and will stabilize a wide variety of bullet weights. Winchester White Box is a popular brand, though it tends to burn dirty. Sellier and Bellot also makes a good, inexpensive plinking/training round.

Bushmaster makes a high quality AR. If you don't cut corners on after-market accessories like mags and ammo, it should give you many years of service.

Mike

 

[Nhsport]

You made a good choice and got a good price.

The only quality issue I ever heard about with BM was some folks getting barrells installed canted so the rear sight needed to be cranked way off center to zero the rifle . BM reportedly was very responsive in getting all such problems resolved. I would not know personally as the 5 or so BM guns I have owned were all flawless. I know several dozen other BM guns that fellow club members have owned and they have all been fine also .
I would like to politely disagree with the other gentleman about AR15.com. The technical and information sections of the site are very valuable to me and I have pretty much always gotten good info . The general discussion and political sections do get pretty crazy from time to time.Hey-its the internet.

I myself favor the standard 20rd magazine, I feel the 30s are kind of clumsy. Mags are cheep now,get yourself a couple of 20s and a couple of 30s and shoot them for a while and see what you like best. The standard aluminum mag will stand up to lots of abuse and I think back on all the many mags I have bought (many back during the ban when used was the only game in town) and there are only a couple I have tossed out .

Read the manual. A new Bushmaster will come with one,you can download it from ar15.com

Clean the new gun as factory guns seem to have some grit and junk in them.

Lube as per manual-regular Breakfree CLP has worked fine for me,many other guys have moved on to some kind of supper duper wonder lubes but the CLP will get you up and running and you will likely be happy with nothing but that.

Start out with ammo from Federal, Winchester, Remington,or federal LC (Lake City). I like XM193 (federal LC) if you can find it . Lots of other ammo out there that can be used but some of it has issues if it isn't used in certain ways. ( Read the ammo section at AR15.com,start with ammo facts and wade thru the rest as you have time)

 

[cox3497]

Thanks for the responses guys! I appreciate all the advice.

04SilverSCFX4:

Thanks for the heads up on that site. I've been checking it out already for information on the AR-15 and it seems to have some valuable info. Good tip.

dmftoy1:

I'm glad to hear that you've had a good experience with with your Bushys. I might have to buy some dies in the future as well if I shoot this thing as much as I think I will! Thanks for the reply.

Lebben-B:

Thanks for the advice concerning the magazines and ammunition, and your opinion concerning Bushmaster rifles. I will also definately keep in mind what you've said concerning perusing the information on the AR-15 forum. I appreciate your response.

Nhsport:

That is one of the problems I've heard about concerning the rifle also. I've also heard that Bushmaster has failed to install some pins in the past?? I'm not quite sure where they are located, but some of the 2005 forum posts seemed to indicate that. I'm glad, however, to hear of your significant positive experience with this brand.

I will take a look at that manual and keep in mind the advice about cleaning the gun. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it.

All:

If anyone has any further advice that they'd like to share with me, I'm ALL EARS!!! Thanks a lot folks!

Benjamin Cox

 

[Spreadfire Arms]

i can tell you that Bushmaster had some extractor problems in the bolts they used on the batch of their M4 semi's that went to the Texas Dept of Public Safety, which they have since repaired.

other than that i haven't really heard anything. and that was a very simple fix at that.

Bushmaster has a really good name with the AR15/M16 community. i am a factory certified Bushmaster armorer, you can contact me via email if you have any questions that i can explain via email.

 

[Beren]

Give her a look over to make sure all the various bits and pieces which should be there are there, clean her, and get her to the range. Keep a log of any troubles you experience, then review the log when you get home.

The only problems I've seen with a Bushmaster was a smacked-around used 20" HBAR. It was missing the rear takedown pin, and the gas key was loose enough to rattle on the carrier. The previous owner had wrapped the rear with duct tape to keep the upper and lower receivers together. "Just bought it at a gunshow," my neighbor told me, "and it doesn't cycle reliably. Can you fix it?"

Amazing how much better it worked with the missing parts replaced and the gas key restaked.

Bushmaster has a great reputation for quality, though I'm curious to see what happens under the new ownership.

 

[cox3497]

Spreadfire Arms:

Thanks for the heads up on the extractor. I'll be on the "look-out" for any problems associated with it. I am pleased to hear of your positive review of Bushmaster in general, and I thank you for your willingness to address further questions I might have. I just might take you up on that proposition when I receive the rifle. Thanks again for the response!

Beren:

I'll definately be taking your advice regarding pre-range and post-range activities. If I have any issues/troubles, I know where I can find help! That's quite a rifle your neighbor bought, by the way! The sight of the duct tape alone would have terrified me enough not to mess with that one. Glad to hear, however, that you were able to get him back up and running.

That gas key (that you mentioned) not being staked is actually the issue I had heard someone mention wherein Bushmaster failed to properly stake a significant amount of rifles in 2003/04. I guess they've cleared this issue up?

Anyhow, I'll be sure to post a report as to how this rifle operates (being the new ownership and all). I appreciate the advice.

cox3497

 

[cyanide]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that registering with ARF.com would be a mistake for an inexperienced AR owner. While some of the regular posters are knowledgeable, it's definitely a challenge to sort the wheat from the chaff if you're just starting out with ARs.

I agree .

They do have some real good Air Soft info as many of their members use them exclusively .

 

[Omnivore]

As for the "canted" barrel (I think the term would be "angled" or "cocked off axis"). A friend of mine had a Bushmaster HBAR with its barrel pointed off to one side. You could really tell, because the barrel was way off center compared to the free-float handguard. He wanted to put on a rail handguard, so we disassembled it at my shop. We found a chunk of crap (metal chip, IIRC) stuck between the barrel flange and the receiver.

The feed ramps were cutting little shavings off the brass during feeding also. We found some burrs and polished them off using a Dremel with a buff and some cutting compound. When we reassambled it without said metal chip between the barrel and receiver, the barrel went on nice and straight. He of course had to rezero the irons afterward (the point of impact was several feet to one side once the barrel was put in straight). After that, no problems other than the factory trigger, which was a bit rough. Functioning was then excellent and its a great long-range AR he's used several times at Boomershoot.

The better magazines are very worthwhile, too. They're a major part of the rifle's functioning.

He has found that Black Hills ammo is extremely consistent for factory ammo, such that hand loading is hardly necessary for the long distance shooter. I've gotten a similar impression with their .308 ammo during our recent testing at UltiMAK, wherein we used a wide variety of ammo from multiple factories.

 

[Beren]

We found a chunk of crap (metal chip, IIRC) stuck between the barrel flange and the receiver.

Someone was sure in a hurry the Friday afternoon that upper was assembled!

 

[mec]

good price. best thing to do is get a Bushmaster manual and don't read anything else until you have gone through it and delved into the workings of the rifle itself.
Signing up for AR15.com may be the thing to do. I don't know. I've tried and get no response from them on my attempts to register.

 

[cox3497]

Cyanide:

Ha ha! That's pretty funny. I'll keep that in mind as I'm perusing the boards.

Omnivore:

Wow! I hope that isn't a common issue with Bushmaster rifles. Glad to hear that you were able to fix your friends rifle. If I have any issues with mine, I'm hoping I'll be able to fix it based on the very forthcoming collective knowledge of those who frequent this board! I've heard, also, from several sources (including yourself) that the Black Hills ammo is supposed to be pretty good - I'll be giving that a shot when I recieve the rifle. Thanks for your response - I appreciate it!

Beren:

No kidding about that being either a Friday evening "can't wait for the weekend" or maybe a Monday morning "I'm back here again?!?!?" type of gun! ha ha I hope mine was not assembled on either of said days. ha ha

mec:

Thanks for the words of advice. I'm going to download a copy of that manual as soon as I find it. I guess I'd better try to get registered for the AR forum as well, seeing as how they seem to be backlogged, huh? I appreciate your time taken to answer my query.

All:

So am I correct in assuming that this standard rifle is considered a 20" HBAR?? I know that there are definately some more advanced HBARs (fluted, stainless, super heavy contour, etc.), but it seems that Bushy touts this barrel as being heavy -- is this correct? Also, from what I can gleam this rifle normally sells for about $779-$799 in most areas -- does that seem about right?

I was also wondering (and I know that this is a rather LOADED question) if current Bushmasters are still a "second tier" rifle. I spent a significant (no, I'm not going to say how long ) amount of time last night reading old posts on this forum about Bushmaster and Colt, and it seemed the contention of quite a few that the parts and care with which Bushmaster rifles are assembled do not match those of Colt (with the gov't inspectors and all). Many said that, being as most civilians don't run their guns very hard, they never realize this and so go on in the delusion that "my gun is just as good." So, I guess what I'm saying is does the rampant Colt still reign supreme? Any thoughts on that issue?

I appreciate all the insight and helpfullness demonstrated by the forum so far. Great place this High Road is!!

cox3497

 

[cracked butt]

I was also wondering (and I know that this is a rather LOADED question) if current Bushmasters are still a "second tier" rifle. I spent a significant (no, I'm not going to say how long ) amount of time last night reading old posts on this forum about Bushmaster and Colt, and it seemed the contention of quite a few that the parts and care with which Bushmaster rifles are assembled do not match those of Colt (with the gov't inspectors and all). Many said that, being as most civilians don't run their guns very hard, they never realize this and so go on in the delusundion that "my gun is just as good." So, I guess what I'm saying is does the rampant Colt still reign supreme? Any thoughts on that issue?

You'll find that Colt owners are more often than not, gun snobs. Colt makes very good guns, but whether or not their ARs or 1911s are really worth hundreds of $$ more than other brands is debateable. The buyers of Colts will dig up every flaw ever found on other brands and berate those who buy the 'inferior' brands in order to justify their own overpriced purchase. Of course the opposite is true, a lot of people aren't willing to pay several hundred dollars to have a prancing pony on the receiver or whatever psychological advantages you will get by having the barrel parkerized under the front sight tower. The arguments could go around forever sort of like te silliness between Ford and Chevy truck owners.

 

[mec]

Bushmaster brags about the barrel being a full inch in diameter inside the hand guard. Actually, the seem to be making and selling more ARs than anybody else. They landed an important contract with the Texas department of public safety and those people really do study their firearms. You got a good price on your gun and I don't believe you will find a better one anywhere.

 

[Will Learn]

If you get new mags make sure they have Magpul followers. This will eliminate any feeding problems that might be caused by the magazine. +1 on the CLP or Rem Oil. There was a little bit of play between the upper and lower on my Bushy but was cured by an accuwedge under the rear push pin. You could also use a foam earplug under the rear pin for a improvised accuwedge. Bushmaster has great CS in my experience and will usually repair any malfunctions at no cost.

 

[Omnivore]

I have a pre ban (pre 1994) Colt HBAR, and my friend mentioned above has at least two Bushmasters. I spent all my last post detailing what I consider to be relatively minor and forgivable (if they're not too common) problems with one of the Bushmasters. The other Bushmaster, an M4gery, was a perfectly sweet rifle right out of the box, and it is of recent production. If it hasn't been broken by its owner, its a very good rifle (trust me) (sorry Ry, but its true). The Colt is fine too, but it's also an A2 HBAR. For packing around much, I think the little M4 is far nicer.

Just gotta keep 'em clean. The AR design likes to be cleaned often, and those little parts... Our many and various AKs couldn't care less, but we clean the bores religiously all the same.

 

[JR719]

Just keep it clean. Be sure to take the bolt completely apart and get it clean. I've had mine for several years bouncing around in the car and out in the elements. Shoots great! Accidentally dropped it in the parking lot (case was not closed) still on zero (holo sight another story).

 

[cox3497]

Cracked Butt:

That's kind of what I was hoping was the case. Brand loyalty often manifests itself quite powerfully in people. I know that I hate to think that I've bought anything expensive that is regarded as "second class". And often, I try to find information to support my purchases even if the evidence is telling me it was a mistake! Human nature, I guess. Well, thanks for the reply. I appreciate your thoughts.

mec:

Thanks for the response! I had heard about that contract Bushy got with the Texas Dept. of Public Safety and am glad to hear you opine that they know their firearms. I had heard that they threw the rifles on the ground, dragged them across the ground, submersed them, and then fired 460 some-odd rapid-fire rounds through them. Apparently Bushmaster passed the test and won the contract. I guess if it will work for those guys, there isn't any reason it won't work for me, right? Thanks again for your insight.

Will Learn:

I'll be sure to check my magazines when they arrive. I'll also be checking the upper to lower fit, as you suggest. If I do notice the play, I'll pick up one of those wedges from Midway (I think they sold them last time I looked). This is probably more of a cosmetic issue than a necessary fix, though, right? Everyone seems to concur with you that Bushy's customer service is top notch, so I should be safe even if I have an issue (still hoping not, though ). Thanks for the tips. Appreciate your time.

Omnivore:

I'm glad to hear of your mostly positive experience with Bushmaster in the past. I'm also pleased to hear your positive opinion concerning Bushy especially since you've had experience with both brands of ARs. If I like this rifle a lot, I might have to get myself an M4 sometime down the road, too.

I usually keep my guns pretty clean, as well, so me and the Bushmaster will probably get along all right. Thanks again for both your responses.

cox3497

 

[vanfunk]

Oh Boy, here comes one of the Colt guys...

Cracked Butt,
I am one of the Colt "Kool-Aid drinkers" but I am far from a gun snob. I appreciate firearms for what they are, not what they claim to be. My problem with Bushmaster (and yes, I own one - I used to own 4) is their claim to be "mil-spec" which they certainly are not, in many respects. I do not appreciate that they label each barrel with the "MP" mark to signify that the barrel has been magnafluxed and proof load tested, when in fact they only test barrels in batches. All of my Bushmasters suffered from the dreaded improperly indexed barrels, resulting in huge windage adjustments to get a zero at 100 yards. Here's a list of questions posed by another Bushmaster critic:
Does Bushmaster MP test every bolt and barrel?

Does Bushmaster shot peen every bolt?

Does Bushmaster properly stake their gas keys?

Does Bushmaster use a mil-spec receiver extension?

Does Bushmaster use M4 feedramps?

Does Bushmaster use F height front sight bases on their carbines flattops?

Does Bushmaster parkerize under their front sight bases?

The answer to all of those questions, of course, is no.

Colt does all of these things. Does Colt make a better AR carbine then? Yes, they do. The question of whether or not these factors are important to the average consumer hinges upon the subjective question of value. If you value these differences, then the Colt is well worth the modest (and ever-shrinking) difference in price between the two. One does pay more for the "horsie" but you get alot more, too. If Bushmaster made an "M4" carbine with a chrome lined 1/7" barrel, parked under the front sight base, with the correct F sized front sight base, properly magnafluzed and proofed barrel and shot-peened bolt carrier, properly staked gas key, properly sized and forged receiver extension and an "H" buffer, all properly assembled, they'd have a great weapon...

And it would cost as much as a Colt

vanfunk

Edited to add: I really do think Bushmaster makes a fine AR for most purposes! I still have one 20" rifle and it's been an accurate, reliable weapon over approx 2000 rounds.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

My AR-15 is a Colt but Bushmaster makes excellent rifles as well.

If your rifle did not come with a manual, you can download it from Bushmaster in PDF format here.

I also suggest perusing the various FAQs posted at AR15.com. After you've read the FAQs then you'll be better prepared to separate the wheat from the chaff in the AR15.com forums. Several military manuals are available for download from AR15.com under the "Information" tab.

The advice given by prior posters as to keeping it clean and lubricated is good. BreakFree CLP works well for lubrication but there are better cleaners, including good old Hoppe's No.9. Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) is a good lubricant and decent cleaner, and you can't beat the price.

Don't try to clean inside the gas tube. That part of the rifle doesn't need it and you're likely to get something stuck inside.

Your rifle should have a chrome lined bore and chamber. No break-in is needed but you do want to keep it reasonably clean, especially the chamber. Get a cleaning kit with a chamber brush and use it after you shoot each time.

Your Bushmaster has a 1:9 twist barrel, which means it will shoot bullets up to about 70 grains well. Some 1:9 barrels shoot heavier bullets well, but you'll need to try yours out and see. My preferred practice ammo for my Colt (1:9 twist) is Federal American Eagle 55 grain FMJ-BT. Federal/Lake City XM-193 is closer to milspec and is loaded hotter. Winchester Q3131 and Q3131A is milspec. Unfortunately, XM-193 and Q3131(A) are getting hard to find.

Some AR-15s shoot Wolf Russian steel cased ammo well. It's a bit dirty so make sure to clean well afterwards. Wolf Gold M-193 is made by Prvi Partizan in Serbia. PP generally makes excellent ammo, but early lots of their M-193 appeared to have some problems with short-stroking in 20" ARs. 2005 and newer seems to be better. A 75 grain Tactical loading is supposed to come out next month in the Wolf Gold line, and is designed for use in 1:9 barrels.

 

[Thin Black Line]

Inspect all cartridges before you load them in magazines. This includes new
and surplus, American and foreign. You will prevent many mechanical
problems by doing this simple thing. This is more important than the usual
more lube/less lube debate.

 

[JohnLINY]

vanfunk
Does Bushmaster shot peen every bolt?

Does Bushmaster properly stake their gas keys?
All 4 of my rifles are properly staked 97-05 factory builds
Does Bushmaster use a mil-spec receiver extension?

Does Bushmaster use M4 feedramps?
All of my rifles have M4 ramps.
Does Bushmaster use F height front sight bases on their carbines flattops?
My 05 AR15 A4C does have an F marked FSB
Does Bushmaster parkerize under their front sight bases?

The answer to all some of those questions, of course, is no.

Bushmaster builds a quality product and so does Colt. Colts are a lot more expensive. Bushmaster had some issues with their barrels being over tourqued around 99-00 but they corrected that. Bushmaster is used by several private contracting firms in Iraq as their standard issued AR Blackwater being one of them.
You are right in that Bushmaster claims to be mil spec but certain items are not. The buffer tube is one example.
cox3497 there is a lot of good advice on here and you made a great choice for a first AR. As others have said sign up for AR15.com. There is a TON of info on there. Also they are good to noobs too. Good luck with your new Bushy.

 

[vanfunk]

Interesting info, John! If it is true that your carrier keys are properly staked, then I am very glad - that was something that was glaringly inadequate and potentially dangerous. The keys on my 4 Bushies were all so loose they would wiggle a bit They were made from '98 to '03. The barrel indexing still seems to be a plague on their house though, although their service dept has a quick turn around for such problems. Are your M4 ramps true M4 ramps, with a carbine length barrel extension, or are they still using rifle extensions on their carbines? I am really, really glad to see by your example that they are now apparently using the correct FSB so you can zero the thing properly - when did they start doing that? the Bushie M4 I bought in Dec 05 didn't have it. I'm still waiting for Bushmaster to step up, but it sounds by your post that they're making an effort

Thanks,
vanfunk