Another Bushmaster vs. Rock River

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RomanKnight

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Another Bushy vs RR: how do they compare reliability-wise, say in the past one year? Any recent horror stories? Which one of them is more likely to put out a lemon?
Which AR manufacturer builds the most reliable/trouble-free/dependable products these days?
 
I have 2 Bushmasters An M-4 and a AR-10, both have functioned flawlessly from day one, both are a year or so old. Since I have been happy with Bushmmaster I have not bothered to try R/R.
 
I don't think you are going to get a lot of useful information since most of us don't own a statistically significant sample of both products let alone have enough time to subject both to a similar shooting schedule.

With the exception of Bushmaster running their staking machine with improper settings and letting a large run of rifles with improperly staked gas keys out the door around 2003, I haven't heard much besides anecdotal tales regarding either rifles.

Personally, I own both RRA and Bushmaster products and have always been happy with both.
 
Whichever one floats your boat. I have a RRA entry tactical and love it!. Friend has a Bushy Dissipator, it is a great rifle in it's own right. Can't go wrong either way. Buy with confidence and see where you get the best deal.
 
They are both good but there are big differences between the two. Bushy uses 4150 barrel steel, RRA uses 4140. Bushy uses 5.56 chambers on most of their guns, RRA uses 5.56 on the carbines and Wylde on the 20" guns. Bushy chrome lines most of their barrels, RRA offers it as an option on very few of their guns (only the M4 type barrels I think). Bushy uses single stage triggers on most of their guns, RRA uses two stage triggers on most of their guns.
Another brand I would consider is Stag Arms.
 
While I don't own a "statistically significant example" to give you double-blind test results (that's a friendly joke btw :D )...

I have one 12 year old Bushmaster that, in it's most recent configuration has a 16" superlight barrel, and I have a 3 year old Rock River Arms rifle with a 16" mid-length chrome lined barrel. Amusingly enough, I also have one shooting buddy with a 20" Bushy upper/ RRA lower and another who has a RRA 16" M4gery upper (not chrome lined) with Bushy lower...

In addition, I have owned 3 other Bushmaster uppers and 1 other RRA upper...

I have never had any malfunctions with any of these rifles in their various configurations. I find accuracy to be quite satisfactory (2" or less at 100 yards). Finish on both has been very nice, smooth, deep, black, etc. No problems with flaking or the like.

My friend with the 16" M4gery had failure to extract issues on his first range trip after a few mags. We looked it over and then found out that he DID NOT CLEAN OR OIL IT WHEN HE BOUGHT IT! So he was firing dry, and it did start to stick. I applied CLP to the bolt and carrier, and showed him how to clean it. He's never had an issue since.

Bottom line, I'm happy with both of mine. Price wise, I'd probably go with RRA over Bushmaster next time.
 
Do not have much experience with a regular bushmaster. But have delt with the cmp rifles quite a few times. Have had extensive troubles with the triggers. With trying to maintain like 20 of them we found we had to have 3 of them worked on by bushmaster last year and they replaced quit a few parts to make them work. We also have had one other go out this year and another one starting to go out. We have started to replace them with rock rivers last year and are down to under 10 of the bushmasters. We have decided to just replace their triggers with the RRA's ones.
Also have noted a few problems with the sights not being right.
I do personally own 1 bushmaster lower but that stripped lower is the only thing on it that is bushmaster. I also have 4 rock rivers.

A joke we use is why does bushmaster give rifles out in prizes and rock river does not? Because they have to! LOL

Jon
 
You already have a Bushmaster, why not give the other brand a shot? Don't be afraid to try out new (to you) stuff.
 
I build my own ARs. I use a combination of Bushmaster and Rock River parts along with a few DPMS parts. Never had any trouble with any of the parts interchanging (ie. they are all are dimensionally the same) and all of the guns are completely reliable.

Bushmaster has really nice barrels. I think all their other parts are overpriced. Rock River parts are just as good.
 
"Bushy uses 4150 barrel steel, RRA uses 4140" -What does this mean? Which is more suitable for rifle barrels, and why? Also, RR seems to have more of its 16" barrels chrome-lined, and offers mid-length fr sight+handguard.
 
"Bushy uses 4150 barrel steel, RRA uses 4140" -What does this mean? Which is more suitable for rifle barrels, and why?

4150 is more expensive. 4150 will withstand approximately 200 degrees more heat before accuracy drops off compared to 4140. Only downside to 4150 is that it costs more. If you are one of the "one round per minute" types 4140 works just fine.
 
Get a Colt. It isn't that much more than either the Bushmaster or RRA, and has everything those rifles does and a whole lot more. It is well worth the slightly higher price.
 
"Get a Colt" -can I get a non-neutered/"pre-ban" rifle from Colt, if I am just a civilian puke? Are all the Colt barrels chrome-lined, do you have to special order them, or are a regular option? The website didn't have any info on this.
Thanks
 
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Absolutely.

The whole "Colt is anti-gun" is totally BS. The only "anti-gun" thing Colt does is have a thicker shelf area in their lower receiver so that you cannot install an auto-sear. That is no big deal, as installing an auto sear in an AR-15 lower is illegal without a class 3. I am no expert in Class 3, but even if you do that, I believe the lower has to be specially marked as a full auto receiver (I could be wrong) So this is all moot.


I just bought a 6520. It is a 1/7, chrome lined rifle. 16" barrel in lightweight profile. It has a bayonet lug, a flash hider, an M4 collapsible stock......

and for those that tell you Colt neuters their guns and won't give you "evil features"...Colt ships all new production rifles with M16 bolt carriers, not neutered AR-15 carriers. Bushmaster still contends that this is illegal. It is not. Colt even provides a letter from the ATF saying it is totally OK.


Their LE models are still labeled LE and have the restriction stampings on them, but they are totally available to the civilian public. I have one, and many people I know do.


Edited to add:

Colt LE models are all chrome lined and 1/7 twists on 4150 steel. This is standard. They all have M4 feedramps which are wider and longer to enhange feeding. They all come with H-Buffers from the factory (unlike all the other makers) this also enhances reliable cycling. They come with heavy duty extractor springs or inserts from teh factory. They properly stake on the gas keys....the list goes on and on.....
 
No Way In Hell Would I Buy A Colt !

I Bought A Colt Hbar A Few Years Ago And Had Not Even Fired Five Rounds Through It . When The Gun Decided It Was Going To Feed 2 Rounds At The Same Time. So I Took The Weapon Back To The Dealer Where I Purhased It From And They Sent It Back To Colt And Colt Had It For Three Months Before They Finally Sent It Back. Colt Never Said What They Did To It To Fix This Problem The Reason Colt Did Not Say What They Did To Fix The Problem Is Because They Didn,t Do A Damn Thing Except Hold On To My Weapon For Three Months!!!!!! After I Get The Weapon Back I Go To The Range To Shoot It And It Did The Same Damn Thing ! I Wouldn,t Even Take A Colt If Someone Gave It To Me For Free !!!!!!!!
 
Sounds like you had some bad magazines. Double feeds tend to be bad mags. I use only USGI magazines with green followers, and I test each for reliability. A round is poping up out of the feedlips as the bolt clears the top of the magazine on the rearward stroke of the cycle. As it comes forward, it strips a round ramming that into the back of the other one causing nasty double feeds.


A given for any AR should be to test it using a new, real USGI magazines (made by Colt, or even better by Labelle/D&H industries), and using NATO pressure American made GI ball like XM193. Of course, proper cleaning and lubrication is a must to diagnose problems and to limit variables.

If it fails with that setup, then there is something wrong with the rifle. If you are using Russian ammo, or commerical ammo, along with no-name mags or plastic magazines, that is the culprit 99%.


Use good ammo, use good mags. As a result, I've never had a single malfunction of any kind whatsoever.
 
RRA, Bushmaster, Armalite and Colt are all good choices.

Find the one that has all the features you like.

Good USGI mags are essential.

Chrome Moly does not mean chrome lined. Most RRA that I have seen on the rack at gun shops are not chrome lined.
 
Maybe you guys have some secret place to purchase Colts that I don't know about... but every Colt I've ever seen is SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS more than a very similar Bushmaster. Sure, I may be missing something somewhere, but I also bought my wife a Ford Expedition instead of a Cadillac Escalade... For me, Bushmaster is "enough", and Colt doesn't offer me anything additional beyond Bushmaster that I "need". Your mileage may, of course vary significantly...
 
The RRA is the Best Bang for the money, Houge grips, two stage trigger, 6 position stock, Front side sling swivel. Yes RRA barrels are made of 4140 steel but are very heavy under the hand guard wilson barrels. Its a $40 option to chrome line the barrel.(heavier then Colt M4a1 barrels full auto barrels).link below

http://www.rockriverarms.com/item-d...image=bblr4.gif&CFID=1447509&CFTOKEN=48667556

Rock River buys there parts from CMT, CMT contracts to make Colt parts. RRA had a problem with the two stage trigger losing a stage. I believe that has been address by RRA

Bushmaster is a good rifle, its does not have the little extra's the Rock River have and are the same price. Bushmaster barrels are chome lined 4150 steel with smaller barrel profile. link below

http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/barrel-assemblies/pbbl16m4a.asp

Bushmaster do not have a Houge grip, two stage trigger. Bushmaster did have a problem with a staking the carrier key, I believe it was fix. Also the finish was purple on some guns. Think they fix this problem also.


Rock Rivers are the hot rifle to get right now, they have all the extra's for the same price as the Bushy.
 
Bushmaster, RRA, Colt....just to make this decision a little more difficult, have you looked at Lewis Machine and Tool? www.lewismachine.net, if you're military or LE you can order direct and save the $. I just ordered my M4-type w/SOPMOD, two-stage, Tango Down grip(standard) and enhanced bolt carrier group.

If you go to www.ar15.com and search the for LMT, you'll see that some claim their quality is the same and better than Colt's....BTW, they use 4150 steel for their barrels and offer all the other bells and whistles too. They also do the same QA testing like magnetic particle and so on.
 
SpreadFire had both Colt LE6920 and LMT upper and lower.I had the chance to fondle both. The fit and finish on the LMT is second to none. LMT does not sell complete rifles to civilians only to Military and Leo's. You would have to purchase a upper and lower and assemble it. I would pick LMT over the Colt and I am a Colt guy.
 
I'd personally prefer to stay away from a company that doesn't sell complete rifles to private citizens.

I have a Rock River Arms AR15 comming my way in a few days! Woo Hoo! :evil:
 
Wonder if those purple bushys will become valuable as collectibles, like the stamps or coins with errors on them. :)

And seems to me that a gun that needs to be *cleaned* when new in order to work is defective per se. Oiled I can see, but....
 
The only "anti-gun" thing Colt does is have a thicker shelf area in their lower receiver so that you cannot install an auto-sear.
Click to expand...
IIRC the sear block wont allow the use of many aftermarket trigger groups.
 
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