AR-15 Bushmasters

[Ghostrider_23]

Is Bushmaster a good quality AR once you check to see if it is staked right?

If not, what parts or repairs would you need to do in order to make them a great AR?

What problems do they have?

What makes them so different from other AR's

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I, along with 60 of my closest friends, carry one everyday and have done so for about 10 years. None of them have had major issues that I know of.

 

[Sky]

I have 3 two match grade (20"&24") and one LE 14.5 all of mine have been good shooters for my purposes. Mine get torn down and cleaned to often because I never know how long they will be in the safe due to other choices. Have not had breakage issues with the Varminter and Predator but be fore warned they will not shoot steel case ammo due to chambers..

 

[Mags]

I have had two, both have had the complete BCG and CH replaced.

 

[glock36]

I have one and have had zero issues with it. Runs like a charm

 

[unwise11]

I shoot my dads alot, it has an ACOG mounted on it, and we shoot alot of .22's through it, but it's very reliable with the .223's too.

 

[crossrhodes]

Zero problems

I hadn't any problem with steel ammo in any of my bushys, colts or dpms.
I've ran over 10,000 rds in my favorite bushy (10 yrs old) and have only changed the gas rings once, the extractor spring because I wanted to.
Your lucky you didn't post this on the AR/M4 forum. It would of turned in to a bashing feeding frenzy about you polluting the system with a bushy.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

My eats steel cased Wolf with no troubles.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I'm sure they are just fine and used to be considered one of the "go-to" brands (ABC, Armalite, Bushmaster, Colt). Now that some new players have entered the game they are behind on some of the "desirable features" but you have to decide if those features are important to you. They are decent rifles. I just feel there are better brands for the same price.

 

[Steve in PA]

Want to see some Bushmaster bashing, go over to M4Carbine.net!!!

I've had my Bushmaster for several years, shot lots of rounds through it. No complaints or issues. It goes bang when I pull the trigger.

 

[ghostwriter]

My only problem with them... California doesnt allow them here. BoooHoooo.
I had to sell mine to a guy in Arizona or butcher it up to meet their stupid regulations.

 

[Kurt_D]

I have 2. Well mostly.

1st is their 20" A2 and it has been an excellent rifle. 1 issue with a mag of Wolf; the mag was dropped and the rounds shifted forward. A quick smack to re-seat the rounds solved that issue. Otherwise, it's been 100% with everything. I sold it to a friend only to buy it back about a year later. If it weren't for the H-bar it'd be my favorite AR.

2nd was their patrolman's carbine, a 16" M4gery. It too was a excellent AR. BUT, I did sell off the stock upper and replace it with a 14.5" Bushy M4 barrel w/ phanton hider; I also used a M16 carrier group (CMT) and H buffer. I like the balance better on the 14.5" and the carrier and H buffer smoothed out the action. This newer mostly Bushy set-up has been 100% too.

Also have a Bushmaster barreled A4 clone. Their .gov profile 20" barrel works well and is priced right. I really want to add one to my A2 to get its weight down.

ETA: I would have no problem buying a Bushmaster if priced right. And the only reason I add "priced right" is because an AR is so easy to build and I can usually build it for less than a factory piece. I would also have no problem buying their barrels for a build, good bang for buck.

 

[crossrhodes]

The Chart

Ah yes, the "Chart", I was wondering when it would raise it's egotistical head, It needs to be updated a little on the barrel steels. And the same message along with it....( you can buy better for the same price). The chart just shows who is high jacking the requirements for milspec rifles. The chart is a good tool and milspec is a must for military firearms and equipment but just because it's not milispec doesn't mean it's junk. A lot of people are separated from their money for bragging rights about their range queens. I will say that I do like having a milspec BCG in my rifle.

 

[Onmilo]

I have owned a Bushmaster AR15 for twenty years & put countless rounds downrange with it.
Problems,,,current cost of factory ammunition.
I replaced the Dissapator barrel with a Govt. profile 2 years ago, after 18 years this chrome lined beauty was finally "shot out".
It too is a Bushmaster barrel.

 

[Quentin]

Your poll should have had a third choice for "average". Since it didn't I couldn't vote "good". Right now your results are skewed toward good because many votes went that way since there wasn't an in between answer which is more truthful for BM. Anyway, if you already have one, you can make it work but there are better choices out there if you're buying today.

No matter how many laugh at the chart there's a lot of information there. And it's free so why not use it as a tool? Let's say you don't buy into going with a BCM or Colt, well then why would you go all the way down to BM - skipping over S&W which often is on sale and offers so much more?

 

[hirundo82]

I bought a Bushmaster Patrolman's Carbine as my first AR-15, mainly because I recognized the name. I haven't had any problems with it, although I don't have as many rounds through it as I'd like (too little time, not enough $$). I have replaced the BCG with an LMT FA BCG and changed to an H buffer.

That said, now that I know more I realize you can get a better gun for the same or less. I'm working on specs for my second AR-15 now, probably a BCM middy on a Spike's lower.

 

[kwelz]

I Voted no.
You asked us to support our vote so here you go.

• Lack of proper materials.
• Lack of proper testing. MPI/HP testing of individual bolts and barrels (Batch is fine if you happen to get the one from the batch the tested)
• No M4 Feedramps on M4 style guns.
• Weaker Commercial style RE.
• Incorrect FSB makes using any BUIS a problem without replacing the front sight post.
• marginal staking on the Gas key.
• No staking on the Castle nut.
• 1/9 twist barrel on supposed Personal defense and duty reason weapons. Makes using the proper ammo problematic.
• They are priced more in the same range with a BCM, DD, or Colt and yet they offer none of the benefits of any of these companies.
• A general crappy attitude for a company. I have never had a good experience with support.

Ah yes, the "Chart", I was wondering when it would raise it's egotistical head, It needs to be updated a little on the barrel steels. And the same message along with it....( you can buy better for the same price). The chart just shows who is high jacking the requirements for milspec rifles. The chart is a good tool and milspec is a must for military firearms and equipment but just because it's not milispec doesn't mean it's junk. A lot of people are separated from their money for bragging rights about their range queens. I will say that I do like having a milspec BCG in my rifle.

How is non-biased information Egotistical?
You don't seem to understand the purpose of the Chart.
the TDP is the absolute minimum requirements for a defensive carbine according the the army. If any company can exceed these requirements then that is a great thing. The problem is that most companies, like bushmaster, don't even meet the requirements. Yet they charge similar money.

 

[Patriotme]

I've got a Bushmaster and it's a decent M4gery. I've got no complaints.
I read that the Bushmaster plant is closing and they will now be made by Remington.
My question to you guys is will this be a good thing or bad thing? It seems that most of us like the old Bushmasters and I wonder what kind of job Remington will do. Their version of the AR is beautiful but I've never heard anything about them.

 

[HorseSoldier]

What's your intended use for the rifle in question?

 

[highlander 5]

Actually Bushmaster is moving their plant and they are owned By the Cerberus group and they owns Bushmaster,DPMS,Marlin and Remington.

 

[TonyAngel]

I didn't vote because although I think they are good, you can get better for the price. What I call better would include support after the sale.

 

[mnhntr]

I have a bushy and it is a shooter. Its a 24in varminter and I love it.

 

[Onmilo]

kwelz

1. What "Improper materials?
2. Show me one failed Bushmaster bolt.
3.Wrong, M4s can be ordered with M4 feedramps and receiver extensions, up to dealer to do so, standard come without.
4.I agree but do not order collapser stocks from Bushmaster.
5.Have you measured the height of the Bushmaster upper receiver before you made this claim or are you basing this opinion on the front sight base not having an "F" marked on the surface?
6.You saw one or two gas keys lightly staked on the internets and formed this opinion.
Show me a Bushmaster bolt carrier group that has actually failed at the gas key.
Staking is a "Redundancy" do you know what this means?
7.No staking at gas key,,,the end user can easily add staking should they wish to do so or perhaps they leave the staking off to make upgrade or replacement easier.
Show me a collapser stock that has failed because the castle nut wasn't staked.
Staking is a "Redundancy" do you know what that means?
8. Mark Westrom, President of Armalite Inc. has amply demonstrated the versatility of the 1-9" twist, lethality is actually INCREASED using a 1-9" twist and bullets up to 65 grains in weight.
The 1-7" twist stabilizes heavier bullets but actually DECREASES lethality using common 55-65 grain military specification ammunition.
The Swedes chose the 1-7" twist for just this reason.
Bushmaster offers 1-7" twist barrels as an option that must be specified on order. 1-9" twist is default.
9. Price is on par because quality is on par.
10. Your personal experiences are not the general consensus of the firearms community as a whole.
One mans opinion is one mans opinion.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I have a bushy and it is a shooter. Its a 24in varminter and I love it.

Same here, picked it up as part of a trade. I thought it could be junk after reading all the bad reviews on the internet of bushy stuff.

It shoots really, really well. I mounted a cheap scope on it just so I could shoot it. I was amazed at the groups with the cheap wwb stuff I had on hand combined with a cheap scope. I was impressed enough that I'll be ordering a nice scope and a ubr stock for it. I need a collapsible stock because my son's arms aren't long enough to get a good hold on an a2 stock. Great trigger, too. Even if I sell it, I'd part it out and keep the lower to put bravo company upper stuff on.

But would I buy a new one? Heck no, not with stuff like spike's and bravo out there. My LGS had a new bushy, a used sabre defense, a new daniel defense and a few other good brands all within $100 of each other. At those prices the extra steps, more quality materials and testing that other manufacturers take has me sold. I'll likely never have a problem, but it just seems like I'm getting more rifle for my money with other brands...even if I don't NEED it. If I were buying used and getting a really good deal on it, I see no issue with bushmaster.

 

[M1key]

Voted yes.

All mine were purchased way back when Bushies and Colts (and Olympic) were about all that was available on the commercial market. I haven't had a blink of a problem since.

Today, I also own others makes...

M