Bushmaster vs Colt vs???

[Edward429451]

OK, my buddy wants to drop some extra cash in my hand for a huge favor I did him awhile back. Says if I buy an AR with it he'll make sure I have enough. If I'm going to give it to the wife for bill money etc., it'll only be 500.

I guess since the lights are still on I'm getting an AR! He's getting one too, which is why he wants me to get one also. I'm up for that.

My question is which one? I'm partial to the 20" models, no whistles or bells required. Possibly MilSpec. Iron sights are preferred so yes to the carrying handle. I've been looking at Bushmasters XM15's, They got chrome lined barrels and forged front sights. I'm used to the Colt which is what I grew up with. My budget is probably no more than 800 to 900.

Which one should I get?

 

[ShaiVong]

I think bushmaster is widely reguarded as making the top notch product (though maybe some dont think its THAT much better to warrent the extra pricetag). They ARE going through a lawsuit at the moment.. Every little bit counts..

If you go with the major ABC&R's you cant go wrong. Examine each and determine which fit, finish, and design you like the most. Everything else is icing.

 

[HankB]

I looked at Bushmaster and Armalite, and went with the former. It works very well and may be closer to "mil spec" than Armalite. (Note that to be truly "mil spec" the rifle would have FA capability, flash hider, bayonet lug, etc.) It works very well.

I'd stay away from Colt because they put a steel block in the lower receiver that makes it very difficult to work on the trigger - ostensibly they do this to make it harder to convert into FA. Colt also took it upon themselves to use oddball-sized pins, so it's harder to swap uppers. I've heard - but haven't verified - that they may have gone back to standard pins.

 

[BDM]

Go bushmater you cant go wrong the post ban M4 is a good rifle.

 

[cocojo]

Bushmasters are mil spec the Colt Ar-15 civilians are not. Only colt M-16's are Mil spec. I would go with the bushmaster.

 

[Edward429451]

I ran down and handled a Bushmaster XM15 e2s and must say that I was impressed. The rear stock was loose but thats a minor fix prolly. I like it! They had $869. on it. I think thats about right for one of these and right in my budget range too.

What typical accuracy is to be expected from this rifle?

 

[Quack]

i'll have to chime in on a RRA. it's definately worth the wait, or you could order the uppper and lower as seperates and build it.

 

[BDM]

a full size rifle with a good scope will shoot to 1" MOA at a hundred yds a carbine with a 14.5 or 16" will do the same at a hundred yds.I have a preban Hbar14.5 with permanent phantom supressor,its a bushmaster 11 years old up to 15k+rounds out of it 7k with the 14.5 it started life as a full size rifle never had a problem related to the rifle only with mags I have a postban M4 2 years old it shoots excellent as well.

 

[Edward429451]

BDM, Is that with factory? Could I expect to tighten it up more with good handloads? What can you do with irons, 2-2.5"?

Quack, Whats the advantage in building one? Just cost? Should I expect a parts gun to be tempermental or do they pretty much come together easily, without fuss? What size groups are you getting from your RRA?

 

[Jaeger]

I have owned (and still do) a few Bushmasters. They are of excellent quality. The Armalites I have seen look to be about even with the Bushmasters.
I am a Colt armorer and have several at my place of employment. They work but the fit and finish are just not up to par. We also have several Rock Rivers which are in the same league with Bushmaster and Armalite. The Rock Rivers do not have chrome lined bores if that is important to you.

I just bought an Olympic Service Match rifle for shooting CMP Highpower matches. It is very new and only has 70 rounds through it but my preliminary assesment is that it is a great rifle. Olympic seems to be putting out some very high quality rifles these days. They also have a 60 day money back gaurentee and a lifetime warrenty.

Whatever you choose, I would suggest that you Check out the 20" GI profile barrel. It is a lighter contour that the Hbars offered by all of the manufacturers and balances very nicely. Unless you are going to be shootining matches I don't think you'll want the extra weight of the full Hbar. Getting a removable carry handle will allow you more scope options should you decide tot go that route later on.

 

[BDM]

To edward thats just with factory,I dont handload and I stay away from them because it voids the warranty if anything happens with them,Im sure you can tighten those groups up with matchgrade ammo,I my self offhand at 50 yds I can keep groups within 2 to 3" and thats with both eyes open ,rapid fire,a round a second or so, using my 0-200 meter larger arperture sight .at a hundred yards it gets a little larger,but if I aim well"one eye closed" I can keep it to within the same at 50 yds,now if I had moving targets at my range Id be all set.I try to shoot realisic so I always use both eyes open,if someone were shooting back I dont think Id have time to aim well unless I saw them and they didnt see me,If Im target shooting I take my time and use the traditional way,proper breathing and so on.Rock river is also good they just dont use 4150 barrel steel wich will last longer and put up with more abuse,I think my next AR will be one,I already own 2 bushmasters.

 

[BusMaster007]

This is the one I recommend to friends who ask:

http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/weapons/pcwa3s20.asp

 

[Quack]

i should have clarified. it seems that getting a complete RRA is taking quite a few weeks. you can order a complete (built) upper and lower and have a RRA without the wait. to assemble it, you just have to install 2 pins.

RRA uppers A4 upper w/brake $422.22
Complete lower $210 w/ standard trigger / $290 w/2 stage match (which is great and a $90 value) and a carry handle for $110 (you can find it lower though)
$4 shipping.

total = $826.22 complete and without the 4+ weeks wait for a complete RRA.

my 24" varmint (1:12 twist) RRA is getting less that 1" groups using different ammo from 55gr FMJ to 45gr HP. RRA claims 3/4" groups for their varimints. my best groups are using 52gr Match Hollow Point Black Hills and Win 45gr varmint both at 1/2"

 

[ChairborneRanger]

Well, I think the Colt's tend to have a nicer fit and finish-----and, they certainly hold their value better than any of the others-----lots of people go for that "Colt" name. That said, the problem is, your budget isn't going to fit what it is going to take to buy a Colt, therefore, you're going to have to go with one of the AR's by another manufacturer.

 

[Quack]

if you look around, you can find a NIB colt for cheap. they were asking $799 for the 16" Hbar that i traded a 14.45 LDA and Glock .22 conversion kit for.

 

[hps1]

You might want to check out the following link for a "like new" Bushy:

http://www.nookhill.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=15;t=006745

To edward thats just with factory,I dont handload and I stay away from them because it voids the warranty if anything happens with them,

My grandson just got a Bushmaster DCM Hbar which I am setting up for him. I was surprised to note they enclosed a page with recommended (hand)loads for this rifle. I, too, was of the opinion that most mfg's void the warranty if handloads used?????

Regards,
hps

 

[HankB]

Accuracy is very dependent on ammo. I 'scoped my Bushmaster XM15E2 and with generic ball ammo (55 grain FMC by Federal, Winchester, or Remington) I'll put ten rounds into about a 2" to 2 1/2" group at 100 yards, which is not much worse than a friend's .223 bolt action varmint rifle will do with that ammo. Handloads with Sierra Matchking bullets will hold MOA consistently. (his varmint rifle does around 1/2 MOA with Matchkings.)

The rifle has the original chrome-lined barrel and there's no float tube or anything like that.

 

[Edward429451]

Them RRA's look nice. I thought you meant parts gun. Complete upper & lowers would be a snap and is an attractive alternative.

I think I'm still leaning towards a complete rifle though. I notice the XM15E2 is slightly turned down near the muzzle. Why's that? prepped for threading for a flash hider?

I dont like the snake logo, only thing.

 

[Rob96]

I have to say that I have been extremely pleased with my DPMS Classic Sixteen. DPMS makes some very nice rifles.

 

[ShaiVong]

How much of a pain is it to add a freefloat tube to a standard A2 upper?

I want to use a sling without changing my POI.

 

[coldshot03/04]

BushMaster all the way..... With the Colt your only paying for the name.

 

[Edward429451]

Shaivong brings up a good point that I hadn't even thought of yet. How do you put on a free float tube? Cause I just gotta use my sling.

That Bushmaster sure had a lot of creep in the trigger. Can somebody point me the right direction on that too. (My mini's have better triggers.)

GI mags are the way to go nowadays? just buy the green followers for them?

 

[Quack]

for a great trigger a a low price, the RRA 2 stage is hard to beat. since you are in the market for a new AR-15, it sounds like you want a NM type rifle.
might as well just buy the upper already done, it might cost a bit more, but so will getting the handguard free floated if you can't do it yourself.

BTW, i shot my best group with my RRA this weekend 3 shots in 1/4" from a 24" 1:12 twist, using BH 52gr Match Hollow Point

 

[jem375]

any of the major ar-15's will do..............Armalite,bushmaster,colt,DPMS, RRA..........really you can't go wrong with any of them.........go on the web at
www.ar15.com