Do you have tips to keep the AR-15 reliable?

[MJ]

My M-16 went under an M113 track

I tried to turn it back in for my M-14 three times. Then it had a little accident and I got an M3A1 for a time then my M14 again. They charged me $85 for the M16 loss. I did bring back most of the barreled receiver. I also never said the HK was better, it's just another .223 but less trouble. I had a sweet Galil ARM but there again it was a .223 so I traded it for a truck. I know today the M-16 is little like the one I had but still it left a wanting impression on me.

Give me a .30, when you put a target down it stayed down.

MJ
67/68
Kontum/Dak To

 

[Thin Black Line]

The only two knocks I know of on Bushmaster is that their default twist rate is 1/9, and they have a reputation for carrier keys coming loose.

Haven't had a problem that twist other than the Russian 55s being a little
more sloppy while plinking. SS109 runs great. I've never heard of the
B has a "rep" for keys coming loose. Could this have been a single gun
you ran into that had a B lower and a mixed bag-o-parts (used) upper?
Saw a couple FFLs trying to pass those muts off as purebreds at some
shows...

 

[johnsonrlp]

Do like my armorer does, throw all the magazines loosely into a big footlocker. It really helps break in the feed lips.

Don't shoot dirty ammo, get a gas piston upper, keep it clean, use dry lube, use good, clean mags.

When I carried an M16 I sparingly oiled only the parts of the bolt/carrier that were shiny or showed wear. worked well for me. Now I carry a 249 so I hose it down pretty good.

 

[Beren]

Could this have been a single gun you ran into that had a B lower

It's based on feedback from AR15.com and reputable trainers, though there was one gun I saw and fixed with this problem. It was a stock Bushmaster. If you start to have cycling troubles, it's one possible cause among many.

1/9 will have trouble with some of the longer bullets.

 

[George Hill]

unscrew the front sight post and put a different rifle under it.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I've never heard of the B has a "rep" for keys coming loose. Could this have been a single gun you ran into that had a B lower and a mixed bag-o-parts (used) upper?

Over on AR15.com, the Bushmaster rep acknowledged that the staking machine had been run out of spec for an unspecified number of guns and that those guns were subject to having the carrier keys come loose. There have also been complaints from several law enforcement agencies that use the rifles on that issue.

In this case, I would say the rep is probably well-deserved but only applies to guns from late 2004 on. Bushmaster has supposedly corrected the problem; but I've heard rumors of a half-dozen Bushmasters from one agency going down at a recent rifle training course. The problem was fixed in all rifles by swapping the bolt carriers. That tends to make me think Bushmaster still hasn't fixed the problem.

Edited to add: Just read on another board that the issue was apparently weak extractors, not loose gas key.

 

[Thin Black Line]

Has Bushmaster already been sold by the owners?

 

[Gewehr98]

I'm trying to figure that one out, too...

Why is a 1-9" twist a problem? First I heard of that.

 

[Jeff White]

1-9 twist is a problem in that it's not fast enough for the longer 75 and 77 grain bullets that are becoming popular. It's a barrel by barrel tossup if your 1-9 will handle the longer bullets. Some do and some don't.

Jeff

 

[1911user]

I don't see a 1-9 as a weakness. It's more versatile. You can shoot 45 grain varmint bullets (winchester value pack) up to 68-69 grain match bullets with confidence. For deer hunting, the 64gr win. powerpoint has a good reputation. Also, a 1-9 twist is slow enough to use a 22 conversion kit effectively.

Sure, a 1-7 can shoot the heavy, long bullets effectively, but you're giving up some versatility IMO. I have barrels in both twists, so I'm covered either way

 

[Thin Black Line]

Won't that short twist rip off the jackets on the lighter bullets as well?

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Won't that short twist rip off the jackets on the lighter bullets as well?

A 1-7 can rip the jackets off of very thin-jacketed lightweight varmint bullets. In my experience though, I have never seen it firsthand. Just read about it... the Winchester 45gr JHPs seem to work just fine from a 1/7 barrel.

 

[Gewehr98]

I wouldn't run those heavy long bullets in my 1-9" gun, anyway.

I stopped at 68-69 grains for that rate of twist. In my High Power matches, I've watched those guys running the heavyweight rounds that are too long to be fed from the magazine, so it's single-shot time with a fixed mag follower. Not an optimal way to run a gas-operated autoloader, IMHO.

Won't that short twist rip off the jackets on the lighter bullets as well?

I can't speak for the 1-7" twist barrels, but my particular 1-9" Colt actually prefers the 52gr and 55gr Sierra MatchKings over any other bullet weight and style. I don't know if it's the way they cut the chamber and throat, or the bore dimensions, but I'd have figured the rifle would group 63-69gr bullets as well as the lighter ones. To date, I've been wrong.

 

[Stinkyshoe]

Do you gentlemen have an opinion of getting a rifle with 1 in 8 twist? I was considering the Bushmaster Predator w/ a YHM foreend.
Thanks
Ss

 

[Chris Rhines]

The gas piston uppers, in actual use, are notably less reliable than the standard direct-impingement system. Glen Zediker opined that upgrading an AR with a gas piston was like "...upgrading an F/A-18 with a propeller."

Fancy aftermarket chi-chis aren't necessary to keep you AR running. Proper construction, high-quality parts, and good magazines are.

- Chris