I attended a tactical carbine class yesterday.  Thanks to all who participated in my other thread about class gear.  

Bushmaster was the predominate brand, one ASA, and a few LE Colts including a M4 with tri-burst (brrp brrp brrp!).   Most were post bans with plain barrels, except for one brand new Bushy which came with a factory attached "AK" brake.   For the first time in my life, I actually got to see the chupacabra I've heard about all too often:

And this happened- Within the first few rounds of his first magazine!!!

The brake flew about 25 yards into the hill backstop (that's why its so dirty).  

I also got to see another elusive $30 leprechaun:


These were very nice.  Just a tad heavier, and longer than a GI mag.  Wonder if that may be a problem for tight dual and triple mag pouches?


The tri-burst M4 had one stuck cartridge in the chamber.   My 6920 had four failures to extract within about 400 rounds. This problem was completely fixed when the instructor replaced my extractor spring with one of Ken Elmore's/SAW LE Sales' springs.  

Overall, there were no major problems with anyone's weapons or equipment, although an unmarked 4X carry-handle scope (Colt copy) was removed from one rifle before the class at the recommendation of the instructor.  Single point slings were predominant.  

I will be buying a Camelbak, and ordering more extractor springs from the computer geek hater.  

I have the exact same set-up on my Bushmaster and thankfully have never experienced that problem with 350-400 rounds through it. Can you give any specifics like the type of cartridge used and the total number of rounds fired through it?

Sooooo, what's going on with the rifle in that picture?


Specifically, what's the story of the owner.    The barrel length that's ahead of the front sight doesn't appear to be enough for it to be fitting of a 14.5 inch barrel.

Was that some kind of NFA registered SBR with an AK74 brake to minimize recoil?


Or was it a Dissapator with a 16 inch barrel and a AK74 brake permanently attached?    That seems like a possibility judging from the amount of barrel left ahead of the front sight.



Strange to see the way the brake was pinned on.    I thought that the barrels were threaded under the AK brakes and then they were pinned/welded so that a person couldn't gain access to those threads by simply removing the brake.    It certainly would have gone a long way towards centering up the brake along the centerline axis of the barrel not to mention make it much more secure.

Could it be a dissipator with the brake added. The picture on bushys site shows a naked barrel. Perhaps they slid on the brake and used a drill press to add the hole for the pin.

I don't see where the pin is on my ak-74 brake and it is a bushmaster. When I inquired about changing the originaly mini-y over to an ak, bushmaster told me I would have to change out the entire barrel assembly because removing the brake would destroy it.

I can't see where they pinned my AK74 brake on my 14.5inch bushy either, they welded the pin and filed it down nicely enough that it blends in with the rest of the brake.

However, on my 20inch Bushy, the AK74 brake is pinned on and blatantly sticking out not filed down in any way.  

After seeing the picture above, I wonder which one of if either of my 2 bushmaster barrels are threaded under the muzzle brake?    Had them both 4+ years though without having one of them eject off the end of the barrel.

Damn.  I feel like bupm fireing my AK shorty and see if I can blow off the brake now too. [:D]

If that is in fact a genuine Bushie, then they CUT CORNERS by using a non-threaded AK break on threadless barrel.  

jimtash and ulgygun,

       I have a 14.5" Bushmaster barrel with factory installed AK brake.  I have also owned 16" and 20" barrels with the AK brake.

        On the 16" and 20" barrels Bushmaster pins the muzzle brake on, like the one that is pictured above.

       On the 14.5" barrels they don't use the pin, they use another method, it was explained to me once but I don't remember what it is.  If I remember correctly the barrel is threaded and they perminately attach the brake once it's on the barrel.  If you look you can see the washer between the barrel and the muzzle brake on the 14.5" barrels.