....... is a Bushmaster:

http://www.bushmaster.com/le/LE-Patrolman-Carb-A2-Blue.jpg

Pictured with an A2 upper, but I have the A3.

(I'm curious if that's viewed as similar to buying a GSXR1000 for your first bike?)

Anyway, total noob here ..... to the site and to an AR.

All my firearms to date have been handguns, and the only experience I have with long guns is firing my buds Ruger .223.

But the Bushmaster on the wall at the dealer finally made me buy it. I must say I haven't had this much satisfaction from a purchase in a long time.

So I ask of anyone with the inclination to answer: Where do I start? What do you recomend to start learning about the weapon? First and foremost are critical safety issues that I should be aware of? Tips for operating the rifle? Little things that you have learned from experience? I plan to take it to the range for the first time this weekend. What should I make sure to do before I chamber my first round?

To be clear, yes I have read the manual cover to cover. Although there's alot more info on this site than I can cover in the short term, I have been going through as many threads as I can to gather information. I have a contact for an instructor, too, as I think it will be a good idea to spend an hour or two with an expert to help me familiarize myself with the rifle.

So, help a brother out and chime in with any suggestions you have for a owner of a new Bushmaster.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Congrats.  Nice rifle.   It's always helpful if you know someone familiar with the rifle to show you how to break it down and clean it the first time.

welcome to the site

Great first post, and welcome to the board.  I'll throw in my opinions of what you want to get down before you go to a class/ course, and what is a general good area to start.

First and foremost, remember your firearms safety.  It sounds redundant, but you can't be safe enough.  No instructor or fellow shoot ever wants to see a weapon pointed in their direction.  You also want to remember that while working on your weapon or doing dry drills, all ammo stays in another room.

Next, you need to be familiar with how to field strip your weapon.  I don't mean take it apart once or twice, I mean take it apart 10 times in a row while sitting down and watching a good movie (or the Military/ History channel).  Take it apart enough so that you are very quick, very familiar, and very comfortable with doing it.  

When you take you weapon apart/ field strip it, you want to disassemble the bolt carrier group every time.  Too many people skip this, and it’s an important part of cleaning the weapon.  

After you have cleaned it up, go ahead and lube it with whatever lube you have decided on using.  If you haven't figured out which one you want, CLP/ Breakfree does a decent job of cleaning and lubricating, so its a good starting point.  There are plenty of other products, but this one works well enough.  Eventually you may switch to something else, but its a good start.

Then you need to start with the basics of operating your weapon.  The military manuals are a GREAT source of information for this.  

The most important thing you can do is know how to properly CLEAR the weapon.  This would mean removing the magazine, locking the bolt to the rear, and doing a visual and physical check of the chamber and magazine well to ensure no ammo or magazine is present.  Again, this is a matter of safety.

Next up would be properly loading the weapon.  This step makes it worth buying dummy rounds at a firearm store.  The bright orange plastic ones are usually fine, and they can't be confused with real ammo.  Loading a magazine, inserting the magazine, and chambering a round are basic steps that even advanced shooters need to go over.  Loading and Reloading are a fundamental part of shooting, and you can never be too smooth with your reloads (no matter how good you think you are, you could be smoother and faster).

Reloads both from an open and closed bolt would be next on my list.  

Finally, I would say immediate action drills are a basic part of a weapon, so this should be included as well.  You need to know how to clear your weapon if you pull the trigger, and you get a click instead of a bang.   Safety is key to this again.  In the real world, you can't shoot your team mate while fumbling with a weapon, and no one wants to look down your barrel as a shooter flops around with his carbine trying to clear it out on the firing line either.  



There are a few other instructors on this board, and I'm sure that their versions would be a little different, but the basics always remain pretty much the same.  Safety, maintenance of the weapon and basic operation are always needed to build a solid shooting foundation.

Feel free to fire away with any questions.

You, sir, have stared an addiction.  In a few months, you'll be posting a picture of your "collection"

Welcome to the Board

Stickman, thanks for your post. Great info. Your fingers must be tired after typing that response, so I'll spare you more questions (for now).

I imagine most involved in this realm place a high value on safety, and you address that prominently in your post. I certainly am the same way. From a safety standpoint, a new, unfamiliar weapon is a mistake waiting to happen for anyone with my experience level. And I really hate making mistakes.

Thanks again and I will be sure to factor in your guidance to my learning process.

Sydney7629, would you believe that when I went to pick up the Bushmaster, I figured, hey, while I'm here I might as well pick up that Glock 9mm? I'm not 100% sure, but I thought I saw smoke coming from my credit card. hanks

Get a copy of the USGI Technical Manual and read it cover to cover. You'll be an expert after that.

Very nice weapon.

Bushmaster did well the last few days. I just purchased my first Bushmaster AR-15 as well.

Stickman said it.


Welcome to the site! Post some action pics while you're at it!

Welcome to the sickness .      

Good choice on the AR.

You have one of the better weapons made and are sure to enjoy it immensely for years to come

This website is as good a resource as any for the AR enthusiast, and I highly recommend spending many hours reading, looking, asking questions, and enjoying the pursuit.



Welcome aboard!!

Good first choice.  Welcome aboard.

Make sure to get plenty of good U.S.G.I. mags for it and dont forget the good quality ammo. Maybe checkout your hometown forum and see if there is any members in your area that can help you get familar with your new rifle.

The quickest way to learn the operation of an AR-15, is to go to Marine Recruit training.  I guarantee you'll know more about the weapon than you prolly ever care to know...  Really, enlist now... just sign here:___________________

when you break down the rifle... make sure to not pull the trigger when the upper is not attached. Dry firing with the upper removed will cause the hammer to strike the receiver, a mistake many new AR15 shooters make.

Other than that... I think everyone has about covered it.

Welcome aboard.

Quoted: Great first post, and welcome to the board.  I'll throw in my opinions of what you want to get down before you go to a class/ course, and what is a general good area to start. First and foremost, remember your firearms safety.  It sounds redundant, but you can't be safe enough.  No instructor or fellow shoot ever wants to see a weapon pointed in their direction.  You also want to remember that while working on your weapon or doing dry drills, all ammo stays in another room. Next, you need to be familiar with how to field strip your weapon.  I don't mean take it apart once or twice, I mean take it apart 10 times in a row while sitting down and watching a good movie (or the Military/ History channel).  Take it apart enough so that you are very quick, very familiar, and very comfortable with doing it.   When you take you weapon apart/ field strip it, you want to disassemble the bolt carrier group every time.  Too many people skip this, and it’s an important part of cleaning the weapon.   After you have cleaned it up, go ahead and lube it with whatever lube you have decided on using.  If you haven't figured out which one you want, CLP/ Breakfree does a decent job of cleaning and lubricating, so its a good starting point.  There are plenty of other products, but this one works well enough.  Eventually you may switch to something else, but its a good start. Then you need to start with the basics of operating your weapon.  The military manuals are a GREAT source of information for this.   The most important thing you can do is know how to properly CLEAR the weapon.  This would mean removing the magazine, locking the bolt to the rear, and doing a visual and physical check of the chamber and magazine well to ensure no ammo or magazine is present.  Again, this is a matter of safety. Next up would be properly loading the weapon.  This step makes it worth buying dummy rounds at a firearm store.  The bright orange plastic ones are usually fine, and they can't be confused with real ammo.  Loading a magazine, inserting the magazine, and chambering a round are basic steps that even advanced shooters need to go over.  Loading and Reloading are a fundamental part of shooting, and you can never be too smooth with your reloads (no matter how good you think you are, you could be smoother and faster). Reloads both from an open and closed bolt would be next on my list.   Finally, I would say immediate action drills are a basic part of a weapon, so this should be included as well.  You need to know how to clear your weapon if you pull the trigger, and you get a click instead of a bang.   Safety is key to this again.  In the real world, you can't shoot your team mate while fumbling with a weapon, and no one wants to look down your barrel as a shooter flops around with his carbine trying to clear it out on the firing line either.   There are a few other instructors on this board, and I'm sure that their versions would be a little different, but the basics always remain pretty much the same.  Safety, maintenance of the weapon and basic operation are always needed to build a solid shooting foundation. Feel free to fire away with any questions.

Stickman, this is excellent, almost as good as your photography!

James, welcome, good choice and I hope you're on broadband, there's a lot to see and learn here.
Also, becoming a team member for a small donation will give you more info than you can read.
Heck, you'll never even get through all of Mongo's important stuff!

Edwin

Thats a good one, enjoy.

The technical manuals are available here on the site.

Congrats