I'm looking for a good, mil-spec flattop upper for my fighting-carbine project.  I'll be using a Bushmaster 16" lightweight barrel and considered just having BM install it on one of their V-Match uppers.   Bushmaster seems to have an excellent reputation is most circles.

Are there any other uppers I should give a serious look at before buying a BM?  I want to keep cost down to a minimum.  BM quoted me $520 for a completely assembled upper, with bolt assembly, minus the plastic handguards and flash supressor.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

I love Bushmaster.  I also like Rock River Arms.  I will say I like the coating Bushmaster uses inside their uppers.  The RRA upper I've got showed light wear inside the upper after only a few range visits.  The marks are cosmetic only and are INSIDE the upper.  Not like you can see them from the outside.

That said, I really don't think you can go wrong with one of the better manufacturers like BM, RRA, Colt, etc.

BTW the RRA upper I've got has a BM light-weight 20" gov't profile barrel.  I LOVE it.  I'm sure the 16" are just as nice.

I bought my RRA/BM upper from a friend who had Pete in NH put the whole thing together for him.  If you're not willing to tackle putting together an UPPER (the lowers are a piece of cake), I'd suggest getting the whole thing from BM.  Otherwise, if there is a problem you have to deal with the guy who assembled it and potentially two other manufacturers.  Plus all the shipping costs/time.  

In my experience, RRA upper recievers are very nice.  The Bushmaster upper costs $160, the bolt carrier group is $125 and the charging handle is $25.  For RRA, the prices are $90, $105 and $15.  The Bushmaster stuff has a little nicer finish, but IMHO it is not worth the price difference.

Whichever way you go, I'd stick with the Bushmaster barrel.

I have an all Bushmaster gun just becasue I wanted to go all Bushmaster but if I were on a very strict budget I would not hesitate to go with RRA if I had to provided I could check it to make sure the rails were in spec and I could return it if they were not.

My last was a RRA from Pete-in-NH. Good product and good service.

I've been in touch with Matt (sales dept) at BM.  He said if I sent my lower to BM they would hand-pick an upper with a good snug fit for no extra charge.  Right now there's about a 1 week turn-around time for them and the upper and barrel are in stock.

I have shot plenty of RRA 1911's and am really impressed with their qulaity.  I would not hesitate to go with them for a complete AR upper based on that alone, but I like the idea of only having to track down one customer rep if something goes wrong.

I can also probably get a LE discount from BM which will absorb the shipping charges of sending them my lower.

Thanks... I'm finally closing in on the finish line.

Keep in mind they will have to send the lower back to you through an FFL.  So, you will have to pay a transfer fee (unless you've got some other connections).

I'm not sure I'd worry to much about fit.  Who made your lower?  If its a RRA, it WILL be tight with that BM upper.

The FFL is not an issue.  Just the extra shipping charges.

My lower is a pre-ban PWA (Pack West Arms).  RRA used them for quite a while before they started using their own.  

If you send them YOUR lower for work to be done on it and they return it to you, it doesn't have to go through a FFL. Only if it changes hands. I won a standard BM rifle a few years ago and contacted BM about returning it to them (unused/unfired) for upgrading to a CMP and using the same serial numbered lower. The cost was the difference between the two models. They said fine and I UPS'd it to them. When finished, they sent it back to me. No FFL required since there was no change in the legal owner (me). I did have to have the original rifle sent to me from the match officials through a FFL.

Hey thanks...

That saved me from having to ask another favor of my FFL buddy.