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Posted: 11/19/2004 2:06:02 PM EDT
| Found a new Bushmaster V- Match with a 20" barrel at a local gun store. They are asking $999 for it. Sounds like a lot to me. Wondering if DPMS rifles are just as good. The have a good web site. |
| I’d tell ya to go with Bushmaster and stay far far away from DPMS, but that’s because I’ve got a couple Bushmasters that work phenomenally well and had a DPMS rifle that didn’t work for squat. A friend also had the twin to my DPMS rifle and his had just as many problems as mine. |
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This is what I’ve posted before on the DPMS rifle I had, I’ve gotten to the point where I just keep it saved for the next person who asks. Good luck in whichever direction you go. I don’t really care for DPMS weapons as I have not had a good experience with them. In fact my experience with their product is by far the worst of any firearm related product I have had to date. I’ll give you a brief overview and ask you to remember this is just my experience and opinion. I used to work at a local sporting goods store; a friend and I had seen an article in an industry magazine about DPMS rifles and how great they were so we decided to buy two identical rifles. The two rifles were ordered with the hi-rider upper, 20-inch cryoed stainless barrel and vented floating hand guards. First off I was told that the hi rider had a shell deflector, being left handed this is a requirement on an AR. The hi-rider upper does not have a shell deflector or a forward assist. It appears much thicker and heavier (investment cast) than a standard A1, A2 or M4 upper, just doesn’t look right to me and it ejects the empties right into my face. The upper and lower do not mate together very well; the acuwedge is a requirement. The receivers are also not hard coat anodized as Colt, Bushmaster and Armalite as well as most other reputable manufactures; this may have changed. With soft coat anodizing any scratch will got right through the finish into the aluminum; when a scope is installed the steel clamps from the scope rings gouge right into the aluminum rail; I have not had this happen to any of my Colt or Bushmaster rifles. Both of the DPMS rifles leak gas at the gas block. The gas block appears to have roll pins mashed down like rivets to secure it. Others like the ABC companies use solid tapered pins to secure the front sight/gas block. The front sight/gas block is a slip fitting and is never going to be 100% but the DPMS rifle leaks quite a bit. There is always a black mess to clean up on the barrel around the gas block. DPMS uses the Sporter style bolt carrier with the AR-15 style exposed firing pin. These firing pins are supposed to be hard chromed and this is especially needed with the exposed firing pin. The DPMS firing pin looked as if it was hard chromed, but was easily chewed up to the point where it was sharp enough to cut me (couldn’t have been hard chromed). The bolt that came with my rifle had to be replaced and was with a Colt bolt. The hole in the DPMS bolt for the extractor pin was drilled too far inboard; the extractor didn’t have enough room to pivot, thus it could not clamp onto the round it is stripping out of the magazine. The rifle could not be fired from day one! DPMS is really the bottom of the barrel when it comes to rifle as far as I’m concerned. I’ve read of some folks having their rifles that have not given them problems, but everybody gets lucky once in a while, even DPMS. I’d tell you to stay as far away from DPMS as possible and get something worth having like one of the ABC brands. |
There is nothing wrong with DPMS. I own a Bushmaster with the wonderful canted FSB, and 2 Colt 6920's. I also own a DPMS .308 Panther and a 14.5 M4A3. Fit and finish is great on all rifles and they all shoot super. The only problem i had was the .308 extractor needed to be replaced after breaking. Customer support is second to none. Something I cannot say for Bushmaster. I think most of the people that bash DPMS have probably never even owned 1.
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The price sounds too high for the V-Bushie, you can get them much lower. Not sure where you are getting the idea of Bushies having crooked FSB. Don't take the complaints of a few people here to be gospel, especially when msot complaints here are based of what people have heard. |
Hmmm.......I think you just confirmed the reports of DPMS sucking. (yours broke) and as far as a Bushmaster with a canted sight base ? I have'nt heard of anybody else with a with that problem. (maybe UPS was a little rougher than normal on that package, who knows?) |
I have heard about 15 stories of the Bushmaster canted FSB. |
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Watch out for the AR15 label snobs. I've handeled AR15 rifles from just about every major maker and I dont think DPMS is this DRAMATIC step down from Bushy. But then again, I have like six guys I go shooting with and they all have Olympic rifles including myself and according to people on this site nothing should work. (I also own a full size bushy) You can get a lemon from any company. Determine the features you're looking for and buy from the company that will provide those features. |
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Get the Bushmaster over the DPMS. We issue DPMS guns and most run ok now but we have to return 2 and I had to fix one myself all when they were new. Also I had half the DPMS guns stop working at a training I was conducting at a local PD in my state. They were having major extraction problems with all the ammo we tried. My Colt ran fine. I prefer Colt but the Bushmasters I have owned have worked fine. Pat |
As stated before; go with Bushmaster and shop a little harder. |
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I have a DPMS upper that had some short stoke issues before I got some reasonable mags. Has worked perfectly ever since. I have an LMT M4 upper that really kicks ass. 4150 steel barrels, M4 feed ramps, Chrome-lined bore/chamber. I like the LMT more than any Colt, Bushy, or Armalite I have handled or fired. I would buy a complete Bushmaster lower with collapsible stock and an LMT upper assembly with carrier/bolt. |
HEY SHIVAN Here goes Pat again shooting off his big mouth with no facts to back it up. Do not pay attention to this clown because if its not a Colt its not an AR15 and there fore they don'nt work.  I've built upwards of 20 rifles using DPMS parts and have owned half a dozen of there factory rifles and have never had a problem with anything. BM , COLT , ARMALITE , RR all make good guns and I would recommend all of these companies so pick what you like and go with it I,m sure you will be happy. 
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I got the idea from looking down my front sights of my bushy. I don't take what other people say very seriously which is why i purchase different brands so i can see for myself. |
so you never had any part fail on a rifle? it was an extractor hardening process that was not up to snuff. you know, like the purple shit bushy put out. or the other problems the other makers have. none are perfect. i will buy what i want and report what i see with my own eyes. how about you/ |
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