I just purchased a "Bushmaster bolt carrier" and when comparing it to another Bushmaster carrier that I own I noticed some key differences. First the finish on the recent purchase is a rough non smooth finish, almost like a bead blasted finish whereas the one older Bushy has a smooth non rough surface to it. Second the rear lower portion of the carrier on the recent purchase is about 10 thousenths of an inch longer than my known Bushy carrier. Looking at the carrier I just bought I am starting to think its a DPMS carrier although I have never seen one up close. I know that the DPMS and older Bushy carriers are similar but with some differences, does anyone know what those differences are? I know I shouldnt be picky but it was advertised as a Bushmaster carrier and if I acctually got a DPMS carrier then its not what I paid for. Could some one with knowledge of bot brands of carriers please help me to identify the carrier that was shipped to me. Thanks in advance.

A.  Post a picture.

B.  Who did you purchase it from? (Company or individual sale)

C.  Does it have any letters stamped on the side?

your older carrier looks like the first in the pic and the new carriers looks like the second one? if so, the new carrier is just an M16 carrier and the first is an AR15 carrier

First, I purchased it from the EE thats why I am hesitant in beleiving that I didnt get what I paid for. I have always had good luck on the EE and the seller had been around since 2001. It was listed as an earlier Bushmaster non enhanced bolt carrier. I have another one that came in a late 90's Bushy that I own and it just does not look like the same carrier. Both carriers are the non enhanced versions but the one I just bought has a little (about 10 thousenths of an inch) more material on the rear end portion and it has a more of a sloping cut in it as aposed to my known Bushy carrier which has a more of a square cut to it. The main difference is the finish. All the other bushy carriers I have owned or seen have a smoth finish to them and this new one has a rough almost like a heavy park finish to it. There are no markings on the bolt or carrier but there are none on my other bushy carrier either. I have never seen a carrier with a rough finish like this and that is why I am confused. As soon as my wife gets home with my camera I will get some pics up but I was hopeing that someone could go on what I had said.
Frens- both carriers look similar to the top one in your photo but my known bushy has more of a squared of cut towards the rear and the the one I just bought has more of a sloping cut more similar to the pic on the top.

They both are AR15 carriers.

The notched can be used with a Lightning Link the slighty sloped cannot

Variances in finish can be attributed to whatever subs that each company is buying there b/c`s from at that moment.

Quoted: Variances in finish can be attributed to whatever subs that each company is buying there b/c`s from at that moment.

+1

Here are the pics; top one is my known Bushy carrier and the bottom one is the one I bought said to be a Bushy carrier. notice the differences in finish and on the cut on the lower rear portions.

I can't tell because I don't have both in my hands, but that second carrier looks rough as hell.

I've only handled three DPMS carriers and two of them were that TI finish junk.  All three were roughly finished.  Similar to a very fine grit sandpaper.

I'm sorry I couldn't be more help...are there any distinguishing marks on your known Bushie carrier?

Nothing for marks on either one. What made me question it was that I have handled many Bushmaster bolt carriers and none of them had that rough textured finish to them, they were all a smoth finish and also all of them had the rear portion cut like the one pictured on top. This one I am kind of at a loss on because I dont beleive it to be a Bushmaster carrier.

img280.imageshack.us/img280/6756/boltcarrier23ac.jpg

from this pic the first looks like an sp1 carrier and the second looks like an AR15 carrier

The first one is one of my older non enhanced Bushy carriers that all look like that. They are the ones that Bushmaster was putting in there rifles up till 2003 from what i beleive. They are known to be Bushmaster for sure. The other one I am not so sure.

Does it have any letters stamped on the side?

There is no numer or letter marked on any of my carriers. I am at a loss. Did DPMS ever make carriers for Bushmaster?

My new LMT carrier looks much "rougher" on the surface (in the same way that yours does) compared to my older Bushmaster and other manufacturers' carriers I've got.

DPMS carriers would have a D stamped on them ...

Quoted: The first one is one of my older non enhanced Bushy carriers that all look like that. They are the ones that Bushmaster was putting in there rifles up till 2003 from what i beleive. They are known to be Bushmaster for sure. The other one I am not so sure.

I checked my Bushmaster bolt carrier and it is also of the non-shrouded type. It resembles the SP1 carrier. I bought it in 2003 or 2004; can't recall. I get chewing up of the rear of the firing pin collar, even though the hammer height is in spec. The finish isn't rough like the original poster's though.

Don't know if it's a DPMS but the rough one has more of an LMT enhanced carrier profile at the rear. When a gradual radius is machined into a contour, the device (whatever it is) is less prone to stress cracking. I've never had either style carrier crack but who knows...

Keep in mind if the rails are smooth, the rough won't matter except slightly harder to clean.