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Posted: 1/22/2003 10:28:16 PM EDT
| Has anyone had personal experience with the Bushmaster Varminter upper. I am in the market for a varminter upper and was about to buy a RRA varminter upper until I read in the paper that a couple of the Washington DC sniper victims were suing Bushmaster over the sniping. This got me go pisssed that they are trying to blame Bushmaster instead of the snipers that I'm going to give Bushmaster my business. Anyway what do you think of that upper, pros and cons. Thanks |
| Yep! I got one on a trade with a flat top receiver. Just for Yucks I put a Simmons (not the best) 6.5X20 on it. The barrel was 24" with a floating handguard. I tried my prarrie dog load of 26grs. of H335 with a 50 gr. Sierra Blitz. No match trigger and man did it shoot! From a bench with two different shooters on a calm day, 3/4" groups at 200 yds. I thought it was a fluke so I tried different varmit bullets and they all shot great. To make a long story shorter, I now have a two stage match trigger and a brass catcher and use it for my prarrie dog rifle. Get one, you'll love it. Mine has a 1/12 twist. |
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I bought one a few months ago and it is well worth it. I never would have believed an AR could shoot this well and it's not broke in yet. I bought the complete weapon and I think you'll need a target trigger to get the full benefit of this great rifle. After just ten rounds or so it was doing 1/2" groups at a hundred yards and with several different loads. I was shooting off of a Harris by-pod not sand bags. It doesn't appear to like the cheap stuff like military ball or Wolf brand but so far it like hand-loads as well as factory varmint loads. I can highly recommend the Bushy Varminter, mine is 24" fluted heavy barrel with a target trigger and a 1:9 twist. Shoot well, Jim |
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I've had 2. They were quite accurate, but the OAL of the rifle with the 24" barrel was more than I wanted to deal with. My biggest complaint is that it's a 1/9 twist. My JT 24" stainless fluted 1/8 twist is more accurate but weight much more as well. BM is offering a 24" stainless w/o flutes now that I'd be interested in if it were only fluted. I may have to have KKF make what I ultimately want. Anyway, the BM Varminter upper is a sub MOA upper (at least in my case) and it weighs just a couple ounses more than a standard 20". A good choice if you're not wanting to go the custom path. |
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Quoted: Mine has a 1/12 twist. I didn't know Bushmaster made these in anything other than 1:9? Can someone confirm this? I think the 1:9 would be fine for most varmint bullets out of a 223 but I know I have had a few varmint bullets come apart in flight out of my 1:7 Colt barrels. The 1:12 would work quite well for the light bullets so I am curious if this is/was an option! |
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please excuse my ignorance..i am new to the AR family. currently i have a Bushmaster DCM rifle. 1x8 twist, 20inch barrel, 3.5LB trigger, 3LB weight in buttstock, etc. i am considering buying the Bush 24inch fluted varmint upper. what is the difference in accuracy between the two rifles? which rifle is actually better? why does the DCM have a 1x8 twist and 3.5LB trigger...VS the 1X9, 4.5LB on the varminter? and do i still need the 3LB weight in the buttstock? if i buy the Varmint upper, can i still keep my 3.5LB DCM trigger? will the 1LB difference increase or reduce accuracy? i am totally confused... thanks in advance. |
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Quoted: please excuse my ignorance..i am new to the AR family. currently i have a Bushmaster DCM rifle. 1x8 twist, 20inch barrel, 3.5LB trigger, 3LB weight in buttstock, etc. I doubt your DCM rifle has a 3.5# trigger... to be DCM/CMP legal it needs a minimum 4.5# which is the normal weight Bushmaster ships their DCM rifles. i am considering buying the Bush 24inch fluted varmint upper. what is the difference in accuracy between the two rifles? which rifle is actually better? Both are very accurate. The longer barrel of the varmenter barrel will give you better velocity. The better velocity will help you adjust your elevation for hitting small critters. The 1:9 barrel will work better with lighter varmint bullets than the faster 1:8 DCM barrel which works well with the 69-gr and longer target bullets. why does the DCM have a 1x8 twist and 3.5LB trigger...VS the 1X9, 4.5LB on the varminter? Already answered... and do i still need the 3LB weight in the buttstock? The weight will keep the balance of the varminter better than if you remove it. I am actually planning to get an extra weight to use with my AR-10 to get a better balance! Even if you only shoot from a bipod, the extra weight will keep the gun steady for fast follow up shots. I leave my weight in regardless if I am using my DCM upper of my SPR upper. Obviously, it is easy to remove the weight as I assume you know so do watever feels right for you. if i buy the Varmint upper, can i still keep my 3.5LB DCM trigger? will the 1LB difference increase or reduce accuracy? A lighter trigger pull, with a two stage trigger, is less important that with single stage triggers. As long as your trigger has a crisp 1# second stage, the end feel should be about the same for a 3.5 or 4.5# trigger. I leave my ARs set at 4.5# most of the time but I do use my AR-10 with a 3.5# 2-stage trigger. Good Luck! |
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I picked up a bushmaster varminter in December 2002. I was very surprised when while working up loads it shot .285 inch groups. That was with 27.3 gr Varget behind a 55 gr Hornady V-Max, Lake City brass and CCI 450 primer. I used a Harris bipod and it's toped with a Leupold vari X III 3.5-10. So far it's fired everything I've tried without any problems. I've not tried any factory ammo but some old stuff I had laying around even shot under 1 inch. I've never had a gun that shot this well right out of the box. |
| As a former NRA Highpower shooter, i still have a accurized Colt 6601 rifle in my arsenal. I'm currently living in the heart of prarie dog country and would like to make use of this weapon by installing the Bushmaster's varmit upper on it. Is this possible and if so........what all do i need to do to do it? I want to be ready for the puppies this spring in fashion.........ty. |
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