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7/18/2002 2:06:26 PM EDT
I was speaking yesterday to a guy we all know around here about Bushmaster Barrel quality and what he said was not to encouraging. In a nutshell they have QC issues.

I am not out to slam or bad mouth any of the manufacturers but as I am looking to put together an M4gery with a 14.5" barrel, my options are limited.

Does anyone have any issues with excessive windage issues with their Bushy's?

7/18/2002 2:38:08 PM EDT
[#1]
I was one who had the windage issue along with 2 others I know.

Are you talking about complete uppers or are you just talking about the barrels?

Bushy's barrels are sweet, but they do have QC issue's on complete uppers.
7/18/2002 7:27:11 PM EDT
[#2]
I had to send back my new upper for re-indexing, and also had them take a close look at the barrel, as the chrome lining appeared to end before the crown.  

They were very courteous and replaced the barrel with one chrome lined out to the crown.  I have to say they are top notch with service, quick turnaround and fixes with no questions asked, but I do kind of wish they'd caught it before shipping it to me the first time.

That said, I'd still recommend them, and I'm not saying this as an AR fan, as I'm more of an M1-A /AK kind of guy, but they seem very friendly about addressing problems quickly.
7/18/2002 7:48:08 PM EDT
[#3]
How could you tell that the chrome lining ended before the crown?  I have a V Match with 400-500 rounds thru it and the barrel lining near the crown is still a dull grey color and does not look polished and reflective like it should.
7/18/2002 7:58:22 PM EDT
[#4]
VCB,

A dull gray is fine, and is what I noticed on every other Bushmaster except mine. Usually a bit of it would extend out beyond the crown in an uneven fashion around the tip of the barrel.

On mine, the Black phosphate coating was all that covered the crown, with no visible sign of gray at all, and down into the barrel for a few millimeters (had a very bright light I shined down into the barrel to see this) before the dull gray of chrome lining slowly started to take over.

Edited to add, though some chrome lined barrels I own have a shiny polished look (my SAR-1 does), I also have a chrome lined Springfield M1-A which has the same dull gray as the Bushmaster.  Don't know why some chrome lined barrels are gray, and others are shinier and more polished in appearance, and which is better.
7/18/2002 8:06:32 PM EDT
[#5]
OK I guess mine is alright then..It has the light grey color extending out onto the crown....I just thought it would be more polished looking by now.  Do you think that was effecting your accuracy much?
7/18/2002 8:19:42 PM EDT
[#6]
I had only put about 150 rounds through it before I bit the bullet and returned it, and was getting 3-5" groups at 100 yards with a bipod, which for me is pretty good. I have only fired the new barrel with a sandbagged rifle, and it seems slightly better, but I will have to put the bipod back on and see if there's an improvement next time I'm out.
7/18/2002 8:25:05 PM EDT
[#7]
Bushmaster barrels are excellent, and the fact that they have some ASSEMBLY-related issues when attaching and aligning the barrel to the upper receiver has no bearing on the quality of the barrel.  It's just that: an alignment problem, and one that's easily fixed if you have the tools to rebarrel an upper.  Is a [insert name of nice car that you like here] a piece of junk if the wheels are out of alignment?

Anyway, I grant you that Bushmaster needs to work on their alignment problem.  I had a 30 minute conversation with Jerrod at Bushmaster at the BRC about that.  He knows it's a problem that they're struggling with, and is doing what he can.  Even with 75 employees, their volume is so high that they have trouble keeping up, and their folks are working lots of overtime to keep orders going out the door.

But they do stand behind their product, and will repair (i.e., adjust the alignment between barrel and receiver) your upper at no cost to you if you call them.  Ask for Jerrod.

-Troy
7/18/2002 8:35:10 PM EDT
[#8]
 I agree, I love my V match bushy and get 1"-1.5" groups @100 yards easy (w/scope), and that's with Q3131a.
7/18/2002 11:40:03 PM EDT
[#9]
There's a Bushy M4 upper with my name on it, yet the problem with the misaligned barrels has been an issue for over 3 years now, so I'm still a little worried. It's a major PITA to ship things back for repair.
7/18/2002 11:52:15 PM EDT
[#10]
Bushy shipped 75000 guns last year. With that kind of volume some problems are going to crop up. Fortuneatley there customer service is good, at least from what I have heard.
7/19/2002 5:09:43 AM EDT
[#11]
I had the sight indexing problem aswell as a tight mag well on my Bushy last year and they were very pleasant to deal with over the phone. They have great customer service and the weapon was fixed and back at my door in less than two weeks including a UPS screw up with delivery which took four days alone. The barrels are very good and the company stands behind them 100%. You won't be dissapointed.
7/20/2002 9:49:14 AM EDT
[#12]
i bought a m4 profile barrel from them last year and had them install it to my upper.  no problems, couldn't be happier.  just thought i'd post something positive about them.
7/20/2002 5:24:55 PM EDT
[#13]
Put one of their 1X8" twist match barrels on my rifle last year and it shot good.  The problem now is that after 1700 rounds, the throat is gone.  Can't get 80gr bullets to touch the rifling.

Have shot aprox. 300 rnds with H-4895 and the rest with Varget.  Have heard that there were problems with Ball powder eating out throats but that isn't the case here.  

Throat was pretty good, maybe just a little longer than a custom than when I started.

Has anyone else had a problem with these?
7/20/2002 5:36:59 PM EDT
[#14]
Just sent my M4 upper back last week for the 4th time since I got it 3 month's ago, I had about every problem you could imagine. I demanded a brand new upper or a refund,they have been very nice to me but enough is enough, I'm at my witts end with them and when I get my new upper it goes up for sale.
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