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Posted: 4/1/2007 3:38:43 PM EDT
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I have the opportunity to get a pre-ban Bushmaster M17s. Are these any good? I've wanted one for a while, but never had a chance until now. How does it compare to an FS2000? Can I use pmags in one? What do I need to know? |
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What kind of deal are you getting? Most likely this will be much more affordable than the FS2000 with much of the same features (but much uglier). I'm not sure about P-mags, but most likely they will work because the magwell is very similar to an AR. They're accurate and reliable, cleaner than the AR. They are good guns, you can mod them out like an AR. The only thing I don't like is the LOP of the stock, it's longer than what I usually prefer. Find the yahoo M17S group, those guys know a lot. |
| The two important distinctions between an M17S and a FS2000 are that the FS2000 has forward ejection so you can shoot it from either shoulder and is still in production. The M17S can only be fired from the right shoulder and is no longer made. The other thing to note is that the M17S gives you much more barrel length even though the OAL for each rifle is pretty close. |
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I had one a few years ago. It worked fine, and I like bullpups, but it seemed like an unfinnished product. Bushmaster just didn't do the job in completing it. There were way too many things that were simple fixes that should have been done at the factory. The biggest gripe with any of it's owners was the lack of any handguard, cheekguard, or heat-shielding of any kind. While it's a fun gun to shoot, and it's reliable (at least mine was), it gets hot quick and gets very uncomfortable to shoot in factory guise. All of the warts of the rifle were minor, but all of them could easily have been non-existant if Bushmaster had done any refining of the rifle. There's some folks that specialize in customizing the gun, and they turn it into what it should have been. Customized, the rifle is pretty hard to beat. I only used USGI mags in mine, and they worked. Some of the pre-ban guns had problems. Check to make sure there is a track that is bolted to the inside of the receiver tube. It's a track that the bolt cam pin rides in. Some pre-ban ones didn't have that sucked in reliabiltiy. Also watch out on the price on a "pre-ban". The only real difference was the flash suppressor, as there was no bayolug, nor stock to begin with. The post ban has a threaded barrel and you can replace the nut with a flash suppressor. It's easily done with the right combination of parts, so it's pretty easy to "make" a pre-ban. Not saying the one you're looking at isn't a pre-ban, but with so little difference anywayt, I wouldn't pay a big premium for "pre-ban". Fun rifle, just not ready for prime-time in stock condition. |
I agree.. I had one two years ago but sold it last year. Without some major gunsmithing work the rifle is kind of bland. Shoots fine, has a 21" barrel or 21.5" I forgot now, it is ammo sensitive, and does get hot after a mag of 30. usually people modify the receiver with venting holes in the front, add some tactical rails to the sides and bottom, remove the POS stock sight/carying handle that was rated for 25yard shots, and change the charging handle to ar-style T-bars. All of which can cost you as much as the rifle itself with the gunsmithing work, etc.. Used post bans go for around 800 usually, and pre-bans slightly less actually from what I've seen locally and on gunbroker. also note, the pre-bans had some differences in the stock's assembly. google the M17s and you will find some great info about it on a website. Don't have the link but it had EVERYTHING you wanted to know about the M17s. |
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I had one for a while. The only gripe I had was when I shot it, I tended to get a nosefull of burnt propellant. Really made my eyes water a few times. They're fun and they definitely get some looks at the range, but as was mentioned before, it would have been a hell of a lot more gun if Bushmaster had finished refining it. |
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