I am pretty new to AR's and was waiting for the ban to expire to get one. All of my local dealers are selling the Bush M4 A3 for $925-$995 plus tax and they dont have them in stock. I can order a Bushmaster BFM-RCWA3F16 for about $800 and have it here in one day. I also am not sure to buy an A2 or A3. I do plan on putting on a scope and just plinking at the range. I was planing on buying a mid range scope for $300 or so since this is not my primary toy for the range. I am open to suggestions.

A3 is your best choice. More options available w/ it.

Mike

Another vote for an A3.

a3

A3 if you plan to scope it.
A2 if you are doing irons only.
I like the KISS setup, personally.

Thanks for the fast reply guys. I searched Bushmasters site for info on the BFM-RCWA3F16  and cant find anything. Can anyone give me info on this?

Lots of people buy A2 as first gun (including me).  Its like training wheels on a bicycle.  But if I had it to do over I would have bought an A3 cause you can always put a carry handle on for the A2 function and look.

A-3

Quoted: Lots of people buy A2 as first gun (including me).  Its like training wheels on a bicycle.  But if I had it to do over I would have bought an A3 cause you can always put a carry handle on for the A2 function and look. A-3

+1

my 2nd upper is gonna be an a3

wait a minute!

i'm not gonna get kicked off for only having 1 ar, am i?

I bought an A2 as my first AR, a little regret, because the scope sits high if you are planning to use 1.
At only $80 more to get an A3, I would go for it.

A-3

Quoted: A-3

+1

Quoted: Lots of people buy A2 as first gun (including me).  Its like training wheels on a bicycle.  But if I had it to do over I would have bought an A3 cause you can always put a carry handle on for the A2 function and look. A-3

+1 on that. If you get an A2 you will regret it when you get bored of irons. I sold my first AR and got a new one that was a flat top.

A3

In true ARFCOM fashion

GET BOTH

Quoted: Quoted: A-3 +1

+2

a2's are far sexier......ho
i know i know carry handles are available for flat tops......but i just prefer the clean look of an a2, or the classic look of an a1......i know its mostly a form over function thing, but half the fun of owning evil black rifles is looking at em and saying "damn!, that is evil/sexy/clean looking!"

remeber.....this is my rifle, there are many like it, but this one is mine...

Sigh.

A3.  It's cheaper to add a carry handle than replace the upper reciever later.  

Quoted: a2's are far sexier...... who wants their own "betsy" to have a butch dyke "flat-top" haiircut? i know i know carry handles are available for flat tops......but i just prefer the clean look of an a2, or the classic look of an a1......i know its mostly a form over function thing, but half the fun of owning evil black rifles is looking at em and saying "damn!, that is evil/sexy/clean looking!" remeber.....this is my rifle, there are many like it, but this one is mine...

+1

+1 go with the A3, it does keep more options available to you down the road.

I think this is the Bushy you mentioned

Click here

Or here

ETA:   Oh, and welcome to ARFCOM!

As many have noted, if want to scope mount it, go A3, if you want a "hiking/camping gun" or utilitarian model, go A2.

"Get BOTH!" probably applies for me. (OK, THREE, dammit..)

I have this perversion for as lightweight and simple a carbine I can get my hands on. Basicly an A2 Government Carbine, at just under 6 lbs.

I also have an A2 Sporter Target.

And a flat top H-Bar Competition upper on the way from the EE.

Ought to keep me occupied for a while.



Lonny

Just a little note here on Sights vs scopes/red dots.  We AR shooters go through stages in our lives.  We all start off with iron sights, then step up to Eotechs, Aimpoints, Trijitrons, etc.  Thats bout as far as most of us every get.   Im not quite even to that state yet due to $$$ problems.  Then some of the poeple who really do a lot of shooting and practicing start to realize they dont need the optics and go back to iron sights.  Im sure theres plenty of pro's who still prefer optics, but I know a lot of hard core shooters will prefer the irons.

Quoted: Just a little note here on Sights vs scopes/red dots.  We AR shooters go through stages in our lives.  We all start off with iron sights, then step up to Eotechs, Aimpoints, Trijitrons, etc.  Thats bout as far as most of us every get.   Im not quite even to that state yet due to $$$ problems.  Then some of the poeple who really do a lot of shooting and practicing start to realize they dont need the optics and go back to iron sights.  Im sure theres plenty of pro's who still prefer optics, but I know a lot of hard core shooters will prefer the irons.

You know, I realised the other day that one of the newest fads...er...uh...TACTICAL accessories on shotguns is installing Ghost Ring Sights for quick, accurate sight picture.

Remind you of anything? Like say the A2 large aperture?

Things that make you go "Hmmmmm...."



Lonny

When you start getting into multiple rifles you will see the need for both.Im building a flat top because I want a semi auto M4A1 variant but I still love the A2 set up and even A1 for simplicity and stregnth.I have all 3 my carbines scoped on the carry handle 2 A2s and 1 A1 but for my 4th carbine its gonna be 14.5/phantom 1/7 barrel flat top with YMH railed handguards"RAS is too expensive colt telestock the only thing Im leaving out are the M4 feed ramps.

With the A-3 you can have it both ways. I wish I'd went that way.

+1 for the flat top.  See a trend yet?  No matter what configuration you want, flat top makes the most sense if a scope will be your primary optic.  If you go A2 it will be a little awkward and uncomfortable.  With a flat top you can switch between a scope, carry handle, and a red dot all day long and they will all be comfortable to use.  I bought a 20" A2 upper recently that hasn't arrived yet and I am already envisioning a flat top carbine for my second ar.

A-3

but i like the simplicity of the A2 for the field

It depends on what you want the rifle for....

If you want more conventional scope mounting, and accessory options then go with the flat top, I say conventional because contrary to what most will tell you the carry handle really doesn't limit your options you just have to buy a seperate mount, and usualy mount your scope a little higher than normal....

If you want to be "Tacti-Cool" meaning buying every gimmicky accessory or fad as was stated earlier then go with the flat top....

If youra collector and are going for as close to an M-16 as you can legaly get, then get both (By the way the flat top is M-16A4 style, not A3, the A3 is identical to the M-16A2 except with full auto instead of burst...., but personaly I reccomed getting the A2 first, as thats whats in the widest use by the millitary....

If your going for an SHTF rifle than get the A2, if you get the flat top then thats all the more parts you can misplace, the rail can get dirty, or banged up rendering it useless, and the Iron sights of the A2 are much simpler....

If your a plinker than I recommend the A2 as it's sights are generaly simpler to use....

Now as for price you should shop around the prices that shop is charging is to much though it's about right for Bushmasters theres other brands that are much cheaper and just as good I recoomend ADCO www.adcofirearms.com/rockriver/rraffl.cfm?page=rra the A2 is about $740, and the A4 is like $705 but I don't think the carry handle comes standard you'de have to ask, alternativly you can also get the parts seperately from them and build it yourself, or shop around, however there barrels are all 1:9 and not chrome lined, but you can get the barrels from elswhere if your going for something else ADCO will even install it for you for free if you order one of there rifles (RRA....) and knock a hundred bucks off the price, Bushmaster carrys both 1:9, and 1:7 barrels both chrome lined but you'll have to specifiy 1:7 when you order, or you could look at Fulton Armory, they carry a variety of barrels, includeing chrome lined ones of varieing twists....

with the A2 you can NEVER lose you site...
put an EOtech on it and all good?

A3...removable carry handle.  Why not have more options?  I prefer no carry handle, BUIS, and an optic, but I"m a few hundred dollars short of making that happen.  

A2