User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 1:17:56 PM EDT
[#1]
I think it amounts to bad batches, or should I say poorly built ones. Ive owned more than a couple and the only thing I really remember being consistent was a crap finish. We sold a slew of them at gunshows and I really only had 3 brought back for anything serious but we did discount a few that looked like Century did the builds on them and these were all straight from JSC.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 1:20:28 PM EDT
[#2]
Probably the lack of Quality control where manufactured. Canted FSB, poorly staked carrier keys, plastic trigger guards, and other nits. They have good customer service, but I just know you'd rather be shooting your expensive toy than giving it an R&R in beautiful Maine! |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 1:22:20 PM EDT
[#3]
It's elitist propaganda for people who feel insecure with anything that doesn't say Colt.
My Bushmasters have worked just as well if not better than my other ARs. That includes LMT, Colt and Armalite. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 1:32:04 PM EDT
[#4]
I am a fan of BM. They support the CIVILIAN firearms enthusiast. The BMs I have are all fine rifles. They go bang every time I pull the trigger. They are reliable, accurate, and good value. The one issue I had- a canted front sight post- they fixed promptly and to my satisfaction. They have recognized the marketability of the Masada / ACR and are driving forward with that design for the civilian market. Do they make a 'bad' product from time to time? Sure. But they will make it right if they do. IMO, they are a great American company. 4073 |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 1:36:16 PM EDT
[#5]
Nothing wrong with Bushmaster!
While not my personal favorite, they are definitely good to go. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 1:38:12 PM EDT
[#6]
They have been catching alot of flack lately because of the whole Masada/ACR thing. People are mad at Magpul for using Bushmaster, when in reality that was the absolute BEST option they could have picked, none of the other manufacturers are big enough and the only one who is "COLT" would never agree to do this mostly civi project.
I have never once had an issue w/ a bushy product. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 1:38:35 PM EDT
[#7]
Lack of consistency. Some people get some with good FSB's and good carrier key staking and others dont.
Personally to me if a company cant even do a quick CQ check on those parts before sending the rifle's out what else are they skimping on? For the price there are much better options... |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 1:46:05 PM EDT
[#8]
If yours is 100% than why listen to all the bad hype on the net? I am new to AR'S but certainly not to firearms and internet forums. You get a lot of mall ninjas on these forums who simply repeat whatever they hear and then they add their .02, this gets multiplied and you have another internet myth. Bushmaster can product 100 perfect firearm and have one that slipped through quality control and you will never hear about the 99, but the 1 will soon be multiplied over and over again. This is the same for any product line doesn't matter if it is a firearm or a toaster. There are 10's of thousands of happy BM customers who never enter a internet forum. So think about this the next time you are reading one of those bashing threads. I just traded for my first AR a few days ago and it is a older 100% BM and I love it, so much I am already looking for another. So don't worry about everything you read on the wide world net!!!
NCH |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 1:47:04 PM EDT
[#9]
If you think about it........... It is those corners that when cut, allow BM to retail their rifles for under the $900 or $1,000 price points. That is a bigger deal to most buyers (price) But the web is changing Bushmaster for the better. They are close to making a great rifle. (resolve the blue things above and they are there) They sure aren't as bad as many will tell you. |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 1:47:05 PM EDT
[#10]
.
fargin' double-tap |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 2:00:08 PM EDT
[#11]
Whole lotta internet BS w/ some truth to it. Mine made it through a carbine course, so did my LMT.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 2:26:22 PM EDT
[#12]
3000+ ropunds through a BM M4 upper and 13 months in a combat zone. I believe they make a great product.
My only pet peeve is the finish is rougher than any I've seen on the market. If you wipe it with a red shop rag, there will be red fibers all over the gun. Of course, 13 months in the blowing desert sand fixed that issue. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 2:33:06 PM EDT
[#13]
+1 I have a Bushy as my patrol rifle. 5500 rnds and four carbine classes with no issues what so ever. The quality is on par with other brands. The only other maker I would go with these days besides Bushy is LMT. Bushmaster or LMT. The only ones for me. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 3:08:32 PM EDT
[#14]
This question should be tacked at the top just to save daily use of bandwidth.
Bushmasters are like anything else. If you don't like Fords, there are endless cases that can be cited against them because they built so freakin many cars and they havent built a perfect car yet. If you like them, you will use them with no expectations of perfection. Plenty of Dodge and Chevy guys hate Fords because those Dodges and Chevys are perfect and never break down. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 3:23:20 PM EDT
[#15]
Of my BM, RRA, and Stag, all 3 are good to go. I've had zero ftf's or fte's with my BM, and I can shoot your eye out at 100m with irons. Runs all my mags - CProds, Okay, D&H, Bushmaster, etc. Totally satisfied BM (not to be confused with bowel movement) customer.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 3:25:20 PM EDT
[#16]
Like everyone else is saying - all brands have pro/cons. IMO the only ones worth bitching about are the canted front sights and staking. The customer service they have is good for fixing the canting problem if you have an issue. The staking of the carrier is such a simple fix that I'm amazed it gets such airtime around here. I had a "so-so" staking job on mine. Took it apart, LocTited it, staked it, end of story. I did that the day I took it home. I'd say it's the "Chevy" of brands, but nothings wrong with that IMO.
J223... |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 3:29:59 PM EDT
[#17]
My...how things change...when I first joined this site all you heard was how BM was great! "Second only to Colt" and the like was commonly stated. I own 3 bushmaster rifles and have had no problems. I hope this is indeed just bad internet hype.
 Has their QC really gotten that bad? |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 3:32:58 PM EDT
[#18]
Like mentioned above QC is their big problem...
If I was new to AR's and my local dealer didn't have any AR-15's in stock. Would I take a chance and have him order one from Bushmaster? No, plenty of other better makers. If I went into my local dealer and he had a Bushy on the rack already and I was able to inspect it for typical defects before purchasing. I would most likely buy it if it passed my inspection. Why would you want to gamble ordering a $1,000 rifle/carbine that might have defects. Then when it came in and you did find something you would be disappointed and the dealer would have to send it back to get it fixed. Then you find yourself waiting again when you could of purchased from another company that has great quality control in the first place. I think they are "ok" for maybe younger guys/girls in a tight budget that are starting out and want to do more plinking then anything. They can be improved later down the road if wanted too which is nice. Depends what you want out of your rifle... I prefer to buy once starting with what many of us here know are superb manufactures. And of course people are going to take offense if its something they own. Even though they know the truth but rather not agree with the truth. If your going to be using the rifle/carbine for defending yourself or someone else you have no choice. You have to get a Colt, LMT.... etc. They do further testing on the parts and QC is a higher priority. Take this as you may but I'm trying to point out the difference without being a jerk. If you have a Bushy and it works for you and your having fun with it great. Hope to see you on the range if that's the case. The more trigger time on the range with anything the better off you are. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 3:34:44 PM EDT
[#19]
When I bought my AR in December, I checked out a lot of brands, including BM. I was not impressed with the overall quality of the new ones that I saw. The shop owner was really hot on them though, and proceeded to tell me about what excellent customer service they provided, because he could rattle off a whole laundry list of problems that his customers had, but BM took care of right away.
This really turned me off, and I ended up going with a RRA. However, I came really close to buying one used BM around that time, and just ended up buying another one last week. Their overall quality was much better than the new production ones that I looked at. Was it just coincidence, or has their QC been slipping? I don't know. This was just my experience. YMMV. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 3:53:17 PM EDT
[#20]
My Bushy lowers are all just great. The issues I've had were all in the uppers. So, what I have now are bushy lowers with CMMG barrels & BCM bolt carrier groups. I sold all my Bushy uppers (4) on EE....for a loss, but that's OK. I do have one Bushmaster upper left, the one that I built myself.
Bushy isn't that bad, I just wish they'd get their assembly people to pay attention more to the quality of their work. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 4:03:27 PM EDT
[#21]
Have 2 bushmasters and never had 1 problem with either.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 4:03:31 PM EDT
[#22]
I owned a Bushmaster upper and still own the lower. Both are fine. I think when the ban was lifted in 2004, alot of gun show dealers sold alot of complete rifles claiming they were Bushmasters, Colts, etc. What they were doing was selling the lower of the name brand and sticking a lower quality upper on it and selling it as a BM or Colt. You could tell because the barrels were not marked with the B MP 1/9 5.56 etc. It was obvious. in fact alot of the A2 or pinned stocks were replaced with some really crappy adjustible stocks and sold as "new" BMs or Colts.
I don't doubt there there are lemons out there, but I bet alot of people who thought they got BMs or Colts got rifle with suspect parts from suspect dealers at gun shows. You should do your research before you buy. I learned that alot of people who bought rifles around the fall of 2004 just didn't have a clue that they were taken for a ride. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 4:08:46 PM EDT
[#23]
+1 My thoughts exactly - as the owner of 6 Bushmasters with no problems at all (OK, OK, my essentially new 20" will short stroke a couple rounds out of 100 with Wolf, but with nothing else and it's not been shot much yet) I think there is a very high probability I am either the luckiest sumbitch alive, or the problems posted about Bushmaster guns are in the minority of what they make. Since they make more for civilians than the others, we're bound to hear more about lemons now and then. I do like my Noveske's a touch better though, although I would consider them no more reliable than my Bushmasters, just more accurate and more likely to get the girls at the range to flash their racks at me. 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 4:13:36 PM EDT
[#24]
I havent had any problems with mine..........but, since I got this sickness, the only thing original since I got it 2 years ago, is the lower
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 4:15:01 PM EDT
[#25]
"...more likely to get the girls at the range to flash their racks at me."
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 4:16:37 PM EDT
[#26]
That is a great avatar dude!!! 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 4:22:47 PM EDT
[#27]
Holy shit! Im quoting this just to save for posterity..... |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 4:34:55 PM EDT
[#28]
I had one bushmaster patrolmans rifle that was top notch. I was so impressed with it I ordered one of their 20 in rifles. Unfortunately when I received it I found a problem. I sent it back and they did a half ass job of fixing it and put a dent in the upper receiver to boot.
As said before, its like the lottery with bushmaster, sometimes you win and get a good one, and other times you lose and get a real lemon. If you know what to look for and can inspect it you might get a good one but I would NEVER order one. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 4:36:18 PM EDT
[#29]
Never a problem.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 5:02:26 PM EDT
[#30]
No, they are not terrible at all. My Bushmaster M-4orgery is as dependable as death and taxes and is a nice looking rifle to boot.
I'd put my money on a Bushmaster ORC....IMNSHO it's currently the best bargain in an AR. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 5:08:10 PM EDT
[#31]
My Bushy has been 99% trouble free and it has well over 5000 rounds through it. The only issue I had was a couple cases got stuck while shooting wolf ammo. The FSB has a slight cant to it but it's not enough to matter.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 5:15:35 PM EDT
[#32]
nothing wrong with them.
Get a lemon? Send it back |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 8:22:02 PM EDT
[#33]
thank ya, thank ya very much 
|
||
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 9:24:08 PM EDT
[#34]
My Bushmaster Carbine runs great and has fired over approximately 7,500 rounds through it. Only problems I've had were ammo or dirt related. Fit, finish and function are top notch and ahve found the customer service to be great.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 9:25:35 PM EDT
[#35]
Never had a problem with mine.
Maybe its just snobs? |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 10:07:23 PM EDT
[#36]
For the Price I would Run over a Bushmaster to get to an LMT.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/18/2008 11:20:39 PM EDT
[#37]
Does anybody really know how many guns with canted FSBs left the factory? I've heard of about a dozen here on ARFCOM. And out of an annual production of what, 40-50 thousand rifles a year. That is a very small QC failure rate.
I also believe the canted FSB stories are just rehashed so many times, the number of actual guns affected is way out of proportion to reality. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 1:50:55 AM EDT
[#38]
Bushmaster used to be considered one of the best alternatives to Colt and their oddball pin sizes and sear blocks. They've always been notorious for cockeyed front sight bases. Alot of people don't like that their barrels only come in a 1/9 twist rate.
These days their are alot more quality AR manufacturers so competition is much stiffer and customer expectations are much higher. My first AR was a Pre-Ban Bushy and never had any regrets choosing it over the Colt. These days there are plenty of equal quality alternatives (Armalite, RRA, Sabre, Etc.) And yeah, My front sight base was off, easily remedied though. (Rubber cough, cough, Mallet cough,cough). |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 1:52:24 AM EDT
[#39]
+1 I have thousands of rounds through mine and have yet experienced any problems. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 2:11:09 AM EDT
[#40]
Agreed. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 2:58:10 AM EDT
[#41]
Take heart, a Bad Bushmaster is still better than a good Oly.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 3:40:10 AM EDT
[#42]
I started a thread called "bushy bashin'" awhile ago because of the colt, noveske, and lmt guys bashing me for wanting to replace my bgc with a f/a bcg. That was on another forum but the jist was it will never be a colt, noveske, or lmt. I heard all the usual "front sight canted, poorly staked gas key, no park under sight block, unstaked castle nut, and inferior barrels". My 16" patrolmans has none of these problems and has been 100% reliable with well over 3k rds, 900rds in 2hrs. There is NO ar that won't break period. At some point any brand is going to choke from either being wore out or metal fatigue. The fact is most barrels are shot out from throat erosion before any parts start to fail. You'll get a shock if you look down your well used AR with a bore scope. My buddies lmt shows more throat erosion than my bm and he has 300rds less through his rifle. I'm not talikng about anything serious that will effect accuracy yet but it is there. Who knows maybe he shot it more with poor quality ammo. Someone else posted that for the number of rifles being sold there is a very low rate of problems, I agree 100%. Look at the new car market and be glad ARs don't have anywhere near the recalls/problems that the car manufacturers have.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 3:54:49 AM EDT
[#43]
I like my 2 Bushy .223's and one 6.8, also like my Armalite AR10 and DPMS AR22. Hence the screen name BM-ARM-DPMS-guns. Run what you like.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 6:12:39 AM EDT
[#44]
Bushmaster is fine. I would trust BM, Colt, Armalite, and RRA over any of the other wanna-be's.
 |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 6:43:36 AM EDT
[#45]
+1 My Bushmasters have never once had a problem and i on several occassions have had them out on all day shooting excursions.... |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 7:14:56 AM EDT
[#46]
Bushmaster seems to be suffering from some management change quality control as of late.
Bushmaster will be also making the MAGPUL Masada which will now be known as the Bushmaster ACR. For the money look hard at Rock River Arms. John |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 7:46:26 AM EDT
[#47]
I own three and have yet to have any problems with them. Fit and finish on all of them are just fine.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 7:58:49 AM EDT
[#48]
Bushmaster has problems with consistent QC. That is why on any thread like this you will get the " mine has run for 70 bajillion rounds without a problem" right beside a person who had to return 1/2 of a shipment that their PD recieved. Both are telling the truth!
That is why some of the "snobs" will not recommend an off the shelf BM as a weapon to trust your life to. Because you cannot be sure which unit you will get. The one that runs on par with Colt LMT, etc, or the one that looks like a blind organ grinder put it together. Now if you own one that you have personally run 5k through, do PM on it and rock on, and quit getting all dick-hurt because someone else has not had that good of luck with theirs. BM is a huge mfg of the ARs I hope that their acquisition by Cerebus will help them fix this QC probem and allow the number of CFs to be reduced or eliminated. That would be good for the overall quality of the AR and any future weapon being introduced into the EBR realm. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 9:11:18 AM EDT
[#49]
No problems with bushy number 1 for me, we'll see with bushy number 2 after I put the barrel on.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/19/2008 10:07:04 AM EDT
[#50]
Bought my FIRST Bushmaster 14.7 A1 Carbine in 1999
I was scared being a COLT man But every gun shop back Then said they are good! Seen alot of COLTs get traded in back then too! My Bushmaster ran 100% with all types of ammo 45/77gr I also bought/Built a Bushmaster 20inch A1 hbar It was picky at First 100rds but after the BURR was taken off it ran 100% Zero HicUps I now run a LMT 14.5 M4 upper on the Bushmaster lower and Like this set up even more wich led my to buy a LMT Defender M4 14.5 I hate HBARS after useing the lite carbine/M4 barrel |
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
