I currently have a DPMS M4 upper, but its not chrome lined and I've decided it is time to upgrade.  I have narrowed it pretty much down to Bushmaster or RRA, but will consider other high quality M4 uppers if they are chrome lined.  Please note, have no interest in Colt.

I am not sure if I want the 16 inch or 14.5 inch with a fixed flash hider on it... this will be a preban.  Want a flat top upper with a standard A2 front sight.  What are the advantages of the various lengths?

Which brand would you recommend and why, and who has the best price?

16" barrels just dont look right too me.  I like the shortness of the 14.5" with perminent flash hider.

Chrome lined is the way to go.  Ive been very happy with my Bushmaster uppers.

I respect Lumpy's opinion, but I'd go with the 16".  The ability to take the FS off, particularly in today's AR market (parts swapping on the upper) appeals to me.  I don't mind the extra 1" total bbl length.  But this is an area where you'll find opinions.  Choose whatever you like.

I also would recommend BM.  I don't have any experience with RRA, but can tell you that BM makes great uppers.  I would get a BM factory built upper, unless someone you trust puts it together.

RRA might make great stuff, but BM's longevity in the AR industry means a lot to me.  Others in the know maintain that Armalite, BM and Colt are the Tier 1 manufacturers, with RRA being a Tier 2.  This might be more of a consumer confidence thing.  Someday RRA might win my confidence, but right nows it's with BM and Colt.

Let us know what you end up with.  And have fun putting it together!

EDITED to add that I agree with Lumpy that chrome lined bbl is a must (unless you're building an SPR/target rifle, which it sounds like you're not).

I'll add to what Corey said...

If I were planning on changing front sights, flash hiders or adding a free-float handguard down the line, get the 16" so you can take the flash hider off.  I dont have plans for any of that with my guns right now.

Nope, just want a reliable chrome lined M4 upper for my beater...  That's why used is an option for me.  What could I sell a very good condition DPMS 16 inch preban complete M4 upper for?  Has about 200 rounds down it.

With those specs I'd rec. what I have (and love) -- a Bushmaster SuperLight flattop upper.  A 16" LW profile bbl on a flattop.

I can't imagine adding additional weight to the bbl for most of our uses.

Yet another EDIT: I would be outstanding if BM made this upper with a 1/7 twist.  Dunno if that is realistic in the near future or not....

$540 shipped for a new Bushy with B,C,CH, chrome lined, 14.5 inch prebal barrel with phantom FH, flat top.  Good deal?

Im waiting for someone to produce this barrel:

-16 inch
-4150 chrome molybdenum
-hard chrome lined (chamber and bore)
-mid length gas system
-med weight w/smooth taper
-NATO chamber
-1/7 or 1/8 twist

That would be HOT!!!

Calvin

What would you be willing to pay [;)]

If you haven't already, I recommend you check out the DPMS uppers from [url=www.cmmginc.com]CMMG[/url].  The have 14.5 & 16, chrome-lined, 5.56, 4150, 1/7 twist barrels and uppers.  I own two 14.5" uppers and they are very nice.

[url]http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/uppers/pre-ban/bura2b14.5m4.asp[/url]

That's $5 more than what they go for from BM, but there is probably an extra charge for the Phantom and welding it in place.  So, it's probably a decent deal if it's NIB.  Anyone know what it costs to get the permanantly attached Phantom as part of this upper from BM?

Oh, and BM sells their carry handles for $100, but you can get NIB BM carry handles from CDNN Investments for somewhere around $70.

Just found a BM catalog, $34.95 to add a phantom to a preban barrel...

I have found the upper I am going to go with.  Its from another board member that I know who contacted me this morning.  Eat your heart's out boys!  Here is what I'm getting...



I think that is a pretty slammin deal, and the pictures look great.  There is some finish wear on the bolt carrier, bit otherwise it is beautiful and the seller couldn't be a nicer guy.

I had your same delima and I will tell you what I did.

I bought a Bushmaster 14.5" 1/7 twist M4 barrel for $175

I got the 4150 steel, chrome lining etc. Its full milspec. (RRA is 4140 stel) The only thing it does not have that the Colt M4 barrel has is the extended feed ramps (which can be added later) and the barrel is parkerized after the front sight is installed.  What this means is that when I put on my PRI front sight you can see a bit of unfinished metal at the edges of the base of the sight because when you pull the front sight off there is unparked metal where the front sight was pressed onto the barrel. To do a Bushmaster up right with a flip up front sight you have to repark it.  This has to be done anyway if you add the feed ramps so no big deal.  Since you are retaining the front sight (which is forged on the Bushamster and cast on your DPMS) this is a non issue to you.

Then I opted for the Gemtech Bilock flash hider.  This flash hider allows the use of the excellent Gemtech M4-96D quick detatch sound suppressor.  In fact Gemtech requires the flash hider/2 lug suppressor mount to be permanantly installed no matter what and the Bilock gets the barrel out to the 16" minimum when mounted to the 14.5" barrel.  Now I dont care that I cant take off my flash hider to mount a can because the can mounts onto the flash hider itself.

You will need a 16" barrel if you plan on shooting people between 150-200 yards.  Thats where the lethal abilaties of the 16" barrel are better than the 14.5" and to me it was not worth it to go to a non 4150 barrel like the RRA or DPMS to get 16" or to spend the cash for a Colt 16" barrel.

This set up lets me shoot 75/77 grain ammo out to its max frag range of 150m and still mount a can in the smallest package possible.

I did not select the ultra light contour because:

It comes in 1/9 twist except Colt which is too expensive.

The suppressor would change POI by several inches on the skinny barrel.

The M4 contour handles heat better than the ultra light.

I bought the Bolt/Carrier from Bushamster and the flat top upper too.  Charging handle is a PRI unit and the Gemtech Bilock flash hider is $75.

Only you can decide if this ability is worth it to you.  I could not live with out a suppressor and 75/77 grain ammo so the Bilock and 1/7 twist were a must for me... it was easy from there to make my choices.

Well I won;t be shooting anything but 55 grain and 62 grain bullets out of mine.  If I want to shoot beyond 200 yards I'll go with my 20 inch HBAR or one of my .308's.  I'm thinking close in work with this.  Home defense etc.

Suppressors are not an issue for me, not in this state.  If I moved to a state where they were legal I would just go with another upper.  I also don't have a say on which flash hider as it is already out to have the work done on it.  For the money, the upper offered to me from a fellow boardie is the best deal I think I'm going to find.  Kurt's Kustom work on the flash hider, GG&G flip up front and rear sights and a repark by Me223 at ORF...  Kickass!

Pics!!

[:)]

ARFCOM photo server is down... anyone want to post a pic for me?

[img]www.gunzilla.com/images/BushyM4.jpg[/img]

Let's see if this work's...  Goatboy has been screwing around with the coding again, this time in the photo gallaries... God help us!

[img]http://photos.ar15.com/WS_Content/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?sAccountUnq=218&iGalleryUnq=205&iImageUnq=13784[/img]

VERY sweet but where is the phantom flash hider?

It's out at Kurt's having the phantom installed.  The rear sight is also not shown in this pic.  Estimated time to coming home, 4-6 weeks.  Kirt is pretty backlogged right now...  Damn I'm not the patient type!