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Posted: 11/14/2003 3:54:07 AM EDT
I am considering replacing my current AR upper with the 16" Dissipator from Bushmaster. Does anyone have any thoughts on these? I think the longer sight radius would be an advantage as well as the enhanced cooling. Let me know.

Link Posted: 11/14/2003 7:36:34 AM EDT
[#1]
Seems to me that the barrel would cool better out in the air in front of the sight than it would under a handguard...
Link Posted: 11/14/2003 8:41:27 AM EDT
[#2]
Seems to me that the barrel would cool better out in the air in front of the sight than it would under a handguard...
View Quote
This is true; the 2 advantages of the Dissipator are the longer sight radius and having less exposed barrel to grab once it gets hot. The only real downside is that the barrel is actually slower to cool, due to less airflow than the usual carbine handguards.
Link Posted: 11/20/2003 6:54:32 PM EDT
[#3]
They rock,

The extra tactical advantage of being protected from a hot barrel far outways the minimal slower cooling time.IMO If cool time is a factor for you, get the fluted (under the hg) version and have faster cooling version that weights less too. Either way the Dissipator ROCKS!

[img]http://carrasco.home.texas.net/mastpara.gif[/img]
Link Posted: 11/20/2003 7:00:52 PM EDT
[#4]
being 6'4" tall i kinda need the extra length of the long hand gaurds but also like the 16" barrels.

other than that i think they look cool. i've not noticed any performance differences though, other than the longer sight radius ofcourse.
Link Posted: 11/20/2003 7:37:52 PM EDT
[#5]
I finally got mine together and I shot it Wed.  The rifle grouped 1-1.25MOA with the iron sights, I doubt I would've shot as well with a M4 (carbine) sight radius.

(Really though I doubt I will use the backups often, probably not at all.) The real advantage is the nice long FF RAS I have mounted, (I can have my cake and eat it too (forend, bi-pod and foregrip).

[b]Really though I reccomend the 16in with rifle length gas system (port opened to .110in) that is what I'ld do if I had it to do over.

Why? I just think the rifle length tube is better for the system. (just opinion, no facts, but I will probably build one soon -in the next couple months- and see if it is as great as I though it would be.[/b]
Link Posted: 11/20/2003 7:50:16 PM EDT
[#6]
I'm quite fond of mine.
It was my second AR I ever owned.
I do wish they would design one with the
longer gas system.

You might want to consider a mid-length upper

from [url]www.rockriverarms.com[/url]

or[url]www.armalite.com[/url]
Link Posted: 11/21/2003 3:13:34 AM EDT
[#7]
As "issued" the Dissipator is a pig, pure and simple. 16" HBAR is heavier than the M16A2 and the Dissipator is even heavier.

A lightweight Dissipator, on the other hand, is very, very nice and is the shortest non-NFA barrel you can get.

While the longer sight radius is an advantage on paper it doesn't translate to any real advantage in the field. We're not shooting at 1000 meters with these critters and the M4 Carbine works well out to 300 meters with iron sights.

My Dissipator started out as a standard, porcine HBAR which I had turned down to M16A2 diameter. She's lighter than a M4 bbl and very handy.

[url="http://www.hunt101.com/?p=68425&c=500&z=1"][img]http://www.hunt101.com/img/068425.jpg[/img][/url]

-- Chuck
Link Posted: 11/21/2003 3:22:37 AM EDT
[#8]
The photo above shows what you can put together with hand tools.  

This is an Essential Arms J-15 lower receiver, XM16E1 stock and pistol grip, M16A2 handguards, ArmaLite flattop upper receiver, Bushmaster Dissipator bbl turned to .630", and a M16A1 full birdcage flash supressor since replaced with the late generation Vortex.  Elcan C79 telescopic sight.

Iternals are a Bushmaster bolt carrier group and selector, and an ArmaLite 2-stage trigger.

Gotta love interchangeable parts!

-- Chuck
Link Posted: 11/21/2003 5:53:25 AM EDT
[#9]
Well like skeet or shotgun hunting, you can't translate it on paper as much as you can notice that your snap shots from a a quick sholdering will improve.  A longer sight radius is a definite factor in improved quickly-shouldered shooting.  Just ask your shotgun hunters and sporting clay shooters.  In fact I would go so far as to say the longer sight radius advantage is more for close-range shooting than it is for long-range shooting.  NICE dissy by the way.
Link Posted: 11/21/2003 6:02:16 AM EDT
[#10]
I love these Dissi questions. [:D]
Mine cools pretty darn good. [;)]


[url]http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=167486&w=searchPop[/url]


[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid89/p6ccdbcf379b3fa7fe06e27874376945f/fa8c02c8.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid75/p38db7af7f67e16311f8258436b93f356/fb570a04.jpg[/img]
Link Posted: 11/21/2003 6:26:23 AM EDT
[#11]
here is my M4 profile bushmaster dissy. the light barrel definetly helps, to bad the FF RAS is so heavy.

[img]http://www.hunt101.com/img/062955.jpg[/img]
Link Posted: 11/21/2003 6:30:18 AM EDT
[#12]
You guys are killing me with all this heavy talk. Mine is only 10 lbs. Thats not that heavy. [:)]
Link Posted: 11/21/2003 10:15:51 AM EDT
[#13]
i need to throw mine on the scale. i'm sure its under 10 lbs but it seems front heavy with the FF RAS and the collapsing stock. i'll be back,,,
Link Posted: 11/22/2003 11:48:56 PM EDT
[#14]
A buddy of mine and I were trying to figure out if a 37mm launcher would fit to a Bushmaster Dissipator with a SIR.  Looking at all these pictures makes me think it won't.

Any takers?
Link Posted: 11/23/2003 8:56:11 PM EDT
[#15]
Link Posted: 11/23/2003 9:08:22 PM EDT
[#16]
I was never a fan before, but those pictures of Hawkeyes sold me!
Link Posted: 11/24/2003 4:56:52 AM EDT
[#17]
Quoted:
I was never a fan before, but those pictures of Hawkeyes sold me!
View Quote


Thank you sir. It seems to me, that Dissi's are one of those guns that people either love, or hate.

Keep in mind, one could do many variations on the setup I did, such as different optics, a rifle length RAS, different stock, etc. No matter what route you take, you still get the longer iron sight radius, and most of the barrel covered so as to leave as little as possible to get burned on, etc., should the rare instance occur that one should actually have to use it in a fight. I cant say how much I like this gun.
Link Posted: 11/24/2003 7:41:57 AM EDT
[#18]
I love mine.  It is somewhat heavy though.  I'm considering having it fluted or turned down.  

The guys who had their barrels turned down - who did it for you?

Another advanatage to the Dissy is the longer handguards give you more real estate to use for resting the rifle on any object to improve your hold (i.e., improvised rest) such trees, window ledges, etc.  If you rest the barrel itself on anything, it will most likely change your POI.  

I have also seen tighter groups in my 200 yard targets as compared to my 16" carbine with short hanguards.
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