Ok, have an offer on the table for a Bushmaster pre-ban, here are the specs and any information/markings.  Just let me know your feelings, and if you spot anything non Bushmaster.  Some of these things I'm not sure of, like the DK stamp on the carry handle, the stamped info on the flash hider and the almost greyish blueish handguards.

CAR 15 style,  collapsing stock (aluminum/metal style core rod, actual sliding butt is plastic, 2 position)
5.5 inch flash hider, 16 inch total length
B MP 5.56 NATO 1/9 H BAR stamped on flash hider
Bushmaster stamped on mag well
L040XXX serial number
MOD XM15 F2S stamped below that
BFI WINDHAM, ME USA stamped on other side
The handguards appear to have a blueish tint to them actually, not black.
A1 style upper carry handle
D K stamped on carry handle too, right side.
Bolt is a parked/phosphate style, not silver.
No sear block

Ok, that's pretty much all I can think of.  I'm far from an expert.  Can you all decipher this for me?  Seller is a local gun shop, fella that brought it in was an older fella around 55 about a week ago, also traded in a Benelli shotgun.  The weapon looks hardly used if at all, condition of metal is 99%.

Price on table is $1,500.  Last pre-ban Bushmaster I saw similar to this went for about $2,200 at Gunbroker.

I think $1500 is probably right on the money. I have only seen 1 preban BM in person about 2 yrs ago and that one was in the same configuration as you describe for the same price.  Sounds like its all Bushmaster, although I dont know about the upper rec, but the barrel is BM so the rest of the upper probably is too. I think if the asking price is $1500 and it is what you want, buy it.  Also remember that Bushmaster has come along way since the 94 ban so it may not be fair to compare current rifles & parts with those of 10 yrs ago.  One last thing, have you verified the ser # to make sure it is a preban?  

Yes, I saw documentation from Bushmaster showing it pre-ban.  The seller called in the number immediately before he himself took it in on trade.  So it's legit.

Do any of those things I listed look not correct or non Bushmaster made?  Or everything appear to check out ok?

Model has F2S stamped, not E2S.

Buy it

Sounds like a good price to me also.

I've seen them for a lot higher at gunshows.

I bought one with about the same specs several years ago for $1,000.00.

Quoted: All I can say is that you might want to take another look at that lower and just re-check to see if it's really an 'E' rather than an 'F'.  I don't study stuff that darn close but I thought all the BM AR's were marked 'E2S'.

I thought the same thing, and it turns out we are indeed correct....it is E2S.   But, it does actually look like F2S because the lower rung of the E is covered over/filled in by metal, just a stamping quirk, apparently the lower rung on the E on the steel stamp used to imprint the logo on this weapon was worn down.  You can only see the "missing" lower rung if you look at it under extreme light and look SUPER close.  There's about 1/10000th of the lower rung of the E present.

Damn it, why couldn't mine have been the super rare, only one manufactured hard to find F2S version! hat.  Thanks guys!

I KNEW I had seen this rifle somewhere else before for around 2k.  Finally found it, here it is:

www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=3246632

Guess it was a good buy.  That's the exact same weapon.

319, congrats on the new purchase. I have the exact same model Bushmaster. It ran great straight out of the box. The only drawback is the low muzzle velocity from the 11.5 inch barrel. I ended up putting an 16 inch M4 style upper on mine. I went with the extra inch and a half barrel length because I wanted to get the most muzzle velocity from my carbine. I still put the old upper on from time to time because I love the look of the original upper. By the way. Does yours have that famous purple tint? Mine does and it isn't really noticeable until you put on the new upper and then there is no doubt I belong to the Purple Bushy club.

I bought the same rifle about 4 months ago also.  I also paid 1500.00 and I thought It was a good deal.  The other pre-ban carbine's I looked at were $1800.00 to 2k.


You did good.

Well, I know the handguards have this blueish/purple tint to them.  And the metal is definitely not that darker almost black finish I see so often on ar's, it appears like a light grey......which may be the more purplish color you're talking about.  Basically, it's exactly like the ar in that link above.