First AR since the Army and overall, I am quite pleased.  hewww.netsnapshot.com/pcw/buildalbum-cgi?ACCOUNT=3489&KEY=2
I was planning on changing out the mini Y-comp with some other brake anyway, but this saved me the trouble.
The price was hard to beat too.

Minor quibbles would be that the fake tele-stock is a RRA.   I know that Ed sometimes assembles these guns from seperate components, but somehow I got the impression that it was ALL Bushmaster.  I imagine that RRA makes a good fake tele-stock too.    Another minor quibble is that I asked whether it came with the hard case.   Well, as it turns out, it did come with a hard case (not a genuine Bushmaster case) but at least it did have a Bushmaster sticker on it!  
Okay, end of my minor quibble list!

QUESTIONS:

How do I determine that it's a Bushmaster upper?

I read the manual and saw nothing on proper barrel break-in procedures.   I've only owned AK's prior to this (& with them, who cares!?) so is there something that I should do?

Thanks guys.   Glad to join the ranks!

If it is a chrome lined barrel shoot 200+ rounds through it before thouroughly cleaning.  Go to the Bushmaster web site

www.bushmaster.com

and look at their comments on the break-in of their chrome lined barrels.

I would wipe out bore before shooting but do not use abrasive cleaners or "brushes" during break-in period.  The chrome needs to be "polished" and the use of "brushes" or "abrasives" slows down this process.  Shooting 200 - 300 rounds will polish chrome  sufficiently.

That's exactly why I dont think I will be ordering from Gunsmoke.  I just dont get the feeling that he is as anal about the details as I'd like.  I got a "Bushmaster" bolt/carrier from him, and Bushmaster told me that it did not come from them.  I think from other posts, that sometimes he sells other parts.... and doesn't always tell you if he considers them the same quality.

I have never dealt with him, but to give him some credit - Bushmaster cases did not always have "Bushmaster" molded into the plastic.  They used to use a standard case (I don't remember the name) with a Bushmaster sticker on it straight from the factory.  They used a white marker or paint pen to mark the serial number and model on the case.

Shadowblade: Bushmaster cases did not always have "Bushmaster" molded into the plastic.  They used to use a standard case with a Bushmaster sticker on it straight from the factory.

Right!

Most "real" Bushmaster cases out there are still plain black (Doskocil?) cases with a BM sticker on 'em.

There's no scam at all 777, that's really the way Quality/Bushmaster sent them until a few months ago (& still do when they run out of the BM-mold ones).


What's stamped on the barrel?

Quoted: Shadowblade: Bushmaster cases did not always have "Bushmaster" molded into the plastic.  They used to use a standard case with a Bushmaster sticker on it straight from the factory.   Right! Most "real" Bushmaster cases out there are still plain black (Doskocil?) cases with a BM sticker on 'em. There's no scam at all 777, that's really the way Quality/Bushmaster sent them until a few months ago (& still do when they run out of the BM-mold ones). What's stamped on the barrel?

Yep. Doskocil.  I'm not suprised I didn't remember that name...grin

Quoted: How do I determine that it's a Bushmaster upper?

Look at the barrel along the top.  It should say something like "B MP 5.56 NATO 1/9 H BAR".  The "B MP" means it's a Bushmaster barrel.  If yours has that, I would also assume the upper is Bushmaster although it is possible a Bushmaster barrel was fitted to another brands receiver.  I doubt it though.

USPC40

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How do I determine that it's a Bushmaster upper?

I had the same question after I read some posts about Gunsmoke swapping parts, so I called Bushmaster.
On the the right side (I think) of the rear sight, they will give you 4 or 5 symbols to look for, to insure a BM upper.
(Mine was.)
Call them.

Quoted: First AR since the Army and overall, I am quite pleased.   Minor quibbles would be that the fake tele-stock is a RRA.

IMHO, the stock is the same as Bushmasters and Armalite's (or is it Oly Arms?  One or the other.)  Anyhow, I think it is the same stock with just a different stamp on the side.  None of them make their own stuff.  They just get it from a mass distributer and stamp it with their logo.  

I can almost assure you that the quality is equal, due to the fact that it is essentially, the same.

(Someone please correct me if I am wrong here.)

777,

RRA and Bushmaster stocks are exactly the same and are made by the same company.

Post here and let us know if anything is stamped on the barrel "B MP 1/9" as USPC40 stated.

Even if the RRA stock is made by the same company, and of equal quality... I want to KNOW that it is not a completely Bushmaster rifle when I buy it.  Just because someone says this stock, or bolt/carrier, or upper receiver, etc... is the same quality as Bushmaster.... that dont mean it is the same.

Bottom line, when I pay for Bushmaster, I expect Bushmaster.

Let me clarify my first post and at least partially come to the defense of Ed & Gunsmoke.  

He & I did discuss that Bushie M4's were hard to come by at times, and during those times, he assembles them himself from uppers & lowers that did not come from the factory as a pre-assembled gun.  He told me that much going in, so the fact that it ended up with a RRA stock is at worst a sin of omission on his part or a sin of assumption on my part.   Not that big a deal, I suppose, seeing as RRA is also very good & possibly even made by the same manufacturer.

About the case, it was made by Gun Guard rather than Doskocil.   Again, a small thing.

As for the barrel, it says what you wrote, USPC40, with the exception of the H BAR is missing.  Could that be because it's an M4 profile?

mini14jac, I will have to call BM to see if they can clue me in on identifying a BM upper.  I'm surprised that it's not just stamped somewhere.  I couldn't seem to find it over at www.bushmaster.com/faqs/

Thanks, guys, for all of your help.

Doskocil's low model gun case is called the Gun Guard iirc

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?id=61976

Quoted: Let me clarify my first post and at least partially come to the defense of Ed & Gunsmoke.   He & I did discuss that Bushie M4's were hard to come by at times, and during those times, he assembles them himself from uppers & lowers that did not come from the factory as a pre-assembled gun.  He told me that much going in, so the fact that it ended up with a RRA stock is at worst a sin of omission on his part or a sin of assumption on my part.   Not that big a deal, I suppose, seeing as RRA is also very good & possibly even made by the same manufacturer. About the case, it was made by Gun Guard rather than Doskocil.   Again, a small thing. As for the barrel, it says what you wrote, USPC40, with the exception of the H BAR is missing.  Could that be because it's an M4 profile? mini14jac, I will have to call BM to see if they can clue me in on identifying a BM upper.  I'm surprised that it's not just stamped somewhere.  I couldn't seem to find it over at www.bushmaster.com/faqs/ Thanks, guys, for all of your help.

Bushmaster M4 barrels are stamped B MP 5.56 NATO 1/9.  There is no "HBar" because it's not a Heavy Barrel.  My Shorty AK has HBar, my M4 doesn't.

Uppers, are another story.  Like most of there parts, ther are contracted outside, stamped Bushmaster and assembled.  The difference with Bushmater uppers (so I read) is that they are given an extra coating on the inside.  I forget what exactly.  The Stock from RRA comes from the same company that makes Bushmaster's.  The difference of course, being that the Bushy Telestyled stock has the snake on it.  Is the RRA stock blank or does it have a logo?

I have to agree with Fal, though.  If I'm paying for a Bushy, I want a Bushy.  For me though, I think it's more of a Genetic Filipino thing.

Well, I wrote to BM and this is what I got;

"If you have the M4 profile barrel it is not marked H BAR." Way to go, Vinnie!

"There are no other markings on our uppers to identify them. We do bake on a Mil-Spec dry film lube on the inside of our upper receivers that other manufacturers do not because of the added cost. It is usually a lighter gray in color than the outside."  Vinnie, you're on a streak!  Got that covered here, definately gray on the inside rather than raw aluminum.  No "Y" on mine, Muad_Dib.  

BTW, my stock has 'Rock River Arms' on the right side towards the rear.  

"The hammer / trigger contact surfaces are shiny as there is no phosphate finish on those surfaces." There is a shiny trigger part down deep in my lower, however my hammer has no shiny parts at all.   Looks like it's not Bushie!

Now I'm nervous.....I'll be contacting Ed tomorrow.....stay tuned!

Quoted: Well, I wrote to BM and this is what I got; "If you have the M4 profile barrel it is not marked H BAR." Way to go, Vinnie! "There are no other markings on our uppers to identify them. We do bake on a Mil-Spec dry film lube on the inside of our upper receivers that other manufacturers do not because of the added cost. It is usually a lighter gray in color than the outside."  Vinnie, you're on a streak!  Got that covered here, definately gray on the inside rather than raw aluminum.  No "Y" on mine, Muad_Dib.   BTW, my stock has 'Rock River Arms' on the right side towards the rear.   "The hammer / trigger contact surfaces are shiny as there is no phosphate finish on those surfaces." There is a shiny trigger part down deep in my lower, however my hammer has no shiny parts at all.   Looks like it's not Bushie! Now I'm nervous.....I'll be contacting Ed tomorrow.....stay tuned!

If you mean just below the hammer, no worries, all three of mine have a shiney part there.  All three are strait from Bushy.

Quoted: "The hammer / trigger contact surfaces are shiny as there is no phosphate finish on those surfaces." There is a shiny trigger part down deep in my lower, however my hammer has no shiny parts at all.   Looks like it's not Bushie!

No, Vinnie, what I'm saying is that my hammer isn't shiny anywhere on it!   Bushmaster hammers have shiny areas, I guess, according to that BM rep!

Quoted: Quoted: "The hammer / trigger contact surfaces are shiny as there is no phosphate finish on those surfaces." There is a shiny trigger part down deep in my lower, however my hammer has no shiny parts at all.   Looks like it's not Bushie! No, Vinnie, what I'm saying is that my hammer isn't shiny anywhere on it!   Bushmaster hammers have shiny areas, I guess, according to that BM rep!

Have you taken it apart, or are you just looking at the assembled rifle?  The "shiny" part is the notch in the bottom of the hammer where the trigger bar connects into.  This is "shiny" because this is where the metal is surface ground for a contact surface.

I have yet to see a hammer that this was not shiny on, even my original SP-1 trigger.  You cannot see it by looking into the lower.

Quoted: "The hammer / trigger contact surfaces are shiny as there is no phosphate finish on those surfaces." There is a shiny trigger part down deep in my lower, however my hammer has no shiny parts at all.   Looks like it's not Bushie!

No, FALARAK, I never took it apart, but as it turns out, you are right!  I was simply listening to what the BM rep said when he said that "hammer contact surfaces are shiny".  

Logic follows that since the hammer face 'contacts' the firing pin, the hammer face should be shiny!   Well during my ongoing discussion with this BM rep, he told me today "The shiny surface on the hammer is the sear notch in it that you may not be able to see without removing the hammer."    

Well......that's very different.    That makes me feel better but somehow goofy all at the same time!    What, is the hammer face not a "contact" area?!?!? hacko.gifSHEESH!

Thanks for your help.

How do I determine that it's a Bushmaster upper?

Bushmaster stamps either the front or rear lug (that the push-pins go through) with a "V" or "L".