Bushmaster...What's the deal??? Educate me.

[txsteele]

What changed with Bushmaster that they are now a POS allegedly.

From everything I hear, they were a good rifle in the 90's but I've heard several people say they are junk now?????

Any truth to that?

[Chad C]

It was sold. I've never owned their product, before it after the sale.

[J. Colwell]

I'm no expert but Bushmaster started making lower end rifles like the Carbon 15 to make them more affordable. I would think the quality of those are not as good as the higher end guns. To me like its kind of like buying a Toyota Corolla vs the Toyota Camry. Both will work, one is just nicer and smoother than the other. As far as saying Bushmasters are junk, well according to some people Kimber, Ford and Dodge, Mathews, Mechanical Broadheads, Whisker Biscuits or Fall Away Rest, and etc are junk too but they sure do sell a bunch of them and a lot of people like them.

[WKH2213]

The original bushmaster was good stuff. It went downhill when the Freedom Group bought them out. The quality seemed to go down. The original owner and crew came back with the original machinery as Windham Weaponry. I have an original Bushmaster and it has NEVER gave me one single issue. Shoots dime to nickel size groups at 100yds all day long.
I think a lot of it is the "fan boy" "if it ain't colt, lmt, larue", its junk hype. I know guys that have new bushmasters and are good guns. Like all things, they do have the lower end models, which is what are mostly being flipped now.

[Bily Lovec]

every time we have one of these threads the bushmaster fanboys get butthurt,
(see above post)

read this:

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=56063

and this:

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=7376

this may also be of help to you:

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=7009

[johnsonzl]

I get paid to shoot one; after thousands and thousands of rounds I have confidence in my rifle. That being said I won't spend my money on one and I haven't.

[WKH2213]

every time we have one of these threads the bushmaster fanboys get butthurt,
(see above post)

read this:

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=56063

and this:

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=7376

this may also be of help to you:
http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=7009

I'm not a fan boy of bushmaster, I've just had good experiences with one.
I am however a fan boy of ARP. The guy asked a question and I answered with my experience, all though it may be limited. I have no experience with the newer bushmaster stuff, and don't plan too. I'll build mine.

[Coach W]

The higher end stuff (colt, larue, lmt...) pays more attention to details. The AR is not a sloppy platform (sloppy think AK) The AR needs exacts... This is where the low end stuff does "decently" but the higher end stuff nails.

Properly staked parts, torqued screws, Attention to detail.... Once you take apart a bushmaster or a colt and really see how it's put together then you will see the differences. Both will go boom when you squeeze the trigger, and you may never run into problems... But There is a chance those details that where overlooked on your bushy may make it not perform as it should.

Take one down and look at the carrier key/screws, gas block mounting screws... You will see the difference.

[justintyme8303]

Mine works just fine no FTF or FTE and will eat any kind of ammo in brass or steel. Guess I just got lucky.

[txfireguy2003]

I've got a Bushmaster. I know it's not a Larue/LMT/Colt etc, but I don't need it to be. For my use, it's fine. I use it for plinking, the occasional hunt, etc. I'm not using it as a battle rifle, or even a patrol carbine, if I was, I would spend the coin on a higher end model. If mine fails on me, I might miss a shot at a hog or coyote, if a battle rifle or patrol carbine fails, the user might lose his life, that's the difference for me. I'm not staking my life on my Bushmaster, so it doesn't have to be a high end gun. I've never had any trouble with it, and don't expect to, but I'm not dragging it through the mud and sand like I would a "working rifle". For me, it's just a fun toy.

[Gunner87]

They started mass producing their products, and the quicker the because "name brand" the quality went out the window. Including with many malfunctions with the weapons, headspace has been off which I know first hand. DPMS is in the same boat as Bushmaster.