Adventurer 2
New member
Kind of a range report:
I am visiting the fine state of PA this month and brought my NIB Bushmaster Gas Piston Carbine with me. I took it to a public range today. The mid-range targets at the range laser at 47 meters. Okay, close enough to a 50 meter zero. I should have thoroughly cleaned the rifle (1st priority of work = weapon maintenance). I pulled the bolt and wiped it down with an oiled patch and then rodded the barrel a few times, reassembled. The carbine is put together tight with just a little rattle in the adjustable stock. The carbine, with a 30 round magazine, is too tall for the sandbag I keep in my truck. I fold a jacket under the sandbag. PA has some funny laws – one of them being that only 3 rounds can be loaded in a rifle or pistol at this particular range (don’t even ask me about the states rules on selling alcohol – you wouldn’t believe them). I am just going to fire three rounds at a time because of this rule. Got my nose up against the charging handle, good sight picture, wait for a breathing pause, squeeze the trigger. Expecting a tap to the nose but there is none. I don’t know if this is a result of the gas piston, ammo, or buffer spring. Every AR variant I have ever shot has tapped my nose. First three shots group low and left at an 1 ¾ inch. First adjustments: Rear sight simple twists of the knob, front sight – ***, I can’t get the sight to move. Oil it up and get out a jewelers screwdriver and leverage the thing down. I hate the front sight. 2nd group is 1 ¼” centered but low. More strong arming the front sight post. 3rd group is 1” and where I want it to be. The 1” group will work for now. I once had a brand new M16A2 that I could shoot a clover leaf zero at 50 meters. That one was replaced with a brand new M4 which I could get zeroed at slightly over ½ inch at 50 meters (I blame the rattle in the stock). I do not like the front sight on this Bushmaster. The left wing looks slightly thinner to me and the shape doesn’t intuitively center through the peep sight. I do not plan on mounting optics – so if anyone can recommend a nice front sight I would appreciate it. I only fired 60 rounds today so I can’t tell you about reliability but so far 0 malfunctions. There was some smoke around the rifle just like a gas impingement system. The barrel seemed just as hot as any other AR (I’ve melted a number of nylon slings). The internals did not seem any cooler (I’ve fired full auto and 3-shot burst ARs). The carbine breaks down like any other AR with the exception of the gas piston. The gas piston is taken apart by pushing a detent and a half rotation in order to pull the piston pieces. The bolt face seemed just the same, fouling wise, as a regular AR. You can see in the picture what would be the gas tube on the bolt carrier is solid with no hole. The bolt carrier was definitely cleaner. The gas piston pieces were dirty but were very easy to clean. I bought this rifle at a great price and have no regrets. I was not going to replace anything initially, but after shooting the front sight has to go.
I am visiting the fine state of PA this month and brought my NIB Bushmaster Gas Piston Carbine with me. I took it to a public range today. The mid-range targets at the range laser at 47 meters. Okay, close enough to a 50 meter zero. I should have thoroughly cleaned the rifle (1st priority of work = weapon maintenance). I pulled the bolt and wiped it down with an oiled patch and then rodded the barrel a few times, reassembled. The carbine is put together tight with just a little rattle in the adjustable stock. The carbine, with a 30 round magazine, is too tall for the sandbag I keep in my truck. I fold a jacket under the sandbag. PA has some funny laws – one of them being that only 3 rounds can be loaded in a rifle or pistol at this particular range (don’t even ask me about the states rules on selling alcohol – you wouldn’t believe them). I am just going to fire three rounds at a time because of this rule. Got my nose up against the charging handle, good sight picture, wait for a breathing pause, squeeze the trigger. Expecting a tap to the nose but there is none. I don’t know if this is a result of the gas piston, ammo, or buffer spring. Every AR variant I have ever shot has tapped my nose. First three shots group low and left at an 1 ¾ inch. First adjustments: Rear sight simple twists of the knob, front sight – ***, I can’t get the sight to move. Oil it up and get out a jewelers screwdriver and leverage the thing down. I hate the front sight. 2nd group is 1 ¼” centered but low. More strong arming the front sight post. 3rd group is 1” and where I want it to be. The 1” group will work for now. I once had a brand new M16A2 that I could shoot a clover leaf zero at 50 meters. That one was replaced with a brand new M4 which I could get zeroed at slightly over ½ inch at 50 meters (I blame the rattle in the stock). I do not like the front sight on this Bushmaster. The left wing looks slightly thinner to me and the shape doesn’t intuitively center through the peep sight. I do not plan on mounting optics – so if anyone can recommend a nice front sight I would appreciate it. I only fired 60 rounds today so I can’t tell you about reliability but so far 0 malfunctions. There was some smoke around the rifle just like a gas impingement system. The barrel seemed just as hot as any other AR (I’ve melted a number of nylon slings). The internals did not seem any cooler (I’ve fired full auto and 3-shot burst ARs). The carbine breaks down like any other AR with the exception of the gas piston. The gas piston is taken apart by pushing a detent and a half rotation in order to pull the piston pieces. The bolt face seemed just the same, fouling wise, as a regular AR. You can see in the picture what would be the gas tube on the bolt carrier is solid with no hole. The bolt carrier was definitely cleaner. The gas piston pieces were dirty but were very easy to clean. I bought this rifle at a great price and have no regrets. I was not going to replace anything initially, but after shooting the front sight has to go.
