Since my purchase was based in large part on the opinions of TFL online community, I though you might like to see how it worked out. http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=89353
This is a report of my new Bushmaster AR-15A2-E3 (removable handle) 16-inch Heavy Barrel, ordered on 29 November 2001 from KY Imports and delivered to my FFL dealer (Quantico Marine Corps Exchange) on 4 December.
The rifle ships in a plastic Doskocil Gun Guard case with waffle foam lining. Its appearance of out the box was unremarkable, with a few exceptions. First, the stock was discolored near the receiver, with an uneven oily-stain effect all around the stock, from about one inch to three inches from the join. After three days the stain had completely disappeared; I suspect it had something to do with the foam lining Bushmaster ships them in. Possibly this had been sitting in the box for some time, as the accompanying catalog refers to Bushmaster's models for the year 2000. The second item of interest, the magazine, was clearly built of two previous magazines and riveted/spot-welded together to make a 10-round post-ban item. More about the magazine later. Third, the rear sight alignment appeared odd. It is clearly under slight pressure from an unseen spring beneath it, and the gaps between the sight and the rest of the carrying handle allowed the sight module to pivot slightly counterclockwise. Looking down on it from the top shows a channel that doesn't quite align with the carrying handle channel. It appears odd, but functional.
The rifle weighs seven pounds and twelve ounces, with the empty magazine and without the carrying strap. The trigger breaks at six pounds four ounces, with a trace of creep and otherwise a good letoff. The creep has diminished, but is still present after firing and dry-firing several hundred times.
As I have never fired an AR15 before, I read the operator's manual closely and understood some of it. I found particularly striking the warning that the rifle could explode unless the "cam pin" was installed in the bolt group! This seemed to be a good reason to learn to disassemble the upper, so I did so. Not surprisingly, the cam pin was in place, but I learned that the rifle can be broken down to remarkably small components with nothing but a cartridge for a tool.
Fortified with this confidence, I approached the directions on "zeroing" the rifle. What I eventually figured out, as it was not printed anywhere, was the purpose behind zeroing - if I'm off base, please let me know. Since the trajectory of the bullet will cross the line of sight twice - zeroing is catching the bullet on its way up and assuming that it will cross the line of sight the second time at a predetermined range. In the case of the Marine Corps A2 method, that second crossing will be 300 meters. On the initial zeroing, we don't change the rear sight elevation, but rather the front post. Once that's set, we can click the sight elevation adjustments for longer ranges. For my purposes, though, 300 meters, its closest setting, was farther than I'll ever need, and it would provide large point of aim differences from the line of sight at the ranges I'll be shooting. I therefore chose the Chuck Santose zero method, which involved adding two (or four) clicks to the elevation wheel below the normal 300 zero. This allows a zero at 50 yards and 200 yards, with a resultant low trajectory and sighting error over the ranges I do use, while still keeping the full capability of the A2's click adjustability at longer ranges. This involved the use of a 1/16 hex head wrench before going to the range.
At the range it was a beautiful day to test the rifle, with sunny skies, low wind, and a temperature of 54 degrees F. I used Winchester Q3131A (Lot SE42). I used 3-inch day-glow orange stick-on dots as points of aim. I fired off a bench, with sandbags to brace the rifle.
For zeroing, I set the rear site four clicks below the 6/3 mark (I still don't know what the "6" means), and fired two rounds at a time to zero, walked the group down four clicks of the front post, then one click two or three more times until the bullets were at the point of aim. During this period each pair of bullets were impacting ½ inch to one inch apart, a good beginning. Windage three clicks clockwise, and it was hitting as close as I could tell to point of aim. The sun was at my 10 o'clock and tended to hide the sight a little. Even with the sun, the muzzle flash was very apparent.
The last time I used iron sights was on a Mini-14 25 years ago. The lack of training showed up clearly as I began firing for groups at 50 yards. I fired four five-shot groups with the following results:
2-7/16", with four in 1-7/8"
1-1/2"
2", with 4 in 1-1/2"
1-3/4"
I fired one 10-shot group at 50 yards, with 5 in 1-1/2 inches and all 10 in 3-1/2 inches. This 10-shot group was strung out from slightly high-left (from point of aim) to low right. I suspect operator error in this group, with a little help from the magazine. (I have learned that this chopped and rebuilt magazine is not a good approach; is this the "Frankenmag" I have read about?) In any case, it would only hold eight rounds, not 10. My 10-shot group, therefore, had some reloading built into it. After seeing the group clearly, I could also see my five-shot groups had the same tendency. I might be canting the barrel as I continue.
I fired one five-shot group at 100 yards. Three were in the three-inch dot and two weren't, for a group size of four inches. On the final two shots I was totally unable to see the orange dots, so I fired no more at that range. Maybe I need a six-inch black bull to shoot at.
To summarize, this Bushmaster is a quality piece of work, capable of much more accuracy than I am. My older eyes may be leading me to some sort of optical sight in order to wring the best out of it.
Jaywalker
This is a report of my new Bushmaster AR-15A2-E3 (removable handle) 16-inch Heavy Barrel, ordered on 29 November 2001 from KY Imports and delivered to my FFL dealer (Quantico Marine Corps Exchange) on 4 December.
The rifle ships in a plastic Doskocil Gun Guard case with waffle foam lining. Its appearance of out the box was unremarkable, with a few exceptions. First, the stock was discolored near the receiver, with an uneven oily-stain effect all around the stock, from about one inch to three inches from the join. After three days the stain had completely disappeared; I suspect it had something to do with the foam lining Bushmaster ships them in. Possibly this had been sitting in the box for some time, as the accompanying catalog refers to Bushmaster's models for the year 2000. The second item of interest, the magazine, was clearly built of two previous magazines and riveted/spot-welded together to make a 10-round post-ban item. More about the magazine later. Third, the rear sight alignment appeared odd. It is clearly under slight pressure from an unseen spring beneath it, and the gaps between the sight and the rest of the carrying handle allowed the sight module to pivot slightly counterclockwise. Looking down on it from the top shows a channel that doesn't quite align with the carrying handle channel. It appears odd, but functional.
The rifle weighs seven pounds and twelve ounces, with the empty magazine and without the carrying strap. The trigger breaks at six pounds four ounces, with a trace of creep and otherwise a good letoff. The creep has diminished, but is still present after firing and dry-firing several hundred times.
As I have never fired an AR15 before, I read the operator's manual closely and understood some of it. I found particularly striking the warning that the rifle could explode unless the "cam pin" was installed in the bolt group! This seemed to be a good reason to learn to disassemble the upper, so I did so. Not surprisingly, the cam pin was in place, but I learned that the rifle can be broken down to remarkably small components with nothing but a cartridge for a tool.
Fortified with this confidence, I approached the directions on "zeroing" the rifle. What I eventually figured out, as it was not printed anywhere, was the purpose behind zeroing - if I'm off base, please let me know. Since the trajectory of the bullet will cross the line of sight twice - zeroing is catching the bullet on its way up and assuming that it will cross the line of sight the second time at a predetermined range. In the case of the Marine Corps A2 method, that second crossing will be 300 meters. On the initial zeroing, we don't change the rear sight elevation, but rather the front post. Once that's set, we can click the sight elevation adjustments for longer ranges. For my purposes, though, 300 meters, its closest setting, was farther than I'll ever need, and it would provide large point of aim differences from the line of sight at the ranges I'll be shooting. I therefore chose the Chuck Santose zero method, which involved adding two (or four) clicks to the elevation wheel below the normal 300 zero. This allows a zero at 50 yards and 200 yards, with a resultant low trajectory and sighting error over the ranges I do use, while still keeping the full capability of the A2's click adjustability at longer ranges. This involved the use of a 1/16 hex head wrench before going to the range.
At the range it was a beautiful day to test the rifle, with sunny skies, low wind, and a temperature of 54 degrees F. I used Winchester Q3131A (Lot SE42). I used 3-inch day-glow orange stick-on dots as points of aim. I fired off a bench, with sandbags to brace the rifle.
For zeroing, I set the rear site four clicks below the 6/3 mark (I still don't know what the "6" means), and fired two rounds at a time to zero, walked the group down four clicks of the front post, then one click two or three more times until the bullets were at the point of aim. During this period each pair of bullets were impacting ½ inch to one inch apart, a good beginning. Windage three clicks clockwise, and it was hitting as close as I could tell to point of aim. The sun was at my 10 o'clock and tended to hide the sight a little. Even with the sun, the muzzle flash was very apparent.
The last time I used iron sights was on a Mini-14 25 years ago. The lack of training showed up clearly as I began firing for groups at 50 yards. I fired four five-shot groups with the following results:
2-7/16", with four in 1-7/8"
1-1/2"
2", with 4 in 1-1/2"
1-3/4"
I fired one 10-shot group at 50 yards, with 5 in 1-1/2 inches and all 10 in 3-1/2 inches. This 10-shot group was strung out from slightly high-left (from point of aim) to low right. I suspect operator error in this group, with a little help from the magazine. (I have learned that this chopped and rebuilt magazine is not a good approach; is this the "Frankenmag" I have read about?) In any case, it would only hold eight rounds, not 10. My 10-shot group, therefore, had some reloading built into it. After seeing the group clearly, I could also see my five-shot groups had the same tendency. I might be canting the barrel as I continue.
I fired one five-shot group at 100 yards. Three were in the three-inch dot and two weren't, for a group size of four inches. On the final two shots I was totally unable to see the orange dots, so I fired no more at that range. Maybe I need a six-inch black bull to shoot at.
To summarize, this Bushmaster is a quality piece of work, capable of much more accuracy than I am. My older eyes may be leading me to some sort of optical sight in order to wring the best out of it.
Jaywalker
