bushmaster M4

Scott12

Scott12

New member
I have been looking around the internet for a new rifle, what do you guys think about the Bushmaster M4 with a 16 in barrel? does it have the accuracy out to 200 yds. I don't know much about these rifles, therefore any helpful info would be appreciated (internet links) I have searched Bushmasters website, but want more info.
I hope someone out there has one and can help me?
I have only shot bolt action rifles. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Scott12
 
Here's the best AR site out there:
http://www.ar15.com
You'll find info on all brands and configurations, plus industry threads and manufacturer web site links. The rifle should do well at 200 yards, but a 16" bbl. owner would better answer your question. I've got a 20" HBAR Colt. MI VHNTR
 
The 16" barrel does not seem to be a problem in the accuracy department but the ones that shoot well are heavy barrel models. Velocity will be less than a 20 but will still work. The M4 you are talking about has a few items that would cause me to believe it may not shoot as well as you would like.

First, it does not have a 16 in barrel. It is a 14.5 with a permanent attached comp. Also, the comps will blow your ears off from a reg. length barrel even more with a short one.

Second, the fixed tele-style buttstock will not be as sturdy as a true fixed one. Those things are generally shakey and make rattle noise.

I would be looking into a std. 16" carbine or 16" V-Match. You might want to look at DPMS too, they make outstanding rifles as well. Heavy barrel would be the key for me in a 16" version AR for accuracy. It you and your rifle combination can consistantly hit a 6" kill zone at 200 under field conditions, you should be good to go.
 
I would go with a kit gun you could assemble yourself. You could save 40-50% and get what you want instead of what a Co. offers. Are you looking to hunt with this AR? As Steve stated above,a heavy or better yet,a bull would be the best of both worlds. More accurate than any regular configuration I have tryed and about the same cost. Depends really on what you want. The M4gerys are really cool for range play and are really accurate for what they are, but I find it alot harder to shoot them offhand beyond 200,but serious match guys do it with ease. Guess it would boil down to what you want/expect from your rifle. I have seen guys who can't hit paper at 50 yds and guys who shoot 600 yds offhand.Women too lol) It's really easy to push 2 push pins and have the option to pick N choose what parts you may want and give yourself other options later on. If you get a standard M4gery, you can add optics later on but then it's not free floated so theres a stick in the mud there, You can have a custom m4 look alike with free float built but that will cost ya, and still struggle to keep up with a cheap bull. I have seen shorty standards shoot amazingly well but that was with pro shooters with quality components made to look like an m4. The M4gerys are really good for what they were designed for. Bushwhackin. Short,quick handling and accurate to a certain extent. I reach the accuracy top pretty quick when I scope one. I have 3 m4 copys and they are fun, but for serious shooting/coyote hunting, I can't give up anything. Not even an inch. The Military copys will shoot,it's just alot harder to get there. jerryboy

Heres a link to one of the best distributers of all time IMHO J&T distributing
 
I will look into the parts aspect with uppers and lowers, there is so much out there to look at with these particular rifles, I see that a heavy barrel is definately the way to go. Also I will read the article in PXTREME on the DPMS Varminter, I beleive it is the June 2003 issue.

Scott12 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Bushmaster makes a 16" M4 barrel. I've had one for a couple of years and it's an accurate, lightweight rifle. Mine will put reloaded ammo with WW 55 Gr JSP bullets over a healthy charge of AA2200 into an inch or under (sometimes well under) at 50 yards, this with an unmagnified Aimpoint Comp M!
 
I went with the 16 bushy v-match, and have not regretted it. It will shoot 3/4 moa @100, luv it!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Would you all consider the J&T 16in. Expedition kit a heavy enough barrel for accuracy? That is the one I am interested in building.
thanks
 
Yes the disapator bbls are extremely nice. If you plan to shoot offhand,it would fit the bill with finesse.It is thought that the placement of the gas block/front sight makes a difference.You get about 2 more inches of radius with the dissapator upper.Hey wait,thats going on my list! A dissapator flat top. A configuration I have never seen before. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
I had one of the first dissapators available(A2 upper) and it shot with the best of them. Lighter than a bull gun,and very fast handling.
As a continuance of the words on heavy Vs. standard profile; The lighter bbls shoot nearly as well. I just find it harder with the handguards not being free floated,and the heat builds up to a higher intensity faster.
Ripping through a 30 or 40 rd mag is part of the allure of the AR15. That's what make it a more powerfull tool. Though I have rarely put more than 3 rds in any AR in years,I have a few plinker set-ups I let some stress go through . /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif I look at my hunting set-ups like bench rigs.And I shoot em as such. Theres a small ma and pops gunstore here where I live and they are very cool as the owner and I tease each other on our shooting skills. We were shooting some bolt guns one day at 300 yds. and he busted out his old beat up Bushmaster shorty. I got out my one hole at 200 yd. olympic stainless ultra match 16. Don't spread this arround, but he had me under pressure LOL. He was tagging a 12"x12" iron plate with every shot.Fast too! LOL I ended up shooting at a soda can at 350 and hit it every time. He said he hadn't shot that BM shorty in years.And it had a standard heavy trigger. So I know the rife was capable of it. He was shooting handloaded 55gr.gamekings. It's not really the manufacturer of the bbls that make the difference as you shouldn't find any difference in the guns repeatability in any way,from the cheapest to the high end military copys. An inch with surplus ammo is the norm for the average shooter(me).So it all boils down to what you expect from your gun. I hear alot of guys saying that they are plenty accurate for hunting. I'm the oppasite. I want the most accurate gun I can get for coyote hunting. There is a difference in weight obviously from a hb to a bull,but I look at it like this. Do I want to squeek up a huge yellow eastern coyoteon an average of 1-4 outings and have the slightest possability of a miss? With a military copy,I figure in this,3/4 with good loads,wind,varying ranges of the coyotes,no optics. Too wide of a margin for me. And is it worth it to carry a rifle of the same round,lighter and cut my range/kill ratio in half? I think not LOL. Just depends on how you hunt too. I have never felt I was giving up anything with lugging the Bull or HB arround. I use a sitting bipod and practice every day so when I have a brush dog in the nikon,theres little doubt that it's over. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I find myself holding fire and letting more coyotes come to the scene,and taking my pick,rather than hurry and shoot as soon as I see them. I guess it boils down to confidence in the rifle too. I know I can put a fast performance bullet into an inch at 300 under any conditions short of a rowdy blizzard,and even then, I wont know till I try it. I shot 2 females over a month ago with 60 gr V-max over 25.5 gr varget.The first was 301 yds across a field working her way to Krustys hand made call I was playing with.She was jumping in and out of the edge row and was taking her time coming in. I put the call in my mouth and got on her with the Nikon 14x.I gave a loud squeek and it froze her, Booooooooommm!!! Thump!!! The rifle recovered before the bullet hit her.I seen it pop he up off the ground. I walked it off at 301 yds.There was no doubt even at that range that her steps were numbered. The 60 gr V-max blew through but hit her right in the heart. It wasn't off a 1/4 inch. An hour later I called in another 300 yds away and dropped her at 130 yds with ease. Almost seems easy at any range with the right bullet,load,and optics. Oh yea,practice,practice,practice!!!!!
And one of the pluses to them are, 20-30,000 rd. bbls! Amazing! jerryboy
 
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