Upgrading a Bushmaster Carbine.

[Aryeh Jay]

I recently had purchased an older Bushmaster M-4 clone that was made before Freedom group destroyed all quality control in the firearms of the companies that they bought. It was pretty cheap because it had an attached carry handle that is sooooo 1990s and it is no longer “tati-cool”. However, it did have a factory installed rail instead of the plastic hand grips and a free floated barrel. Defiantly worth the $389.00 I paid. I took it apart and saw that it may have had less than 500 rounds fired through it. There was just the lightest sign of wear on the interior. The barrel and rale has scratches from installing and removing cool looking attachments, but I don’t think the guy fired it much. I did like the original set up, because I am old and learned to shoot with a similar rifle long ago so I know how to use “open sights”. But my son informed me that I will forever be mocked in the AR-15 community for having such a relic from bygone eras. “Dad, General Schwarzkopf called from Kuwaiti, they want their carbine back.” so, with the money I “saved” by not getting a “modern” 1950s designed weapon, I decided to outfit it with “tati-cool” accessories. $29 front grip, $32 new pistol grip, $24 new trigger guard, $32 new stock (I had to settle for the cheesy one because as I found out, the tube was a Commercial tube and not “milspec” so the awesome one I purchased did not fit and all my local shop had was a smaller commercial one. I found it funny that the “milspec” tube is actually thinner and thus possibly weaker. I have not shot it yet but I am going out today to do just that), $29 sling attachment where the tube attaches, $415 Eotec red dot, $52 for two 40 round Magpul magazines and mag connector and $300 ish for 20 30 round magazines from Magpul. As well as $ 350 for the 62gr green tip M885 ammo to fill all the mags that my kids and I are going to shoot today.


Sorry for the poor quality pictures, I cannot remove my GPS data from the pictures my phone takes so I printed the pictures and scanned them from my scanner.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Perhaps I should look out the window before I load magazines and say I am going shooting today. Apparently it looks like 12 inches of snow fell last night. I will post a picture once I dig my way out of my house.

The joys of Western Michigan in winter.

 

[High Fidelity]

Looks like a great hobby project. Firearms here are seldom as modular as what you have available there in AR-based systems, but I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun and rewarding giving it a break down and fixing her up.

I'm surprised at the prices of some of the parts. I didn't expect them to be that cheap but I suppose if they're such a common system there then there's an abundance of parts and competing manufacturers.

Regarding the foregrip, are there any obvious difference between the vertical and angled variants or does it just boil down to preference?

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Looks like a great hobby project. Firearms here are seldom as modular as what you have available there in AR-based systems, but I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun and rewarding giving it a break down and fixing her up.

I'm surprised at the prices of some of the parts. I didn't expect them to be that cheap but I suppose if they're such a common system there then there's an abundance of parts and competing manufacturers.

Regarding the foregrip, are there any obvious difference between the vertical and angled variants or does it just boil down to preference?

Previously I was not a fan of the forward grip because of looks only, I never felt one or used one. After installing it, the weapon feels more maneuverable and I am able to hold it on target a lot easier. My son prefers the angled grip; I have found that the angled grip feels just too odd to me. It is neither a regular stock nor a pistol grip; I guess it is just me though.

 

[High Fidelity]

Previously I was not a fan of the forward grip because of looks only, I never felt one or used one. After installing it, the weapon feels more maneuverable and I am able to hold it on target a lot easier. My son prefers the angled grip; I have found that the angled grip feels just too odd to me. It is neither a regular stock nor a pistol grip; I guess it is just me though.

How did you hold it without a foregrip before? Just in front of/against the magazine housing?

 

[Aryeh Jay]

How did you hold it without a foregrip before? Just in front of/against the magazine housing?

There was a fore grip; the thing I am talking about is the forward pistol grip.

 

[ChavaK]

So much for your bargain AR.....those accessories can really add up!
I finally bought my AR in 9mm, haven't shot it yet because I haven't put any optics on it. That's
the next purchase.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Unfortunately, AR type rifles are restricted here in Canada; while I have a restricted license, it's use is so limited, that I likely will not every own one. Shame, because there are still Norinco clones available here for $550.00 Canadian. I used to borrow my Cousins for Coyote hunting 30+ years ago before they were restricted. Perfect rifle for the job shooting long range on open ground in-front of a pack of hounds!!!

 

[Aryeh Jay]

So over the last 10 months, the original Bushmaster lower got a makeover with a new Colt full sized A2 stock and a new 20 inch 1/7 twist Colt upper with a Daniel Defense A1 style rear sight.

I bought a lower parts kit and built (OK, put the loose parts in the correct place) and new lower and put my collapsible stock on it. So I have two lowers and three uppers. They get change around a lot.

One thing I like about the full sized upper is that now I have something to hang the birthday present my daughter sent me this year from the Marine Corps.

I also installed an old M16A1 birdcage flash hider that fell off (no joke!) my rifle way back in 1989 at FT. Irwin California; the armorers would not remount it because they said it may be faulty so I kept it as a souvenir for 29 years until I put it on the 16 inch upper and torqued it to the proper level. The flash is greatly reduced due to having more slots and now I want to get an old Vietnam era 3 prong flash hider.

 

[marineimaging]

Perhaps I should look out the window before I load magazines and say I am going shooting today. Apparently it looks like 12 inches of snow fell last night. I will post a picture once I dig my way out of my house.

The joys of Western Michigan in winter.

I am going hunting tomorrow. I will need waders and arm floats and hope I can find a deer with the ability to tread water..., so don't complain about snow. LOL Seriously, rain rain, go away. Come again... in about 2 more years.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

I am going hunting tomorrow. I will need waders and arm floats and hope I can find a deer with the ability to tread water..., so don't complain about snow. LOL Seriously, rain rain, go away. Come again... in about 2 more years.

I have sunshine, 37 degrees, clear roads, the only visible snow is in the shade, several firearms that want to be fired, lots of ammo that wants to be fired, and no money to do anything about it until the first of January.

Good luck tomorrow.

 

[marineimaging]

I have sunshine, 37 degrees, clear roads, the only visible snow is in the shade, several firearms that want to be fired, lots of ammo that wants to be fired, and no money to do anything about it until the first of January.

Good luck tomorrow.

Ahhhhhh, perfect hunting weather. You have a blessed Christmas.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Ahhhhhh, perfect hunting weather. You have a blessed Christmas.

You Too!