in 5.56. I buy platforms for a purpose, and features for aesthetics. I'm thinkin' on an AR now for plinking and just a general "fun gun" as I don't have a semi auto rifle.

Here is what I'm looking at: http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/13229/Bushmaster+90325+Target+30%2B1+223REM5.56NATO+20%22+A3

I don't like the carbine look so any barrel under 20" is out. I want the rifle to look as close to the original M16A2 look as possible - It's just my aesthetic preference to have the rifle look less tacticool that your average gun range ninja.

So the above listed Bushmaster is what I found on this cold rainy morning. I want that style of sights and a fixed butt stock.

Is the Bushie the best deal? Can I build one cheaper? Other options with the same aesthetics?

I also have a desire for an AR10 platform but I want the pea shooter first

friggin link won't work. whatever.

In my recent research of parts and what goes into building an AR, you could probably buy the parts and tools and build one cheaper than the Bushie is going for. Palmettostatearmory.com is your friend.

YMMV.

Here is your link

bigfish9684 AR

They aren't hard to figure out. Get one, start running it, and you'll get it.

I would suggest a flat top in whatever brand you buy.. You can run your iron sights until you realize you want to scope it. Which you then can, without issues.

Thanks Rancho... new question:

How many of you started out wanting iron sights and switched to AND stuck with a scope? I love scopes but always wanted the A2 style rifle. Might have to buy two rifles...

BF, you can get a flat top and a detachable A2 style carry handle. It gives you more flexibility and protects your resale value.

Mine wears a 1-4 Leopold. After using it, the only reasons I will put irons on one is as backup sites, and to teach the kids how to shoot with the classic A2 system.

I use a Armalite with 1.5-5-Leupold,I had Bushmaster and it was just a money pit to tune and make a decent shooting rifle. I go to the range to shoot, not work on guns.
Buy cheap, live with the results....

The one in your link has a removable carry handle.

I have had 3 Bushmasters over the years and never had to tune or work on any of them. They all shot great out of the box, I gave one to my son. That rifle has thousands of rounds thru it with just a little lube here and there, Never a failure of any kind.

If you plan on shooting it a lot, I'd spend $200 more and get this one.... http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=A4-870-212

BS ... I have a Bushy A2 and its a damn fine shooter (1.5 moa)with open irons. I owned a CZ rf I wasn't pleased with, that doesn't make all CZ's worthless.

And just because you had one good Bushmaster doesn't make all Bushmasters good.

There's a LOT more to a "good AR" than the name on the side and a sample size of one.

No problems with my BM, but it has a Vmatch upper.
Some guys with their standard uppers tell a different story.

My Bushmaster experience is limited to one 11.5in select fire version that I carried all over Iraq. It never coughed. They did have to put heavier buffers in them to slow 'em down though.

FWIW I've had about all the brands that were out there in the mid 90s to mid 04 or so....

I have one bushy. Never bought another. In our competition they were not that common, though one kid got a really great one and it was a good gun.

I wasn't happy with a few things, much like my armalite experiences and so moved on... RRA happened to be good enough for everything we ended up doing.

Mine wear scopes or red dots as primary, and most of my rifles/uppers have a set of back-up sights, but I don't consider those a requirement at all. I only shoot an A-2 when I'm having a nostalgic moment or a class requires it.

You can have a second seperate upper with the A-2s, and scope another one in the flatop. Think you'll find that the flattop gets outdoors more often over time.

I don't like the A2. I thought it looked great when it came out but for me anyway, it wasn't. I had an A1 and shot M-16A1's in ROTC. I much prefer the A1 configuration. The round forearm should have been better, but wasn't for me and the LOP on the A2 is an inch more, whereas the older ones fit me better. Even with the wore-out Vietnam era ones issued to the Reserves, I was able to shoot Expert. Maybe I could have done it with the A2, but I dunno.

Don't know why I'm telling you this, but a thread about A2's is interesting as all focus now seems to be on carbine length weapons.

Never said all were good. Where did you read that??? Please point it out, must have missed it.

Silly to dismiss a whole line of rifles b/c of one bad one. If they wholly sucked they'd most likely be outta bidness.

My favorable experience with DPMS musta been in my head to given all "bad" press they get here on the inter-web.

I'll never dismiss a rifle from a sample of one .... Especially someone else's unless I personally know them.

Buy. Shoot the [bleep] out of it.


Travis

Let's keep our opining of products within the boundaries of reality.

Thanks, TAK.


Travis

Love both.

Buy.


Travis

Kill yourself

Thats mean, you should ask for forgiveness

WWJD?



Travis

Throw your sorry azz into the lake of fire.

When the big eared communis was elected I bought 2 DPMS lowers and ordered a Delton Kit and built a 16 inch flat top carbine. Ended up with less than $700 dollars in it. I put a rear sight on it and it shot well. I have since put a Burris red dot on it and still have less than $800 in it. I still haven't decided what to do with the other stripped lower it is still sitting on the shelf. I probably will end up building some sort of varminter out of it. I know prices have gone up some in the last few years but I think you can build your own at least as cheap or cheaper than an off the shelf ready to shoot model. I am not much of a gunsmith but with the tutorial I downloaded from AR15.com I had no trouble and I got what I wanted. Good luck and have fun, that's what it is all about.
Bill

You shouldn't judge.

Enjoy your ice cream, fat ass.



Travis

Thx, I will. Its time for me to go pop some pimples and kiss MOM goodnite.

a 1-8 twisted SP-1 would be a great gun.

That's a little creepy...



Travis

Thought it was hilarious! ... Needs cookies too.

For my old eyes it is iron sights for backups, scopes the rest of the time. .223/5.56 and .300 Blackout.

Get a 5.56 or Wylde chamber and shoot both 5.56 and .223. Rock River has Wylde chambers (at least mine does.)

Firm believer in spikes lower receiver built with quality parts and trigger and then putting your money into a nice upper and optic. YMMV

Not exactly like an M16A2, but still lots of fun. Armalite AR15T