When did Bushmaster change?

[Gingerbeardman]

I've heard some people say Bushmaster isn't good anymore. Is there any validity to that statement? I assume some part of the manufacturing chain must've changed. Ten years ago that was a pretty respected brand!

 

[Sigblitz]

Remington owns them now. I have a carbon that hits all the bulls on the multiple target paper. That being said, it's an excellent paper killer. I wouldn't part with it.

 

[JHB]

The change was in 2006.

 

[nipprdog]

Remington owns them now. I have a carbon that hits all the bulls on the multiple target paper. That being said, it's an excellent paper killer. I wouldn't part with it.

Nope. they were bought by Cerberus Capital Management , which became part of The Freedom Group. Who owns Remington, marlin, DPMS, and others. The plant in windham, maine was closed.

 

[Sigblitz]

Nope. they were bought by Cerberus Capital Management , which became part of The Freedom Group. Who owns Remington, marlin, DPMS, and others. The plant in windham, maine was closed.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

So did the quality actually decrease? Or more specifically, are they now a brand to avoid? Is the same to be said of dpms?

 

[Ruffnek]

So did the quality actually decrease? Or more specifically, are they now a brand to avoid? Is the same to be said of dpms?

The DPMS I got back in 2012 just didn't "feel" like quality, if that makes sense to anyone.

 

[biggen]

If Cerberus owns it, you can bet the quality has decreased.

 

[nipprdog]

If Cerberus owns it, you can bet the quality has decreased.

Bazinga. close thread.

 

[sht4brnz]

After Bushmaster was sold. The freedom group decided to concentrate all manufacturing in one location. The original owner of bushmaster then purchased the old manufacturing facility and now produces under the name Windham Weaponry.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushmaster_Firearms_International

Windbag Weaponry = the good ol Bushmaster

 

[citizenkane]

This made me think of this old thread.
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long-guns/170632-bushmasters-really-trashmasters.html

I always had good luck with Bushmasters back in the day. Even had one of the infamous purple lowers lol.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

Cool, thanks for the education! That being said, is dpms and Bushmaster still better than PSA and Anderson, or all of them budget/range toys until you get to the lwrc/Daniel defense/Cobalt level? I've even heard new Colt is not near as good as old Colt. Is mid-range considered the Springfield saint/Sig m400?

 

[sht4brnz]

Are you intending to build or buy a complete rifle?
As most manufacturers try to shave their prices and increase production, i feel its safe to assume that there are components where the quality will be sacrificed in trade.
When you ask if psa or colt or any others are of lesser quality in more recent years, it's very plausible, especially when you have reports from unsatisfied owners. However, the unknown is the ratio of good to bad. Say you have a 1% of total product that passes inspection but fails in the field. If you have 1k bad per 100k made, is the same as 20k bad per 2mil made. Point being, those that sell will have more product in consumers hands. More product in consumers hands increases the potential to see/hear complaints.

 

[seedubs1]

Cool, thanks for the education! That being said, is dpms and Bushmaster still better than PSA and Anderson, or all of them budget/range toys until you get to the lwrc/Daniel defense/Cobalt level? I've even heard new Colt is not near as good as old Colt. Is mid-range considered the Springfield saint/Sig m400?

PSA Premium with CHF barrels are good to go. Everything else they sell I’d call a range toy only.
Anderson is bottom of the barrel garbage and I wouldn’t waste my money.
LWRC (DI, skip the piston crap) and DD are high quality fighting rifles.
Cobalt makes game guns (3 gun). It’s not a fighting rifle.

If you’re looking for a factory built bang for your buck rifle, look at Colt (not the expanse line) 6920s or 6720s, and look at BCM. You don’t have to spend DD or LMT money to have a very nice and reliable rifle.

Main question is.....what are you going to use it for and what is your budget? Figure that out and then figure out what to buy.

 

[jinks]

This made me think of this old thread.
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long-guns/170632-bushmasters-really-trashmasters.html

I always had good luck with Bushmasters back in the day. Even had one of the infamous purple lowers lol.

In the earlier days of the AR15, ABC (Armalite, Bushmaster and Colt) made the good ones. These three companies were the most trusted AR15 manufacturers.

 

[tcecil88]

I had a neutered (post ban) Bushmaster back in the day that was a solid rifle. I currently have a Windham Weaponry MPC that is one of my favorite rifles. I also have a Colt 6920 as well as a Sig M400. All three a quality rifles that I use quite a bit.

 

[Injess]

I know windham weaponry is pretty much the old bushmaster company, and i’ve heard nothing but great things about them. I honestly don’t understand why people criticize bushmasters’ quality, I’ve shot 2 of them and thought they were solid rifles. I think because bushmasters are everywhere and reasonably priced, the people who own $1500+ Daniel defense rifles have to justify the cost by bad mouthing the cheaper AR’s.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

I'm not really in the market, I am just curious because you hear so many different opinions and never know the experience or breadth/depth of the shooter's experience. I have also been investigating new TV's, for instance, and it's interesting to learn what brands that used to be good have since been sold off to China and aren't as good as they used to be.

 

[churchmouse]

I know windham weaponry is pretty much the old bushmaster company, and i’ve heard nothing but great things about them. I honestly don’t understand why people criticize bushmasters’ quality, I’ve shot 2 of them and thought they were solid rifles. I think because bushmasters are everywhere and reasonably priced, the people who own $1500+ Daniel defense rifles have to justify the cost by bad mouthing the cheaper AR’s.

Just is not so. I have had a couple and they were PSA level at best. Buddy's had them. Same thing. Friend I shoot with has a much older BN and it is about as well fit up as a new Windham I had for a short while.

 

[Max Volume]

Have an older Bushmaster and an older Colt. Been out of the loop for awhile with what is now out there but remember those in the know saying Bushy's and the like are fine as range toys. Never ran mine hard and it's an accurate firearm. Problems occur when running them hard as in a multi day class where problems with the bolt, etc really show up. If I go to a class where it would be ran hard I'll take the older Colt. Much like some inexpensive modern arms. Many work fine as a range gun used occasionally with a few boxes of ammo. Run them hard and problems can show up. The question being what is your intended use? Something to putts around with here and there or something to be ran hard on a fairly regular basis.