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Bushmaster
Firearms in Windham, Maine has long been a supplier of high
quality AR-15 type rifles in their excellent XM-15 line. About a
year ago, I tested and fell in love with one of their new Varminter
precision rifles. It is, to this date, the most accurate .223
caliber rifle that I have ever fired. If anyone tells you that
an AR-15 is inaccurate, they obviously have not fired a
Bushmaster!
While most
shooters know that Bushmaster makes a wide assortment of XM-15
configurations (over a dozen different catalog models), many are
not aware of the vast number of accessories available from
Bushmaster to fully customize an AR-15 type weapon. Bushmaster
offers add-ons and accessories to fit not only their line of
weapons, but those of other manufacturers as well. The rifle
shown here in this article is not a standard Bushmaster catalog
item. It was assembled on a Bushmaster receiver from parts
readily available from the Bushmaster parts catalog.
One of the
more noticeable features of this rifle is Bushmaster’s new
match grade stainless steel heavy barrel. Many precision
shooters prefer a high quality stainless barrel, and this is one
of the best available. It features a one-in-nine-inch rifling
twist and a recessed crown to enhance accuracy. From the
accompanying photograph, it is easily seen that this barrel can
shoot! Five-eighths of an inch groups at 100 yards were
regularly fired using my standard varmint hunting load. Good
quality ammo using a match grade bullet will no doubt
group a bit tighter.
Bushmaster’s
new hand guard featuring the BMAS (Bushmaster Modular
Accessories System) configuration is built to accommodate the
great plethora of accessories and sight systems available to
mount on an AR-15 type weapon. There is an almost endless list
of attachments to fit an AR, and the BMAS allows great latitude
in mounting them along the entire hand guard. The BMAS hand
guard is free-floated from the barrel nut forward so as not to
interfere with accuracy or point of impact. The BMAS has four
mounting rails spaced ninety degrees apart and running the
entire length of the hand guard. This offers great latitude in
mounting a bipod, laser, scout scope, flashlight, infrared,
red-dot, or a multitude of other accessories.
The sights on
this rifle are also part of the BMAS line of products. They are
precision made aperture sights that fold neatly out of the way
when not in use. The rear sight attaches to any flattop
receiver and the front attaches easily to a rail-top gas block,
such as the BMAS three-rail gas block shown here. For attaching
a scope to any flattop AR, the Bushmaster Mini Riser blocks are
indispensable to allow proper clearance with standard scope
rings. These are the same risers that are supplied with the
superb Varminter rifle, and are just the right height for a high
powered scope sight.
One unusual
accessory on this customized XM-15 is the pistol grip. Upon
first inspection, it looked out of place on an AR, but it proved
to be the most comfortable pistol grip that I have ever used on
any AR-15 type rifle. It is the Pachmayr Vindicator grip,
and is also available from the Bushmaster catalog.
In addition to
the items featured here, Bushmaster has hundreds more available
to fully customize your existing rifle, or you can build your
own from the receiver up from the Bushmaster catalog. They also
offer complete upper and lower receiver assemblies, scope
sights, stocks, and assembly tools, in addition to accessories
for other weapon systems such as the Mini-14 and Uzi.
Check out the
complete line of Bushmaster rifles and accessories online at:
www.bushmaster.com,
or call toll free to request a catalog at: 1-800-998-7928
Jeff Quinn
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Click pictures for a larger version.
Jeff thinks Bushmaster is making some of the finest
AR-15 style rifles ever made, and this XM-15 is no exception.
The BMAS (Bushmaster Modular Accessories System)
free-floating 4-rail handguard accommodates virtually any of
the seemingly-endless number of rail-mount accessories
available for the AR-15.
Even the gas block is available with three mounting
rails! Shown here is Bushmaster's excellent BMAS rail-mount
folding front sight.
Bushmaster's mini scope riser blocks are
perfectly-suited for mounting a high-powered scope sight.
The customized XM-15 features a Pachmayr Vindicator
pistol grip. Author considers this to be the most comfortable
grip he's ever used on an AR-15 type rifle.
The stainless heavy barrel features a 1-9" twist
and recessed crown as an aid to accuracy.
Speaking of accuracy, the Bushmaster XM-15 is as
accurate as Jeff has come to expect from Bushmaster rifles.
5/8" groups at 100 yards were the norm with Jeff's
favorite varmint loads.
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