Bushmaster or DPMS?

[jtmarine1911]

Part of that may have been the ammo. The 6.8 Rem SPC has horrid ballistics. The BC of that light stubby reasonably fat bullet borders on tragic, it runs out of energy quickly, and even Remington downgraded their own ballistics tables for that round by about 200 feet per second which makes the energy numbers look even worse.

That round works well for short to modest ranges, is better than the 5.56 in terms of energy. But its promise, in factory form, is simply undelivered and unrealized. Lots of positive hype about it when it came out, lots of people believe in it, but it really is a dog ballistically.

I had hopes for it, but never gave up on the old school 308.

 

[teddy12b]

I did try several different types of ammo through it, both factory and handloaded. It just wasn't that great. I sold it for a DPMS 308B in 308 that was everything I had ever hoped for in a AR, except for the weight.

 

[alan robert]

I have a higher end DPMS 7.62x39 flat top upper with a 16" fluted heavy stainless stee barrel (1X10 twist) upper, with an ventilated aluminum free floated (4) rail hand guard.

I put it on top of a stag lower (magpul ctr, trigger guard; and grip) with a standard trigger. I also have a heavy buffer and spring installed.

I was right at a $1000 invested, with this set up.

Together the DPMS upper and Stag lower are one of the best fits, that I have personally, seen in a typical AR15. I was surprised. The color is slightly (2) toned, but that is not a concern for me.

I owned a complete Bushmaster .223/5.56 AR15 20" flat top, with the removeable carry handle. Good rifle, but it rattled, and reminded me of my early 70's military AR rifle experiences.

Fit was'nt as tight, but I could have bought a spacer. The standard hand guards rattled also.

I am currently a fan of the ventilated free floating hand guard.

My next upper will probably be a 6.8 SPC Stag 7 Hunter, with the 20.77 inch barrel with a 1x11 inch twist, free floated target hand guard.

Early test reports, target, and actual hunting experiences are promising.

The factory loaded SSA 110 Accubond round shot 2742 fps and grouped at 0.11 of an inch (average was 0.28 inch, worst was 0.59) at a 100 yards. It also, has worked well on deer.

Some rounds like the right barrel and twist, more than other rifle platforms, in the same caliber. It is a challenge to find the right system, at times.

Higher prices and popularity are not always, the right choice.

My point is that there are many fine complete rifles, uppers, and lowers available, at many price levels. Most brands will mix, without issue.

Definitely do some research. Price, quality, intended use, caliber, and even cosmetic appeal, are the obvious influences on a choice.

Good luck, and have fun in picking your final choice.

 

[esrice]

Of the two you mention, I must say go with the Bushmaster.

As for ARs in general, I went through the same phase at the beginning of this year. Thanks to lots of research and one-on-one help from shooter521, I finally settled on a Bushmaster Patrolman's M4 ( https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/28436-about_to_pimp_my_ar_too.html ). Prices on the same gun are even less these days. In that price range I would also not hesitate to pick up a Rock River Arms, Charles Daly Defense, S&W M&P15, or Stag.

As for optics, you really get what you pay for. For many reasons I'd steer clear of the EOTech and look for a used Aimpoint with mount.

Also, as your go through your decision making process, I'd HIGHLY recommend taking an hour or so and reading through this buyer's guide. Very good basic info.

So you want to buy an AR-15, huh? - Police Forums & Law Enforcement Forums @ Officer.com

Good luck!

 

[beebadd]

bushmaster is best quality,dpms is usually cheaper price

 

[NWIeng]

Alrighty...I've only got my one, so nothing to compare to...

But I'm happy as a clam with my DPMS.

 

[teddy12b]

There's nothing wrong with a DPMS, it comes down to preferences.

 

[BE Mike]

I have a DPMS M-4gery and a Rock River National Match. I put a RR trigger in the carbine and am very happy with it. The fit and finish on the DPMS carbine is fine. If you want a good shooter at a reasonable price, I'd recommend the DPMS. You really need to go to a big gun show and compare. Maybe the extra bucks you'll pay for a Bushy would be worth it to you. I think the Bushmasters still come with chrome lined barrels as standard. The DPMS comes with a non-chromed lined barrel as standard. I suppose that there are junk AR-15 rifles out there, but most of the major brands seem to operate and shoot fine, as long as you keep them lubed and clean and feed them good ammo from good magazines.

 

[czar996]

Very Nice! Definately a choice worth saving some green for. If you get one, get one that has the two-stage trigger, you will like it better than a standard trigger, much smoother, IMHO.

Thanks for the advice. I will def take that into consideration!

 

[OneBadV8]

Yeah of the choices you listed Bushmaster would get my vote.

To add to Shooter521's list, Rock River offers a high quality rifle for a very affordable price.

 

[joslar15]

Generally speaking, follow the ABCs...

 

[jtmarine1911]

Generally speaking, follow the ABCs...

Armalite
Bushmaster
Colt
Dpms




Sorry, I just had to take a swipe at the Colt guys! Got to keep their blood pressure up, keeps them healthy!