Thread: My Bushmaster ACR

My Bushmaster ACR review:

Well I bought this because it was the only rifle I knew of that addressed some fundamental ergonomic flaws in the AR15 rifle, such as the charging handle, bolt release and rigid stock.

Modifications:
- Waitaki can
- Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6x in a American Defence QD mount, it came with MBUS sights
- Remington Military version handguard as it's more comfortable without the rails
- The previous owner put a gieselle trigger in it.

I've had it about two or three years now and estimate I've put about 1500-2000 rounds through it, mostly reloads. I haven't had a single problem with it except one FTF, probably a mag issue. I've never bothered shooting a group with it, I have no reason to believe it's inaccurate but wouldn't try and claim "sub MOA".

Advantages:
- Two setting gas block, Suppressed and unsuppressed, changes in less than a second without tools.
- Folding stock which is adjustable for length of pull and cheek height, all without tools.
- Piston, runs cleaner.
- Monolithic rail and floating barrel.
- Ambi Controls, bolt release, mag release, safety, all in the same place on both sides and can be manipulated without removing the master hand.
- The charging handle is furthur forward and can be pushed on, removing the need for a forward assist and able to chamber quietly. Also non reciprocating unlike the
SCAR. Can be changed from one side to the other.
- Sling points already on rifle.

Disadvantages
- Weight 3.7kg vs 2.8kg or standard Bushmaster AR15
- Cost, it cost me $4.5k second hand.

Conclusion:
I believe the ACR is a superior design to the AR15, it just needed further refining to get the weight down unfortunately this is unlikely to happen without a military contract although it looks relitivly easy to reduce the weight at a glance. For the money needed to get a AR with the same features you'd likely spend big money anyway.

I've owned an AR15 before and use one on a regular basis but still prefer my ACR.

$4.5k is still more bearable than the price Gunshitty want for their demo guns.

Awsome rifle, and nice to see a write up on one after a bit of use.

What's the length with the stock folded? :p

Originally Posted by res

Awsome rifle, and nice to see a write up on one after a bit of use.

What's the length with the stock folded? :p

C-Cat length

Originally Posted by res

Awsome rifle, and nice to see a write up on one after a bit of use.

What's the length with the stock folded? :p

716mm, according to google

To be honest I've never fired it with the stock folded.

Whats the recoil impulse like? With 223 piston rifles, the parts moving can be more noticeable than with 308.

Not really sure, I don't really pay much attention to it and haven't thought about it, might have to fire it side by side with an AR, I'll let you know. The bolt is definitly heavier than an AR but there's no buffer either.

Yes it all makes for a different recoil experience. The weirdest was the G3 I remember it had an odd recoil pulse but that's probably something to do with the roller locking system.

Bushmaster is probably the #1 reason the design never took off. Radom have almost cloned the design with the MSBS, that is a cool looking stick I've wanted to shoot.

I'm sure Savage has pinned the stock to comply with NZ Police interpretation on MSSA length.

"To determine whether its classification should be as a pistol, a firearm which has a folding or telescopic stock will be measured in its folded or collapsed state. If it is less than 762mm in that state it is classed as a pistol."

how is the piston attached ? Is it robust and not prone to accidentally getting blown out of the rifle ?

Originally Posted by Beavis

Bushmaster is probably the #1 reason the design never took off. Radom have almost cloned the design with the MSBS, that is a cool looking stick I've wanted to shoot.

Yes it's still any barrel you like as long as it's 5.56 and 16.5 long.