Bushmaster Assault Rifle - Oklahoma City Firearms | Examiner.com
Bushmaster Assault Rifle
Before Bushmaster made AR-15 clones they produced a rifle marked "Bushmaster Assault Rifle". While using a number of AR-15 type minor parts this rifle is of a much different design. The lower receiver appears to be milled from an aluminum alloy while the upper receiver is stamped steel with the rear sight base and bolt guide rails welded into place. This model has a folding stock but I've examined another that has a fixed wooden stock. Both rifles use black painted wood forearms.
Disassembly is unique. A U shaped metal clip on top of the rifle directly in front of the bolt is held in place by and retains the recoil spring that surrounds the gas piston. Pressing this clip slightly forward against the spring pressure and lifting it out of the rifle allows the gas piston that's attached to the bolt carrier in much the same manner as in the AK 47 to be retracted from it's housing. Push the rear takedown pin to the left and pivot the upper receiver up. Pull the charging handle to the rear until it stops and unscrew it from the bolt carrier. The bolt, bolt carrier, and gas piston assembly can now be removed from the back of the upper receiver.
The mechanism appears to borrow from the AR-15, AK 47 and the AR-180 and functions reliably. The front sight adjusts for elevation in the same manner as any AR-15 and the rear sight appears to be an early AR-15 two position aperture that is click adjustable for windage by a knob that can be turned with the fingers.
The barrel seems to be a 1 in 12" twist with an early AR-15 three prong flash suppressor and a clamp on bayonet lug. Accuracy is as good as any rack grade 5.56mm as long as light bullets are used because of the barrel's twist rate.
Handling is virtually the same as an AR-15. The weight is similar as is overall length and placement of controls with the exception of the charging handle and the location on the Bushmaster is an improvement. The buttstock locks in the extended position but does not when folded.
Overall it's an interesting design.