AR 15 questions

M

Mackeath

Inactive
Ok, I bought a Bushmaster 16 inch barrel AR-15 last week and absolutely love it. So far it has been extremely accurate and totally reliable with just over 300 rounds of ammo through it. I have a few questions though.

1. Magazines. Ok, I have two metal GI mags and three Thermold mags. The metal ones are fine, but I love the Themold mags. In fact, I ordered 5 more from AIM surplus. Was this foolish? I have been told by my AR buddys that these mags are great and really reliable, but might melt a little if I fire too many rounds too quickly. I dumped 30 rounds through one as fast as I can pull the trigger, and it didint melt, so are my concerns baseless?

2. Cleaning. Ok, any special instructions? And how the heck do I use that chamber brush and then clean out all the gunk left behind when Im done? Ive read instructions, but it seems really awkward and like Im not doing it right.

3. Ammo. Ok, I ordered 1000 rounds of PMC 55 grain .223. Is this good ammo? Also, what kind of velocity etc does it have out of my barrel (16 inches). Also, I have a 1 in 9 twist, what is the best weight for good accuracy with this?

If you guys could answer these questions and give any good advise, that would be great.

Thanks

Mac
 
Mackeath:

First, congratulations on acquiring a fine firearm. It will outlast you if you maintain it properly. As to your questions:

1) Thermolds will not melt. The Canadian army versions (made of a different material) were prone to melt when fired FULL AUTO. You won't be doing that and yours are American made and of a more durable material. They are good mags. That said, the USGI mags by Colt, Okay, etc. are the best. Get a supply now!

2) Just clean after every use. As to cleaning the lug area, there are several techniques. Sinclair International makes a dandy tool just for that purpose. Check out their catalog or web site.

3) PMC is good, reliable ammo. However, it is not the most accurate. But, depending on your purpose, it should be accurate enough. The primers can be hard but with an AR-15 that shouldn't be a problem (some bolt-action rifles have trouble igniting them). The 1-in-9 twist will stablize most weights but 55-grain is the most common in this caliber. For great prices and service on ammo see: www.ammoman.com . Good shooting!
 
PMC (Republic of Korea) is a little dirty compared to other manufacturers. Not as bad as the Chinese Norinco fodder.

We have an AR-15 with a 16" upper and 1 in 9 twist. It does well with Czech S&B 55 grain, decent accuracy and fairly clean. From what I have read, the 62 grain bullet will do very well in a twist of 1 in 9. We use the 55 grain for plinking and keep the 62 grain for SHTF.
 
Ggggreat choice in hardware!! I own the same Rifle..

The USGI mags are the 'best' as I am sure everyone will agree but Thermold comes in second in my book. I have been very hard on my Thermold mags and they have never failed. Orlite is number three and are very reliable as long as they have a mold# of 20 and up.

I have found that PMC, Sellier&Bellot and Federal A.E. are very reliable in my Bushmaster. PMC being my #1 range ammo I have not noticed it being dirty at all and its very accurate. The PMC does have a larger flash but I kinda like that.

Be cautious with the surplus battlepack that are going cheap right now. Some are good and others are crap. Be sure to get some feedback before buying any. I have used the 300 round battlepacks from AIM SURPLUS and its top notch(1980's production)


Below is a list of LINKS that have been more than helpful with my AR needs. (Enjoy)
www.cheaperthandirt.com www.ammoman.com www.cole-distributing.com www.ammoclip.com www.aaconsult.com/ammoreview/ www.clipsnstuff.com www.cdnninvestments.com www.gungoodies.com www.gunsprings.com
 
I have the same rifle. I recommend you get some 20 round mags if you can find them. USGIs are best, but hard to find, and generally more expensive than 30 rounders. The 30's can affect your stance and accuracy in prone position and for benchrest. I sometimes find the bottom of the 30 rd mag rubbing against my wrist in the standing position.

I have never used PMC in my AR, but I did try some in my M1 Carbine. In a box of 50 rds, I had 5 or 6 fail-to-eject. Never had a single one with other brands. If it works for you, should be OK.
 
I too have the same rifle. Love it.
reiterate what everyone has said about USGI mags. havevn't had a problem with any of the 10 or 11 i have.
PMC was/is good stuff. I haven't bought any since late 99, because there were rumors that it had dissappeared for a little bit and when it came back, the price was a little higher and other stuff was alittle cheaper. But is was good stuff and if it was as cheap as S&B or PMP locally I would get buy more. I can't tell the difference, between these 3 brands when I shoot. They all will put 60 rds inside a 2 ½ inch group at 50 yards

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It ain't mah fault. did I do dat?
http://yellowman.virtualave.net/
 
I too will sing the praises of PMC.
It's good, it's hot and it's reliable.
I haven't noticed that it's especially dirty though. Yeah, it cruds up the rifle about 500 rounds or so, but what ammo doesn't?

For cleaning the chamber after using the chamber brush, I believe the old ways are the best, get a metric buttload of Q-tips and pipe cleaners and just keep dipping and swabbing until it comes out clean.
Slow and annoying? YEP! But worth the time and effort.

I don't own a Bushmaster, mine's an Oly that I built from a kit days before The Ban went into effect, and I've never had any problems with it.
Bushmaster once had a very unenviable reputation, has that changed significantly?
All you Bushmaster owners, how's the quality of fit and reliability stack up these days? Should I run out and pick one up?


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Your mind is your primary weapon.
USE IT!
 
Bushmaster quality and reliability is TOP NOTCH. I have not had a failure of any kind (4000 rounds) with every kind of ammo I could find. Well, I havent tried the Russian ammo and dont plan to.
 
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