Bushmaster Questions

A

Art Eatman

Staff in Memoriam
I fell into a reasonable deal on an XM15 E2S V Match 20" version. Tried it out with 10 rounds of Remington full-patch bullets of some unknown weight, that came with it.

1. Do they all come with such horrible triggers? What are the common remedies? (I've limited my own trigger-smithing to the 1911 and a few .22 rifles.)

2. Is a three-shot group of 3/4" good? Bad? Indifferent? I was re-zeroing the scope, but as near as I could tell, all ten shots could have gone inside of 1-1/2", at worst.

Thanks for any help,

Art
 
Hi Unca Art!

I see you got bit by the poodleshooter bug finally! I think if you can get 3/4" or even 1 1/2 for 10 rounds at (100yd?) with nondescript ball ammo, what is your complaint? The triggers are pretty good to me, but I have Colt, can't rightly say about a Bushy. Do you like a single stage with a super light pull or a two stage with takeup and then a crisp 3 pound pull or what? Good shooting!
 
Art: The fix on the trigger is to replace the trigger with an aftermarket. The trigger/sear parts are case-hardened, so if you do any grinding, you get down to the soft, unhardened metal.

I use the JP Enterprises trigger/hammer combo. Cost me about $140; I get a creepless 2.5# pull with no overtravel.

The accuracy that you got is great for any off-the-shelf semi-auto. I've shot some 1/2" groups with my Bushy Shorty, with Berger bullets and my carefully-constructed handloads.
 
Hey, You Guys Are Quick!

BigG, I'm always affected by money. It's plumb amazin' what I'll wind up owning if the price is right! Anyway, no complaints; just ignorance about the animal. My trigger-experience has been with crisp breaks, at two or three pounds. Canjar, Timney, older Sako.

WalterGAII, thanks for the info. I'll keep that "on file", if I decide to keep the rifle. I've been "messing around" with some loads for my Ruger 77 in .223; I'll see how they work in the Bushmaster...

Regards, Art
 
Art, I have the same model. I concur about the JP trigger/hammer comments, mine is set at 2lbs 14oz. Accuracy is just fine, .750"@100m with 68 Federal Match. 62gr IMI SS109 shoots about an inch. My 16" Bushmaster has a 5.5lb trigger out of the box and is a fine shooter as well. Regards, Rob
 
My Bushmaster suffered from AR trigger also and I put some moly paste on the sear/hammer engagement surfaces and now it is like glass [heavy glass] . The moly worked better than any of the super lubes I have . Good luck , Mike...
 
I just got a 16" Bushmaster last month and my trigger is around 6-7 pounds with some creep. Not too bad compared to my Ruger Mini-14 and Ranch rifles that I been shooting for past 12 years.

I only shot using generic UMC, USA, and some surplus ammo in mine and I'm getting about 2" group for 10 shots. With UMC I get just over 1" for 3 shot group using the Red Dot sight. I'm going to put a scope on it one day and shoot some match ammo just to see how accurate it really is. I expect it will shoot under 1" without problem as long as I do my part behind the trigger.
 
FWIW, the trigger on my Bushy is pretty good in my opinion. Yes, it is a tad heavy, but it is crisp and has very little creep. However, being that I do like a two stage trigger, I may opt for that in the future.


kgs.
 
Cheap & Dirty

Art,

For a cheap & dirty improvement on the AR15 trigger try polishing the trigger pin. Reinstall the trigger pin and put some oil on it. It's not going to bring a 9lb trigger down to a 4.5# let alone 8.75#s. However, I've noticed that this procedure has improved the smoothness on my AR15 triggers. It's made my Jewell more of a jewel, the Rock-River 2-stage a lot smoother, and my bone-stock AR15 triggers a little more bearable. I've felt some AR15 triggers that would take a whole team of sled-dogs to pull them, including one of mine :(

If you do decide to replace the trigger, I whole-heartedly recommend the Jewell 2-stage. That is of course if 2-stage triggers float your boat. Pricey, but well worth it, and tuneable beyond belief.

I can't comment on aftermarket single stage triggers except for the Williams set-trigger, which was magnificent on the specimen that I test drove.

My experiences have lead me to believe that production AR15s have horrible triggers.

By the way, 3-shots in 3/4" is considered great, in MY opinion. 10-shots in 1.5" is also great. You have my respect. My personal best is slightly under one inch at 100yds, 5shots of Spanish SS109. I think you've already found out that most of these rifles are capable of MOA or better.

Take care!
Jim
 
Rub it in Art!

I contend that Art has no deal on a Bushmaster. He is simply rubbing in my face the fact that I am a political prisoner in the PRK! I see how it is now Art! :mad:
 
Thanks, all. I apprefciate the advice. Real helpful.

El Rojo, in the words of the Immortal Philosopher, "I don't see no anchor tied to yore butt."

:), Art

Kalifornia: The only place I know where they turn out the lights but don't leave.
 
Art, I heartily recommend the Jewell 2-stage trigger - that's what I installed in my XM15E2. I've got it tuned to a crisp 2.5 pounds (could go lighter) but if I ever shoot this in a service rifle match, it's a snap to adjust up. Cost me about $180 from MidwayUSA when on sale. (I've heard conflicting stories about longevity of the Compass Lake trigger someone else mentioned.) I'm not a gunsmith, so it took me about an hour to install the trigger; if I were to do it again, I'd probably get it done in 20 minutes.

Accuracy? With iron sights, best I can do is about a 2 1/2" to 3" group at 100 for 20 rounds with standard ball ammo. With a 'scope, I can halve that for 18 of 20, but every box will have a couple of uncalled "flyers" which is why serious shooters load match bullets in their target ammo.
 
Thanks, HankB.

Are the trigger and sear interchangeable with GI parts? I've been doing too much backhoe work and .30-30 meddling to go inside the Bushmaster, yet. Not to mention Moderatin'.

:), Art
 
Art,

The BM trigger and hammer are interchangeable with GI parts, but they won't get any better.

I have the CLE 2 stage on my BM/CLE rifle and a BM 2 stage (a copy of the CLE trigger) transplanted into my AR-10. I really like that trigger. A friend of mine has the Jewell trigger and from where he has it adjusted, I don't think there is much sear engagement. The CLE trigger has gobs of sear engagement, which means its very safe and will last a long time (greater sear engagement area = less stress on sear surfaces).

I'd recommend the CLE.

Albin
 
Being an inveterate tinkerer, I figured that if I picked up a GI trigger and sear, and stoned until I got the engagement and release I wanted, I'd then try my hand at home-grown case hardening.

I tried this, years ago, on a home-made knifeblade. Acetylene "wrench", powdered carbon, motor oil...Dunno which worked, but I managed to get a glass-hard surface. I didn't get it right the first time, of course.

If I lose, I won't have cost myself much money--and I still have the original, working trigger/sear. :)

Art
 
Art, I think you will be farther ahead by polishing the existing engagement surfaces with a felt wheel on your Dremel tool, degreasing and applying moly paste. The felt wheel and fine abrasive should clean up the pull. Best, Rob
 
Thankee, RobCon. And thanks to all who've responded. Now I have lots of options to try on my own, as well as a whole new way to spend money!

:), Art

"The only difference between men and boys is the cost of their toys."
 
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