Was shooting my AR-15 Bushmaster today and after about 500 rounds my bolt catch snapped off. I only noticed it when I went to reload and saw it sitting among the loose ammo. In all of my years I’ve never seen one break. Anyone know if this might be due to something else leading up to a malfunction or just one of those things?
Maybe this is the problem.
I swear people make it too easy these days!
If it was a bushmaster assembled lower then its probably that, crappy bushmaster parts. If you assembled the lower yourself dont use a no name parts kit.
How many rounds have you had through this previously? Only the 500? I would be disappointed.
FWIW I have replaced a few LMT and CMT bolt catches with Colt bolt catches via Brownells.
I also replaced the bolt catch on my SR15 with a Colt product so Im not just “hating” on BM.
did it snap on the roll pin hole?
Pics please.
Would also like to know if this was original equipment or aftermarket, if so, what brand.
Anything can break at any time. Some brands are more suscpetible than others. There are other issues that you should be concerned with as well with Bushmaster.
I suggest you use the SEARCH button to learn about them.
I have a lot of after market parts on it. I knew what I was buying when I bought it. The Bushmaster was the last AR in the store and the only place that had one with the lack of time before the ban in 99. I was in Germany and made it back just in time to make the purchase hold. I’ve replaced quite a few parts right off the get go and slowly replaced things at a steady pace since. Never would have thought that would break though.
A list of the parts you have on it now would help.
The simplest diagnosis many of us here are going to give you will be to keep the lower receiver, and start evaluating what you’re able to replace incrementally, starting with items like the LPK, Upper Receiver group, BCG.
Top end stuff will break if you use it enough, but a bolt catch shouldn’t be something that breaks before you’re having other issues crop up, that’s just poor QC in all likelihood, probably caused by BM trying to push as many units out the door right when you were buying.
What ban in 99?
OP lives in California.
Firstly, good on you for getting out and actually shooting the thing. A lot of guys will buy an AR just to have one and never really learn the gun.
You can use the ‘search’ function to find out what is wrong with your BM. Most likely your lower is fine. Everything else is suspect. Your mission at this point should be replace all of the critical parts just as soon as possible. Sell your old BM parts on Gunbroker with a very low starting bid. Believe me, people will buy them.
You sound like a shooter. If 500rds is your normal range session you will start to break more BM parts in short order.
since it’s a registered lower can you put any legal lnegth upper on it? and have a flash hider and all that? I’m not intimate with california laws, but if this is the case I’d look at replacing the complete upper assembly.
Yes he can. I would strip the lower and install a quality LPK. Then I would assess the upper and anything made by BM would go to the trash pile.
Speaking of Bushmaster, I went to a local NC gun show where I was trying to sell my Rem 700 to buy my wife her first AR…
“Bushmaster makes the finest assault rifles out there!”—“I’m sorry sir, but I really can’t agree. Give me a Colt, BCM, LMT, or Noveske, and I’ll be more than glad to make a deal here”—“COLT? REALLY? The Marine Corps must really have you brainwashed young man… I’ll take a quality Bushmaster over a Colt anyday!”
:rolleyes:
Of course there was a misinformed gunshowgoer there to agree with the dealer…
I still got the last laugh anyway in selling my 700 to him for $600… The 700 had terribly tight head space and a marred bolt lug from a gunsmith installing the scope mounts wrong.
Went to a gun shop and bought my wife an M&P 15 Sport for 630. =)
Thanks.
So let me get this straight, because some guy was a dickhead and ignorant you thought it was acceptable to sell him a weapon without full disclosure of its known issues?
…and after all that talk about Colt, BCM, etc…you bought a S&W M&P Sport?
It’s a first gun for his wife!@ wives don’t need Colt’s and BCM’s until they master the starter rifle IMO. For 630.00 it’s nota terrible rifle.
I mena, in my humble opinion.