Bushmaster ACR: Not Quite Dead Yet?

[BoringGuy45]

The ACR is a sad story. It seems like it was a very sound design, and with better quality control and some tweaking, it would be an excellent rifle. I wish a good company like BCM could get a hold of the design and run with it.

[MegademiC]

The ACR is a sad story. It seems like it was a very sound design, and with better quality control and some tweaking, it would be an excellent rifle. I wish a good company like BCM could get a hold of the design and run with it.

If they actually put effort into it, I would have one. You have a sub-par company that half-assed the thing. Then they say "now well come out with the real version" (remmington), but never do. The whole thing was a cluster and the moment has passed. I've decided to stick with ARS and 1 ak.

Honestly, what were they thinking? Who runs a company like that?

[Dionysusigma]

Shareholders who are cashing in on a historically good name and care little for what happens to the company when they sell their stock next quarter.

[BoringGuy45]

Shareholders who are cashing in on a historically good name and care little for what happens to the company when they sell their stock next quarter.

That's a big thing: Name recognition can override any need to create good quality products, especially in a set-in-our-ways type of community like gun enthusiasts. During my time behind the counter, I told many a customer that Remington is not the same Remington quality you probably think it is. And also, Bushmaster was once "among the best of what was available", but with offerings from Colt, BCM, DD, etc, it's now a pretty forgettable AR. And inevitably, I'd get the same kinds of responses: "I use nothing but Remington, my daddy used nothing but Remington, his daddy used nothing but Remington, and I've been shooting guns since before you were born, so I think I know a little more than you about Remington!"

Because of stuff like that, they keep buying it up, and Remington/Bushmaster has no incentive to offer anything better quality.

[SomeOtherGuy]

The ACR is a sad story. It seems like it was a very sound design, and with better quality control and some tweaking, it would be an excellent rifle. I wish a good company like BCM could get a hold of the design and run with it.

This is a common story unfortunately. The Robinson M96 was absolutely awesome, and I loved mine, except for having no real expectation of support or parts availability, so I sold it before anything broke. The Robinson XCR looks awesome but I am not interested in gambling. The Bushhamster ACR looks great, but anyone in this thread knows its pathetic tale of late arrival and near immediate abandonment. The much older Bushhamster M17S was kinda cool too. The original Armalite AR-180 was nice, but it appears most of the production went to the IRA, and the reproduction AR-180 from Armalite, Inc. of Illinois was half crippled and barely supported, and it too is gone and unsupported now.

This is why virtually everything I collect or shoot now is either a military-adopted design (AR-15, AKM) or if solely commercial, at least a hugely widespread design (Ruger 10/22, Remington 700). If something is purely commercial and doesn't break 100,000 units, it's probably going to be orphaned young. My 2 cents.

[SteyrAUG]

The ACR is a sad story. It seems like it was a very sound design, and with better quality control and some tweaking, it would be an excellent rifle. I wish a good company like BCM could get a hold of the design and run with it.

Yep. I don't have time to play the "Is Bushmaster really Remington or are they all Bushmasters now?" game.

[Waylander]

What's the reasoning for the Remington ACR, parts, support, etc. only being available to the govt? I'm sure that's turned off a lot of would-be ACR buyers like myself.

http://remingtonmilitary.com/Firearms/Carbines/ACR.aspx

[WickedWillis]

I have always been a fan of it, but I was talked out of buying one by the fine people here when I first got on the site. If it gets some love, and is proven to improve upon design, I may pick one up down the road and put it through it's paces. We will see. If they don't release the MDR soon it's going to be the ACR sequel.

[Bret]

Brownells now has the 5.56x45 barrel assemblies in stock.
http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts...rearms+int.llc.

I'd sure like to know the weight of each one so that I can compare them to my original factory barrel. I'd also like to know if the 14.5" barrel's flash hider adapter is permanently attached so that it wouldn't make the rifle an SBR.

[Auto426]

Brownells now has the 5.56x45 barrel assemblies in stock.
http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts...rearms+int.llc.

I'd sure like to know the weight of each one so that I can compare them to my original factory barrel. I'd also like to know if the 14.5" barrel's flash hider adapter is permanently attached so that it wouldn't make the rifle an SBR.

There's a thread going in the ACR section of TOS that has a few people who have posted weight and picture comparisons. IIRC the weight difference is basically non existent as the profile they use is the same as the stock barrels except they eliminated the M203 notch.