Bushmaster Varminter .223

[otis24]

I have an opportunity to trade my Winchester Model 70 .223 for a Bushmaster Varminter .223. The Model 70 is circa 1983. The Bushmaster is circa 2005. I don’t know much about Bushmaster. I would only trade because I know my son would enjoy shooting the Bushmaster. Fair trade???

 

[diyj98]

Bushmaster is fine. Although some are going to say "it ain't no Colt". You didn't say which Model 70. Synthetic stock/matte finish/no floorplate/Walmart Special or wooden stock all the bells and whistles? That Bushmaster could be worth more or less than your 70.

 

[otis24]

Wood stock. No floor plate.

 

[Eric300]

I'd make the trade, especially if you want a .223 semi-auto for varmint hunting. I used to have a Remington bolt-action VSF in .223 that was a tack driver that I used for coyote, groundhog. etc. For yotes I would usually get 1 good shot, and slow, or no follow-up shots if needed for multiple targets. So, I sold it and got the Remington R-15 VTR Predator in .223, which was actually made by Bushmaster, so other than a few subtle differences it's essentially the same one you're considering. This rifle shoots every bit as good, or better, than my bolt-action VSF with 55 gr. Hornady V-Max. 300+ yard kills are not uncommon. Used price on these rifles are $1000.00+....if you can find one. I think you'll like it if you make the trade.

I put a few aftermarket parts on mine (Rock River Operator A2 Butt Stock, Ergo Pistol Grip, Sprinco Buffer Spring, Timney 3.5# Skeltonized Trigger, BCM Gunfighter Charging Handle).

Topped off with a Nikon M-223 4-16x42SF BDC Scope on a Nikon M-223 one piece mount.

238 yds. 1 shot

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

If you feel the need, the trade should be worth it in your favor a small bit.

Once you have a better grade scope on it, you need to find the ammo the gun likes! I have about 30 verities of Factory and reloads. Any gun is about to like one or two better than all the others. (I typically use Leupold Veri-X III 4.5-14 40mm or 6.5-20 40mm with AO and target knobs for varmint scopes.) Once you get to the place where a basic magnification power allows you to see, (for me around 10X) It is all about the quality of the glass and adjusters! So other brands are good! (Vortex, Nikon Leupold, and others will do the trick.)

Somewhere in time the "Reloading powers that be" decided that 50 grain bullets went in 222 Rem. and 55 grain bullets went in 223. I have found 50 grain poly tipped bullets in 223 give fantastic accuracy with 1:12, 1:10, & 1:9 twist barrels. H-335 powder or H-322, Fed. 105M primer, Lapua Match brass and a Sierra 50 grain Blitz King bullet gave groups in the zeros in good bolt guns and 1/4 MOA groups in my Bushmaster A4 (1996).

My Overall Length (COAL) is 1/10 over Sierra's listed length (so as to touch the land in my bolt gun). This same COAL fits in an AR mag, so I changed nothing for the AR.

This H-335 load accounted for several running coyotes at 250+ and numerous groundhogs at 350 to 450 yards.

In 1984 I loaded 20,000 Winchester 55gr. FMJ over WW748 with CCI Small Rifle Mag primers in mixed military brass, trimmed to same length. These produce 1/4 to 1/2 MOA groups in my AR. These days, with the cost of FMJ bullets, I wouldn't waste the effort and resources (But it is nice to know for when a large stash of bullets hits the market!) BTW, the brand of bullets makes a difference! The Winchester bullets I used were 2 to 3 times more accurate than Hornady FMJ's of back then!

Ivan

 

[Buick]

I wouldnt trade. That walnut stocked New Haven Winchester is just too tasty. It looks like it may even be a controlled round feed " classic" action with Mauser style claw extractor. Yes, too tasty indeed.

 

[lihpster]

If it were me, I'd keep the Winchester. Then build an AR with your son. Good bonding project.

 

[Kitgun]

Keep the Winchester they are not making them like that anymore.

 

[otis24]

The Bushmaster is built in Windham.

 

[shamuscull]

I own the stainless varminter. It is a nice shooter

 

[Eric300]

The Bushmaster is built in Windham.

'WAS' made in Windam, Me. before they packed up and moved (to Ilion, NY I think). That's when 'Windham Weaponry' started making AR's with their name on them out of the Windham facility.

 

[Valmet]

'WAS' made in Windam, Me. before they packed up and moved (to Ilion, NY I think). That's when 'Windham Weaponry' started making AR's with their name on them out of the Windham facility.

This is correct. IIRC when Bushmaster was bought by Freedom Group/Remington circa 2007 there was a 5-year no compete clause so Windham Weaponry didn’t start mfg’ing ARs until 2012ish. Production was moved from Windham ME to Ilion NY around 2009 and some of the early Illion guns had issues but were quickly remedied I believe.

I’ve owned Windham ME Bushmasters and Windham Weaponry ARs and both are fantastic rifles (and I’m a Colt guy)! Personally, I’d make the trade OP.

 

[otis24]

My son is into ARs. We will have an opportunity to bond over it at the range. If he really falls in love with it, he will own it before too long. As an aside, I paid $400 IIRC for a Ruger SP101. I traded the SP101 even up for the Winchester. So, either way, I’m not loosing anything.

 

[wood714]

My son is into ARs. We will have an opportunity to bond over it at the range. If he really falls in love with it, he will own it before too long. As an aside, I paid $400 IIRC for a Ruger SP101. I traded the SP101 even up for the Winchester. So, either way, I’m not loosing anything.

You can get a nice AR complete upper and lower from PSA in the $600 range.

Back in November I bought this AR pistol from them for $520. Upper and lower separate. I could have bought a rifle for the same price.

I'd keep the 70.

 

[Eric300]

Apples to oranges. That Bushmaster rifle is 10 times a better firearm than that PSA pistol is.

 

[Fishinfool]

I'll post a couple thoughts- Yes, you can build an accurate AR for on the cheap these days. Over the winter, I was bored, and had an stripped Anderson lower ($60.00) sitting around, so I decided to do an inexpensive basic open sight build with it. Found a PSA rifle kit on sale for $399, complete with Mag Pul sights. Put the rifle together, and frankly was impressed with the quality of the parts included, and the fit. It has about 200 rounds thru it now, shoots reliably, and is a 1 1/2 inch at 100 yard gun, with irons - as good as my eyesight allows these days with irons. Anyway, my point is I agree with the posters who say building one is not too expensive, and if the primary reason for doing so is to bond with your son, is a good way to go.

That Bushmaster is a nice rifle, original pre-Remington, and desirable to Bushmaster fans - not nearly as many were made as the common M4 types. Provided the bore is good, I think it's a fair trade. I would think in today's market, that wood stoch, push feed model 70 is maybe a $600 or so gun. My early 2000's Bushmaster M4 has about 10K rounds thru it, and it has been nothing but reliable and accurate. Either option is better than an unused rifle sitting in a safe.

Larry

 

[scott024]

I have a Bushmaster varmiter. It has a really nice factory trigger and shoots lights out. I think I paid $800 for it before 11-12 years ago. I run Fiochhi 40gr. ballistic tip through it.

To the OP, I would try to keep the Winchester 70 and buy the Bushmaster if possible. I have always regretted selling/trading guns on down the road.

 

[BillBro]

I could tell you a whopper of a tale about my Bushmaster Varminter but it sounds so outlandish that I dont tell it often and Ive never put it to print. Granted I had a witness but its not like you would ever be able to talk to him so the fact that I had a witness means nothing to you.

Suffice it to say that the one I had was accurate beyond imagination. Yes, it was only 1 shot and Im sure luck was in my back pocket but we, me and more so the gun did it.

The one I had was a nice gun. Trade? I dont know. Which will see more use?

 

[DesertFox]

Had a Bushmaster Varminter just like the one pictured. Accurate. I did end up trading it though when I decided that I could build one better myself with parts I spec-ed.

I'd keep the Winchester and buy the Varminter!

 

[CH4]

M70s in 223 aren't that common, especially the "Carbine Short Action." If it's not one of those, I'd make the trade. I think the Carbine Short Action came out a couple years later and has a floor plate.