When it comes to the AR-15, Bushmaster Firearms is on the shortlist if you want a quality-built rifle at a fair price. In fact, they have been doing it longer than most. To celebrate their 50th anniversary, Bushmaster has released the commemorative XM15A2 rifle.
Mirrored on the original M16A2 type rifles Bushmaster started making back in 1973, the XM15A2 50th Anniversary model is made in America and is available in a Gold or California-compliant package.
Quick Specs:
- Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
- Action: Direct Gas Impingement
- Receivers: 7075-T6 aluminum
- Barrel Length: 20 inches
- Overall Length: 40 inches
- Sights: A2 carry handle peep rear and A2 front post
- Trigger: Mil-Spec
- Magazine: 10-round/30-round aluminum
The XM15A2 is characteristic of the improved M16 of the Vietnam War. It is a semi-automatic rifle with a 20-inch rifle-length barrel capped by an A2 handguard and an A2 birdcage flash hider. The rifle also uses a fixed A2 buttstock. The sights are a traditional 8/3 fixed carry handle rear and an A2 front post with a bayonet lug.
The barrel, bolt carrier group, and gas key are chrome-lined for the best possible corrosion and fouling resistance. The A2 has a full-length rifle gas system, and the barrel has a 1:7 twist to make the most of the commonly available 5.56 NATO loads from the 55-grain M193 ball round to heavier 77-grain match loads.
The rifle comes finished in a hard, black anodized coating and ships within a full-sized Pelican case. Each rifle is embossed with the original 1973 Bushmaster logo on the right side of the receiver. The Gold edition ships with a 30-round AR-15 magazine, while the California version goes out with a 10-round magazine and no bayonet lug. The XM15A2 starts at an MSRP of $1637.
