Bushmaster ACR vs Remington ACR

A client recently asked our gunsmith for advice regarding purchasing a Bushmaster ACR vs. a Remington ACR.  This was Gunsmith Andy Ward’s response:
Bushmaster ACR vs Remington ACR
That is a great question about a Bushmaster ACR vs. Remington ACR!  The answer might not be what you expected though.  Remington arms company along with quite a few others Such as Bushmaster are all part of the Freedom Group, which is owned by Cerberus Capital Management.  Since the two companies were bought and are now owned and managed by the same corporation, they have started working together, unbeknownst to most of the people in the gun world.  Since they are working in co-operation with each other the two “different” ACR platforms are really one and the same, and are most likely being built on the same assembly line.  The differences are very slight and are mostly external such as the angle the stock folds or what color they are available in, it is basically like deciding whether you want the Chevy or the GMC.  In this case Bushmaster would be the standard Chevy and Remington would be the more dressed up fancier GMC Denali.  You will most likely find that the Bushmaster is easier to find because they are better known for combat style rifles while Remington is better known for hunting firearms, and therefore from a marketing standpoint the majority of the rifles coming off of the assembly line are most likely being branded as Bushmaster.  It really comes down to which one you like the looks of more and which one you can actually get your hands on.  
 
Great choice either way though, the 223 is a lot of fun and being able to switch to the 6.8spc cartridge is really cool.  You might check to see if they are actually producing the 6.8 barrel and bolt assembly before purchasing because the platform came out several years ago in 223 but they never released to conversion parts to the public for at least the first 2 or 3 years, so it is worth checking on so as not to be disappointed after a purchase.  Also it is possible to convert any standard 223 chambered AR style rifle to shoot the 6.8spc cartridge, it just takes a lot more knowledge and time and some tools.
 
Hope this “Bushmaster ACR vs Remington ACR” review helps instead of just confusing your decision.  Good luck and have a great time at the range!
 
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