We were looking for an AR style rifle that was small, light and easy to maintain. The kind of gun you can throw in the trunk and forget about or take apart and tuck in a backpack without adding 10 pounds. We found the Bushmaster Carbon 15 rifle.

This gun uses a carbon-filled, molded plastic in place of aluminum for the receiver parts (note: it’s not carbon fiber resin like in a stealth fighter).  Bushmaster claims that this polymer is 40% lighter than aluminum while maintaining a 40% increase in strength.

We can verify that it’s light but really have no way to test the strength. There is a short, anodized aluminum Picatinny rail on the upper, for optics mounting.  Our version came with a Tasco red dot sight. We replaced this with a nice Aimpoint unit.

The barrel is 16 inches long, very thin and light, keeping with the design of this model. A basic flash suppressor is also included. The stock is collapsible, making transport of the gun very easy.

There are many opinions on the net regarding this model (and Bushmaster in general). Some people like them and others say they are not worth the plastic they’re made with. We decided to give it a try because it offered the features we were looking for, AND, we wanted to form our own opinion!

In determining the value of this kind of gun, one must look its intended uses. This is not a MilSpec weapon designed for hard use by the military. Therefore, to compare it to such weapons is a waste of time. From our perspective, it’s the kind of gun meant to be carried a lot and fired occasionally -- no different than an airweight J-frame .357 revolver. Not the kind of gun you take to the combat shooting match, shooting school or just plain fire often. But it’s the kind of gun you’re likely to have with you when you need it.

The bolt carrier of the rifle which is of the AR-15 style, often described as inferior by some on the web, seemed well made with functional staking of the bolt screws.

Over the past year, we’ve shot approximately 2,500 rounds through it, using various .223 ammo. We intentionally used it as often as possible, in order to see how it would hold up.  After a year, it still looks like new. Everything is as tight as it was when new and it shoots reliably every time you pull the trigger. Accuracy is good, anywhere from 2--4 inches at 100 yards with the Aimpoint sight. More than enough for its intended purposes.

This has been a nice gun and fulfilled everything we needed of it.