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4 Posts
I've fired about 300 rounds now on combat courses and the selector lever is poorly designed ergonomically. I don't think it is just me, as everyone I've showed the rifle to comments on it.
Since the grip angle to the bore is closer than on an AR, the location of the selector is closer to the firing hand. When in the "fire" position, the ambi side digs into the operator's trigger finger, enough so to be annoying and a hinderance to accurate shooting. It will be less annoying using the first pad of the trigger finger, but if using other shooting techniques common to the AR-style trigger, such as using the first joint of the trigger finger, the selector lever is in the way.
In addition, it is impossible to have the weapon in a proper low-ready position and actuate the selector without breaking the dominant hand firing grip. The only way around it is to do an HK-style cant of the weapon when in low ready, and the rotate it to the upright position after moving the selector lever. This is inefficient in a modern design, especially when the existing AR platform is perfectly 100% A-OK in that regard. This is a regression, in a rifle that is supposed to be an improvment.
Bushmaster could solve both problems by simply redesigning the angle of the selector lever pad. Rather than the AR-style position, the lever should be offset about 30 degrees counter-clockwise, and made longer, with a final downward angle. This would put the lever out of the way of the operator's trigger finger, AND put the lever at a position that it could be operated while the dominant hand is in position on the grip.
I'm surprised that in such a hyped-up design - where ergonomics are highlighted - that the selector was done the way it was. Fail.
Since the grip angle to the bore is closer than on an AR, the location of the selector is closer to the firing hand. When in the "fire" position, the ambi side digs into the operator's trigger finger, enough so to be annoying and a hinderance to accurate shooting. It will be less annoying using the first pad of the trigger finger, but if using other shooting techniques common to the AR-style trigger, such as using the first joint of the trigger finger, the selector lever is in the way.
In addition, it is impossible to have the weapon in a proper low-ready position and actuate the selector without breaking the dominant hand firing grip. The only way around it is to do an HK-style cant of the weapon when in low ready, and the rotate it to the upright position after moving the selector lever. This is inefficient in a modern design, especially when the existing AR platform is perfectly 100% A-OK in that regard. This is a regression, in a rifle that is supposed to be an improvment.
Bushmaster could solve both problems by simply redesigning the angle of the selector lever pad. Rather than the AR-style position, the lever should be offset about 30 degrees counter-clockwise, and made longer, with a final downward angle. This would put the lever out of the way of the operator's trigger finger, AND put the lever at a position that it could be operated while the dominant hand is in position on the grip.
I'm surprised that in such a hyped-up design - where ergonomics are highlighted - that the selector was done the way it was. Fail.
