On a lark!

PolarFBear · March 24, 2025, 07:14 PM

On a lark I bought a Windham Armory AR-15 style chambered in 7.62 X 39. I've done a search on Gunbroker and this forum. Can't find any info on the brand, nor style. I seem to recall that Windham folded a few years back under pressure from the ATF. Any inputs from forum members? The price was right and I was interested in the 7.62 chambering.

deadcoyote · March 24, 2025, 08:13 PM

So bushmaster was a quality AR company, and when bushmaster was purchased the buyer wanted the name only so the employees ponied up and purchased the tooling and physical site and opened windham. I have never seen one in the wild but I assume if they’re anything like the old bushmasters were then you’re good to go and acquired a high quality rifle.

PolarFBear · March 24, 2025, 09:01 PM

deadcayote- thanks, comforting. I really did buy it on impulse. Came with a hard case, two mags, red-dot optic (that I haven't figured out) and an hard case. All for 5 "brother-bens".

stagpanther · March 24, 2025, 09:35 PM

Quote:

So bushmaster was a quality AR company, and when bushmaster was purchased the buyer wanted the name only so the employees ponied up and purchased the tooling and physical site and opened windham. I have never seen one in the wild but I assume if they’re anything like the old bushmasters were then you’re good to go and acquired a high quality rifle.

Windam Arms was the resurrection of the AR manufacturing business by the original founder of Bushmaster in Maine. I live in Maine and have seen many of their rifles for sale; mostly on 308 or 5.56 and 7.62 x 39 would be a rare one from them, quite possibly a collector's item. Unfortunately they simply couldn't compete on a fairly flooded market niche of mostly similar products even though they did try some innovative customizations like wood components. I would place them as a quality tier AR, a step above mass-produced consumer-grade ones. I've shot one of their xx 308s and thought it was a very good well-made gun.

imashooter · March 25, 2025, 07:22 AM

I have their 20" govt model. Only thing I did to it was install a full-size variable scope and swap out the trigger assembly. Great gun and laser accurate.

Ignition Override · March 29, 2025, 05:39 PM

A former coworker (our MEM crewbase disappeared after the merger with Delta) owns a Bushmaster and might have used it to set the two records while he was on the Navy Marksmanship Team.

PolarFBear: do you have access to any rifle Gongs at 200 or 300 yards?
That chambering should allow you to hear impacts better than with a .223? My .308s' impacts are louder than .223 without a doubt.
We have these gongs at the TSF club just south of Jackson TN (a 1:40 drive from here in Lakeland).

bamaranger · March 29, 2025, 08:53 PM

Can't say about the rifle, but I find the 7.62x39mm Soviet a very useful and practical cartridge. Cheap steel case ammo is drying up, but none the less, a .30 cal cartridge approaching .30 WCF numbers, rimless and working thru a compact semi or bolt action carbine is a very handy thing. I've found the cartridge far more accurate than critics spout when loaded as a sporting round with good bullets and brass cases and fired through anything other than clapped out AK or SKS rifles.

Best of luck with your new rifle.

Wag · March 30, 2025, 10:16 AM

I have a Windham in 5.56 and I like it plenty well. Several people have said they want to buy it from me but when it comes to brass tacks, they never come forward with the $$$.

I'm betting you'll like yours too.

--Wag--

March 24, 2025, 07:14 PM	#1
PolarFBear Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2015 Location: NE Tennessee, a "Free State" Posts: 487	On a lark! On a lark I bought a Windham Armory AR-15 style chambered in 7.62 X 39. I've done a search on Gunbroker and this forum. Can't find any info on the brand, nor style. I seem to recall that Windham folded a few years back under pressure from the ATF. Any inputs from forum members? The price was right and I was interested in the 7.62 chambering.

March 29, 2025, 05:39 PM	#6
Ignition Override Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2008 Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy Posts: 2,899	A former coworker (our MEM crewbase disappeared after the merger with Delta) owns a Bushmaster and might have used it to set the two records while he was on the Navy Marksmanship Team. PolarFBear: do you have access to any rifle Gongs at 200 or 300 yards? That chambering should allow you to hear impacts better than with a .223? My .308s' impacts are louder than .223 without a doubt. We have these gongs at the TSF club just south of Jackson TN (a 1:40 drive from here in Lakeland). Last edited by Ignition Override; March 29, 2025 at 05:51 PM.

March 29, 2025, 08:53 PM	#7
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,785	7.62x39 Can't say about the rifle, but I find the 7.62x39mm Soviet a very useful and practical cartridge. Cheap steel case ammo is drying up, but none the less, a .30 cal cartridge approaching .30 WCF numbers, rimless and working thru a compact semi or bolt action carbine is a very handy thing. I've found the cartridge far more accurate than critics spout when loaded as a sporting round with good bullets and brass cases and fired through anything other than clapped out AK or SKS rifles. Best of luck with your new rifle.

March 30, 2025, 10:16 AM	#8
Wag Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2010 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 1,010	I have a Windham in 5.56 and I like it plenty well. Several people have said they want to buy it from me but when it comes to brass tacks, they never come forward with the $$$. I'm betting you'll like yours too. --Wag-- __________________ "Great genius will always encounter fierce opposition from mediocre minds." --Albert Einstein.

March 24, 2025, 08:13 PM	#2
deadcoyote Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2009 Location: northern CA Posts: 721	So bushmaster was a quality AR company, and when bushmaster was purchased the buyer wanted the name only so the employees ponied up and purchased the tooling and physical site and opened windham. I have never seen one in the wild but I assume if they’re anything like the old bushmasters were then you’re good to go and acquired a high quality rifle.

March 24, 2025, 09:01 PM	#3
PolarFBear Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2015 Location: NE Tennessee, a "Free State" Posts: 487	deadcayote- thanks, comforting. I really did buy it on impulse. Came with a hard case, two mags, red-dot optic (that I haven't figured out) and an hard case. All for 5 "brother-bens".

March 25, 2025, 07:22 AM	#5
imashooter Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2013 Location: Alabama Posts: 403	I have their 20" govt model. Only thing I did to it was install a full-size variable scope and swap out the trigger assembly. Great gun and laser accurate.