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Bushmaster Firearms International

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Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC
Company typeSubsidiary
Founded1973
HeadquartersMadison, North Carolina, U.S.
OwnerFreedom Group
Websitehttp://bushmaster.com

Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC, based in Madison, North Carolina, in the United States, is a manufacturer and distributor of guns. Bushmaster's product line revolves around semi-automatic pistol and rifle variants of the M4 / AR-15 design. The .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle is known as the weapon that was used by the DC sniper in 2002.[1]

Bushmaster became part of the Freedom Group, owned by Cerberus Capital Management, when owner Richard E. Dyke, who had purchased the company in 1978, sold the company to Cerberus in April, 2006. [2] On December 18, 2012, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre with one of its products, Cerberus announced that it will sell Bushmaster.[3]

Bushmaster Firearms

Bushmaster's firearms are typically offered in a 5.56 NATO chambering with forged aircraft-grade (7075-T6) aluminum receivers. Most Bushmaster barrels are 4150 steel, offered in 1:9 twist rate, and chrome-lined to increase durability. Some barrels are available with 1:7 rifling, on special order. Stainless steel or chrome molybdenum barrels are available on certain models. Their name is not to be confused with the Bushmaster Auto-cannon.

History

Bushmaster Firearms originally produced their 'First Generation' rifle using an aluminum lower receiver paired to a stamped steel upper receiver. This first generation model used the AK-47 gas system and the recoil spring is located within the upper barrel gas system as compared to the AR-15/M-16, where the recoil spring is located within the butt stock. Originally marketed for police and the military, Bushmaster later changed its unique hybrid version AR-15/M-16 to the standard Colt/Armalite design. The First Generation rifles were chambered for the 5.56mm round. Bushmaster First Generation rifles are very rare and are collectibles.

ACR

Main article: Bushmaster ACR

In late January 2008, it was announced that Bushmaster had signed a licensing deal with Magpul, granting Bushmaster the rights to produce and distribute Magpul's Masada rifle, renamed the Bushmaster ACR.[4] In 2010, Bushmaster has also made the ACR available to the civilian market, posting it on its website.[5]

Carbon 15

Carbon 15 is a lightweight AR15 available as rifles or pistols. It saves weight by using polymer instead of the traditional steel or aluminum in the upper and lower receivers. Some models also remove the forward assist, dust cover, as well use a thinner barrel design to save additional weight.

Dissipator models

Bushmaster XM15 E2S A2 16in Dissipator Model
Bushmaster Dissipator barrel showing its shaved gas block and full-length M16A2 handguard

The Bushmaster Dissipator is an attempt at a "best of both worlds" AR carbine, combining the long sight radius of the full-length M16A2 with the shorter (16.1"/406mm) barrel of some of the shorter carbines. This combination would allow the most effective use of the iron sights for a carbine with such a short barrel, and may be preferred if the carbine is going to be used primarily with iron sights. Similar modifications have been accomplished in the past by other manufacturers and by depot-level modification, but these earlier conversions sometimes suffered from reliability problems due to the close proximity of the gas port to the muzzle, which throws the timing of the weapon's gas system off and makes it especially sensitive to gas port diameter and port pressure variables introduced by the ammunition. Bushmaster's solution was to use the front sight tower/gas block in its regular, long sight radius position as for the M16, and then fit a second, "shaved" gas block at the normal position for the carbine-length barrels such as the M4 or CAR-15. This second gas block is completely covered by the standard full-length M16A2 handguards, which may be used without further modification. However, some aftermarket rail systems may require minor modifications in order to be properly fitted. Dissipator barrels are available in heavy, fluted, and "M4" configurations, depending on the weight and balance characteristics required by the user.

M17

Main article: Bushmaster M17S

The Bushmaster M17S is a semi-automatic bullpup rifle that was manufactured by Bushmaster from 1992 until 2005.

BAR-10

The BAR-10 was meant to compete in the .308 market against Armalite's AR-10 series rifles and Springfield Armory's M1A Rifle by offering a .308 rifle that could accept the relatively inexpensive metric and inch pattern FN FAL magazines. In 2005 Bushmaster discontinued the BAR-10 line of rifles. The design has since been licensed to Rock River Arms.

Beltway sniper lawsuit

Main article: Beltway sniper attacks

In 2004, Bushmaster Firearms agreed to contribute $500,000 to a $2.5 million settlement along with co-defendant Bull's Eye Shooter Supply, paid to some victims and families of victims of the 2002 Beltway snipers. A Bushmaster-manufactured .223 caliber rifle was used in the attacks. The company cited mounting legal fees as the reason for settling.[6]

Shutdown

In mid-December 2010, Freedom Group announced that operations at the Windham, Maine, facility would cease as of March 2011.[7]

Divestiture by Cerberus

Bushmaster XM15 E2S A2 20in

In a press release Cerberus Captal Management indicated the decision to sell the company stemmed from the use of one of its products in the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Newtown, Connecticut “It is apparent that the Sandy Hook tragedy was a watershed event that has raised the national debate on gun control to an unprecedented level.”[8][3]

See also

References

  1. ^ Matt Apuzzo. Rifle in Conn. massacre similar to DC sniper. AP December 15, 2012.
  2. ^ Balentine, John (April 21, 2006). "Dyke sells Bushmaster Firearms". Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Cerberus to sell gunmaker after massacre". CNN. December 18, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  4. ^ Magpul Comments: Bushmaster ACR January 31, 2008 http://ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=2&f=124&t=158557
  5. ^ Bushmaster Firearms International Product Catalog www.bushmaster.com/catalog_main_index.asp
  6. ^ Manning, Stephen (September 10, 2004). "Families of sniper victims reach settlement". Associated Press. Retrieved April 18, 2007.
  7. ^ Christian, Ken (December 10, 2010). "http://www.wlbz2.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=140185&catid=3". Retrieved November 29, 2012. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  8. ^ Reaction to Newtown Shootings Spreads to Corporate America New York Times - Dec 18, 2012.
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