Bushmaster XM-15

Last updated
Bushmaster XM-15
M4gery.jpg
Bushmaster XM15
Type Semi-automatic rifle/carbine/
AR-15 style rifle
Place of originUnited States
Service history
Wars War in Iraq (2013–2017) [1]
Production history
Manufacturer Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC
Specifications
Mass8.27 lb (3.75 kg) (20" barrel, without magazine) [2]
Length38.25 in (97.2 cm) (20" barrel)
Barrel  length20 in (51 cm) (rifle), 16 in (41 cm) (carbine)

Caliber .223 Remington / 5.56×45mm NATO
Action Gas operated, direct impingement
Rate of fire Semi-auto [3]
Muzzle velocity 3,260 feet per second (990 m/s) (rifle), 3,100 feet per second (940 m/s) (carbine)
Effective firing range600 yards (550 m) [3]
Maximum firing range3,865 yards (3,534 m) [3]
Feed system STANAG magazine, 30 rounds [4]
SightsA2-style front post [5]

The Bushmaster XM-15 series (or XM15 [3] ) is a line of AR-15 style semi-automatic rifles and carbines manufactured by Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC. [2] Variants include the Bushmaster M4-type Carbine, Patrolman series, QRC series, Bushmaster XM15-E2S, and the Carbon 15 line. [2] [5]

Contents

Variants

The standard XM-15 has a forged 7075T6 aircraft-grade aluminum upper and lower receiver. Barrels of XM-15 firearms have a heavy profile and are hard chrome-lined 4150 alloy steel or 416 stainless steel. [2] [4] In Bushmaster's 2016 sales brochure, all new-production XM-15s are stated to be supplied with a 4150 steel barrel. [5] The standard barrel has rifling of 1 turn in 9". [3]

Notoriety

The Bushmaster XM15-E2S "M4 type" carbine first gained notoriety for its use in the October 2002 Beltway sniper attacks. [8] [9]

A Bushmaster XM15-E2S carbine was displayed in a February 2011 video message by Caucasus Emirate leader, Dokka Umarov. Bushmaster rifles were captured by pro-Russian forces during the Russo-Georgian War. [10]

A Bushmaster XM-15 was used in the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. [11] Just before the two-year anniversary of the massacre, nine families of the 26 victims of the shooting filed a class action lawsuit in Connecticut against Bushmaster, Remington Arms and others, [12] seeking "unspecified" damages for the defendants' purported negligent entrustment and illegal marketing of the XM-15 rifle. [13] Plaintiffs argued that both theories of liability fell within exceptions to the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which affords broad civil immunity to gun manufacturers. [14] [15] The case was dismissed in superior court and was appealed to the Connecticut Supreme Court. [16]

In March 2019, the Connecticut Supreme Court reinstated the wrongful death lawsuit, holding that the plaintiffs successfully pleaded a cause of action for illegal marketing. [17] Remington appealed to the United States Supreme Court, which denied review on November 12, 2019. [18] On February 15, 2022, Remington Arms insurers settled with families of Sandy Hook victims and agreed to pay a total of $73 million to families. [19]

XM-15 rifles were also used in the 1997 North Hollywood shootout, [20] the 2018 Nashville Waffle House shooting, [21] and the 2022 Buffalo shooting. [22]

An XM15-E2 was captured from Islamic State fighters in Sinjar Mountains by Peshmerga during the Iraqi Civil War. [1]

Legality

As of October 2, 2000, California has banned the Bushmaster XM15 by name in the Kasler v. Lockyer Assault Weapon List, among other AR-style rifles by Armalite, DPMS, Colt, and Eagle Arms, to name a few. [23]

As a result of the Sandy Hook school shooting:

Users

A map with users of the Bushmaster XM-15 in blue Bushmaster XM-15 Users.png
A map with users of the Bushmaster XM-15 in blue

Non-state actors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carbine</span> Shortened version of a standard firearm

A carbine is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firearm</span> Gun for an individual

A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colt AR-15</span> Semi-automatic rifle

The Colt AR-15 is a lightweight, magazine-fed, gas-operated semi-automatic rifle. It is a semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle sold for the civilian and law enforcement markets in the United States. The AR in AR-15 stands for ArmaLite rifle, after the company that developed it in the 1950s. Colt's Manufacturing Company currently owns the AR-15 trademark, which is used exclusively for its line of semi-automatic AR-15 rifles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M4 carbine</span> American assault rifle

The M4 carbine is a 5.56×45mm NATO, gas-operated, magazine-fed carbine developed in the United States during the 1980s. It is a shortened version of the M16A2 assault rifle.

Remington Arms Company, LLC was an American manufacturer of firearms and ammunition. It was formerly owned by the Remington Outdoor Company and broken into two companies, each bearing the Remington name. The firearms manufacturer is Remington Arms owned by RemArms LLC, and the ammunition business is Remington Ammunition owned by Vista Outdoor Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heckler & Koch XM8</span> Assault rifle

The Heckler & KochXM8 is a lightweight assault rifle system developed from the late 1990s to early 2000s. The rifle was designed by German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch (H&K), and shares design and engineering with their G36 rifle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6.8mm Remington SPC</span> Intermediate rifle cartridge

The 6.8mm Remington Special Purpose Cartridge is a rimless bottlenecked intermediate rifle cartridge that was developed by Remington Arms in collaboration with members of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit and United States Special Operations Command to possibly replace the 5.56 NATO cartridge in short barreled rifles (SBR) and carbines. Based on the .30 Remington cartridge, it is midway between the 5.56×45mm NATO and 7.62×51mm NATO in bore diameter. It uses the same diameter bullet as the .270 Winchester hunting cartridge.

A gunstock or often simply stock, the back portion of which is also known as a shoulder stock, a buttstock, or simply a butt, is a part of a long gun that provides structural support, to which the barrel, action, and firing mechanism are attached. The stock also provides a means for the shooter to firmly brace the gun and easily aim with stability by being held against the user's shoulder when shooting the gun, and helps to counter muzzle rise by transmitting recoil straight into the shooter's body.

Bushmaster may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrett REC7</span> Semi-automatic rifle, Assault rifle (Full auto/Select fire version)

The Barrett REC7 is an American firearm manufactured as a selective-fire fully-automatic and semi-automatic rifle by Barrett Firearms. It is an M4 carbine utilizing a short-stroke gas piston system. REC7 is available in either 5.56×45mm NATO or 6.8mm Remington SPC. The REC7 is Barrett's second AR-pattern rifle chambered for the 6.8mm Remington SPC cartridge, the first being the Barrett M468 rifle. The 6.8 SPC-chambered M468 rifle employed the same direct gas-impingement system as the M4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bushmaster Firearms International</span> American firearms manufacturer

Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC, is an American firearm manufacturer and distributor. The company's product line revolves around semi-automatic pistol and rifle variants of the M4/AR-15 design. It is currently in full operation and is based in Carson City, Nevada. Bushmaster Firearms is unrelated to the Bushmaster autocannon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bushmaster M4-type Carbine</span> Carbine based on the AR-15 platform

The Bushmaster M4 or M4A3 is a semi-automatic or select-fire carbine manufactured by Bushmaster Firearms International, modeled on the AR-15. It is one of the Bushmaster XM15 line of rifles and carbines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LWRC M6</span> Series of US military carbines based on the M4 carbine

The M6 is a series of carbines designed and manufactured by LWRC International. It is based on the M4 carbine, with which it shares 80% of its parts. The 'M' model name is not a US military designation. Like the HK416, it features a proprietary short-stroke self-regulating gas piston system and bolt carrier/carrier key design, which prevents trapped gases from contacting the bolt carrier or receiver of the weapon. The manufacturer claims that this reduces the heating and carbon fouling of the internals, simplifies field maintenance, and improves reliability.

The Type CQ is an unlicensed Chinese variant of the M16 rifle manufactured by Norinco. According to the Norinco website, the rifle is officially known as CQ 5.56.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STANAG magazine</span> 5.56x45mm NATO firearm magazine standard

A STANAG magazine or NATO magazine is a type of detachable firearm magazine proposed by NATO in October 1980. Shortly after NATO's acceptance of the 5.56×45mm NATO rifle cartridge, Draft Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4179 was proposed in order to allow NATO members to easily share rifle ammunition and magazines down to the individual soldier level. The U.S. M16 rifle's magazine proportions were proposed for standardization. Many NATO members, but not all, subsequently developed or purchased rifles with the ability to accept this type of magazine. However, the standard was never ratified and remains a "Draft STANAG".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adaptive Combat Rifle</span> Assault rifle (Remington ACR)

The Adaptive Combat Rifle (ACR) is a modular assault rifle formerly designed by Magpul Industries of Austin, Texas, and known initially as the Masada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.300 AAC Blackout</span> Rifle cartridge originally designed for use in the M4 carbine

The .300 AAC Blackout, also known as 7.62×35mm, is an intermediate cartridge developed in the United States by Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC) for use in the M4 carbine. The cartridge yields increased performance in shorter barrels and effective subsonic performance for silencer use when compared to 5.56mm NATO. The .300 AAC Blackout uses standard 5.56mm NATO magazines and components with the exception of the barrel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AR-15–style rifle</span> Class of semi-automatic rifles

An AR-15–style rifle is any lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on or similar to the Colt AR-15 design. The Colt model removed the selective fire feature of its predecessor, the original ArmaLite AR-15, itself a scaled-down derivative of the AR-10 design by Eugene Stoner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IWI Tavor X95</span> Bullpup assault rifle

The IWI X95 is an Israeli bullpup assault rifle designed and produced by Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) as part of the Tavor rifle family, along with the Tavor TAR and the Tavor 7. IWI US offers the rifle in semi-automatic only configuration as the 'Tavor X95'.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Conflict Armament Research (September 2014). Islamic State Weapons in Iraq and Syria: Analysis of weapons and ammunition captured from Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria (PDF). pp. 12–14. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 McNab, Chris (2007). Sporting Guns: A Guide to the World's Rifles and Shotguns. Macmillan. p. 173. ISBN   978-0312368234.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Bushmaster XM15 operating manual, 1999 revision: statistics are for Bushmaster XM15-E2S Archived 2023-06-19 at the Wayback Machine
  4. 1 2 "Bushmaster XM15 and Carbon 15 user manual, 2005 revision". Archived from the original on 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
  5. 1 2 3 Bushmaster Firearms 2016 sales brochure Archived 2023-06-19 at the Wayback Machine
  6. 1 2 3 Lee, Jerry (29 January 2016). 2016 Standard Catalog of Firearms: The Collector's Price and Reference Guide. F+W Media, Inc. ISBN   9781440244414 via Google Books.
  7. 1 2 3 Shideler, Dan (20 August 2010). Guns Illustrated 2011: The Latest Guns, Specs & Prices. F+W Media, Inc. ISBN   9781440216244 via Google Books.
  8. Carter, Gregg Lee (2006). Gun Control in the United States: A Reference Handbook . ABC-CLIO. p.  151. ISBN   9781851097609 . Retrieved 24 August 2016. The most infamous example is the Bushmaster ...rifle that John Allen Muhammed and John Lee Malvo use in their October 2002 Washington D.C., killing spree.
  9. Harrison, Judy (11 Nov 2004). "Colt's federal suit against rival firearm firm gets moved to Maine". Knight Ridder Tribune Business News. Bushmaster's XM-15 E2s "M4 type" carbine allegedly was used by John Allen Muhammad and has gained notoriety as the weapon used in the Washington, D.C., area sniper shootings, according to the complaint.
  10. 1 2 "Exotic species of the North Caucasus (Pt 2)". Calibre Obscura. December 21, 2021. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021.
  11. Lysiak, Matthew (23 Feb 2016). "Video of Adam Lanza Confirmed as Newtown Parents Sue". Newsweek. Newsweek LLC. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  12. ALTIMARI, DAVE. "Sandy Hook Families' Suit Against Gun Maker Will Test Federal Law". courant.com. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  13. Fantz, Ashley (20 June 2016). "Gun makers urge judge to toss Sandy Hook lawsuit". CNN. CNN LLC. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023.
  14. Terrill, Daniel (2016-02-22). "Remington tries for dismissal in Sandy Hook, Bushmaster case". Guns.com. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  15. Obbie, Mark (17 February 2016). "Will a Gun Manufacturer Be Held Liable for Sandy Hook?". The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  16. Johnson, Alex. "Fate of Sandy Hook lawsuit against gun maker could be decided by a slingshot". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  17. Collins, Dave (14 March 2019). "Court rules gun maker can be sued over Newtown shooting". AP News. The Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  18. Hussey, Kristin; Williamson, Elizabeth (2019-11-12). "Supreme Court Allows Sandy Hook Relatives to Sue Gun Maker". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  19. "Sandy Hook families settle with Remington marking 1st time gun maker is held liable for mass shooting". ABC News . Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  20. "img1231nb.jpg". 2014-10-21. Archived from the original on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  21. Amir Vera (April 22, 2018). "Waffle House shooter was once arrested by Secret Service for trespassing near White House". CNN. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  22. Whitlock, Craig; Willman, David; Horton, Alex (May 16, 2022). "Massacre suspect said he modified Bushmaster rifle to hold more ammunition". The Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  23. Kasler v. Lockyer Assault Weapon List
  24. Kaplan, Thomas (2013-01-15). "Tougher Gun Law in New York". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2016-09-14.
  25. "Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 26, 2018.
  26. "Connecticut Governor Signs Gun Measures". The New York Times. 2013-04-04. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023.
  27. "POTD: Brazilian Federal Police with Bushmaster XM15-E2S -". The Firearm Blog. 2 April 2019. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  28. "Replacement due for police rifles". Archived from the original on May 17, 2023.
  29. The politics of destroying surplus small arms : inconspicuous disarmament. Alpers, Philip. 2010. pp. 168–169. ISBN   978-0-415-49461-8.
  30. Under the gun : the small arms challenge in the Pacific. Victoria University Press in association with the Peace and Disarmament Education Trust. 2003. pp. 64–65. ISBN   9780864734532.
  31. "Fot. 12. 5,56-mm kbk M4A1 firmy Bushmaster (XM-15-E2S) z 40-mm granatnikiem... - Ireneusz Chloupek Special-Ops.pl - Portal Ludzi Akcji". Special-Ops.pl - Portal Ludzi Akcji (in Polish). Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.