The Bushmaster M4 or M4A3 is a semi-automatic or

select-fire Selective fire is the capability of a weapon to be adjusted to fire in semi-automatic, fully automatic, and/or burst mode. The modes are chosen by means of a selector switch, which varies depending on the weapon's design. Some selective-fire we ...

carbine A carbine ( or ) 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. The smaller size and lighte ...

manufactured by

Bushmaster Firearms International Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC, was an American firearm manufacturer and distributor. The company's product line revolved around semi-automatic pistol and rifle variants of the M4/AR-15 design. The company is currently defunct; it merge ...

, modeled on the

AR-15 An AR-15-style rifle is any lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design. The original ArmaLite AR-15 is a scaled-down derivative of Eugene Stoner's ArmaLite AR-10 design. The then Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporatio ...

. It is one of the Bushmaster XM15 line of rifles and carbines.

Design

The M4 Type Carbine is a copy of the

Colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...

M4 carbine The M4 carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) 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. The M4 is extensively ...

. The semi-automatic version is marketed to the U.S. civilian market in compliance with the

National Firearms Act The National Firearms Act (NFA), 73rd Congress, Sess. 2, ch. 757, was enacted on June 26, 1934, and currently codified and amended as . The law is an Act of Congress in the United States that, in general, imposes an excise tax on the manufact ...

. A select fire variant can be ordered by military or law enforcement organizations with

three-round burst In automatic firearms, burst mode or burst-fire is a firing mode enabling the shooter to fire a predetermined number of rounds, usually two or three rounds on hand held weapons and 50-100+ on anti-aircraft weapons and autocannons, with a single ...

fully automatic An automatic firearm is an auto-loading firearm that continuously chambers and fires rounds when the trigger mechanism is actuated. The action of an automatic firearm is capable of harvesting the excess energy released from a previous discha ...

capability. The rifle's caliber is .223 Remington/5.56×45mm NATO, and the barrel is hard chrome lined in both the bore and chamber. Unlike the current Colt M4 Carbine which features a four-position telescopic stock, the Bushmaster has a six-position stock. It is compatible with most standard AR-15 parts and has the ability to accept all AR-15/M16 type STANAG magazines. The standard M4 Type Carbine features a permanently fixed "Izzy"

flash suppressor A flash suppressor, also known as a flash guard, flash eliminator, flash hider, or flash cone, is a muzzle device attached to the muzzle (firearms), muzzle of a rifle that reduces its visible signature while firing by cooling or dispersing the b ...

attached to a barrel, which brings the barrel to a total length of . Bushmaster also produces the Patrolman's Carbine variant which features the more common removable "bird cage" flash suppressor, attached to a barrel, bringing the total barrel length to . Both of these comply with current

U.S. federal law The law of the United States comprises many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the nation's Constitution, which prescribes the foundation of the federal government of the United States, as well as va ...

which states a minimum barrel for a rifle. There is also a military M4 Type Carbine which comes with a barrel and a removable "bird cage" flash suppressor. An M4 Type Post-Ban Carbine was developed for the 1994 United States Federal Assault Weapons Ban requirements. Since the ban expired in 2004, this rifle has essentially been replaced by the M4A2 and M4A3. Some states in the U.S. have kept these laws, so the rifle is still being produced.

Legal issues

A trademark dispute between Bushmaster and Colt concerned the use of the "M4" name. The M4 was developed and produced for the

United States government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a feder ...

by Colt, which had an exclusive contract to produce the M4 family of weapons until 2009. Several other manufacturers, including Bushmaster, offer M4-like firearms, nicknamed "M4geries." Colt previously held a U.S.

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from othe ...

on the term "M4." In April 2004, Colt filed a lawsuit against Bushmaster and

Heckler & Koch Heckler & Koch GmbH (HK; ) is a German defense manufacturing company that manufactures handguns, rifles, submachine guns, and grenade launchers. The company is located in Oberndorf am Neckar in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, and also ...

, claiming acts of

trademark infringement Trademark infringement is a violation of the exclusive rights attached to a trademark without the authorization of the trademark owner or any licensees (provided that such authorization was within the scope of the licence). Infringement may ...

trade dress Trade dress is the characteristics of the visual appearance of a product or its packaging (or even the design of a building) that signify the source of the product to consumers. Trade dress is an aspect of trademark law, which is a form of intelle ...

infringement,

trademark dilution Trademark dilution is a trademark law concept giving the owner of a famous trademark standing to forbid others from using that mark in a way that would lessen its uniqueness. In most cases, trademark dilution involves an unauthorized use of anoth ...

, false designation of origin, false advertising, patent infringement,

unfair competition Unfair may refer to: * Double Taz and Double LeBron James in multiverses ''fair''; unfairness or injustice Injustice is a quality relating to unfairness or undeserved outcomes. The term may be applied in reference to a particular event or situ ...

, and deceptive trade practices. Heckler & Koch later settled out of court. On December 8, 2005, a District court judge in

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...

granted a

summary judgment In law, a summary judgment (also judgment as a matter of law or summary disposition) is a judgment entered by a court for one party and against another party summarily, i.e., without a full trial. Summary judgments may be issued on the merits of ...

in favor of Bushmaster Firearms, dismissing all of Colt's claims except for false advertising. On the latter claim, Colt could not recover monetary damages. The court also ruled that "M4" was now a generic name, and that Colt's trademark should be revoked.

Users

*: The Bushmaster M4A3 B.M.A.S. is used by special forces units of the Czech Armed Forces. These rifles are usually seen with an M203 grenade launcher. The 601st Special Forces Group is armed with the M4A3. *: Used by the Army and Police *: Used by NOCS. *: Used by the

Kuwait 25th Commando Brigade The Kuwait 25th Commando Brigade of the State of Kuwait, commonly known as the 25th Commando, is one of Kuwait's various principal Commando brigades. The 25th Commando operates at the disposition of the respective commander who reports to the r ...

. *: Used by Royal Malaysian Customs *: New Zealand Police (including

Armed Offenders Squad The Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) are specialist part-time units of the New Zealand Police based around the country available to respond to high risk incidents using specialist tactics and equipment. The AOS was established when front-line pol ...

and

Special Tactics Group The Special Tactics Group (STG) is the full-time police tactical unit of the New Zealand Police. The STG replaced the Anti-Terrorist Squad which was predominantly military personnel and was established to respond to high-risk situations which a ...

), replaced the Remington Model 7 as their standard issue rifle. *:

Cambridge Police Department (Massachusetts) The Cambridge Police Department is the municipal police department for the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. Formally organized in 1859. with the appointment of John C. Willey as the first Chief of Police, the Cambridge Po ...

Gallery

File:Czech ISAF (6).jpg, Czech Special Operations soldier in Afghanistan with a Bushmaster M4A3 File:A Georgian soldier with Scouts Platoon, Delta Company, Special Mountain Battalion conducts reconnaissance operations Feb. 14, 2014, during Georgian Mission Rehearsal Exercise (MRE) 14-02B at the Joint 140214-A-HJ139-001.jpg, A Georgian soldier with Scouts Platoon, Delta Company, Special Mountain Battalion conducts reconnaissance operations Feb. 14, 2014, during Georgian Mission Rehearsal Exercise (MRE). He is holding Bushmaster M4 in his hand.

Bibliography

* *

References

External links

Official Bushmaster Website
{{ArmaLite AR-10 derivatives 5.56 mm assault rifles 7.62×39mm firearms Police weapons Rifles of the United States Semi-automatic rifles Bushmaster firearms ArmaLite AR-10 derivatives 6.8mm firearms