Captain Mack Gwinn, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces officer, founded Gwinn Firearms Company in 1972 and introduced a unique rifle and pistol. The company was later purchased and rebranded by Quality Parts as Bushmaster Firearms, which became a significant player in the U.S. firearm market. The Bushmaster Arm Pistol, one of the company’s notable designs, was intended to be fired from the hip and has features borrowed from both the AR-15 and AK-47. Despite its limitations in practicality and accuracy, the pistol has earned its place as a unique piece of firearm history.
Key Points:
- Captain Mack Gwinn started the Gwinn Firearms Company in 1972, which was later purchased by Quality Parts and rebranded as Bushmaster Firearms.
- The Bushmaster Arm Pistol, one of Bushmaster’s key designs, features an 11.5-inch barrel and is meant to be fired from the hip, thus evading NFA restrictions as a Short Barrel Rifle.
- The Arm Pistol incorporates features from both the AR-15 and AK-47, including an AK-style long-stroke gas piston known for reliability and a rotating bolt design.
- Despite its unique design, the Bushmaster Arm Pistol is impractical for accurate shooting due to its design limitations and strong recoil.
- The pistol’s design has historical influences from notable figures in the firearms industry, including Eugene Stoner, Melvin Johnson, and Mikhail Kalashnikov.
Source: https://www.guns.com/news/reviews/compact-classic-bushmaster-arm-pistol-review
