Bushmaster Arm Pistol

Gwinn Firearms Bushmaster Pistol - 5.56x45mm

Gwinn Firearms Bushmaster Pistol - 5.56x45mm. Note the selector switch inside the trigger guard, identifying this as an earlier example. Other early models feature a selector switch located on the trigger group instead of near the stock.

Bushmaster Arm Pistol - 5.56x45mm

The Gwinn/Bushmaster Arm Pistol is a 5.56x45mm bullpup carbine (legally a pistol under United States law) produced by Gwinn Firearms Company, later known as Bushmaster Firearms International. The origin of the design came from the experimental Individual Multi-Purpose Weapon from the early 1970s, or IMP (colloquially known as the IMP-221), officially designated GUU-4/P by the United States Air Force. The IMP was designed by Dale Davis of the USAF Armament Laboratory and produced by Colt, in order to provide a compact and lightweight survival weapon for aircrew personnel. The IMP was as a stockless bullpup weapon that can be fired with one hand by bracing the action against the user's forearm and biceps. The IMP was fully-automatic and fully ambidextrous with a trigger group can be canted 38 degrees to either side of the receiver; as spent rounds eject upwards, the ejection port can be directed away from the shooter by canting the grip sideways. It was chambered for the .221 Remington Fireball (5.56x36 mm), and can also fire the experimental .221-17 IMP.

The IMP was a novel design, but ultimately a failure, as it did not meet all the requirements of USAF. However, U.S. Army Special Forces veteran Mack W. Gwinn, Jr. bought the patent rights to the IMP and produced it under his Gwinn Firearms company as a semi-automatic weapon in 1972, chambered in the far more common 5.56x45mm NATO. It was named as the Bushmaster pistol, and used STANAG magazines as well as many M16 parts. Gwinn Firearms later adopted the name Bushmaster as their company name. Production of the weapon ceased in 1988.

The Bushmaster Arm Pistol and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Specifications

(1972-1988)

• Type: Carbine
• Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
• Capacity: STANAG Magazines
• Fire Modes: Safe/Semi

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Phantom Forces	"Arm Pistol"			2015

Anime

Title	Character	Note	Date
City Hunter			1987-1991
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence			2004

See Also

• Bushmaster Firearms International - A list of all firearms manufactured by Bushmaster.