reliability problems due to the proximity of the gas port to the muzzle, which threw the timing of the weapon's gas system off and made it more sensitive to gas port diameter and port pressure variables introduced by the ammunition. Bushmaster's solution was to use a low-profile gas block in the normal position for carbine-length barrels and fit the front sight tower/gas block, which was not connected to the gas system, further forward to create a longer sight radius. Discontinued Bushmaster produced the Bushmaster Arm Pistol from 1977 to 1990. The Bushmaster M17S was a semi-automatic bullpup rifle that was manufactured by Bushmaster from 1992 until 2005. 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. Gallery See also Bushmaster M4 Type Carbine References Firearm manufacturers of the United States Private equity portfolio companies Manufacturing companies based in North Carolina Companies based in Bangor, Maine Manufacturing companies established in 1973 1973 establishments in North Carolina Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018 Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020