Infantry Weapons

Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle

Also known as
  • XM15
  • XM-15
  • XM15-E2S
  • Bushmaster XM15
  • Bushmaster XM15-E2S

The Bushmaster XM15-E2S is a U.S.-made AR-15-pattern semi-automatic rifle chambered in 5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington. Bushmaster cataloged the XM15 E2S family in the early 2000s, and Conflict Armament Research later documented examples captured from Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria.

Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle, Semi-automatic rifle, Infantry Weapons
Image source: Bushmaster XM15-E2S M4 Style Carbine

Role in Conflicts

2013 War in Iraq
Role in conflict
Captured individual rifle

In the 2013 War in Iraq, Conflict Armament Research documented one U.S. Bushmaster XM15-E2S 5.56 x 45 mm semi-automatic rifle among weapons captured from Islamic State forces in north-western Iraq.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
Semi-automatic rifle
Service note
1990s-present
Designer
Eugene Stoner
Designed
1960s
Unit cost
Reported at $895 in a Gun Tests review of a Bushmaster XM15-E2S test rifle.
Produced
1990s-present
Number built
Not publicly disclosed

Specifications

Caliber
5.56 NATO / .223 Remington
Action
Semi-automatic, gas-operated, magazine-fed
Typical barrel length
16 in carbine; longer target configurations also existed
Feed system
STANAG pattern box magazine
Variants
  • M4-style carbine
  • Dissipator
  • Target rifle
Ammunition Fired

Bushmaster's manual identifies the XM15-E2S as chambered for the 5.56mm NATO / .223 Remington cartridge family.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
5.56x45mm NATO cartridge, 5.56x45mm NATO small-arms cartridge, Munitions5.56x45mm NATO cartridge5.56mm NATO rifle cartridge

The Bushmaster manual identifies the XM15-E2S as chambered for 5.56mm NATO / .223 Remington, documenting the cartridge family it fires.

Sources: Bushmaster Operating and Safety Instruction Manual

Timeline

Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle Key Events

  1. Bushmaster catalogs the XM15 E2S family

    Bushmaster's 2004 catalog described the XM15 E2S M4 Type Post-Ban Carbine as a model introduced in 2001.

    Sources: Bushmaster 2004 Product Catalog

  2. CAR documents captured examples

    Conflict Armament Research documented Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifles among weapons captured from Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria.

    Sources: Conflict Armament Research Islamic State Weapons in Iraq and Syria

Historic Price Snapshot

Period sources place the XM15-E2S in the early-2000s civilian AR-15 market, where prices varied with configuration and retailer.

YearDetailSource
2000Gun Tests listed a Bushmaster XM15-E2S test rifle at $895.Gun Tests AR-15 Rifles: Colts, ArmaLite, and Bushmaster Shoot It Out
2001Bushmaster described the XM15 E2S M4 Type Post-Ban Carbine as a very popular model introduced in 2001.Bushmaster 2004 Product Catalog

These are period references, not current market prices.

Media

Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle Videos

Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle Images

Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle, Semi-automatic rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 1
Source: Bushmaster XM15-E2S M4 Style Carbine
Related Weapon Systems
12-gauge shotgun, Shotgun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry Weapons12-gauge shotgunShotgunThe 12-gauge shotgun is a broad family of shoulder-fired smoothbore firearms chambered for fixed shotgun shells. Modern 12-gauge guns span pump-action, break-action, and semi-automatic layouts, while documented conflict roles range from Ukrainian short-range counter-drone defense and Central African militia small arms to Islamic State recoveries; Haiti coverage is narrower because the cited reporting identifies gang-held pump-action shotguns without confirming gauge.
AKM, 7.62x39mm assault rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAKM7.62x39mm assault rifleThe AKM is the stamped-receiver modernization of the Soviet Kalashnikov assault rifle, chambered for 7.62x39mm and built around a long-stroke gas piston and rotating bolt. Adopted in 1959, it reduced production burden compared with earlier milled-receiver AK rifles and became a widely licensed baseline for later 7.62mm Kalashnikov-pattern weapons. CAR and ARES field documentation continues to place AKM and AKM-pattern rifles in modern conflict stocks, from Islamic State recoveries in Iraq and Syria to Taliban captures in Afghanistan.

Sources

Bushmaster Manuals and CatalogsPublisher: Bushmaster Firearms | Note: Supports manufacturer background and the XM15/XM15-E2S family being chambered in 5.56/.223 and sold as a semi-automatic rifle/carbine platform. | Accessed: 2026-06-22Bushmaster Operating and Safety Instruction ManualPublisher: Bushmaster Firearms | Note: Supports the XM15 E2S being a lightweight, gas-operated, air-cooled, magazine-fed, semi-automatic rifle system chambered for 5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington. | Accessed: 2026-06-22Gun Tests AR-15 Rifles: Colts, ArmaLite, and Bushmaster Shoot It OutPublisher: Gun Tests | Note: In a period review, Gun Tests lists a Bushmaster XM15-E2S test rifle at $895. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Bushmaster 2004 Product CatalogPublisher: Bushmaster Firearms | Note: Describes the XM15 E2S M4 Type Post-Ban Carbine as a very popular model introduced in 2001. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Bushmaster XM15-E2S M4 Style CarbinePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the primary image provenance for the Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle. | Accessed: 2026-06-22Bushmaster XM15.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the secondary gallery image provenance for a Bushmaster XM15 rifle variant. | Accessed: 2026-06-22Conflict Armament Research Islamic State Weapons in Iraq and SyriaPublisher: Conflict Armament Research | Note: In the 2014 War Against the Islamic State, the source documents a US Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle captured from Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria. | Accessed: 2026-06-22Conflict Armament Research Islamic State Weapons in Iraq and SyriaPublisher: Conflict Armament Research | Note: In the 2013 War in Iraq, the source documents a US Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle captured from Islamic State forces in north-western Iraq. | Accessed: 2026-06-22