Discharge gas system having gas tube with offset end portions

A rifle, comprising:

• a receiver system;
• a barrel operably secured to the receiver, wherein the barrel comprises a discharge gas passage including a portion extending through a wall defining a bore thereof;
• a forend attached to the receiver, wherein a hand-gripping body of the forend extends forward of the receiver below the barrel;
• a gas block on the barrel, wherein the discharge gas passage of the barrel is exposed to a gas tube receiving passage of the gas block for enabling flow of discharge gas from within the bore of the barrel through the discharge gas passage of the barrel and into the gas tube receiving passage of the gas block;
• and
• a gas tube having a first portion, a second portion, and a central portion, wherein the first portion extends from a first end of the gas tube to a first end of the central portion, wherein the second portion extends from a second end of the gas tube to a second end of the central portion, and wherein the first end of the central portion of the gas tube is vertically offset from the second end of the central portion of the gas tube for enabling the first end of the gas tube to be engaged with gas block at a location above a bore centerline axis of the barrel and enabling the second end of the gas tube to the engaged with a gas receiving portion of the receiver system at a location below the bore centerline axis.