Lewis Machine and Tool Company
 | |
| Private | |
| Industry | Defense |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Headquarters | Milan, Illinois, USA |
| Products | Firearms, weapons |
Number of employees | 100-150 |
| Website | www.LMTDefense.com |
Lewis Machine & Tool Company (LMT)[1] was founded by Karl Lewis in 1980. LMT started its business by providing law enforcement and government agencies with military type weapons and accessories. Today, LMT still provides law enforcement and government agencies with weapons, but they have now also expanded their services to foreign military and commercial retailers. All of LMT's engineering and manufacturing is done in house at the Milan, IL facility. LMT manufactures complete weapon systems such as the M4/AR15 and the M203 grenade launcher.[2] Today, both the US military and the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence utilize many of the products that LMT produces.
Products
LM308MWS
LMT created the Monolithic Rail Platform (MRP).[3] The MRP is a one piece upper receiver for the AR-15/M4/M16 platform and is made from a single aluminum forging. The LMT MRP has a quad rail system that utilizes the Mil-Std 1913 rail. It is available in two different lengths, one standard rifle length and the other for Close Quarters Battle (CQB). The MRP upper receiver has a quick change barrel system that allows the operator to change the caliber or the barrel length of the weapon in a very short period of time.[4] The MRP also features a free-floating barrel, relatively low temperature to handguard & optics, long barrel life, easy-to-access/clean design, a straight gas tube resists bending and retains better alignment with gas key as compared to other designs, and a relatively low number of parts (13). Also, its top rail position matches M4 & E3-type weapons ensuring optics and sight compatibility and accepts standard & enhanced M16-type (Stoner design) components
In late 2009, LMT introduced the .308 Modular Weapon System LM308MWS.[5] The LM308MWS uses the 7.62x51mm NATO round. The LM308MWS is based on the proven Stoner Rifle design with some new features that including a one piece upper receiver and a completely free-floating barrel design for improved accuracy. LMT integrated their MRP design into the large AR platform. Since the LM308MWS has the MRP design, the barrel is completely free floating, thus increasing its accuracy and its ability to stay cool. This design also allows changing the barrel to a different size in around one minute. Reports have shown that this rifle has an effective range of 800m and can easily achieve a Sub-MOA grouping.
LMT is currently supplying 16", 18" and 20" 1:11.25 blackened stainless match barrels, as well as 16" and 20" chrome-lined chromemoly 1:10 battle barrels available for civilian purchase.
L129A1
| L129A1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Service rifle |
| Place of origin | United States of America |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2010-Present |
| Used by | New Zealand Army |
| Wars | Afghanistan |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Lewis Machine & Tool |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 9.8 pounds (4.4 kg) |
|
| |
| Cartridge | 7.62x51mm NATO |
| Barrels | 16 inches (410 mm) |
| Effective firing range | 800m |
| Maximum firing range | 900m |
| Sights | ACOG 6x magnification |
In 2009 Lewis Machine and Tool Co was chosen to supply the UK Ministry of Defence with 440 of the LM308MWS 7.62x51mm rifle[6] under the official service designation as the L129A1.[7] LMT has since supplied more than 3,000 to UK forces.[8]
LMT submitted the LM308MWS for an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) by the British Ministry of Defence for a semiautomatic 7.62 NATO caliber sharpshooter rifle. Other weapons submitted included the FN SCAR-H, HK417, Sabre Defence XR-10, and others. LMT's rifle was chosen as the winner and designated the L129A1. The L129A1 entered combat use in April 2010.[9]
The requirement was for a rifle to be able to fire standard NATO 7.62×51mm rounds, but 155 gr (10.0 g) sniping ammunition was found to be superior and is issued with the L129A1. Its 1:11.25 inch rifle twist was designed to fire 168 gr (10.9 g) match rounds, but the rifling prohibits it from accurately stabilizing 175 gr (11.3 g) sniping rounds.[9]
The LM308MWS standard US commercial model differs slightly from the UK issued L129A1 in the following aspects:
- 1) the barrel is a 16" fully chrome-lined, cryogenically treated, polygonal rifled 1:10 right-hand twist chrome-moly machinegun grade steel. It is crowned with LMT's special crown design, designed for maximum accuracy with ordinary ball ammunition.
- 2) the muzzle device is a standard M16A2 type flash suppressor instead of the SureFire suppressor mount.
- 3) the sights are the LMT detachable fixed sights instead of the Knight's Armament folding battle sights.
- 4) the supplied furniture is black instead of the coyote brown supplied to the UK MoD.
References
- ↑ "Lewis Machine & Tool Company". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
- ↑ The National-Military Muscle on Display
- ↑ "Lewis Machine & Tool Monolithic Rail Platform". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
- ↑ LMT’s MRP 6.8 Battle Rifle
- ↑ "Multi-Mission LMT .308 MWS". Tactical Life. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
- ↑ "Global Defence News and Defence Headlines - IHS Jane's 360". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
- ↑ "L129A1 sharpshooter rifle". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
- ↑ "LMT .308 AR Review". Guns & Ammo. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Sharpshooter: The UK’s New L129A1 7.62x51mm Rifle - SAdefensejournal.com, 11 January 2012
External links
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