Madsen LAR

Madsen LAR
Type Battle Rifle/Assault Rifle (Proposed Finnish Service variant)
Place of origin  Denmark
Production history
Designed 1957-1962
Variants Full Wooden Stock, Fixed Tube Stock, Side-folding Stock, Underfolding Stock
Specifications
Cartridge 7.62x51mm NATO, 7.62x39mm M43 (Proposed Finnish Service variant)
Caliber 7.62mm
Action Gas, Select Fire
Feed system 20 Round Box Magazine, 30 Round AK Magazine (Proposed Finnish Service variant)
Sights Iron

The Madsen LAR was a battle rifle of Danish origin chambered in the 7.62mm NATO calibre. It was made from lightweight high tensile alloys and steel similar to that used on the M16 rifle and its layout is based on a number of rifles such as the GRAM 63 and the Valmet M62. Development of the Madsen LAR has its traces back to 1962 when various arms manufacturers like FN Herstal and H&K were producing the FN FAL and G3.

Variants

Variants of the LAR came with solid wood stocks that covered the receiver from the handguard to the buttplate, then with fixed steel tube and side/underfolding stocks. An assault rifle variant chambered in the 7.62x39mm M43 round was intended for the armed forces of Finland to purge them away from using a Soviet based design, the Valmet M62 based on the AK-47. However, Finland being a neutral country ignored this and went ahead with the Valmet M62 adopting it as their standard service rifle as it was cheaper to produce, reliable as the Madsen LAR and overall their own design.

References