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L129A1

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L129A1
An L129A1
TypeDesignated marksman rifle
Place of origin
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
Service history
In serviceOctober 2009 – present
Used byBritish Armed Forces
WarsWar in Afghanistan
Production history
ManufacturerLewis Machine & Tool Company
No. built3,000 [1]
Specifications
Mass4.4 kg (9.7 lb)
Length927 mm (36 in) (stock collapsed)
990 mm (39 in) (stock extended)
Barrel length
  • 16 in (406 mm) (L129A1)
  • 18 in (457 mm) (L129A2)
Cartridge
ActionGas impingement, rotating bolt
Effective firing range800 m (875 yd)
Maximum firing range1,000 m (1,094 yd)
Feed system20-round detachable SR-25 pattern magazine

The L129A1, also known as the L129A1 Sharpshooter Rifle, is a 7.62×51mm NATO designated marksman rifle manufactured by Lewis Machine & Tool Company (LMT) for the British Armed Forces.

History

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In 2009, Lewis Machine & Tool Co was contracted to supply the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) with 440 LM308MWS 7.62×51mm rifles[2] under the official service designation as the L129A1.[3] Its NATO Stock Number (NSN) is 1005-99-226-6708. As of December 2014, over 3,000 units have been supplied to UK forces.[4]

During the war in Afghanistan British light infantry units sometimes found themselves outranged by small arms beyond the effective range of their assault rifles and light machine guns chambered for the intermediate 5.56 mm NATO cartridge. At ranges between 400 and 800 m (437 and 875 yd), the then available small arms capable of returning effective fire, were the general-purpose machine gun and the bolt-action sniper rifle. These weapons chambered for the fully-powered 7.62 mm NATO cartridge were not well suited to increase the effective engagement range of the British eight-man rifle sections.

The LM308MWS was submitted for the British Ministry of Defence's Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) for immediate deployment of a semi-automatic 7.62 NATO caliber sharpshooter rifle in Afghanistan. Other rifles submitted included the FN Herstal SCAR-H, Heckler & Koch HK417 and Sabre Defence XR-10. LMT's rifle was chosen, earning it the L129A1 designation, and entering service in April 2010 in Afghanistan. One member (termed the "sharpshooter") of the British rifle sections, was issued an L129A1 instead of an assault rifle. The standard optic for the L129A1 is the TA648-308 6×48 Trijicon ACOG providing a 8 mm exit pupil for ample light gathering and a wide field of view. Two locking bolts accessible from the right side of the receiver with a basic tool lock a barrel extension and make the barrel unit user removable within minutes with a return to zero of the same barrel. It features an 11.25 in (285.8 mm) twist rate to fire standard 144-grain 7.62 mm ball up to 168-grain BTHP ammunition used by NATO, but the official issue rounds are 155-grain L42A1-A3 sniper and L59A1 "High Performance" ball ammunition.[5][6][7] The ACOG is mounted to a Picatinny rail to which is fitted a Trijicon RM01 1 x Ruggedized Miniature Reflex (RMR) for Close Quarters Battle use.

L129A1 Sniper Support Weapon (SSW) version fitted with a 3-12×50 telescopic sight

A Sniper Support Weapon (SSW) version, also designated L129A1, was adopted for use by the second man in each sniper team and is fitted with a Schmidt & Bender 3-12×50 telescopic sight and a Surefire suppressor.[8][9]

Within the Royal Marines at least, an improved Modular Ambidextrous Rifle System (MARS-H) based L129A2 version chambered in 6.5 mm Creedmoor with an 18 in (457 mm) barrel, a new Leupold scope, a HuxWrx suppressor, an Envision Technology ballistic calculator, and a Pixels-on-Target thermal sight was adopted in 2023.[10][11]

Variants

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L129A1

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Initial variant, chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO with 16 in (406 mm) barrel and 6×48 Trijicon ACOG. Adopted in 2009 and entered service in May 2010.[12]

L129A2

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Updated MARS-H based L129A2 designated marksman rifle chambered in 6.5 mm Creedmoor with an 18 in (457 mm) barrel, a fully adjustable DMR stock and lengthened hand guard, a Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18×44 M5C3 Desert IR telescopic sight with TREMOR3 reticle, a HuxWrx suppressor, an Envision Technology ballistic calculator, and a Pixels-on-Target thermal sight was adopted in 2023. Adopted in 2023.[13][14]

The change from 7.62×51mm NATO ammunition to 6.5 Creedmoor was due to the 6.5 Creedmoor's better ability to successfully engage targets at distances around and over 800 m (875 yd).[15][16] The main disadvantages of this change are introducing a new chambering in the logistics chain, and due to a higher Oratio a shortened barrel life.[17] The upper receiver still uses a gas-operated, rotating bolt (internal piston) system like the L129A1, but the hand guard attachment points on its sides were changed to be M-LOK compatible.[14][18]

Civilian variants

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A civilian variant of the rifle, termed the L129A1 Reference Rifle, supplied without any optic, is marketed by LMT for the U.S. market.[19] A straight-pull version was also produced for the UK market.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "PIN-POINT PRECISION". Key Military. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Global Defence News and Defence Headlines - IHS Jane's 360". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  3. ^ "L129A1 sharpshooter rifle". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  4. ^ "LMT .308 AR Review". Guns & Ammo. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  5. ^ Sharpshooter: The UK's New L129A1 7.62x51mm Rifle. Small Arms Defense Journal. 11 January 2012.
  6. ^ "New Ammo for British Troops: UK Develops More Effective 5.56mm and 7.62mm Ammunition -". The Firearm Blog. 2016-08-23. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  7. ^ Anthony G. Williams. "Cartridges for Long-Range Sniping Rifles". quarryhs.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  8. ^ "L129A1 sharpshooter rifle". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  9. ^ "L129A1 (SSW) Rifle". RAF. Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  10. ^ "Britain's Commandos to get new assault rifles". Royal Navy. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  11. ^ U.K. Royal Marines adopt a 6.5CM LMT as the L129A2, ft. HUXWRX and Leupold. The Firearm Blog. 21 September 2023.
  12. ^ ""SHARPSHOOTER" REACHES FURTHER DOWNRANGE: THE L129A2 GETS ADOPTED". Small Arms Defence Journal. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Britain's Commandos to get new assault rifles". Royal Navy. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  14. ^ a b U.K. Royal Marines adopt a 6.5CM LMT as the L129A2, ft. HUXWRX and Leupold. The Firearm Blog. 21 September 2023.
  15. ^ USSOCOM Adopts 6.5 Creedmoor. soldiersystems.net, 23 March 2018
  16. ^ Weapons: The Hits Just Keep On Coming. strategypage.com, 7 January 2019
  17. ^ Baby Barrel Creedmoor – Study of a Short(er) 6.5 Creedmoor Riflee, Sean Murphy, December 4, 2019
  18. ^ Reaches Further Downrange: The L129A2 gets adopted 'Small Arms Defense Journal. 3 October, 2023.
  19. ^ "L129A1 REFERENCE RIFLE". Lewis Machine & Tool Company. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  20. ^ "LM308SP Rifle". Gunmart. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
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