Weapons and firms. In the world of technology, including the military, it very often happens that no new product has time to get on the conveyor, as there are people who see how it can be improved. And nothing can be improved, since all contracts have been signed, money has been allocated, and any change in production will inevitably cause a delay in its release. Or on the contrary - the novelty seems to satisfy everyone at first, but then its operation began and it turned out that "they thought one thing, but it turned out quite different." And it also happens that years pass between the start of production and the appearance of new structural materials and technologies, but then it turns out that their use in this old sample can improve its performance very significantly.
The market is the head
This is where the market, or rather the relatively private companies operating on it, helps to avoid the extremes of mass serial production. They are not associated with the government with large volumes of serial deliveries and can improve serial samples in any way. The military also wins: they can always compare them with the novelties of these companies and, in the end, choose the best one.
So the company LWRC International (Land Warfare Resources Corporation - Corporation for the Study of Ground Weapons) was founded precisely with the aim of improving the family of automatic rifles AR15 / M16 / M4. The operating experience made it possible to identify all their strengths and weaknesses, and new technologies to further strengthen the former and neutralize the latter. So, as a result of the work of the company's specialists, another family of gas piston rifles and M6 carbines was created, in which the direct supply of powder gases from the barrel to the receiver and to the bolt was replaced by a much more reliable piston mechanism with a short piston stroke.
The equipment is the most modern
The company is headquartered in Cambridge, Maryland, with three production facilities totaling over 8,300 square meters. There are fifty modern CNC machines in the workshops, there are laser cutting machines, screw-cutting machines, a robotic welding and painting unit, which fully comply with all modern industrial standards. LWRCI is also registered in the Lloyd's Quality Registrar and fully complies with the international standard ISO-9001.
Direct exhaust of gases - no, piston-pusher - yes
To improve the M16 / AR15 / M4 family, the company's engineers have developed a patented short-stroke self-regulating gas piston system. It completely eliminates the emission of hot gases saturated with carbon oxides into the receiver and eliminates their effect on the breech. The springs that are there are also not exposed to their scalding effect, which is one of the main reasons for their failure, as well as the breakdown of various small parts. As a result, the new rifles and carbines presented by the company to the market turned out to be much more reliable than their immediate predecessors.
Another advantage of the piston scheme is the lower recoil force, as well as the barrel toss. Surprisingly, this is achieved on the same AR-15 rifle, which is ergonomically identical to the standard rifle, weighs almost the same, and has 80% of the parts interchangeable.
New technologies come to life
Another “invisible” novelty (or almost invisible) is the forged barrels made of 41B45 alloy steel by cold forging and processed using NiCorr surface hardening technology. In cold forging, an oversized billet of the barrel is taken, and then, using high pressure presses, is compacted, being put on a mandrel. This allows you to get a perfect cut inside the barrel without any tool marks. This technology also densifies the molecular structure of the metal, making it denser and more durable. These barrels can last significantly longer than standard barrels without sacrificing accuracy or losing bullet velocity. Moreover, the unusualness of many barrels of rifles from this company immediately catches the eye. The fact is that they are … not smooth, but spirally corrugated, and they are 20% lighter than cylindrical ones of the same diameter. The increased surface area speeds up cooling, and these barrels are certainly stronger than a regular smooth barrel. Although the company has rifles with smooth barrels. They are cheaper. By the way, NiCorr surface treatment is also beneficial in that it makes the barrel more wear-resistant, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant than with conventional chrome plating. These barrels can hold up to 20,000 rounds, compared to 6,000-10,000 rounds for the standard Army M4.
All the friction parts of all M6 rifles now have a patented nickel plating that almost eliminates corrosion while providing continuous lubrication of moving parts without the need for oil! This nickel plating is similar to that used by the US Army Research Laboratory to extend the life of existing weapon systems.
Ceramic rifle
Another innovation of the company is the Cerakote ceramic coating, which has been developed as an alternative to the traditional black anodizing. Cerakote is a type of thermally cured coating for firearms and it is undoubtedly one of the most successful and promising developments. It is applied over a standard anodized finish and provides unrivaled abrasion and corrosion resistance. All the benefits of Teflon without sacrificing durability. It is also a self-lubricating coating, which means these rifles can run with less lubricant; and this is especially valuable in the desert or other "dusty places." Rifles are currently offered in Flat Dark Earth, Olive Drab, Patriot Brown. True, all the rifles with Cerakote coating are more expensive than the standard "black" ones by $ 150, but it's worth it.
Well, now let's get acquainted with individual samples of weapons from this company.
The first in the series will be the short IC-PSD assault rifle, which combines the firepower of a rifle cartridge with dimensions more typical of submachine guns. Due to its size and light weight, it is easy to carry and use in a wide variety of conditions. It has a 177 mm Picatinny rail, which allows the shooter to mount a variety of attachments on his weapon. Access to the gas piston system is quite simple: you just need to loosen two screws on the forearm.
The barrel is 210 mm long. The bolt carrier and the bolt itself are nickel-boron coated, which gives unprecedented wear resistance, corrosion resistance and … permanent lubrication.
Includes LWRCI Skirmish scopes, dual-charging grip, LWRCI proprietary adjustable compact grip, Magpul grip, and a high-performance 4-pin flash toggle switch.
The SIX8-SPR is a special purpose rifle chambered for 6.8 x 43mm Remington SPC II. The cartridge has more power than 5, 56 mm, but lighter than 7, 62 mm. The rifle uses alloys most commonly used in the aerospace industry, which increases its quality and … price! The window for the ejection of the shells is increased, and so it looks practically no different from the weapons of standard calibers. Extractor spring is also reinforced
The firm also produces the LWRC REPR "Sniper Model" rifle with a barrel length of 508 mm; LWRC REPR "Designated Marksman Rifle" (DMR) model - that is, a rifle for "marksman" with a barrel length of 457 mm; LWRC REPR "Standard Model" (standard model) with a barrel length of 408 mm; and the same model, but with a barrel length of 322 mm. By the way, the abbreviation "REPR" (Rapid Engagement Precision Rifle) can be translated into Russian as "an accurate rifle for quickly hitting targets", which once again emphasizes its high quality.
