The esoteric Lewis Machine and Tool Confined Space Weapon 300 (LMT CSW300) is the logical evolution of the many attempts to downsize the M16 rifle for special operations needs. Super compact variants like the Colt Commando date back to the late 1960s, but those had to be padded out to longer overall length with blast-reducing flash hiders to assist in cycling. The end result was a lightweight but marginally effective short barreled 5.56mm rifle used by some Special Forces and, as a survival carbine, by military pilots.

Maximizing Close-Range Effectiveness

The main problem of the Commando was that its ammunition was optimized for much longer rifle barrels. From 10.5-inch tubes, it simply lacked the velocity to make a 55gr bullet sufficiently effective past 100 yards. 7.62x35mm, also known as .300 Blackout, was developed from the start as a cartridge for short barrels, with many loads optimized for sound suppressed use. Whereas 5.56mm tops out at 77 grains, .300 BLK provides 220 grain options at the same velocity. The cartridge works with all the same components, other than the barrel. Compared to the other traditional CQB choice, 9x19mm in HK’s MP5 SD and similar submachine guns, .300 BLK gives both better subsonic performance and the option to run significantly faster supersonic bullets in the 110- to 150-grain range. Built from the ground up as a .300 BLK rifle, LMT CSW300 aimed to make the best of the recent ammunition and sound moderation developments.

LMT CSW300 Features

The core of the weapon is a 1:7 twist, 8.15-inch, chrome-lined barrel with a matched sound suppressor permanently attached for the total length of 11.8 inches. Thanks to that compact configuration, and the specialized reduced length 6-position stock and buffer, LMT CSW300 is only 24.3 inches long with the stock collapsed, 27.6 inches extended. Because it features both a sound suppressor and a barrel shorter than 16 inches even with the suppressor attached, it requires two $200 NFA tax stamps for individuals to own. The barrel and suppressor unit are removable for maintenance. The carbine is hefty for its size, with most of the 7.3-pound weight accruing to the sound suppressor, the barrel and the full-length enveloping forend. The idea behind this configuration was to maximize close-range effectiveness for entry teams, armored vehicle crews and bodyguards.

The LMT CSW300 lower receiver is enhanced with a secondary left-side magazine release. It comes with a very good, crisp two-stage trigger that permits good control even with gloves on. To institutional users, the LMT CSW300 is available in select-fire form with cyclic rates in the 700 to 900 rounds per minute range, depending on the ammunition used. The wide forend protects the sound suppressor from impacts and provides a good standoff from the barrel. At the front of the forend, two downward projections provide indexing for the support hand for maximum direction control without fingers straying before the muzzle. Applying pressure to the very end of the weapon allows precise control both in the aiming and in the recoil control stages of the shot. While the standoff between the suppressor and the forend is smaller there, the can warms up relatively slowly. With gloves on, extended continuous fire is possible before significant discomfort.

The upper receiver features an 18-inch monolithic rail equipped with high quality adjustable folding iron sights and is equally suitable for optics and night vision equipment. The carbine comes with four short rail segments for attaching to threaded holes on the sides of the forend as needed for lights, lasers and other accessories. An ambidextrous charging handle completes the composition.

Test Results

I tested the carbine with the supplied Vortex Razor AMG UH1 holographic sight and with a Primary Arms Gen II 5x Compact Prism scope. With the UH1, the weapon is extremely fast and plenty accurate—this is the real-world use configuration suitable for hitting sporting clays on the 65-yard berm off hand. The magnified optic was used for more deliberate accuracy testing from a support. The three subsonic loads, SIG SAUER and Black Hills 220gr, and Gemtech 187gr, all turned in very respectable 1.5MOA groups. Testing was done at the same 65 yards, with 1-inch spreads for all three. Remington 220gr match grouped less well at 2.5MOA. Aguila 150gr FMJ grouped at 2.25MOA—quite good for a barrel optimized for heavier bullets.

LMT CSW300 has no visible muzzle signature at all, neither flash nor any significant smoke. The rifle also eliminates most of the blowback towards the shooter effectively. The very short direct impingement gas system results in most of the gas and some of the burning powder manifesting at the ejection port. About 40% of the shots made with Remington subsonics and about 15% of the shots taken with SIG SAUER ammunition produced bright, warm fireballs at the ejection port (see photo). That makes the carbine with those rounds uncomfortable by left-handers, ambidextrous controls notwithstanding. While watching videos of other samples of LMT CSW300 in use, I did not see the ejection port flames, but it can be a known issue with short gas systems.

The Good, the Bad and the Dirty

On the plus side, these two loads functioned 100%. I had to go to the LMT engineers about the next issue. Gemtech ammunition did not produce fireballs but short-cycled consistently, ejecting empties without loading the next cartridge into the chamber. Black Hills ammunition, while very accurate, required completely manual cycling, mostly not even unlocking the bolt. This is consistent with chronographed velocities, around 850fps for the SIG and the Remington loads and under 900fps for Black Hills and Gemtech. My best guess was that faster powders used by SIG SAUER and Remington produce both the higher velocity and more of a fireball at the ejection port. The effect appeared at once on a brand new carbine, so it couldn’t have been unburned powder residue. An LMT engineer explained that the wide range of pressure curves between various .300 BLK loads requires tuning the rifle to them—in this case, by taking the anti-bounce weight out of the bolt carrier to enable cycling with the lower port pressure ammunition. Aguila supersonics mostly worked, but by then I ran into another side effect of suppressing such a short weapon: it can run dirty. All the carbon has to go somewhere, so 150 rounds of assorted subsonics were enough to gunk up the gun. Chambering the first round eventually required the use of forward assist, and I had four more failures to go into battery out of 20 rounds. LMT recommends the Hornady and Black Hills ammunition and cleaning every 200 rounds. I did not try just using 200 rounds of Hornady or Black Hills to see if I had the same issue as when all the different rounds were used.

Optimal Defense Weapon

All designs are optimized for certain features, and LMT CSW300 is no exception. Its suppressor does a great job of eliminating gas blowback and stays cool enough for firing about 100 shots in an engagement. The sound reduction is noticeable, but the report—possibly aggravated by the ejection port pop—remains unpleasant to the ear without being immediately damaging. The system is rated 138–139dB with subsonic ammunition. Given the high muzzle pressure inherent in short barrel rifles, this may be physically the best result possible. Ear plugs are recommended even outdoors with subsonic ammunition. In serious use, active hearing protection is worn anyway to attenuate the noise of the opposition’s gunfire. In sum, LMT CSW300 works as an entry or sudden self-defense weapon, provided it is cleaned regularly and compatible ammunition is used.

At SHOT Show 2004, a new black rifle was introduced that was not just a copy of the standard design that most of the industry produce. This black rifle would move the family of weapons into new uncharted territory. Karl Lewis, president of Lewis Machine & Tool (LMT) introduced the MRP, the monolithic rail platform.

The MRP is the first monolithic upper receiver. The upper receiver is machined from a single 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum forging. There are four solid Mil-Std 1913 rails and permit complete zero retention for optics or any other accessory placed on the rails. The upper receiver is equipped with a forward assist, fired cartridge case deflector as well as an ejection port dust cover. All rails are numbered for easy replacement of optics to insure they are placed back in the same position from which they were removed. Removable sling swivel mounts are placed on the end of the MRP at the 3, 6 and 12 o’clock positions. Additionally, mounting points are located on the right and left side at the rear of the handguard area by the ejection port. This permits any type of sling or desired location for the operator’s discretion.

The innovation does not stop with the development of the first one piece monolithic rail platform. The barrel, held in by two bolts, is removable by the user. When the bolts are removed the barrel/gas tube assembly is pulled straight out of the receiver. This enables the 5.56mm caliber weapon to be configured for whatever mission it will be used. If a close quarter combat environment is the mission, a 10.5 inch barrel may be used. If the mission is urban or normal combat ranges, a 14.5 or 16 inch barrel may be used. If longer range is required, an 18 or 20 inch barrel may be used. It should be noted the 16 inch 5.56mm barrel uses a mid-length gas system and all others use a standard carbine gas system. All is accomplished at the user level; no armorer is needed to change out the barrels. The barrels are manufactured from machine gun barrel steel and button cut rifling. They are cut with the Mil-Spec 1 turn in 7 inch twist allowing up to 80 grain projectiles to be stabilized. The barrels have chrome plated bore and chambers and are equipped with an A2-style compensator. With Lewis Machine & Tool being a U.S. government contractor for many different parts, they are familiar with what Mil-Spec means and what it takes to achieve it. All barrels manufactured by Lewis Machine & Tool are proof tested with a 70,000 psi proof cartridge and then magnetic particle inspected to insure the barrels are free of stress fractures. When the barrel is installed in the MRP, the barrel is completely free floating. This increases accuracy as well as the air holes in the MRP circulate air to aid in cooling. The removable barrels also enable another innovation: the MRP is a multi-caliber weapon as different caliber barrels can be used. Complete changing of the barrel is accomplished in less than 5 minutes.

The MRP provided for this evaluation came with many enhancements that are all Karl Lewis. Starting with the sights, the rifle was provided with the LMT BUIS (Back Up Iron Sight). This is a fully adjustable rear sight that has been provided to the U.S. Navy and SOCCOM for the MK18 CQB 10.3 inch carbines. The sight is identical to that of the standard M16A2 or M4. The front sight is removable and held on by a nut. It has the traditional triangular shape and square front sight post. Of course, being a Mil-Std 1913 rail, any BUIS can be mounted.

The charging handle has an improved latch that is easier for one to grasp as it is made wider so it is easier to actuate.

The bolt and carrier are also a significant departure from the norm. When Lewis looked at the new design, he looked at the specific operating dynamics of the carbine and how different it is from the rifle. Given the different dynamics, Lewis designed the bolt and carrier to function with that in mind. To begin with, the bolt carrier has had several modifications. Due to the dynamics of the carbine, the bolt unlocks at a faster rate on a carbine length gas system than a full length rifle. Owing to this quicker action, there is still residual pressure in the cartridge case and it is still somewhat expanded when the rifle starts to extract making the extractor and extractor spring work that much harder to extract that cartridge case. It also causes extractor springs to wear quicker than that of the rifle. SOCOM has added rubber O-rings to increase the extractor force to cope with the wear issue. The standard GI M4 has a new and improved extractor spring (copper in color) that is designed specifically for the carbine to increase extractor force. Lewis also redesigned the geometry of the cam track by increasing the dwell time upon unlocking and thus permitting additional time for the residual pressure to drop allowing much easier cartridge extraction. He also added an additional gas relief port to get rid of unneeded gas.

The bolt was also redesigned with durability on mind using proprietary material that is significantly stronger than standard bolt material. Due to its hardness it is more expensive to procure and more expensive to machine than standard bolt steel. The geometry of the locking lugs has been modified as well. There are stress relief cuts that allow more flexing of the lugs to prevent breakage. The extractor has been redesigned as well. The improved “lobster tail” extractor uses two extractor springs instead of one that significantly enhances the reliability of the extractor in adverse conditions. The extractor claw is considerably more aggressive and stronger as well. Like the barrels and as per Mil-Spec, all LMT bolts are proof tested and them magnetic particle inspected.

The lower receiver has many enhancements as well. The stock is the LMT SOPMOD stock and is the stock assembly purchased by USSOCOM and the U.S. Navy for the M4A1 carbines and the MK18 CQB weapons. The stock is triangular in shape and very smooth. There are two removable sling mounting points on the stock as well as a cut-out for a standard GI silent sling. There are two battery compartments that are water resistant tubes placed inside of the stock and there is a removable rubber butt plate as well. The receiver extension is also designed by LMT and has six positions as opposed to the standard M4 which has 4 positions. The provided pistol grip is the Ergo Grip that is extremely comfortable and with the finger grooves is comfortable and makes the rifle stable in the shooting hand in adverse conditions. Also provided on the lower receiver is the Ergo Grip Gapper. This little spacer covers the gap in-between the front of the pistol grip and the trigger guard. LMT’s proprietary ambidextrous selector lever is also provided. This is not just good for left handed shooters but can be just as useful to right handed shooters as well given the tactical situation. Tangodown rail covers were provided on the rails.

The rifle was outfitted with the new EOTech XPS2-2 two dot reticle holographic sight. Extremely compact, this sight uses a single 123 battery and has a battery life is 500 to 600 hours. This sight only requires 2.75 inches of rail space. Along with the sight is the EOTech Generation II 3X magnifier. This comes with a Samson Quickflip tilting mount attached to an A.R.M.S. throw lever mount. When disengaged, the magnifier sits to the right side of the rifle: when engaged for long range shooting it flips back.

Also attached to the rifle was the Insight Tech M3X tactical light with pressure pad activation that was mounted in a Tangodown vertical foregrip. By just removing a spacer, the pressure pad sits in the grip. The grip also is hollow allowing for additional storage.

The magazines chosen for the rifle are the Magpul PMag, one of the finest magazines available anywhere in the world for the Black Rifle. This magazine is a significant reliability enhancement to any member of this family of weapons. The constant curve design allows the shot column to sit in its natural shape and increase feed reliability.

The ammunition for this test was provided by Silver State Armory (SSA). SSA is known for manufacturing some of the highest quality duty and match ammunition in the industry at competitive pricing. Silver State Armory just moved to a state-of-the-art facility in Packwood, Washington where they have a 100 meter underground range and the facility meets United States Department of Defense requirements to manufacture military contract ammunition. They manufacture their own brass. All SSA ammunition is loaded with custom blends of powder geared towards the specific loading. They offer several loadings in 5.56mm, 7.62mm NATO, 6.8SPC and .499 LWRC. They are also one of the only ammunition manufacturers in the United States to manufacture armor piercing rifle ammunition in 5.56mm, 7.62mm NATO and 6.8SPC.

More than 300 rounds of SSA 5.56mm 55gr FMJ rounds were fired through the MRP for function testing and no malfunctions were encountered. There were 200 rounds of SSA 5.56mm 77 grain OTM cartridges fired as well. Groups at 100 yards kept around 1.75 inch groups consistently with the FMJ rounds. All in all, this barrel has had more than 500 rounds through it and as it has broken in the groups had tightened up. First groups fired with the SSA 5.56mm 77 grain OTM were consistent at 1.75 inches. The last groups fired with this ammunition were printing consistently at 1 MOA.

LMT Piston Operated MRP

The industry has gone through a piston craze over the last few years. Although there is no statistical data proving the superiority of piston operation over direct impingement, there has been a market for piston operated weapons in the AR-platform. When asked why LMT began producing piston operated rifles, Karl Lewis simply said “customer demand.” Good enough of an answer.

The versatility of the MRP made it the ideal platform for the piston operated LMT offering. The piston is part of the barrel assembly. The gas block on the barrel has been altered to accept the end cap, piston, operating rod and spring. It is held together as an assembly so the assembly is inserted into the MRP and locked down with the two bolts. The one-piece bolt carrier was modified too for use with the piston. The impact area (key area) of the carrier is machined into the bolt carrier giving strength and durability to the carrier. All the gas relief ports have been eliminated. Skis have been added to the bottom of the rear of the carrier to prevent carrier tilt caused by the off-center movement caused by the impact of the operating rod on the bolt carrier. To remove the piston assembly from the barrel, depress the detent and rotate the end cap and pull outward. Now the operating rod and spring can be removed for maintenance. The piston operated system requires the use of the heavier H2 buffer (two tungsten weights and one steel weight). The MRP piston barrels are offered in both 5.56mm as well as 6.8mm Rem SPC.

Provided for testing was both the 16 inch as well as the 12 inch CQB barrel. More than 300 rounds of Silver State Armory 5.56mm 55gr FMJ ammunition was fired with no malfunctions. More than half of that was fired on fully automatic utilizing a Colt M4 lower receiver. Slightly more recoil and muzzle flip was noticed with the piston operated system

Converting the MRP to Fire 6.8mm Rem SPC

The absolute finest innovation of the MRP is its easy ability to convert to fire a different cartridge. LMT currently makes barrels in 5.56mm and 6.8mm Rem SPC. LMT has also tested calibers in 6.5 Grendal, 5.54x39mm and 7.62x39mm. Provided with the MRP test rifle was the barrel and bolt to convert the rifle to fire the 6.8mm Rem SPC cartridge. The 5.56mm barrel was unbolted and pulled out of the MRP and the 6.8mm barrel put in its place and the bolts torqued down to 140 inch pounds. The bolt was removed from the bolt carrier and replaced with an enhanced bolt chambered for the 6.8mm Rem SPC cartridge. LMT provided four Precision Reflex, Inc. 25-round magazines. Also provided by C Products were five of their steel 25-round magazines.

The first 300 rounds fired were SSA 110 grain Nosler Accu Bond cartridges. No malfunctions were encountered. With this ammunition, the groups at 100 yards remained at 1.25 inches off of a bench. For accuracy, the SSA 115 grain Sierra OTM Match rounds were used. Groups measured at a consistent 1 MOA. Recoil was noticeably more than the 5.56mm but not enough to mention firing on semiautomatic. SSA also manufactures an armor piercing round in 6.8mm Rem SPC. It consists of a pointed carbide core with a machined brass sabot offering an incredible barrier penetration. It penetrates with ease a 1/2-inch thick Mil-A-12560 class 1 armor plate out of a 16 inch barrel at 100 meters at a velocity of 2,800 feet per second.

In research into weapons chambered for the 6.8mm Rem SPC it was noticed there are two different chambers. They are referred to as the spec 1 and type 2 chambers. The spec 1 chamber is the one which has a SAAMI specification and has a .050 freebore. The spec 2 chamber has .100 freebore, which permits longer projectiles (better ballistic coefficient). Additionally, the longer freebore decreases pressure 4-5,000 psi. With a 115 grain projectile, a spec 1 chamber will give 2,425 feet per second and a spec 2 chamber will give a higher 2,575 feet per second. As of this writing a significant number of manufacturers are making their 6.8mm Rem SPC barrels with the spec 2 chamber; however, some remain with the SAAMI spec chamber. This is due to the standardization in chamber drawings. There is a rumor going around that a new chamber specification, which is the spec 2 chamber will be introduced to SAAMI as the 6.8x43mm. As of this writing, only Silver State Armory and one loading in Hornady TAP line is loaded to the spec 2 pressures. Silver State Armory loads both commercial and spec 2 loads. Before shooting spec 2 ammunition in your rifle, consult the rifle manufacturer to determine which chamber your rifle has.

The Lewis Machine and Tool MRP is truly in a category of its own and is the benchmark for the modularity of the M16/M4 weapon system: one receiver, multi-caliber barrels and available in both direct gas as well as piston operated. More caliber offerings are most certainly on the horizon. With all the barrel lengths and calibers offered, the MRP will do just about any job required of it. Whether it is a CQB environment with the 10.5 inch barrel or hunting medium game with the 6.8mm Rem SPC, this one size does fit all. Selective fire versions of the MRP are available to both law enforcement as well as military customers. With the proper tax stamp and compatible state laws, short barreled versions of the MRP can be had by the general shooting community. LMT has been a forerunner in new developments and innovation, which will bring the M16/M4 well into the new decade and beyond.

If the television reality-show craze were to momentarily abort political correctness and expand into the gun world, there could certainly be potential in a new series called Pimp-My-Rifle. Just like the auto industry and the homebuilders have done, a bone-stock firearm could be presented for enhancement and returned to its owner in a highly modified configuration. Unfortunately, for the time being, no such reality show exists but thanks to the folks at CAA, many upgrades from mild to wild can privately be accomplished with a single phone call.

Plastic Rifle Popularity

There are several companies who specialize in manufacturing AR-15 style rifles in configurations too numerous to list here. The popularity of the semiautomatic version of America’s primary service weapon has exploded onto the civilian gun scene in the last decade evidenced by the number of major “sporting rifle” manufacturers who have added a version of the Black Rifle to their lineup. A firearm once considered on the fringe, or of limited interest, the AR-15 style rifle is no longer only being produced by specialized companies catering primarily to a military or law enforcement market. Eying a desirable and profitable market share, such well-known manufacturers as Remington, High Standard and Smith & Wesson seem to have now embraced the firearm that companies such as Colt, Bushmaster, DPMS, Olympic Arms, DoubleStar, and so many others have specialized in for decades.

With so many gun owners joining the ranks of the Black Rifle Owners Club, there has been a major influx of new ideas, points of view and weapon objectives brought forth by the fresh customer base and a desire to adapt this platform to their particular shooting discipline. This has, in turn, boosted the accessory market in volume and innovation. Jumping directly into the deep-end of the demand issue, CAA has a huge line of accessories for these rifles that continues to grow at an amazing pace. Their product line creates an environment where someone can purchase a standard, basic rifle and accessorize it for their particular purpose. Unfortunately, there have been specific cases where sensory overload occurred (too many available options and configurations) at a time when a purchase was about to be made and has led to a lost sale because the potential buyer wanted to “buy the right rifle the first time” and needed to do more research before buying.

Overload Problem Solved

One of the greatest advantages of the Black Rifle is the complete modularity built into the system. Almost any configuration in almost any caliber can be obtained with a little assistance from the aftermarket accessory industry. This means that for some shooters, especially those new to the AR-15 style rifle, the initial purchase can be as easy as a stripped-down, basic rifle, and it can be later customized to fit the specific criteria the new owner would desire. As well as making the initial purchase easier, this strategy has the potential to save the end user a substantial amount of money. Best of all, the configuration can be altered again, an unlimited number of times if desired, if a different or ever-changing end use should occur.

From Practical to Tactical… and Beyond

There is always plenty of discussion about what is considered a legitimate and useful accessory versus what constitutes an accessory deemed silly or ineffective. Ultimately this decision has to be the choice of the end user. This statement comes with a few light-hearted warnings.

• Black Rifle Bling – If you find something you can’t live without, hanging off the barrel of your Black Rifle, but it is a little “outside the box,” the ribbing from your peers is just part of the game. There are several accessories available and only you can decide what will meet your requirements. A light, a fore-grip or a laser, are usually acceptable in most shooting social circles. A bayonet lug mounted multi-blade combination lock-pick and hot dog fork might not.
• The 20-pound Light Rifle – Almost universally taunted by veteran AR-15 type rifle owners are those who purchase every accessory to the point of concealing the identity of the original firearm, and are often lightheartedly referred to as “Mall Ninjas” or “Internet Commandos.” Some guns have been intentionally over-accessorized and photographed for the web to poke a little fun at these, and some are even quite humorous. You will have to decide what you need for your new rifle based on the purpose you want it for. Just don’t mount everything you can find, anywhere it will fit, all at once.

If you are new to these rifles and maybe a little overwhelmed by the number of accessories available, consider these previous points your fair warning. They may save you some seemingly vicious but light-hearted ribbing.

The Right Touch

In order to demonstrate a series of practical upgrades to a base rifle, this writer contacted Command Arms Accessories (CAA) and explained the concept. They were asked to choose some of their popular accessories for a “makeover” on a basic rifle. In a very short period of time a few boxes arrived with several accessories and with the addition of a few components laying around the workshop, the first magazine version of Pimp-My-Rifle was underway.

The base rifle we started with had a low-end collapsible stock, a flattop upper receiver, standard front carbine-length forend, stock pistol grip and a traditional front sight & gas block.

• Stock – The makeover started at the rear and moved forward towards the muzzle. The first step was to deal with the factory stock. It was replaced with a CAA Collapsible Stock. This new stock gives the shooter a better cheek-weld and includes a no-slip rubber recoil pad as well as a small compartment that holds 4 CR123 Batteries, a short Picatinny accessory rail and an optional push-button sling swivel.
• Sling – With a mounting hole at the front of the new stock available, a one-point sling from CAA was chosen for this application. One-point slings work well in tight quarters and assist in weapon retention while incorporating quick-detach connection points.
• Pistol Grip – The stock pistol grip was replaced with a CAA Ergonomic Grip. This grip is a little wider, incorporates finger grooves and completely fills the space above the grip to the rear of the receiver for a very comfortable hold.
• Sights – Since this rifle had only a flattop receiver and standard front sight post, a combination of dot-type scope and adjustable iron sights were added and co-witnessed. They can be used in combination with each other or used individually if necessary or desired. The rear sight chosen was an LMT Tactical Adjustable Rear Sight. It is completely adjustable for windage and elevation. The red-dot scope chosen was a 30mm S.P.O.T. scope and mount from MGI Military. With several dot intensity settings this sight performs well in all light conditions.
• Rail System – Possibly the most versatile, and arguably the most popular, accessory of this rifle platform is a front rail system that allows for the attachment of numerous accessories. Since this was a project utilizing a base rifle with a standard upper receiver and front sight post, a TDI Arms X6 rail system was chosen. Manufactured from solid billet aviation aluminum, this 2-piece, 6-rail system simply replaces a standard carbine-length handguard and works in conjunction with the standard front sight. It is a drop-on rail installed with the factory delta ring and tightened with 5 bolts to secure the system. The top MIL-STD 1913 rail matches the height of the factory flat top rail to facilitate multiple accessories. Unused rail surfaces were covered with the assistance of an X6 Thermal Rail Cover Kit.
• Front Vertical Grip – The particular grip chosen for this project met a few different criteria. We used a CAA Flashlight Grip Adapter. This vertical front grip mounts on the front rail and accepts a standard 1-inch flashlight. Tactical lights with a rear button can utilize the built-in thumb switch in both a constant on and a momentary on mode. Lights with a pigtail-style pressure switch are also accommodated with built-in mounting surfaces.

Enough is Enough

Since we earlier made light of those who over-accessorize their rifles, we were cautious not to fall into that category with this build. Those who either need more accessories or just different accessories can rest well knowing that we didn’t even scratch the surface of the available items. For a full listing of CAA accessories you can visit their website at www.commandarms.com. Be prepared to be there for a while. There are numerous variants of the items we installed such as stocks, grips, mounts, slings and several other accessories not included such as magazine clamps, stock accessories, lasers and mounts, bipods and much more. They also carry accessories for many more firearms than just AR-15 style guns including AK47s, Uzis, P-90s, MP5s, Galils and several handguns.

Sources

Command Arms Accessories
76 Vincent Circle
Ivyland, PA 18974
Ph: (267) 803-1518
Fax: (267) 803-1002
www.commandarms.com

Lewis Machine Tool Company
1305 11th Street
W. Milan, IL 61264
Ph: (309) 787-7151
Fax: (309) 787-7193
www.lewismachine.net

MGI Military
102 Cottage Street
Bangor, ME 04401
Ph: (207) 945-5441
Fax: (207) 945-4010
www.mgimilitary.com

By Kevin Dockery

Few firearms manufacturers have proven themselves as successful as the Knight’s Armament Company (KAC). In just 25 years, C. Reed Knight, Jr. has taken his company from being a modest but skilled R&D shop into a unique modern military supplier. The structures that have held the shops and offices of KAC have changed from being a small two-story building in an orange grove to a sprawling complex of buildings, bunkers, and range facilities with the main plant having more than 400,000 square feet of work space.

The new location of the Knight’s Armament Company is in the old McDonnell Douglas Astronautics facility on Columbia Blvd. in Titusville, Florida. The Titusville plant is only a relatively short drive from central Florida and the huge convention center at Orlando. It is when the SHOT Show is at the Orlando center, such as it was this year, that KAC takes advantage of their facility’s location, and the invited guests of Mr. Reed Knight can take advantage of his own style of southern hospitality.

Even in the middle of January, central Florida can be a hot place, especially for writers and guests who have come down from the colder (much colder!) northern climes and countries. The well-upholstered and air-conditioned transportation put on by Knight’s made the afternoon trip to Titusville a quick and comfortable one. The crowds from the buses were filled out even further once at the plant by the number of people who arrived in their own vehicles. Any way you had arrived, the trip was well worth the time with what was waiting for everyone at Knight’s.

After a quick organization, and the filling out of the more and more common legal forms and releases, the writer community and dignitaries were invited to try out a number of products from both KAC as well as other manufacturer’s. It was trigger time again.

When the Shot Show was last in Orlando a few years ago, Reed Knight held his first open house at the Titusville facility. At that time, the primary guest of honor was General Mikhail Kalashnikov himself and an extensive demonstration was put on of the Knight Armament’s line of products. This year, the open house was a much larger affair and General Kalashnikov was unable to attend. Even the good general might feel that he missed out as instead of witnessing the Knight products, writers and others were invited to try them out for themselves.

Just moving around the huge facility was an event in itself with vans moving groups of people from one firing site to another. Part of the reason for this was the different ranges needed for the other companies that were also taking part in the KAC open house.

The first of the ranges visited was the close-in firing demonstration held by Lewis Machine & Tool Company of their M16 variations. One of the highlights at this position was a chance to fire the CQB version of their Monolithic Rail Platform upper chambered for the powerful 6.8mm round. Having seen combat with Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan, the 6.8mm round with its heavier bullet is proving to be a valuable asset, one worthy of further examination. With the radical rail system patented by LMT and machined out of a solid aluminum forging, the strength of the system is phenomenal, and the accuracy that comes with that strength is also world-class.

The LMT 6.8mm upper Close Quarters Battle specimen available for the demonstration was quick to handle while remaining controllable, even on full automatic fire. The future of the 6.8mm round is still vague at best. But no matter the caliber, Lewis Machine & Tool has a winner in their solid Monolithic Rail Platform uppers as well as their own line of receivers and complete weapons.

Transport took the groups finished with shooting at the first range to the next open range where a new line of rifles from Knight’s Armament were waiting for use. Even though we were all looking forward to examining the new weapons, it was hard not to be impressed with the layout and facilities of the Titusville compound. There were rows and rows of huge concrete and earth bunkers, leftovers from the days that McDonnell-Douglas Astronautics Company loaded up Dragon missiles on the site. The massive bunkers would hold up to the ignition of enough ammunition to satisfy the most jaded of SAR readers, while still leaving enough room to outfit a small country – or shoot up on a Knob Creek weekend. If there is an expansion into heavy ordnance in Knight’s future, the Titusville facility has more than enough assets on hand to take care of any job short of making solid-fuel space-shuttle engines.

At the next range were some very familiar weapons, with new twists that were not immediately apparent. The SR-15 series of rifles and carbines are upgraded AR-15 style rifles with a number of improved features developed by Knight engineers. On the table were a pair of SR-15 E3 URX (Upper Receiver Extending) carbines, both with KAC folding iron sights and attached Harris bipods. Inside, the carbines boasted dual extractor springs, redesigned locking lugs with increased strength, and a number of other new and patented features. The overall design of the SR-15 proved such and improvement over the original design that it was adopted as the basis for a heavy-barreled 5.56mm sniper rifle, the Mark 12 Mod 1 Special Purpose Rifle. The URX E3 carbines were to prove only slightly less accurate, and nearly two pounds lighter, than the GI Mk 12 Mod 1 rifle, but at the short range available to the shooters at that table, the guns showed themselves to be more than adequate.

It was at the last range that the wait was longest to fire the weapons, and the reason was obvious enough. To a long-gun shooter, the last range area held a real treat. On the benches were premier examples of the KAC engineers, and the lasting legacy of Eugene Stoner.

Seven years ago, the Navy SEALs adopted a modified version of the SR-25 rifle as their new semiautomatic 7.62mm sniper rifle – the Mark 11 Mod 0, a replacement for the venerable M14-based sniper weapons still in the racks. On the bench was a single example of a Mk 11 Mod 0 rifle, set up with both a sophisticated electro-optical sight and a long Knight-produced sound suppressor. The optics was a CS6000 thermal imaging sight capable of detecting human activity out to a range of 2,200 meters. All-in-all, a very serious weapons system.

Lined up next to the Mk 11 were the two newest versions of the SR-25, the recently adopted XM110 U.S. Army Semi-Auto Sniper Rifle System (SASS). The XM110 has a twenty-inch match grade 1:11 twist heavy barrel, as does the Mk 11. But the muzzle of the XM110 barrel is threaded to accept a flash suppressor. The trendy desert tan color of the XM110 rifles also made them stand out, but all the weapons shared the same basic characteristic – long range accuracy combined with a quick follow-up firing capability.

Firing some of the best weapons available might prove enough for most to spend an afternoon away from the Shot Show. But Reed Knight’s rendition of southern hospitality required that he offer much more. Underneath huge tents in the parking area near the main building were set up long rows of tables, just what were needed to partake of the excellent barbeque served up by the caterers. Keeping with the overall country-western theme of the day, Reed Knight, along with his staff and sons, were wearing western outfits, complete down to Colt single-action revolvers riding in low-draw holsters. In the background was both a mechanical bull for the more adventurous among the guests, as well as a much safer Country-Western band, the Bama Band, who were twice nominated for the Academy of Country Music’s Band of the Year Award and were for 20-plus years the touring band for superstar Hank Williams, Jr., that fired up their music in the sunset hours.

But it was the tour of the KAC main plant that really drew the crowds. On the plant floor were Mazak machining centers – quarter-million dollar chunks of computer-controlled precision. And there were rows of the big machines stretching out across the plant floor. Each machining center is capable of turning out identical parts for as long as needed, and then they can be reprogrammed to produce other components with a minimum of fuss, given skilled staff. And Knight’s Armament has 300 personnel making up that skilled staff manning the 400,000 square feet of floor space.

To help the production machines make their parts at KAC is a new Fanuc robotic arm. The bright yellow arm was twisting and turning through a complicated measuring protocol, dancing the same moves over and over for the on-looking crowd.

On the production floor, rack after rack was filled with parts in various stages of manufacture. The area was quiet for the open house, but the bins and racks of parts stood in mute testimony of the demand for Knight’s components and assemblies to aid the United States and the Global War on Terrorism.

There is something to be said for the success of a design when you see hundreds and hundreds of parts to make up the Knight Rail Adapter Systems (RAS) that are seen on many of the weapons serving in the hands of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The basic idea for the RAS came to Reed Knight when he watched footage of our troops in Grenada back in 1983. A long-time competitive shooter, Reed saw the guns in the hands of our troops with flashlights duct-taped to the forearms. Knowing that there had to be a better way to secure the illumination and aiming devices desired and needed by the troops, Knight and his engineers came up with the rail system, now used in every branch of the service.

Other components for successful Knight designs filled the bins on the floors and tables, but it was the second floor that held the crown-jewels of the tour. The Knight firearms library holds an extensive collection of weapons for study, many of them museum-class specimens in their own right. Taken as a whole, the library of firearms can easily compete with a number of large weapons museums around the world. Only these weapons are for study to help develop new designs to keep American arms technology in the lead for many of the world’s militaries. The Knight Working Reference Collection is incredible to experience.

The large number of guests at the open house had to be broken up into smaller groups to go through the plant and finally visit the collection. Since a number of unauthorized photographs of part of the collection have been posted on the Internet, cameras are strictly forbidden for the visitors to the collection. For the readers of SAR, Reed Knight graciously allowed this writer to bring a camera into parts of the collection to illustrate this article.

In the hallway leading up to the main room housing the bulk of the library, glass walls show the interiors of two side rooms housing two very special collections.

With justifiable pride, Reed Knight stood in front of the E. M. Stoner Memorial Gallery. Not just any firearms were contained in the gallery, it was a tribute to the firearms genius and hard work of Eugene Stoner, a designer and engineer well known to any who study the art of modern weapons. On the walls of the gallery were unique specimens of Stoner’s designs, most of them one-of-a-kind prototypes.

Opposite of the Stoner gallery was another room holding the examples of the products and weapons made by Reed Knight and his people over the years. A centerpiece of the KAC Shot Show booth was 6x35mm KAC Personal Defense Weapon. On the walls of the gallery were specimens of that weapon along with a number of others. When Reed was asked which of the pieces was his favorite, he reached over and pulled down a Mk 11 rifle, a particularly beat up and badly damaged piece.

The reason for Reed’s pride in that particular rifle? It had taken its damage in combat, serving in the very capable hands of a Navy SEAL.

SAR would like to thank Reed Knight and his son Trey, as well as their staff, for the wonderful opportunities they have afforded the small arms community in the past years, and to salute their commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and future development in small arms. The Knights have helped countless designers, writers and researchers over the years, and the readers of many firearms magazines, especially Small Arms Review, have benefited from this commitment to academic research. During the event at Knight’s, over 1,400 people experienced the hospitality and received a good old fashioned Barbecue in addition to their test firing demonstrations and tour of the plant and the Knight Collection. Those who toured the Collection were treated to explanations and anecdotes from Reed, Trey, George Kontis, Col. David Lutz and other employees of Knight’s, and SAR’s Dan Shea was also drafted/volunteered to serve as a guide for several tours as well. It was clear that everyone involved was proud, and indeed humbled, to help the attendees experience the amazing depth and focus of the Knight Collection. Again, SAR would like to thank the Knight’s for their generosity in sharing the history and knowledge they maintain in their Collection, and indeed, for keeping the torch alive in an age when political correctness has threatened our national security by chiseling away at our martial knowledge.