L129A1

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title: "L129A1" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["7.62×51mm-nato-semi-automatic-rifles", "designated-marksman-rifles", "sniper-rifles-of-the-united-kingdom", "sniper-rifles-of-the-united-states"] topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L129A1" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox weapon"]

FieldValue
nameL129A1
imageFile:L129A1 Sharpshooter rifle MOD 45162219.jpg
image_size300
captionAn L129A1
origin{{Plainlist
typeDesignated marksman rifle
is_rangedYes
serviceOctober 2009 – present
used_byBritish Armed Forces
warsWar in Afghanistan
manufacturerLewis Machine & Tool Company
number3,000+
weight4.4 kg
length927 mm (stock collapsed)
990 mm (stock extended)
part_length{{Plainlist
* {{convert16
* {{convert18
cartridge{{Plainlist
actionGas impingement, rotating bolt
range800 m
max_range1000 m
feed20-round detachable SR-25 pattern magazine
::

| name = L129A1 | image = File:L129A1 Sharpshooter rifle MOD 45162219.jpg | image_size = 300 | caption = An L129A1 | origin = {{Plainlist|

It is a part of LMT's Modular Weapon System (MWS) small arms family.

History

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

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, 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 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. 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.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/2019_European_Best_Sniper_Competition_190723-A-ZK934-111.jpg" caption="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.

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 barrel, a new Leupold scope, a HuxWrx suppressor, an Envision Technology ballistic calculator, and a Pixels-on-Target thermal sight was adopted in 2023.

Variants

L129A1

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

L129A2

Updated MARS-H based L129A2 designated marksman rifle chambered in 6.5 mm Creedmoor with an 18 in 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.

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. 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. 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.

Civilian variants

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

References

References

  1. "PIN-POINT PRECISION".
  2. https://www.army.mod.uk/learn-and-explore/equipment/small-arms-and-support-weapons/l129a1-sharpshooter-rifle/
  3. https://armamentresearch.com/british-l129a1-sharpshooter-rifle/
  4. "Global Defence News and Defence Headlines - IHS Jane's 360".
  5. "L129A1 sharpshooter rifle".
  6. "LMT .308 AR Review". Guns & Ammo.
  7. link. (2019-04-20 . ''Small Arms Defense Journal''. 11 January 2012.)
  8. (2016-08-23). "New Ammo for British Troops: UK Develops More Effective 5.56mm and 7.62mm Ammunition -".
  9. Anthony G. Williams. "Cartridges for Long-Range Sniping Rifles". quarryhs.co.uk.
  10. "L129A1 sharpshooter rifle".
  11. "L129A1 (SSW) Rifle". Ministry of Defence.
  12. (7 September 2023). "Britain's Commandos to get new assault rifles". [[Royal Navy]].
  13. [https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2023/09/21/u-k-royal-marines-adopt-6-5cm-lmt-l129a2-ft-huxwrx-leupold/ U.K. Royal Marines adopt a 6.5CM LMT as the L129A2, ft. HUXWRX and Leupold] {{Webarchive. link. (2023-10-26 . ''The Firearm Blog''. 21 September 2023.)
  14. "“SHARPSHOOTER” REACHES FURTHER DOWNRANGE: THE L129A2 GETS ADOPTED".
  15. (7 September 2023). "Britain's Commandos to get new assault rifles". [[Royal Navy]].
  16. [https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2023/09/21/u-k-royal-marines-adopt-6-5cm-lmt-l129a2-ft-huxwrx-leupold/ U.K. Royal Marines adopt a 6.5CM LMT as the L129A2, ft. HUXWRX and Leupold] {{Webarchive. link. (2023-10-26 . ''The Firearm Blog''. 21 September 2023.)
  17. [http://soldiersystems.net/2018/03/23/ussocom-adopts-6-5-cm/ USSOCOM Adopts 6.5 Creedmoor] {{Webarchive. link. (2018-09-26 . soldiersystems.net, 23 March 2018)
  18. [https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htweap/articles/20190107.aspx Weapons: The Hits Just Keep On Coming] {{Webarchive. link. (2024-08-09 . strategypage.com, 7 January 2019)
  19. "Baby Barrel Creedmoor – Study of a Short(er) 6.5 Creedmoor Riflee, Sean Murphy, December 4, 2019".
  20. [https://sadefensejournal.com/sharpshooter-reaches-further-downrange-the-l129a2-gets-adopted/Sharpshooter” Reaches Further Downrange: The L129A2 gets adopted ''Small Arms Defense Journal''. 3 October, 2023.]
  21. "L129A1 REFERENCE RIFLE".
  22. "LM308SP Rifle".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

7.62×51mm-nato-semi-automatic-riflesdesignated-marksman-riflessniper-rifles-of-the-united-kingdomsniper-rifles-of-the-united-states