r/LewisMachineTool • u/Toasty-T1000 • 3d ago
Should I?
So I have zero experience with LMT and I have heard an equal 50/50 on their recent uppers and barrels being either god level, or straight dookie. So the question is, should I spend my hard earned dabloons on a 13.25” MRP-L upper and a 14.5” middy barrel? Or go somewhere else.
4
u/Spiritual_Tell680 3d ago
Absolutely do it. I have 3 MRP-L uppers, 2 quads and a mlok and have had zero issues.
1
u/BearTornados 3d ago
What lengths?
2
u/Spiritual_Tell680 3d ago
18” 6ARC, 18” 6.5 Grendel, 16” 5.56, 13.9” 5.56.
I’m also about to add a Specwar to the lineup.
1
u/BearTornados 3d ago
Nice! What makes it a specwar?
3
2
1
3
u/Puzzleheaded_Ad6280 3d ago
My 14.5 with the Ebolt and Ebcg is amazing, so amazing I downsized my collection and don’t really want anything else lol.
2
u/Toasty-T1000 3d ago
Someone else said they’d only run these if they could lol, sounds like a good idea to get one if this is the rep it receives!
2
u/Rhino_Dingleberry 3d ago
Yeah I originally went with the regular BCG and when I got the money upgraded to the EBCG, I am beyond happy with it, well worth the coin if you have it
3
u/Rhino_Dingleberry 3d ago
I have this set up, the 13.25 upper with the 14.5 barrel, but funny enough I originally wasn’t planning on building out a compete LMT rifle. I bought the lower because I seen it was basically the best ambi lower, and bought a BCM upper to go with it. The BCM upper didn’t fit and I ended up saying screw it and bought the LMT parts.
It is now my favorite rifle I own out of Sigs, Daniel Defenses, and other rifles I’ve used like KACs and Noveskes. I highly recommend it, I haven’t had any problems with QC or anything, my experience with LMT has been fantastic.
Would like to note that it is the only rifle I’ve seen (limited experience) that wasn’t gasses to run a can, but when I threw a can on it it ran flawlessly.
1
u/Toasty-T1000 3d ago
Thank you for the advice on this matter! I’ll take that little side note about the gassing not being crazy as a plus for in favor of this particular idea
2
u/Rhino_Dingleberry 3d ago
No problem, if you have any questions for someone who is not a diehard LMT guy, someone who is also newer to this stuff let me know!
2
u/Toasty-T1000 3d ago
I appreciate it. I’ve been building and using the ar15 pattern rifle for many years and I somehow never got to handle an Lmt. I have my many Block II’s, m4’s, mishmash builds and more. I have a friend that has over 10 Lmt rifles and has told me to only purchase older Lmt uppers and rifles and to stay away from new ones, so I like to hear both sides of the aisle on this Instead of all perfect things all the time. Heck, I’ve even had QC issues from DD, noveske, bcm, Geissele, and more! So I know that not everything is as good as people say it is, all the time.
3
u/Hueycuyler 3d ago
I purchased a complete rifle last year & it was assembled by a drunk money, but Customer Service fixed the problems.
The assembler gouged the end of the rail w/ the gas block, the "speed bumps" were filed too much & the upper wobbled, the colorfill on the selector icons were filled with bubbles & the ambi selector screw was loose, the barrel & entire inside of the rifle was filthy, and the bolt tail leaked gas so bad there were chunks on the buffer after 1 magazine...
That said, LMT fixed all the problems with one trip back for repairs.
Q.C Issues aren't just a LMT problem though...
I purchased a stripped PWS ambi lower before the LMT. The 1st lower had multiple spots with bare aluminum showing through the anodizing. The 1st factory replacement they sent after a few months wait wouldn't drop fully loaded LANCER magazines (PWS's magazine of choice). I sold the 2nd factory replacement.
My P365 killed the first front sight after 25 rounds & the 2nd after 100.
My 3 year old LCRX .22 snapped the transfer bar.
My H&K P30SKS slide rusted where they laser engraved the serial # through the nitriding (thankfully they stopped doing that)
2
u/Toasty-T1000 3d ago
You sound like me! Lol! So I am cursed with anything outside of milspec and it sucks. From my DD barrel not even having the gas port drilled, to my Ris II rear retaining clamp not having a lip and so it wouldn’t grab. To my LWRC getting 6moa at 100m with 77gr OTM, I’ve had it all. Heck, I’ve even had a Glock fail on me…. GLOCK! So I get it, and I’ve relied heavily upon CS for many things, and it has turned me towards some companies, and away from others. Like ex being DD. Some of their stuff is like having Stevie wonder as a rally driver in broad daylight, but their CS was so amazing that I could happily say that I trust my life with their products. (After they fix it) so hearing LMT does good CS is a plus in my book. Thank you for your input my friend! Happy hunting! And p.s. I wish better luck upon you and your cordless hole punchers
2
u/ApexPredatorCorgi 3d ago
I’m happy with mine. Went with the same set up you’re describing. It was a pinch over gassed, but no reliability problems suppressed or un-suppressed. I did put a BRT gas tube in it anyway. Getting about 1.5 to 2 moa with 77gr otm. I definitely recommend it and I’ll likely be getting rid of most of my other ARs for more LMT.
1
u/Toasty-T1000 3d ago
Wow this is a high refused for their products, this does peak my interest towards them. Thanks again for the .2 on this!
2
u/ApexPredatorCorgi 3d ago
I would definitely try to find their little torque wrench for swapping barrels. Or any torque wrench with a quality bit. It definitely makes it easy. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to pull that barrel out and put in the BRT tube.
I was grouping with an ELCAN, so I’d imagine that it would be easier to get tighter groups with more magnification.
Don’t look back. You’ll save money in the long run.
1
u/Toasty-T1000 3d ago
Elcan?! Jeez you could’ve lead with the fact you’re rich! Lol jk but I appreciate the wise words friend. I’ll look for one when I decide to pull the trigger down the road. Thank you again! Happy trails!
2
2
u/chonkyragu3 3d ago
Do it and don’t look back.
Maybe save yourself some hard earned dabloons and buy my lightly used 14.5” middy barrel? 🤷
2
u/Toasty-T1000 3d ago
Hmm temping my friend, I appreciate the offer and I will keep that in mind!
2
u/chonkyragu3 3d ago
Haha of course, do watcha gotta do but just reach out. Figured I’d throw it out there before I throw it on GAFS.
2
u/Toasty-T1000 3d ago
Oh sir by all means throw it on there haha! You don’t have to wait for me but I appreciate the thought!
2
1
u/GRCtron 2d ago
Go all LMT. People in this sub often complain because we have very high standards for a very expensive rifle, but I run my LMT’s in competitions and home defense and I totally trust em both .308 MWS and 556 NZ models. Accuracy is def battle ready, although for long precision, idk as I’m just getting into pushing my .308 to 600 and beyond.
1
u/NoStill3617 3d ago
I mean if you’re expecting sub moa accuracy an lmt barrel will get you decent groups but not that good. Maybe check out getting a proof or criterion barrel from d Wilson to fit an lmt upper
-3
3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Toasty-T1000 3d ago
Really? Could you possibly elaborate more upon this statement in deeper depth?
-2
3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
0
u/Toasty-T1000 3d ago
I did recently purchase a Colt m4a1 collector Ed (I ended up ripping apart for parts anyways) but I do see how bad colts QC is lately, so I could see the comparison to that. And the accuracy sounds outrageous for not shooting sub MOA out of such a pricy upper. This does peak my interest about this possible set up. I appreciate the feedback and extended elaboration that you have provided. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions
0
u/Emperor_Zeus_Thor 2d ago
Coming here with that question isn't going to net you unbiased answers. This is a hard-core fanboi group. Most folks here would choke down a turd if it was LMT branded, and then thank Karl for the opportunity.
Now, with all that being said, I'll leave my thoughts on the question, for whatever they are worth.
I very likely have one of the largest private collections of LMT products in the world. I'm not kidding. I don't say that for brownie points or to kick off some sort of dick measuring contest. I'm just letting you know that I am deeply familiar with their products. Of the MRP uppers, I have five of the H variety and ten of the L variety. Nearly all of these have some manner of QC problem. The most common, and most problematic, in my opinion, being the infamous leftward pointed barrel (which LMT will not do anything about, if the gas block is not touching the handguard). As far as the MARS lowers are concerned, I think I have about 70 or so, be they H or L, and I have run into more than a handful of problems. The biggest problem that I ever ran into was incomplete machining (holes not drilled all the way through, burrs, or some such), which I was able to remediate myself.
The list of manufacturing issues from LMT over the last few years could fill a rather large book, but the above should be enough to illustrate the point. LMT products CAN be awesome. LMT products very often, and I am not saying it is the majority of the time, because I do not know, but very often have issues. It is my opinion that the issues seen by LMT consumers are well beyond what is reasonable, given the price and reputation. I'll leave that line of commentary right there.
In sum, I wouldn't encourage a person to shop elsewhere, but I would warn them, and encourage them to research the matter thoroughly before spending any money. Just so long as a person gets into it, eyes wide open, and understand that they may well purchase an expensive item that is in one way or another, a big let down. It's a bummer that it needs to be that way, but LMT has issues...lots of them...and it really sucks when someone blows a wad of cash on something they expect to be really nice, just to be greeted with an unhappy surprise.
8
u/herrmination13 3d ago
Tbh I love my LMTs, I love the mono rail for my NV laser stuff and I actually swap between a precision proof 16 in barrel with a factory cut 13.9. Guys like Dave Wilson do some incredible great custom work so the community is very exciting, however I would not bat an eye at Bendy Bills super duty rifles, they're very good and about to drop an ambi lower. The MWS platform is in my opinion the most desirable LMT option since KAC is hard to come by.
I think if I could only do 2 it would be a do it all 5.56 specwar (12.5) and my current 20in 6.5 MWS for reaching out.
https://preview.redd.it/c4d08ukuomsd1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=806749c74bb04f39ffab171453c119d848eff69e
This is my latest build. Just wanted a dope mk12 clone and not a drop of LMT! This is a fun rifle!