User Panel
1st...
and nice write up. I have a few of their offerings... While the "machining"-lower receiver mainly, tool marks, blemishes, etc-(I could care less how pretty it looks as long as it works...none of my guns are safe queens) is not as good as some other high end manufacturers, I think they more than make up for it in the quality of the parts. Their customer service is top notch as well... |
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LMT manufactuers a rock solid working gun. I have had very similar experience with mine, little cleaning and a lot of reliability.
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Maybe its me, and I'm no expert, but I'd feel pretty uncomfortable with someone breaking down any rifle near me with ammo still in the mag.
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If your rifle had a number, we could call it "Filthy #"...and a new legend could be born.
Nice write up. |
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Nice camo job, too...what was your technique if you don't mind my asking?
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Nice camo job, too...what was your technique if you don't mind my asking? I agree as well. Normally not a fan of such, but his looks pretty damn good. |
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Wow, I could not resist the urge to clean rifle after just a tenth of what you put that rifle through!
Looks good though, and thanks for the report! |
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I love LMT stuff, right now my go to gun is a LMT based MK18 but with a Noveske barrel.
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Nice!!
I like the camo job! My Defender 2000 runs great . Zero problems. bought it sometime in 2005 thanks to AR3. I also have a half breed, a Bushmaster/VLTOR Lower and a LMT M4 upper that I use as a spare. And it hasnt had any problems. And I do trust my carbines. I do think if you keep the Carrier & Bolt wet it would run for a very long time. |
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I'm not convinced that not cleaning an AR and having it runs proves anything. Someone here ran 15,000 (i think)rounds of wolf thru a model one upper
I have a lmt upper I bought around 2004. Great upper.
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Quoted: I'm not convinced that not cleaning an AR and having it runs proves anything. Someone here ran 15,000 (i think)rounds of wolf thru a model one upper I have a lmt upper I bought around 2004. Great upper. I agree with that, both points. The first thing that I do after I get home from shooting is clean everything to like new clean. |
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Maybe its me, and I'm no expert, but I'd feel pretty uncomfortable with someone breaking down any rifle near me with ammo still in the mag. It's just you. I hate safety nazi goofballs. I take pictures of my guns with loaded mags all the time. It adds contrast to an all black picture. In the OP's photos it's a good point of reference - clean smooth brass and anodized aluminum in the magazine vs filthy upper/lower. You can clearly see that the chamber is empty. ETA: I just noticed you're from NY... Guilty as charged. Carolyn McCarthy has trained you well. |
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Excellent write up and weapon.....now thats what I call a "KGR" or Known Good Rifle....well done sir.
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I'm not convinced that not cleaning an AR and having it runs proves anything. Someone here ran 15,000 (i think)rounds of wolf thru a model one upper I have a lmt upper I bought around 2004. Great upper. I am convinced that nothing we see on this forum proves anything per se. But it is another data point offering some suggestive evidence. I for one take it for what it is but take it seriously. Quoted:
ETA: I just noticed you're from NY... Guilty as charged. Carolyn McCarthy has trained you well. |
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Maybe its me, and I'm no expert, but I'd feel pretty uncomfortable with someone breaking down any rifle near me with ammo still in the mag. It is 99% more likely that the OP simply put a loaded mag into the lower after he popped the take down pins and took 'er apart, just for the sake of the picture, and with no BCG in the rifle, there is no way of it going off anyway. The crap people come up with to complain and comment about... When I think LMT I think of a workhorse, no nonsense AR. Great pics OP, love to see AR's that see some serious use. |
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In my experience, LMTs are unusually accurate. I dont know if this is true but I recall hearing that LMT was having batches of barrels made by Rock Creek with a 5R button. This was back when I bought mine around 2005 or so. If someone knows the truth on this I'd love to hear it. |
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In my experience, LMTs are unusually accurate. I haven't found them to be quite as accurate as my Noveske, but very accurate and reliable nonetheless. I have 4 LMT's (3 MRP's and MWS) and I have 2 LMT factory 10.5's paid for at my class 3 waiting on paperwork. So yes, I think you could say that I trust LMT. 10k is a little longer than I let mine go, but I have no doubt that they would run, and run well in adverse environments. I am planning a similar "project" for my piston MRP. I was thinking 20-25k rounds with just proper lube. |
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In my experience, LMTs are unusually accurate. I dont know if this is true but I recall hearing that LMT was having batches of barrels made by Rock Creek with a 5R button. This was back when I bought mine around 2005 or so. If someone knows the truth on this I'd love to hear it. Ive got a Email from LMT that states they use 4140 for all gov contracts |
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In my experience, LMTs are unusually accurate. I haven't found them to be quite as accurate as my Noveske, but very accurate and reliable nonetheless. I have 4 LMT's (3 MRP's and MWS) and I have 2 LMT factory 10.5's paid for at my class 3 waiting on paperwork. So yes, I think you could say that I trust LMT. 10k is a little longer than I let mine go, but I have no doubt that they would run, and run well in adverse environments. I am planning a similar "project" for my piston MRP. I was thinking 20-25k rounds with just proper lube. Noveske SS barrels? Or the N4 chrome lined barrel ? |
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Nice camo job, too...what was your technique if you don't mind my asking? Thanks, I do a base coat of tan. Then tape it off with big lines and go over it with brown. Then I go back over it again with the straw/pine needle thin stripes accordingly in random spots... There are like 4 layers of paint on that bad boy. I have been getting a ton of people asking about that and I will probably just do a write up on that as well and post it up. I'm getting ready to paint my SCAR this week so it should work out fine. I don't paint my guns to look pretty, but I try to do something random and different each time to see how it turns out. Quoted:
I'm not convinced that not cleaning an AR and having it runs proves anything. Someone here ran 15,000 (i think)rounds of wolf thru a model one upper I have a lmt upper I bought around 2004. Great upper. I wasn't trying to prove anything, I agree with you. I am simply showing that a quality milspec rifle will perform without having to clean it regularly. It is a documentary, not a commercial. I know colleagues of mine who have upwards of 50,000 rounds through their ARs and never do more than lube the BCG and brush it off with a tooth brush from time to time... But this is a review on my experience with my rifle. Most people don't have the time or desire to do this with their ARs so I hope it can help some people as a reference point, if nothing else some cool pictures. Quoted:
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Maybe its me, and I'm no expert, but I'd feel pretty uncomfortable with someone breaking down any rifle near me with ammo still in the mag. It's just you. I hate safety nazi goofballs. I take pictures of my guns with loaded mags all the time. It adds contrast to an all black picture. In the OP's photos it's a good point of reference - clean smooth brass and anodized aluminum in the magazine vs filthy upper/lower. You can clearly see that the chamber is empty. ETA: I just noticed you're from NY... Guilty as charged. Carolyn McCarthy has trained you well. My thoughts exactly |
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Thanks for the write-up... that is one fine looking weapon, love the paint job
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Quoted: Quoted: In my experience, LMTs are unusually accurate. I dont know if this is true but I recall hearing that LMT was having batches of barrels made by Rock Creek with a 5R button. This was back when I bought mine around 2005 or so. If someone knows the truth on this I'd love to hear it. I remember hearing that also. |
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Maybe its me, and I'm no expert, but I'd feel pretty uncomfortable with someone breaking down any rifle near me with ammo still in the mag. its just you |
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On the cleaning forum there is a topic when to change the buffer spring on his LMT ? he has 2500-3000rds fired
His coil is 10inches Since my LMT Defender has a little over 3000rds I puilled my coil spring . My buffer spring is 10inches Both need to be replaced. Is that normal ? |
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I enjoy seeing write-ups and pictures of rifles that actually get used. Nice job!
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Wow! I think you replicated "dirty" working conditions very well lol. I love my LMT. From my own experience it is very accurate and would highly recommend it. Camo job looks nice, like the pattern.
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On the cleaning forum there is a topic when to change the buffer spring on his LMT ? he has 2500-3000rds fired His coil is 10inches Since my LMT Defender has a little over 3000rds I puilled my coil spring . My buffer spring is 10inches Both need to be replaced. Is that normal ? Hi Rich, Per the Army Tech/ Maintenance manual TM9-1005-319-23, 2-9. TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES, 3. FAILURE TO CHAMBER Step 1, page 2-22 Change 3, 4. FAILURE TO LOCK, page 2-24 Change 3, Step 5 CARBINE ONLY: 10 1/16 Inches (25.56 cm) minimum to 11 1/4 inches (28.58 cm) maximum http://www.ar15.com/content/manuals/TM9-1005-319-23.pdf HTH I'll have to check mine on my LMT when I have time or before I go shooting, but I only have a couple of thousand rounds on mine, hoping mine is still within the acceptable length. |
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On the cleaning forum there is a topic when to change the buffer spring on his LMT ? he has 2500-3000rds fired His coil is 10inches Since my LMT Defender has a little over 3000rds I puilled my coil spring . My buffer spring is 10inches Both need to be replaced. Is that normal ? Hi Rich, Per the Army Tech/ Maintenance manual TM9-1005-319-23, 2-9. TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES, 3. FAILURE TO CHAMBER Step 1, page 2-22 Change 3, 4. FAILURE TO LOCK, page 2-24 Change 3, Step 5 CARBINE ONLY: 10 1/16 Inches (25.56 cm) minimum to 11 1/4 inches (28.58 cm) maximum http://www.ar15.com/content/manuals/TM9-1005-319-23.pdf HTH I'll have to check mine on my LMT when I have time or before I go shooting, but I only have a couple of thousand rounds on mine, hoping mine is still within the acceptable length. Thanks AR3 I be on the lookout or you can IM me |
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Thank you for posting this. Always interesting to read. Nice paint too, I've always toyed with the idea, but afraid I'd regret it when done.
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In my experience, LMTs are unusually accurate. I dont know if this is true but I recall hearing that LMT was having batches of barrels made by Rock Creek with a 5R button. This was back when I bought mine around 2005 or so. If someone knows the truth on this I'd love to hear it. I remember hearing that also. is this just in relation to the Defender? I only ask cause i know that they used the 5R barrel for the MRP. 18" and 16" IIRC. |
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In my experience, LMTs are unusually accurate. I dont know if this is true but I recall hearing that LMT was having batches of barrels made by Rock Creek with a 5R button. This was back when I bought mine around 2005 or so. If someone knows the truth on this I'd love to hear it. I remember hearing that also. MRP barrels are rock creek, or so im told im happy with my MRP's accuracy either way. |
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Maybe its me, and I'm no expert, but I'd feel pretty uncomfortable with someone breaking down any rifle near me with ammo still in the mag. I can see you don't handle AR's very often. |
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Looks like my defender 2000. I have about 6-7K rounds through mine mostly suppressed and all I've ever done to mine is lube it. Never a single failure, I swear by it.
On a side note my 6920 can't get to the 1000 round mark shooting suppressed without having hiccups so I stopped shooting it suppressed and it has since been 100% reliable. |
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Random thoughts....
Considering your are running what appears to be a commercial spec stock I'm guessing the lower is not LMT? Might be worth mentioning the make the of the lower (particually LPK) if known because 10K rounds without cleaning is not just a function of the upper. Tests like this have been successfully done before with other brands and IMO, just about any quality brand of DI AR is capably of this type of performance. On the other hand, shit happens some times. Look at the other current thread on this forum about a guy using a brand new LMT bolt and had the ejector break on the first round. So does your test prove that LMT's are the best ever or that everybody should expect the same performance if they buy an LMT or is the other guy's experience proves that you were just lucky and that LMT's are actually crappy rifles with no QC? Obviously the truth is somewhere in between as usual IMO, nobody with an AR (LMT or otherwise) should expect to go 10K rounds on an AR with no cleaning or maintenance. Matter of fact I got into an argument with a guy who showed up to one of our HTF meetups complaining about AR's because he tried a very similar test (Complete LMT rifle, 10K rounds, all steel case Russian ammo, non-suppressed, no cleaning, no maintenance) and started having problems at the 10K range. In his opinion that made AR's inferior to AK's which in his experience wouldn't have had any problem doing a similar test. I told him the same thing I will say here which is, His test proved almost nothing and that there is no good reason to run any rifle that long without proper cleaning and maintenance. Is it cool to run tests like this from time to time just to see what will happen? Well I guess that's up to the individual but in the end, you haven't really accomplished anything. OP stated that now, after 10K rounds he trusts that rifle without question. To each their own but me personally, I would trust his rifle less then one with only 2-3k of trouble free rounds through it. Why? because the AR has some parts that are known to wear out and fail without notice and some of those can happen with a relatively low round counts. The buffer spring is one part that comes to mind. My own experience with them seems to be validated by Pat Rodgers in his "what breaks in training classes" thread. While it is certainly possible for a well made buffer spring to go 10, 15, or maybe even 20k or more rounds without issue, it is very common for them to fail at much lower round counts. I believe PR's recommended maintenance schedule for that part is replacement at ~5-7k rounds. The extractor spring (especially stock, standard version) is another part I wouldn't trust my life on past 10k rounds but to each their own. The one and only thing I think a test like shows is...All the BS about DI AR's crapping were they eat and that being what makes them unreliable is BS. Or that the AR's tolerances are too tight and that's why they can't handle sand, mud etc... The truth is they can obviously handle all of that without issue ASSUMING the rifle is properly lubed. That is the key with the AR and that remains to the case regardless of whether is a DI or GP driven gun. The only realy downside to the AR compared to the AK is the AR's gas system (again, DI or GP) does seem to be more picky and requires the right buffer and spring to run 100%. My $.02 anyway |
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I used to work with Karl Lewis, in respect to DOD contracting.
I'll tell you this, the man is one hell of an American success story. The roots of his business through where LMT is at today is just amazing stuff. Really good guy too. |
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