LMT .308 MWS

[5RWill]

Okay, so long story short, I bought an LMT MWS quad rail in 2017. Sold it a year later to help fund my wife’s engagement ring. (I don’t regret that decision, I got her the ring of her dreams and she is the kind of wife every man dreams of. She asks for very little and I’m glad she got the ring she wanted.)

Anyway, life got busy, work got crazy, kids, all the stuff. I have been out of the shooting world pretty well since about 2020. I have off and on always said I wanted another large frame AR, with the LMT being the top of my want list.

With current political stuff I decided if I was ever gonna get one, I better do it now. So I ordered a MARS-H 16” 308 from Titan Defense and am excited to get an LMT back in my hands.

So my question is, I’m wanting to set it up as a DMR rifle, as I already have a nice long range bolt gun. A DMR type setup, capable of 300-500ish yards would be perfect for coyotes in the fall while farming.

Since I have been out so long, my head is spinning as to what my best options are for scopes and suppressors.

For optics I’m looking at scopes in the 3-18ish power range. Two stand outs to me seem to be the Leupold MK4 or Eotech Vudu.

Suppressors is where I really get lost. I am kind of looking at the Q Thunder Chicken or Trash Panda, but I don’t really have a solid reason why other than one YouTube video I watched that was the can he had on his LMT. I’m wanting something that I can also put on my 5.56 ARs as well, so preferably not overly long or bulky. Just something to make it a reasonable amount quieter, and hopefully not make me eat too much gas.

When I first got into long range shooting at 17 years old, this site helped me out a lot. Now many years later I am once again feeling like a beginner asking for suggestions. So fire away!

So admittedly a lot of the recommendations you’ll receive will be subjective due to personal experience.

For scopes Leupold is a great choice. I have MK5 3.6-18 on my Mk12 and went with a NX8 2.5-20 for the Mars H. I think the new mark 4 4.5-18 would work swimmingly provided you don’t need illumination, and it will likely outperform its more expensive bigger brother just based on scope design alone. I went with the NF because as just mentioned the baby mk5 leaves a little to be desired, and that’s no surprise it’s a tiny ultrashort, so while keeping that form factor relative and having been behind a couple NX8s this year i went with the 2.5-20.

Another consideration and one that i had very much intended to put on the LMT when i owned it is the new Steiner T6Xi 3-18. I ended up selling it but very good glass, excellent reticle, massive FOV, forgiving eyebox, and decent form factor. Turrets are a little meh and the it’s heavy but i don’t think many will be disappointed with it.

For cans anything with low back pressure will work. FWIW I’ve never used the flow through stuff. People say they’re slightly louder. And while they do seem to be a perfect solution for leaving a gassy DI gun alone, they’re also weighty comparable to their competitors in similar form factors. Depending on how you feel about griffin their eco flow stuff seems to work really well. And i would look at their dual lok stuff. It’s relatively light weight, a good mounting system, and low back pressure. However the flow through design seems to have come a long way and i wouldn’t hesitate to get one just knowing that it’ll be slightly louder.

The other two methods for gas control on the LMT are like i did, grabbing an AGB and letting Dwilson do his thang. Or trying out a BRT gas tube, which i added on my mk12 to run suppressed 100% of the time.

I’m currently running an old surefire FA762SS on mine cause im kinda stuck in the early 2000s with all the cloning stuff and going back to OTB designs. But I’ll be moving the LMT to the griffin PSR 7 in FDE when i can so that i can keep the surefire on the XM3.

Pic for illustration

 

[AHart76]

Awesome info, Thanks!

I would love to put an ATACR on this gun, as I have one on my bolt gun, and it would be nice to be able to have the same reticle and overall feel in both guns. A guy does have to draw a line in the sand on budget somewhere though, and I was trying to keep the scope below 2k for sure, and closer to $1750 is better. The Mk4 seems to be a very viable option. Either that, or wait till Black Friday and see if Mile High or any other places have a good deal on that ATACR to get me closer to my budget.

As far as cans I knew looking at pass through/low backpressure was the way to go. After doing more research I found out that LMT makes cans through their LMT Advanced Technologies sister company? I never knew that was a thing. Their Ion 30 can seems to have all the features I am looking for, and competitively priced with other cans that also seem to fit the bill. Also, LMT makes both the can and the gun...one would think they would work together fairly well. It also seems like it would work pretty well moving over to my 5.56 guns as well, just an overall good can for any semi auto rifle.

I will keep you all updated as I go forward!

 

[hafejd30]

Awesome info, Thanks!

I would love to put an ATACR on this gun, as I have one on my bolt gun, and it would be nice to be able to have the same reticle and overall feel in both guns. A guy does have to draw a line in the sand on budget somewhere though, and I was trying to keep the scope below 2k for sure, and closer to $1750 is better. The Mk4 seems to be a very viable option. Either that, or wait till Black Friday and see if Mile High or any other places have a good deal on that ATACR to get me closer to my budget.

As far as cans I knew looking at pass through/low backpressure was the way to go. After doing more research I found out that LMT makes cans through their LMT Advanced Technologies sister company? I never knew that was a thing. Their Ion 30 can seems to have all the features I am looking for, and competitively priced with other cans that also seem to fit the bill. Also, LMT makes both the can and the gun...one would think they would work together fairly well. It also seems like it would work pretty well moving over to my 5.56 guns as well, just an overall good can for any semi auto rifle.

I will keep you all updated as I go forward!

Watch the px here for the atacr. You can find one for around $1800 if your patient

 

[Ichi]

I need a favor. If you have a factory LMT MWS buffer spring, can you measure the length and count the number coils?

Like an idiot, I didn't label my springs when I swapped some out.

 

[mrtoyz]

Okay, so long story short, I bought an LMT MWS quad rail in 2017. Sold it a year later to help fund my wife’s engagement ring. (I don’t regret that decision, I got her the ring of her dreams and she is the kind of wife every man dreams of. She asks for very little and I’m glad she got the ring she wanted.)

Anyway, life got busy, work got crazy, kids, all the stuff. I have been out of the shooting world pretty well since about 2020. I have off and on always said I wanted another large frame AR, with the LMT being the top of my want list.

With current political stuff I decided if I was ever gonna get one, I better do it now. So I ordered a MARS-H 16” 308 from Titan Defense and am excited to get an LMT back in my hands.

So my question is, I’m wanting to set it up as a DMR rifle, as I already have a nice long range bolt gun. A DMR type setup, capable of 300-500ish yards would be perfect for coyotes in the fall while farming.

Since I have been out so long, my head is spinning as to what my best options are for scopes and suppressors.

For optics I’m looking at scopes in the 3-18ish power range. Two stand outs to me seem to be the Leupold MK4 or Eotech Vudu.

Suppressors is where I really get lost. I am kind of looking at the Q Thunder Chicken or Trash Panda, but I don’t really have a solid reason why other than one YouTube video I watched that was the can he had on his LMT. I’m wanting something that I can also put on my 5.56 ARs as well, so preferably not overly long or bulky. Just something to make it a reasonable amount quieter, and hopefully not make me eat too much gas.

When I first got into long range shooting at 17 years old, this site helped me out a lot. Now many years later I am once again feeling like a beginner asking for suggestions. So fire away!

Big fan of NX8’s for my large frame LMT’s. Definitely worth a look, especially at your price point.
Also take a look at Rugged Surge X or Radiant for cans. Modular, great company support, tons of options for end caps brakes and hiders and no minimum barrel length requirements. I’m very partial to the Radiant because of the weight.

 

[BravoSector1]

HUXWRX flow Ti

 

[XP1K]

HUXWRX flow Ti

A friend of mine put one of those on a 5.56 ar and neither of us were impressed at all.

It was a Wilson combat rifle, 16" gun, and it was horribly over gassed. And loud.

 

[BravoSector1]

A friend of mine put one of those on a 5.56 ar and neither of us were impressed at all.

It was a Wilson combat rifle, 16" gun, and it was horribly over gassed. And loud.

I'd like to see this in person. This is the best flow through can on the market...period. Any data or video to support your claim??? I run these cans on AK platforms. The most over gassed rifle on the planet.

 

[JR1200W3]

I'd like to see this in person. This is the best flow through can on the market...period. Any data or video to support your claim??? I run these cans on AK platforms. The most over gassed rifle on the planet.

Which part? The back pressure or the sound performance?

 

[BravoSector1]

Which part? The back pressure or the sound performance?

I'm sure the flow through cans are producing more decibels, no doubt, but I've never seen anyone complain about a HUXWRX flow through can producing substantial back pressure. Maybe they haven't shot many other cans? I'm running this on everything up to a NEMO .300WM and it's not even close to any of my standard baffled cans with respect to backpressure. Standards cans will wreck a SCAR series or AK rifle over time. Not a single issue on any of those platforms with their product.

 

[JR1200W3]

I'm sure the flow through cans are producing more decibels, no doubt, but I've never seen anyone complain about a HUXWRX flow through can producing substantial back pressure. Maybe they haven't shot many other cans? I'm running this on everything up to a NEMO .300WM and it's not even close to any of my standard baffled cans with respect to backpressure. Standards cans will wreck a SCAR series or AK rifle over time. Not a single issue on any of those platforms with their product.

Yeah, I could absolutely see someone being disappointed with the sound suppression of the Flow Ti on a short barreled 556.

 

[BravoSector1]

Yeah, I could absolutely see someone being disappointed with the sound suppression of the Flow Ti on a short barreled 556.

Yeah, you're talking apples and oranges. I run this can on a 10.3 SCAR 16S. Standard baffled cans will ruin the rear mounting plate and hardware due to excessive BCG velocity. Nothing is going to make an SBR hearing safe. They are talking about title 1 rifles with 16" or great barrels above.

I'm sure their is a guntuber that's measured the sound difference between these cans and that's the reference they should use if they haven't captured the data themselves. I'll take the lack of wear and tear on the gas system and BCG over a few decibels any day!

 

[XP1K]

I'd like to see this in person. This is the best flow through can on the market...period. Any data or video to support your claim??? I run these cans on AK platforms. The most over gassed rifle on the planet.

I dont have any video of it. If you're close to the sweeny tx area pm me and come shoot with us. We were both pretty shocked. I felt bad because I suggested that can to him. He was a first time buyer, waited over a year to get it, then when he got it it was a major letdown.
He even went so far as to switch to the LMT enhanced bcg. Supposed to have a different cam path to help running suppressed.

I turned him on to the brt tubes after my success with one in my MWS. Not sure if he ever ordered one or not.

I should borescope his rifle and look at the port. It's gotta be huge. I believe it's a 16" mid gas.

 

[BravoSector1]

I dont have any video of it. If you're close to the sweeny tx area pm me and come shoot with us. We were both pretty shocked. I felt bad because I suggested that can to him. He was a first time buyer, waited over a year to get it, then when he got it it was a major letdown.
He even went so far as to switch to the LMT enhanced bcg. Supposed to have a different cam path to help running suppressed.

I turned him on to the brt tubes after my success with one in my MWS. Not sure if he ever ordered one or not.

I should borescope his rifle and look at the port. It's gotta be huge. I believe it's a 16" mid gas.

So you've run a standard baffled can on that rifle for comparison...or not? I hate to string this out but the HUXWRX flow cans are head and shoulders better on all my gas guns with respect to back pressure and BCG velocity changes.

 

[XP1K]

So you've run a standard baffled can on that rifle for comparison...or not? I hate to string this out but the HUXWRX flow cans are head and shoulders better on all my gas guns with respect to back pressure and BCG velocity changes.

No, that's the only can he's ever ran on that gun. I can't imagine a baffled can on that gun.
It had a 2 o'clock ejection before the can.

 

[JR1200W3]

Yeah, you're talking apples and oranges. I run this can on a 10.3 SCAR 16S.

You're right. A scar and a short barreled 556 are apples and oranges. But I didn't bring them up. No one is talking about a Scar. Just you. Your gun tearing itself apart suppressed isn't a consideration for anyone else on this thread yet. I shoot a Dominus on a 16" 308. It's about as quiet as you can get with a large frame, high rate of fire gun that still weighs less than 12oz and can take the abuse. But I guess if you have stupid gun you can't run that can.

For the OP, tune the gas and buy a Dominus.

 

[XP1K]

Had a good morning with the MWS today. First time I've shot 175 gmm through it. It really likes 168 hornady black but the 175 seemed a little more consistent at 600 today.
8" target. 10 shot string. Dropped one off the bottom left.

 

[AHart76]

So I have my gun in hand, MARS-H 7.62 16" CL barrel. My local FFL actually became an LMT dealer and has me an LMT AT Ion 30 Suppressor on the way. Once he gets it in his hands I will get the Form-4 E-Filed and start the wait time. I found a 4-16 ATACR with the Mil-XT reticle lightly used on the PX as suggested above, so that will be showing up today. Sphur mount and M-Lok Harris Bipod on the way from Mile High.

I guess my final question is, on the other thread about accuracy expectations, several guys talked about shooting the Federal T308T ammo, and it performing very well in their guns from an accuracy standpoint. I am wanting this to be a DMR style rifle, I'm designing this gun to shoot out to 600 yards max. If I need to poke something farther than that, I'm grabbing my bolt gun. I know the gun could be capable of farther, but I am not with a semi auto.

So my question is, at that max distance, am I going to see any benefit by going to the 175 class of bullets, or would a 168 be sufficient, especially out of a 16" barrel? I found a couple places online that have cases of 500 rounds of T308T in stock, I just wanted to ask before I ordered a whole case.

 

[FUNCTIONAL]

Joined the family today. Scope is a stand in until I figure out what I want to put on it. Also have a barrel ready to be spun up likely into a 20" to do a "mk11 we have at home". Got the kac suppressor so just need the gas block which isn't hard anymore. Wanted one of these quad rail mws for a long time now.... really excited to shoot her.

 

[MX762]

 

[5RWill]

Which mk4 did you go with?

 

[MX762]

6-24 PR2

 

[flyright]

I need a favor. If you have a factory LMT MWS buffer spring, can you measure the length and count the number coils?

Like an idiot, I didn't label my springs when I swapped some out.

15.25" 38 coils

 

[wilson3899]

D Wilson Arca rails for MWS/MRP (and KAC) are killer!
He had a bunch at his shop when I was there last week.

 

[unclemoak]

Sighted in the chrome lined 308 for a demo this week. Not bad for a 20 shot group.

 

[XP1K]

Sighted in the chrome lined 308 for a demo this week. Not bad for a 20 shot group.

View attachment 8498117

168's or 175's ? My 16" chrome lined seems to prefer 175 fgmm. It put four on steel at 600 yards inside a half minute yesterday.
I thought it shot pretty good with the 168 hornady black, but its just more consistent with the 175.

 

[unclemoak]

168's or 175's ? My 16" chrome lined seems to prefer 175 fgmm. It put four on steel at 600 yards inside a half minute yesterday.
I thought it shot pretty good with the 168 hornady black, but its just more consistent with the 175.

168gr

 

[ToKeepAndBear]

Sighted in the chrome lined 308 for a demo this week. Not bad for a 20 shot group.

View attachment 8498117

Natural light or strobes? Nice shooting and nice photo!

I need to get out my 16" chrome lined and do some load development. It shot just under an inch at 100 yards with Hornady 178 BTHPs and one trial charge weight. It feels like it could be a hammer, especially for such a hard wearing barrel.

 

[unclemoak]

Natural light or strobes? Nice shooting and nice photo!

I need to get out my 16" chrome lined and do some load development. It shot just under an inch at 100 yards with Hornady 178 BTHPs and one trial charge weight. It feels like it could be a hammer, especially for such a hard wearing barrel.

Natural light in the shop. Though my thought is it isn’t bright enough unless you’re wearing sunglasses during work.

 

[FUNCTIONAL]

How common is it for a 16" chrome lined barrel to not print anything less than 2moa with any 168/175 factory load and no less than 1.75moa handloads? Tried 2 scopes, 4 different factory loads, m118lr clone load and 9 different hands loads. I print 1/3moa with a good bolt gun and can print sub moa with a small frame. Trying really hard not to blame the barrel but in running out of things try.

 

[unclemoak]

How common is it for a 16" chrome lined barrel to not print anything less than 2moa with any 168/175 factory load and no less than 1.75moa handloads? Tried 2 scopes, 4 different factory loads, m118lr clone load and 9 different hands loads. I print 1/3moa with a good bolt gun and can print sub moa with a small frame. Trying really hard not to blame the barrel but in running out of things try.

I’d say pretty uncommon. LMT does test fire every barrel for function and accuracy before it leaves.

 

[FUNCTIONAL]

I’d say pretty uncommon. LMT does test fire every barrel for function and accuracy before it leaves.

It's a used rifle. Bore scoped good. Zero gas port erosion.

I didn't pull the muzzle brake to see if that effected it though. The fa762ss brakes I've heard can be weird on some barrels and usmc used to just pull it off and try another if accuracy wasn't there. Just occurred to me. SDs and ESs on some of the loads are excellent so I'd be surprised if it's a shot out barrel.