LMT R20 Rahe Reference Rifle

LMT Defense builds the MARS, its Modular Ambidextrous Rifle System, around a monolithic upper receiver with a quick-change barrel. The patented design lets you swap barrels quickly with a return to zero. The R20 Rahe Reference Rifle is LMT's commercial version of the R20 Rahe, a platform bespoke built to meet the extreme needs of the Estonian Defence Forces.

LMT's model code is CQBMLK143PW-MARS-EST. It's chambered in 5.56x45mm with a 1-in-7 twist and runs on a piston system with a full-auto profile bolt carrier. The barrel is 14.3 inches long, pinned and welded with a muzzle device to reach a legal 16 inches, so it isn't a short-barreled rifle.

The upper is LMT's CQB M-LOK monolithic receiver with a 16.25-inch Picatinny rail and M-LOK slots. As with other MARS rifles, the barrel can be removed in seconds, and the design minimizes point-of-impact shift when you put it back. The MARS-L lower gives ambidextrous controls throughout.

The furniture reflects its service roots. The stock is a Magpul SL-K, and the trigger is a two-stage Euro-style AXLE trigger.

LMT includes flip-up sights, a Blue Force Gear Vickers 221 sling, three M-LOK rail covers, a 30-round PMAG and a manual. That makes it ready to shoot and carry out of the box.

For collectors of modern military-pattern rifles, the R20 Rahe reference rifle is a close commercial counterpart to a current European service rifle. If you want a piston 5.56 with ambidextrous controls and a quick-change barrel, it's a strong choice.