Madsen LAR
Dansk Industri Syndikat (Madsen) · Battle Rifle · Prototype · 1959
Also known as: Madsen LAR M/62, LAR M/62, Madsen Light Automatic Rifle
Overview
The Madsen LAR (Light Automatic Rifle) was a Danish gas-operated, selective-fire battle rifle developed by Dansk Industri Syndikat (Madsen) in the late 1950s. Conceptually an AK-pattern weapon for NATO, it used a long-stroke gas piston with a manual gas regulator, a rotary bolt locking system, and fired from a closed bolt. The receiver was made from aluminum alloy with a separate trigger group and pistol grip below, and the rifle could be fitted with either a fixed wooden butt or a side-folding tubular metal stock. Early prototypes were chambered in 7.62x39mm Soviet for Finnish army trials; the design was later scaled up to 7.62x51mm NATO as the LAR M/62 and offered on the international market, but it never entered serial production.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4300 g (151.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1074 mm (42.28") |
| Barrel Length | 536 mm (21.10") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 20 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Rate of Fire | 575 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
Calibers
- 7.62x51mm NATO · primary · 7.62mm NATO — also known as 7.62 NATO, 7.62x51mm, .308 Winchester
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Selector
- Features: Rotary Bolt Locking, Long Stroke Gas Piston, Manual Gas Regulator, Closed Bolt Operation, Aluminum Alloy Receiver, Fixed Wooden Or Folding Tubular Stock, Selective Fire
Variants
- Madsen LAR 7.62x39mm — Finnish Trials Prototype
- Madsen LAR (folding stock) — Side Folding Tubular Stock
Production
Production years: 1959-1962
Prototype/limited trials production only; never serially produced.
Origin
Country of origin: Denmark
Discontinued: 1962
Notes
Often described as 'NATO's forgotten first AK' for its Kalashnikov-like operating concept in a NATO caliber. The 7.62x39mm prototype lost Finnish trials to the Valmet Rk 62; the 7.62 NATO version attracted no serial buyers. Muzzle velocity and effective range figures not consistently published across sources.
Background
Conceived as an AK-47 reimagined for NATO, the Madsen LAR borrowed the Kalashnikov's long-stroke piston and rotary bolt but wrapped them in an aluminum receiver and a 7.62 NATO chambering - a decade before bullpups and polymer were fashionable. Despite the clever pedigree, it lost Finland's trials to the Valmet Rk 62 and never found a single serial buyer, fading into obscurity.