Winchester Light Rifle
Winchester Repeating Arms Company · Assault Rifle · Prototype · 1957
Also known as: Winchester Light Weight Military Rifle, WLWMR, WLAR, Winchester .224 Light Rifle
Overview
The Winchester Light Rifle is an American select-fire assault rifle prototype developed in 1957 by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company as a contender for the U.S. Army's lightweight small-caliber, high-velocity rifle program. Chambered for the experimental .224 Winchester cartridge, it used a short-stroke gas piston action derived from David Marshall Williams' M1 carbine work and fed from a 20-round detachable box magazine. With a simpler 70-part design than the competing Armalite AR-15's 113 parts, it weighed roughly 5 lb and offered light recoil and good handling, but trials at Fort Benning in 1957-1958 judged its accuracy, function and endurance inferior to the AR-15, and the project was abandoned.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 2268 g (80.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 955 mm (37.60") |
| Barrel Length | 508 mm (20.00") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 20 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 1006 m/s (3301 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1736 J (1280 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .224 Winchester · primary — also known as .224 E1, .224 E2, .224 Winchester E2
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Fire Selector
- Features: Short Stroke Gas Piston, Select Fire, Detachable Magazine, Full Wood Stock, Pistol Grip, Aluminum 7075 Components
Service history
Operators
- United States Army
Production
Estimated total produced: 15 · Production years: 1957-1958
A working prototype was completed in fall 1957; CONARC ordered roughly 15 rifles from Winchester for evaluation against the AR-15
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Ralph E. Clarkson
Discontinued: 1958
Notes
Also referred to as the Winchester Light Weight Military Rifle (WLWMR) and by the project designation WLAR. The competing .224 Winchester cartridge ultimately lost to the .223 Remington (5.56x45mm), which offered better long-range penetration.
Background
Demonstrated at Fort Monroe on Oct. 25, 1957 and at Fort Benning on Nov. 6, 1957 alongside the Armalite AR-15, the Winchester rifle impressed with its light weight and low part count but was ultimately passed over, helping clear the path for the AR-15 to become the basis of the M16.