LWRCI SIX8 M6.8-UCIW (Ultra-Compact Individual Weapon) 8.5″ 6.8 SPC Tactical Piston AR-15 SBR/PDW (Short Barreled Rifle/Personal Defense Weapon) and M6.8-A2 Piston AR Carbine with Fully-Ambidextrous Lower Receiver/Ambi Controls (Video!)

By David Crane
defrev (at) gmail (dot) com

All photo and video content contained in this article was shot by DefenseReview.com, and is copyrighted. DefenseReview.com owns the copyright on all photo and video content. All DR photos and videos were shot with a Sony Cyber-shot RX100 (DSC-RX100/B) Digital Camera with 20.2 MP (20.2-megapixel) still camera and 1080p HD video camera capability.

The following article is property of DefenseReview.com (DR) and is copyrighted material. If you are reading this article on another website other than DefenseReview.com, please email us the website address/URL (where the unauthorized DR article reprint is located) at defrev (at) gmail (dot) com. Thank you

November 3, 2013
Last updated on 11/05/13.

While walking the floor at the 2013 NDIA Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (NDIA SOFIC 2013) earlier this year, DefenseReview (DR) stopped by the Land Warfare Resources Corporation International (LWRCI) booth, and Matt Lufkin (Matthew Lufkin) was kind enough to take us through the LWRCI SIX8 M6.8-UCIW (Ultra-Compact Individual Weapon) 8.5" select-fire/full-auto short-stroke gas-piston/op-rod (push-type operating rod) tactical AR SBR/PDW's (Short Barreled Rifle/Personal Defense Weapon) features, the two most noteworthy being the weapon's 6.8 SPC (6.8x43mm SPC) caliber/chambering and its proprietary fully-ambidextrous lower receiver, which was originally developed for the LWRCI M6-IC (M6 Individual Carbine) candidate ambidextrous carbine for the U.S. Army's Individual Carbine (IC) program. "Fully-ambidextrous" means just that, with the following ambi controls:

– Ambi Safety/Selector Switch
– Ambi Mag Release (Magazine Release) Button
– Ambi Bolt Catch/Release Button/Lever
– Ambi Charging Handle

The LWRCI Six8 M6.8-UCIW SBR/PDW's full-ambi AR lower appears to be well-designed-and-developed, but DefenseReview (DR) has only viewed and handled it. We've never actually run one at the range or in the field under adverse conditions at high round count, nor do we know anyone else that has, so we can't yet endorse it for military combat, Armageddon, or the Zombie Apocalypse. It (LWRCI ambi lower) does look and feel good, though, and Defense Review is indeed a fan of ambi controls for dynamic CQB/CQC (Close Quarters Battle/Close Quarters Combat) gunfighting and force-on-force gunfighting training, including in low-light/no-light conditions, especially for lefties and those that have been trained to shoot ambidextrously and to switch the weapon to the left shoulder when going left around a corner, a la Dave Maynard/Combative Concepts.

The LWRCI M6.8-UCIW SIX8 8..5" select-fire SBR/PDW was designed specifically around the ATK/Federal Speer Gold Dot 6.8 SPC 90-grain bonded soft-point XM68GD round (and vice versa), which achieves approximately 2,450 fps and sub-MOA accuracy out of the Six8's ultra-short 8.5-inch barrel. The Six8 will shoot under 4" at 400 yards, according to LWRCI representative Jeff Clemmer, which is impressive. The SIX8 utilizes a Magpul PMAG 6.8mm 30RD Maglevel-type windowed 30-round mag, which was also developed specifically for the M6.8-UCIW's magwell specs, and is therefore incompatible with MILSPEC AR-15/M4/M4A1 Carbine lower receivers. DR would be interested to see a Lancer L5 AWM (Advanced Warfighter Magazine) developed for the LWRCI SIX8 M6.8 weapons, since the Lancer AWM incorporates wraparound spring steel feed lips and is available in translucent versions. The Lancer L5 AWM is currently our favorite 30-round polymer AR mag, particulary the original dark/smoke translucent version.

DR would very much like to run the Six8 at the range, at some point. After that, though, we'd like to run the civilian-legal semi-auto-only LWRCI SIX8 M6.8-A2 Carbine (14.7" or 16.1" barrel) and LWRCI M6-IC (M6 Individual Carbine) (14.7" or 16.1" barrel) 5.56mm side-by-side to see how they perform and feel during fast semi-auto shooting strings, suppressed and unsuppressed. We'd also like to test their respective accuracy and reliability, as well as their respective suppressed and unsuppressed sound signatures during both outdoor and indoor shooting.

If we could add one thing the to the LWRC SIX8 M6.8 UCIW, it would be a FERFRANS Specialties DSAS/RRS (Delayed Sear Activation System/Rate Reduction System) bolt carrier group (BCG) to bring the cyclic rate of fire (ROF) reliably and significantly below the 700-RPM threshold on full-auto. This component would make the weapon even more controllable, reliable and durable under full-auto at high round count, and reduce the chance of cook-off even further.

Even though the Six8 UCIW 6.8 SPC is doing pretty well, so far (recently landing a 40,000-unit contract with a "foreign customer", for example), DR would still like to see 300 AAC Blackout (300BLK) variants of the LWRCI M6 series weapons (with ambi lowers, of course) developed, especiallly a 300BLK UCIW SBR/PDW variant with the same 8.5" barrel as the Six8, along with a 12.5"-barreled version. The 300BLK round fits in standard MILSPEC USGI 5.56mm NATO 30-round AR mags, utilizes a starndard, MILSPEC AR-15/M4/M4A1 bolt, is softer-shooting than the 6.8 SPC, and was specifically designed and developed for suppressed AND unsuppressed fire with subsonic AND supersonic ammo. The 6.8 SPC may be able to nail the target at 500-650+ yards, depending on the ammo and weapon combo, but a 300BLK weapon can reach out and touch someone effectively at 400-450+ yards with the right loads, and that's still pretty good. PNW Arms is currently making some pretty badass 300BLK ammo, just for the record. By the way, as great the Gold Dot 90-grainer is supposed to be–and it's supposed to be pretty damn great in terms of accuracy AND terminal ballistics, indeed–when it comes to 6.8 SPC ammo, in general, we still like Silver State Armory (SSA), which makes not only great 6.8 SPC tactical ammo, but also some pretty terrific 5.56mm NATO (5.56x45mm NATO)/.223 ammo, as well. PNW Arms and Silver State Armory (SSA) are currently DR's two favorite smaller-sized ammo companies.

For the record, DR does enjoy short-stroke gas piston/op-rod guns like the Adams Arms (AA) and LWRCI weapons, although we also like direct-gas-impingement (DGI) AR's just as much, since both operating systems have their respective advantages and disadvantages. DR has written about this in the past. One nice (small) potential operational/tactical advantage a modern piston AR enjoys is the ability to come right out of the water shooting (i.e., immediately upon surfacing) without having to shake the water out of the barrel and action, which may be an advantage for maritime operations, includng "over-the-beach", VBSS (Visit, Board, Search and Seizure), and GOPLATS (Gas and Oil Platforms) ops.

That said, DefenseReview has never heard even one anecdotal account of a military SOF (Special Operations Forces) assaulter/operator having to fire his weapon immediately upon surfacing. Piston AR's may also enjoy a thermal management advantage over DGI AR's when running the gun on full-auto at high round count. The piston AR moves the heat build-up out front to the gas block and away from the bolt carrier group (BCG). This is not really a factor for semi-auto shooting, but may increase the time and number of rounds before cook-off in full-auto weapons, and increase the life of the full-auto BCG.

DGI AR's tend to be lighter in weight, softer and smoother-shooting (at a given weight), simpler than piston AR's, with less moving parts, and more accurate without have to resort to a thicker/heavier barrel profile. However, the latest piston ARs from Adams Arms and LWRCI are capable of sub-MOA groups, so the DGI AR's accuracy advantage may be going away. Since DGI ARs don't rely on proprietary piston/op-rod components that can be difficult to acquire/obtain in the field, they're perhaps the better choice from a MILSPEC/commonality-of-parts perspective.

As long as you're running at least a 12.5"-barrel, you can run a MILSPEC M4/M4A1 carbine-length gas tube in it, and it'll run like the wind unsuppressed. If you want to retain the option of running suppressed (reliably), DR recommends a Noveske Switchblock, MicroMOA "The Govnah", Syrac Ordnance or equivalent lo-pro/lo-vis (low-profile/low-visibility) adjustable gas block (AGB). Remember, the original (modern) piston AR, the HK416, was developed at the request of "The Unit" (Delta Force) for a specific barrel length and mission requirement. They wanted a reliable suppressed 10.3"-barreled SBR to match the overall length of the Crane NSWC-developed MK18 MOD 1/CQBR (Close Quarters Battle Receiver), which was experiencing reliability issues when switching back and forth between suppressed and usuppressed fire. Thus the HK416 was born.

The following information on the LWRCI SIX8 M6.8-UCIW comes directly from the LWRCI website:

"The SIX8™ weapons are short-stroke, gas-piston operated rifles chambered in the 6.8x43mm SPC cartridge. This cartridge was developed as part of the Enhanced Rifle Cartridge Program in which U.S. Special Operations soldiers, as well as armorers and other technicians from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, played a major role. Its primary purpose was to address the deficiencies in terminal performance seen with the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge, while allowing the soldier to carry the same number of rounds with minimal weight penalty. It succeeds in doing so because it uses a heavier bullet with excellent accuracy, which delivers more energy across all effective ranges.

Until now, a major drawback of using the 6.8 cartridge in an M4 style weapon has been the lack of reliable magazines. So, when we designed the SIX8™ family of weapons, we started with the magazine. Partnering with Magpul®, the leader in polymer magazine engineering, we designed the first polymer 6.8 magazine. Building upon the magazine, we designed the SIX8™ platform for maximum reliability and improved ergonomics. The upper and lower receivers are designed to accommodate the slightly larger polymer magazine and to perfect the feed geometry for the 6.8 cartridge. In addition, we have prompted Federal Ammunition to develop new lines of affordably priced, high performance 6.8 ammunition for commercial, law enforcement and military applications.

As with the IC family, the weapons in the new SIX8™ family are fully ambidextrous and equally suited to right- or left-handed operators. The SIX8™ rifles are based on the familiar Stoner M4/AR15/M16 architecture, but they have been optimized specifically for use with the 6.8 cartridge.

The new SIX8™ family combines the ultimate in ergonomic user-friendly rifles with the outstanding mid-range 6.8 cartridge.

Caliber: 6.8mm SPC
Barrel Length: 8.5"
Weight (unloaded): 6.25lbs (8.5" barrel)
Length (overall): 24-27.25" (8.5" barrel)
Rate of Fire: Semi Auto or Select Fire 700 rpm (+/- 100rpm)
Rifling: 1/10" RH
Stock/Pistol Grip: LWRCI/Magpul MOE
Sights: LWRCI Folding BUIS Front and Rear
Magazine: Magpul 30 rd. P-Mag
Muzzle Device: LWRCI flash hider 5/8×28 TPI
Colors Available: Black"

Company Contact Info:

LWRC International, LLC (LWRCI)
Cambridge, MD 21613
Phone: 410-901-1348
Email Contact Page: https://www.lwrci.com/contactus.aspx
Website: https://www.lwrci.com

Speer Ammo (ATK/Federal)
2299 Snake River Avenue
Lewiston, ID 83501
Toll-Free: 800-256-8685
Email Contact Form: http://www.speer-ammo.com/contact_us.aspx
Website: http://www.speer-ammo.com

Silver State Armory (SSA)
12913 US Hwy 12
Packwood, WA 98361
Email: info@ssarmory.com
Website: http://www.ssarmory.com

PNW Arms
1293 E. Freeze Rd. 
Potlatch, ID 83855
Toll-Free: 855-769-2767 (PNWARMS)
Main Phone: (208) 875-2331
Email: sales@pnwarms.com
Website: http://wwwwww.pnwarms.com

© Copyright 2013 DefenseReview.com. All rights reserved. This content/material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without first receiving permission and providing proper credit and appropriate links.

Related Articles:

War Sport Industries LVOA-C (Carbine) / LVOA-S (Select-Fire) Tactical AR-15 Carbine/SBR/Sub-Carbine Platform with Low-Visibility Operations Application Rail System and LVOA Rail Bungee

SIG Sauer MCX (Mission-Configurable Weapon System) Dual-Piston/Op-Rod 5.56x45mm NATO and 7.62x39mm Russian AR-15 Short Barreled Rifle (SBR)/PDW/Carbine with Integral Suppressor Introduced at NDIA SOFIC 2013! (Photos!)

Troy Industries M7 Upper Receiver/Lower Receiver Upgrade Kit for Tactical AR-15 Carbine Lowers (Video!)

6.8x45mm Kramer Urban Combat Cartridge (UCC) for Urban Warfare Ops

SSK 6.5 MPC: Best Assault Rifle Cartridge for 21st Century Warfare?

AXTS A-DAC Ambidextrous Dual Action Catch AR (AR-15/AR-10) Lower Receiver Series for Improved Speed and Handling/Ergonomics: Meet the AX556 and AX762 Ambi AR Lowers

Phase 5 Tactical Ambi Battle Latch/Charging Handle Assembly (ABL/CHA) AR-15/M4/M4A1 Carbine/SBR Ambidextrous Charging Handle: Meet The Beast

Rainier Arms Raptor Ambi Charging Handle (Ambidextrous Charging Handle) by AXTS Weapons Systems for AR-15 Tactical Carbine/SBR’s and AR-10/SR-25 Tactical Rifle/Carbines

Daniel Defense DDM4 v5-300 AAC Blackout (300BLK) 7.62x35mm Tactical AR-15 Carbine/SBR (Short Barreled Rifle): Serious Ballistics for Dynamic CQB/CQC and Engaging Targets out to 460 Meters!

DR Action Video! 300 AAC Blackout (300BLK) 7.62x35mm Suppressed PDW-Type Tactical AR SBR/Sub-Carbine and FN Mk46 MOD1 Fired on Full-Auto: Quiet-Killer Cartridge Impresses at the Range!

ROSCH Works (RW) SL1 Sight Light Integrated Weapon Light/Front Sight BUIS: Making the Most of Your AR-15/M4/M4A1 Carbine/SBR’s Tactical Real Estate

Bravo Company Manufacturing BCM KeyMod Handguard/Rail (KMR): Ultra-Lightweight Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy Free-Float Modular Rail System/Tactical Handguard for Tactical AR-15 Carbine/SBR’s Gets a Little Range Run Courtesy of Mike Pannone/CTT-Solutions (Photos!)

Gen-2 Lancer Systems L5 Translucent Advanced Warfighter Magazine (AWM): Truly-Translucent Polymer 30-Round AR-15 Rifle/Carbine/SBR Mag!

Lancer Systems L5 Advanced Warfighter Magazine (Lancer L5 AWM) 30-Round 5.56mm NATO Translucent Polymer AR Mag (AR-15/M16 Rifle Magazine) to Debut at SHOT Show 2011

FERFRANS SOAR-P Upper Receiver Setup with Rate Reduction System/Delayed Sear Activation System (RRS/DSAS) Versus Stock Adams Arms (AA) Tactical Piston AR SBR/Sub-Carbine Upper Receivers Mounted on Colt M4A1 Carbine Select-Fire Lower: Full-Auto/Semi-Auto Range Test on Video!

Chris Costa of Costa Ludus Hits the “Happy Switch” and Goes Full-Auto with the FERFRANS SOAR-P Select-Fire 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem. Piston AR SBRs/Sub-Carbines/Carbines (Videos!)

Videos: Controlled One-Handed 30-Round Full-Auto Mag Dump and Short Bursts with 5.56mm NATO Select-Fire FERFRANS SOAR-P Piston AR SBR/PDWs

FERFRANS SOAR-P Gas Piston/Op-Rod Tactical AR-15 Carbines and SBR/Subcarbines for Special Operations

LMT MRP QCB Gas Piston/Op-Rod Carbines and SBRs in 5.56mm and 6.8mm

DR Action Video! Colt SCW (Sub-Compact Weapon) Personal Defense Weapon (PDW)-Type 5.56mm NATO AR SBR/Sub-Carbine Fired on Full-Auto at NDIA Range Day

Syrac Ordnance Lo-Pro/Lo-Vis (Low-Profile/Low-Visibility) Adjustable Gas Block for tactical AR Carbine/SBR’s (AR-15/M16 and AR-10/SR-25-type): Melonited Stainless Steel Gas Block!

DR Action Video!: DR Runs Adams Arms Evo Ultra-Lite (also written Ultralite) Mid-Length 16″ Piston AR Carbine Upper Receiver, SureFire MAG5-60 60-Shot Quad-Stack 5.56mm Rifle Magazine and Silver State Armory 5.56mm Ammo Through Mike Pannone/CTT-Solutions (CTT-S) Advanced Carbine Course

Adams Arms (AA) Evo Ultralite Ultra-Light/Super-Lightweight Gas Piston/Op-Rod AR Carbine Upper Receiver Assemblies (Mid-Length and Carbine-Length) for 3-Gun Competition and Combat: Super-Accurate and Super-Fast!

The Big M4 Myth: “Fouling caused by the direct impingement gas system makes the M4/M4A1 Carbine unreliable.”

Phoenix RBT Solutions NLTA Protective Gear Force-On-Force Gunfighting Training Helmet with Full Face Shield for Ultimate Training Munitions UTM MMR Ammo and Paintball

Ultimate Training Munitions (UTM) 5.56mm Man Marker Round (MMR) Force-On-Force Training Ammunition/Marking Cartridges in SureFire MAG5-60 HCM 60-Shot Quad-Stack AR-15/M16 Rifle Magazine: Gunfighting Training Made Awesome!

DSG Technology/PNW Arms Multi-Environment Ammunition (MEA) Solid-Copper General Purpose Supercavitating (GPS) and Tungsten Penetrator-Tipped Dual-Core Supercavitating (DCS) Armor-Piercing/Armor-Penetrating (AP) Rounds/Bullets: Sub-Aqua/Underwater Rifle Ammo Goes into Production in USA (Video!)

DSG Technology/PNW Arms Super-Sniper Ammunition (SSA) Enhanced-Range Rifle Ammo Being Made in the USA for Military Special Operations Forces (SOF) Long-Range-Interdiction/Sniping and Close Quarters Battle/Close Quarters Combat (CQB/CQC) Applications: Solid-Copper Super Sniper Tactical (SST) Rounds/Bullets and Tungsten-Tipped Super Sniper Armor-Piercing/Armor-Penatrating (SSAP) AP Rounds/Bullets in All Military NATO Calibers! (Video!)