New Leitner-Wise Mini-.50 and LW 15.S Compact Assault Weapon(CAW)

[viper]

Just published a heads-up article(along with links) on these two new weapons on my site at http://www.defensereview.com. They look pretty interesting.

Let me know what you guys think. Again, if you like what you see over there, please sign up as a member(it's free). We're still in the process of growing the site. Thanks much.

 

[50 shooter]

Looks nice but how does it compare to a real .50 like the one Alexander Arms puts out? Check out the .50 Beowulf www.gunblast.com/50Beowulf.htm and why .499?

 

[viper]

I already know about the .50 Beowulf. Both companies' guns fire the same round, and the guns themselves are supposed to be extremely similar. I've spoken with Bill Alexander, so I know a little bit about the inside stuff between them and Leitner-Wise, but I still don't have the complete story.

 

[viper]

50 shooter,

Did you read the entire article? You have to click on "Read More" to read the entire piece. The reason I ask is that I state in the article that the .50 Beowulf and .499 Mini-.50 fire the same exact round, but you seem to have missed that particular point.

I seems like you may have just read the part of the story that's showing on the main index page, and not clicked on the "Read More" hypertext, which takes you to the full article.

Just making sure.

 

[50 shooter]

Wheres the article at? The link you posted showed 12.5x40mm and showed .499 and didn't mention the .50 Beowulf.

Did they (LW) go this way to get around infringing on AA's design?

I guess I'll have to go back and look again.

 

[dZ]

As a side note, DefRev has made repeated attempts via phone and email over the past 2 weeks to get ahold of Leitner-Wise's owner, in order to get some more information on both weapon systems. Unfortunately, we have so far been unsuccessful. For the record, we've left messages on their voicemail and with Leitner-Wise staff, all to no avail. This is not a positive sign from a customer service perspective, but it's possible that our personal situation is an anomoly. We're hoping it is, anyway. It will be interesting to hear their explanation, that is if they're willing to provide one.

i have been waiting for Anglo American/ Leitner-wise to ship the 22lr AR upper for 3 years now

i requested one in March of 1999

i occasionally get an email response that in 2 more weeks the upper will ship

then 2 weeks pass...

my last email from them was July 19th, 2002, forecasting shipment in 7 weeks

i guess thats this Friday
or
time will tell

dZ

 

[viper]

50 Shooter,

Did you click on "Read More", which gives you the full article? There are a few sentences on the .50 Beowulf. Have you ever visited or used my site before?

 

[viper]

50 Shooter,

Now I understand. You didn't click on "Read More" underneath the article text on the main page. You have to do this to read the whole article. Didn't you notice that the article ends sort of abruptly on the main page? This is because you must click on "Read More" to view the rest of it.

If you want, you can email me at david@defensereview.com, I'll reply with my cell number. If you'd like to call me, I'd be happy to walk you through it.

 

[50 shooter]

I figured it out when I went back to your page. I didn't see the "read more" the first time and went straight to main index.

So is it just the same as AA's? Or have they made some changes? How about a side by side comparo.

 

[viper]

This is very troubling. Is the site that difficult to use? If you're having trouble, others might also be having similar trouble. I had thought that the "Read More" hypertext under the story was self-evident, but it must not be. I'm going to have to think about this one.

Frankly, the .50 Beowulf vs. Mini-.50 war isn't nearly as important to me as people not being able to figure out how things work on my site.

Wow.

 

[50 shooter]

Your site isn't hard to use, I saw the stuff underlined and figured that was the fastest way to get more of the story/info.

After you said click on "read more" I got it. It was just a matter of myself getting ahead of me.

 

[viper]

So you're saying you were in a hurry, and felt clicking on the underlined stuff would allow you to get to the story faster than clicking on "Read More"?

50 shooter, usually, when someone makes a specific item into a hypertext link, it's only a link to info on that specific item. That's the common internet norm.

 

[fal308]

Viper,
Have you had a chance to handle the L-W entry? Will it be able to use unmodified mags as the AA entry can?
I ordered an AA .50 upper last summer at the Black Rifle Convention after talking with several AA reps and engineers and shooting a couple of their rifles. I must say I'm iimpressed. Just received my upper about two weeks ago. Now I need to get some optics for it.

 

[dZ]

i don't think anyone has handled anything from L-W except for the racked ones at the shotshow
http://www.shotshowreports.com/images/22dedicated.JPG
http://www.shotshowreports.com/images/499.JPG

www.gunandsport.com/

Gun and Sport is the exclusive
Northeast dealer of
Leitner-Wise firearms._

Leitner-Wise LW15.499

-.499 inch caliber semi automatic rifle
-AR15/M16 compatible_
-Manufactured to Mil Spec Standards_
-Lightweight, accurate, and reliable
_ with heavyweight punch
*On delay till further notice*

 

[viper]

fal308,

No, I haven't had the opportunity to handle the entry yet. I would, however like to get my paws on one as soon as possible. I'll ask them about the magazines. Leitner-Wise is going to be sending me a Mini-.50 soon for T&E. I'm going to show it to some of my contacts on SWAT/SRT teams in my area. It would be nice to get an entry model for T&E, but I don't have a Class III, which I assume I would need.

By the way, thanks for signing up on my site. We're glad to have ya'. I hope you enjoy it.

 

[fal308]

You shouldn't need any Title II licensing if they're available. The L-W appears to be a Title I firearm-16 inch barrel and semiautomatic operation.

 

[viper]

What's the "Entry" model? Does it have a shorter barrel than the one I talk about on my site, or is it the same one?

Understand I haven't had a chance to speak with Leitner-Wise's owner yet.

 

[dZ]

well, i have talked to Paul several times over the last 3 years

funny thing, this summer my emails are answered by a guy with an AZ phone number

& i thought they were opening a new facility across the river in Alexandria, VA

If it was not for a guy in VA getting two semi functioning 22lr sample units over a year ago,
and LW having a booth at the ShotShow last spring (see above pictures)
i would be convinced that AngloAmerican/ Leitner-Wise was a 16 year old with an AOL account

except by now he would be 19

heres a .499 review:
http://www.afji.com/AFJI/Mags/2002/August/shootout_6.html

 

[dZ]

from above link:

(A weapon system based on the Mini-.50's original design is being marketed by Radford, VA-based Alexander Arms LLC, whose principals are former employees of a Leitner-Wise subsidiary. The two entities went their separate ways about 2 1/2 years ago, and it's no exaggeration to say that each is now the other's only, and fiercest, competitor-with their own designs-in this new weapon-design niche. Alexander Arms' weapon is called the .50 Beowulf.)

http://www.gunblast.com/50Beowulf.htm

Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf
by Jeff Quinn
photography by Jeff Quinn
July 8, 2002

The gun that was sent to me for testing is what Alexander Arms calls their "Entry Gun". It has a flat top upper receiver with Piccatinny rail and a sixteen-inch barrel.

http://www.alexanderarms.com/

 

[fal308]

Sorry for the miscommunication. By entry I meant their version or entrant (entry) in the competition.
AFAIK it's civilian-legal. It has a 16 inch barrel and that's what US Federal law requires (along with an OAL).
The 16 inch barrel is getting rather short (length-wise) for an AR-style direct gas action. Time (as opposed to timing) gets affected which would then affect the performance and reliability of the weapon. Some solutions for a shorter barrel could include a pigtail gas tube or possibly an expansion chamber in the gas tube (though I've heard unconfirmed stories of reliability problems with expansion chamber tubes). These would allow for a shorter barrel and thus a more compact package, hence perhaps a 10.5 barrelled entry gun weapon. The utility of the shorter barrel would possibly be offset though by ballistic degradation though it would make for a more compact suppression package.