Shooting the LWRCI M6 IC-PDW

by
posted on March 18, 2015
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

I know, that is a lot letters and numbers. Last week I had the opportunity to tour the LWRCI plant on, of all places, the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In short, I was impressed. This is a company that makes parts, a high volume of high-quality parts, from which it makes complete guns. Even better I spent a morning at the range with the guys from LWRC and Shooting Illustrated’s Jay Grazio.

LWRC is best known for its piston-driven rifles and carbines, ranging from 5.56x45 mm NATO through 7.62x51 mm NATO, and the company, too, is a leader when it comes to guns in 6.8x43 mm SPC.

The IC stands for “Individual Carbine” and the PDW represents “Personal Defense Weapon, so this gun has an 8 1/2” barrel. While offered in semi-automatic as an SBR (short-barreled rifle), the version I fired on the accompanying video was a selective-fire gun capable of full-automatic chambered in 5.56 mm. They also had a 6.8 mm PDW that proved remarkably controllable as well.

In addition to the innovative piston that runs smooth, the PDW has an interesting bolt-carrier-buffer assembly that allows a short, H&K-ish retractable wire stock with two positions. To deploy it, just pull until it locks. It may sound like a little thing, but there is some serious engineering in getting such a gun to work, and work well. At 100 yds., despite the short barrel, I was able to consistently ring steel on semi-automatic and with short bursts. Look for more in the coming weeks on our trip behind the scenes at LWRC.

Latest

Kimber 2K11
Kimber 2K11

Review: Kimber 2K11

The 2011-style pistol was designed to address the capacity limitations of the single-stack M1911 platform, and Kimber's approach to the concept is its 2K11, a competition-ready offering with several notable features.

Favorite Firearms: A High-Flying Hi-Standard “A-D”

Manufactured in New Haven, Conn., in late 1940, this Hi-Standard pistol was shipped as a Model “A,” but a heavier Model “D” barrel was installed later to replace the original, light barrel, leading one American Rifleman reader to call it a Model “A-D.”

Ruger Helps Families In Need Through The Kids & Clays Foundation

In the effort to help tens of thousands of critically ill children and their families across the nation through local Ronald McDonald Houses, Ruger is among some of the industry’s foremost Platinum-level sponsors of The Kids & Clays Foundation.

Unlocking The Future: Smith & Wesson's "No Lock" Revolvers

The future is shaping up to be a good one for fans of Smith & Wesson revolvers. The iconic American company had released 14 new models thus far in 2025 at the time this was written mid-year. And, with one exception, they have all shared a common feature—no internal lock.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 6, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

FEMA Notes Decline In Disaster Preparedness

A recent report from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) noted a decline in local government preparedness for natural disasters, putting increased pressure on individuals to prepare themselves for emergencies.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.