The LMT R20 Rahe Reference Rifle (LMT Defense part no. CQBMLK143PW-MARS-EST) is the commercial version of the rifle LMT built for the Estonia Defence Force, a semi-auto 5.56x45mm piston carbine on the monolithic rail platform. Its 14.3-inch barrel is pinned and welded to a legal 16-inch length, so it handles like a compact carbine while remaining a standard rifle. An M-LOK upper, a Gen 2 piston block, a suppressor-ready flash hider and a bayonet lug come with the package. The MARS-L lower brings an updated Euro-style AXLE trigger and a Magpul SL-K stock. For a short, quick-handling piston rifle with a real contract pedigree, this LMT Defense build fits the job.

Key Specifications

• Chambering is 5.56x45mm, the standard AR carbine cartridge with the widest ammunition selection.
• The chromoly barrel is 14.3 inches, pinned and welded to a legal 16-inch length, for a compact profile without leaving rifle territory.
• Rifling twist is 1:7, which stabilizes the heavier bullets common in 5.56 loads.
• Operation is piston-driven with a Gen 2 piston block, keeping combustion gas out of the receiver.
• The CQB M-LOK upper has a 16.25-inch Picatinny top rail and M-LOK compatibility around the forend.
• The trigger is a Euro-style AXLE two-stage design with a defined take-up and clean break.
• Capacity is 30 rounds, and a 30-round PMAG magazine is included.
• The stock is a Magpul SL-K, a slim, lightweight stock suited to a compact rifle.
• The muzzle device is a suppressor-ready flash hider, so a suppressor can be added later.
• Sights are LMT flip-up sights, which fold down when an optic is mounted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the barrel really 16 inches? The barrel is 14.3 inches and is pinned and welded to a legal 16-inch length, which is how LMT describes the rifle.

What comes with the rifle? LMT includes flip-up sights, a Blue Force Gear Vickers 221 sling in OD green, three M-LOK rail covers, a 30-round PMAG magazine and an owner’s manual.

What other features come from the Estonia contract? The rifle has a bayonet lug, an enhanced trigger guard, a QD receiver end plate, an ambidextrous charging handle and the MARS-L ambidextrous lower, all listed by LMT as requirement features.

Buy the LMT R20 Rahe Reference Rifle, 5.56 Piston, 30-Round

Compact, piston-driven and built to a foreign contract specification, the Rahe is not a rifle you find on every shelf. Order it from our Lubbock, Texas gun shop for fast, insured shipping to your FFL, and see more AR rifles from our shop.