THE Lithgow Small Arms factory has a bit of a buzz about it that hasn’t been evident for a few years, and it’s because there’s new momentum to make things happen: new firearms are coming. Some are already here, including three new centrefire LA102 models.
The Hunter is one of them. It’s a lightened rifle built for stalking hunters who had demanded a handier longarm to carry around in the bush, and at 3.3kg bare it is noticeably lighter than the LA102 Crossover from which it came.
“The light barrel does nothing to hinder the accuracy inherent in the LA102”
Most of the nearly 500g shaved from the Crossover have come out of the barrel. Like the Crossover’s barrel, the Hunter’s has a diameter of 29mm at the receiver. However, it tapers almost immediately until, after about 13cm, the barrel is just 17mm in diameter all the way to the muzzle.
