L129A1 Sharpshooter 7.62 mm rifle, 2015 (c)

This weapon was designed and manufactured by the Lewis Machine and Tool Company of Milan, Illinois, USA. The requirement and specification for the weapon was provided by Law Enforcement International (LEI).

In August 2009, the Ministry of Defence opened a tender for 440 new 7.62 mm 'Sharpshooter' rifles as an £1.5m urgent operational requirement for Afghanistan. It was ordered in response to reports that the Taliban were engaging British patrols from outside the effective range of the SA80. LEI won the contract and the rifle went operational in Afghanistan in May 2010.