The Stoner LMG, also named as the Stoner 96, is a light machine gun manufactured by the Knight's Armament Company. The Stoner LMG was designed by renowned American gun designer Eugene Stoner (famed as the designer of the AR-15) and was one of the last projects he worked on before he died in 1997.
Overview[]
The Stoner LMG was developed by Eugene Stoner from the Stoner 86. The Stoner LMG was designed around the need to reduce the amount of recoil produced when firing a machine gun and hence has been designed to fire with the bolt open (meaning that the movement of the bolt backwards, as is more conventional, is removed, reducing recoil). This is combined with a buffer located in the stock to further reduce the effect of recoil.
The Stoner LMG is also fitted with a picatinny rail (another of Eugene Stoner's innovations while he worked at KAC) which allows for up to four attachments to be added. One of the more common additions on the rail is the inclusion of a belted ammunition container for increasing the Stoner LMG's magazine capacity. The barrel (which is bored to accept the 5.56mm NATO cartridge) is air cooled and can be quickly replaced (which KAC claim can be done without influencing the rear sight).
Usage[]
French special forces and Danish Armed Forces have tested the Stoner LMG.[1]
See Also[]
- KAC ChainSAW, an experimental machine gun design from 2009 with elements of the Stoner LMG