Blast From The Past: The LWRC IC PDW

Specs

The IC PDW from LWRC was one of the first PDW style firearms of its time with an 8” barrel, shortened PDW style stock which also made changes to the bolt carrier group, and recoil system to shorten the rear end of the firearm for maximum concealment. The older style handguard allows you to put sections of Picatinny rails on where you need them while offering weight savings from traditional quad rails. These days, companies would use M-LOK rails, but back in its day, this was a great way of having a lower profile and lighter rail while offering some modularity with Picatinny attachments. The full ambidextrous controls on the IC PDW were also ahead of its time. Most companies now offer at least one model of their ARs that are fully ambidextrous but LWRC was ahead of the curve making the IC PDW fully ambidextrous years ago.

LWRC includes polymer rail covers with the M6 PDW which offers added traction and grip on the handguard. This configuration for the PDW came as a factory SBR so a tax stamp is required to own the IC PDW. When it comes to the trigger, it’s a crisp single-stage trigger with the LWRC Enhanced Fire Control Group (EFCG) and has an average trigger pull weight of 6.25 lbs with an audible reset. It’s certainly a better trigger than most mil-spec triggers and allows you to shoot rapid follow-up shots without much effort. Every IC PDW comes with an 8.5” cold hammer forged barrel with a 1/7 twist. This allows for the best chance at a short accurate barrel. MSRP on the IC PDW was $2,949.99 with various color options available. As far as I'm aware these can still be ordered but they are no longer on LWRC's main website offerings.

Range Time

During my time with the IC PDW, I have used a few different optics and setups but my absolute favorite has to be my current setup. Right now, I have an Aimpoint T2 with a Ground Combat Solutions Modular Vertical Grip along with a Huxwrx direct thread Helix suppressor. The smaller profile of the IC PDW really benefits from a small stubby vertical grip like the GCS vertical grip as a point to control the smaller framed rifle. I really like the EFCG trigger from LWRC with a short crisp reset and a lighter trigger break than the standard mil-spec trigger. The stock is certainly compact when it’s shut which allows easy concealment in a regular backpack but fully extended you will have a shorter length of pull but it's certainly usable all things considered. I would like the stock to be just a bit longer but the current length is usable to make accurate shots.

Currently, LWRC has their PSD model with a micro buttstock instead of the PDW option which would be slightly more user-friendly but the overall cool factor of this PDW stock cannot be understated. The rail isn’t as modular as something like an M-LOK rail but it's surprisingly user-friendly with the ability to add on Picatinny sections for attachments. This being the PDW model, it certainly does not need a laundry list of attachments with the basics being more than enough to make the gun user-friendly. Something smaller profile like the Aimpoint T2 is a fantastic choice for quick transitions while keeping the dot visible for your dominant eye. I had an EOTech XPS on the IC PDW at first but after some time, I swapped it for a smaller profile optic and was much happier with the result.

Accuracy and Reliability

In terms of accuracy, the IC PDW does fairly well for such a short barrel. Typically shorter rifles chambered in 5.56 have a hard time being accurate but at 50 yards I was getting 1.50’ groups with the 60gr SIG hunting ammunition. I also shot a group of 77gr SIG Match ammo with the same group pattern. For being a short-barreled AR rifle, this IC PDW is accurate and capable of reaching out to about 250 yards before shots start to become tougher to call. For a personal defense weapon, the IC PDW is certainly capable even if you have to reach out further than this rifle should be used for. It’s certainly capable and accurate with the right ammunition.

Suppressor Options 

When it comes to suppressor options, there are a number of options available on the market. With the shortened recoil system, the IC PDW tends to have a good amount of gas blowback. Due to the shorter barrel and shorter recoil spring, a flow-through suppressor really does make a huge difference on these short PDW-style firearms. Just like other PDWs like the SIG Rattler, it's important to have as much gas as possible going out the front in order to avoid excess gas from coming back. Since I’ve had this PDW for a few years now, I was using a direct thread Helix suppressor from HUXWRX but there are certainly other great options that cut down on gas blowback from shooting suppressed. Let’s take a look at a couple of modern options that would be fantastic choices for a PDW-style firearm.

Griffin Armament Explorer 224 TA

The Griffin Armament has the classic look of a traditional suppressor but has the modern technology of having a flow system through it drastically cutting down on gas blowback and allowing for a considerable amount of noise reduction. The Griffin Explorer suppressor is full-auto rated and is available to be used as a QD system with their muzzle device allowing them to still carry the IC PDW in a bag and quickly attach the Griffin suppressor. I have a couple of Griffin Armament suppressors and have been very happy with their performance over time. If you haven't checked out their products, I highly suggest you look at their flow technology suppressors.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

• Length: 6"
• Diameter: 1.5"
• Weight: 9oz
• Material: 17-4 Stainless Steel
• Finish: Cerakote
• Full Auto Rated!

Silencer Shop makes getting suppressors easy and you can buy the Griffin Armament Explorer 224 TA suppressor from the link below.

HUXWRX Flow556K 

The other choice when it comes to flow-through suppressors has to be the HUXWRX Flow556K. I have the older and slightly heavier Helix suppressor from HUXWRX on the IC PDW currently and it does a great job at keeping gas out of my face and having a fairly good noise reduction with my current setup. The Flow556K is the newest version from HUXWRX that is shorter, lighter, and quieter than the original Helix suppressor. When it comes to Rifle Suppressors, this Flow556K is one of my personal favorites.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Length: 5.5”
• Weight: 11.8 oz
• Diameter: 1.6”
• Build Materials: 17-4 Stainless Steel
• Full Auto Rated: Yes
• Finish/Color: C-Series Cerakote Matte Black or FDE
• Attachment: QD
• Barrel Restrictions: No

You can find the HUXWRX Flow556K suppressor from Silencer Shop through the following link:

Overall Thoughts

The IC PDW from LWRC is one of those guns that is iconic and really did pave the way for other PDW-style rifles. Of course, they still sell their short rifle builds but the PDW has been replaced with a more traditional stock. This PDW was forward-thinking to try and make a 5.56 rifle as compact as humanly possible. There are countless options today, but when this IC PDW came out, it was one of the only options and as a result, was an interesting choice for PSD teams and security teams around the world.