Vektor LM4
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- 460 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.30 kg
- Introduced
- 1990
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Vektor LM4 is a semi-automatic-only rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, developed by Lyttelton Engineering Works (later Denel Land Systems) as the civilian and law-enforcement version of the select-fire R4 assault rifle. Derived from the Israeli Galil ARM, it retains the R4's long-stroke gas-operated action, rotating bolt, chrome-lined 460 mm barrel and side-folding polymer stock, but is restricted to single-shot semi-automatic fire. The 'LM' designation reflects a Lyttelton-Musgrave marketing arrangement for the sporting line.
When South Africa's military R4 assault rifle proved successful in service, Lyttelton Engineering Works marketed a semi-automatic-only version as the LM4 so sport shooters and police could own a civilian-legal cousin of the Galil-based service rifle.
Part of the LM4/LM5/LM6 family of semi-automatic sporting rifles corresponding to the military R4, R5 and R6. Semi-auto only; not fitted for full-automatic or burst fire.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Denel Land Systems (formerly Lyttelton Engineering Works)
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- South Africa
- Status
- Out of production
- Produced
- 1990
- Variant of
- Semi automatic civilian
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 460 mm
- Overall length
- 1005 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.30 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.90 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated long stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 35
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Phosphate
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 980 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1929 J
- Effective range
- 500 m
- Maximum range
- 1000 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Chrome lined barrel
Rotating bolt- Semi automatic only
Side folding stock
Detachable box magazine
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 84 5.56x45mm NATO rifles | 4.30 kg | 3.08 kg | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 77 5.56x45mm NATO rifles | 1005 mm | 900 mm | Among the longest tenth |
| Barrel lengthAmong 98 5.56x45mm NATO rifles | 460 mm | 406 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 98 5.56x45mm NATO rifles | 35 | 30 | Holds more rounds than about 90% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Vektor LM4
How much does the Vektor LM4 weigh?
The Vektor LM4 weighs 4.30 kg (9.48 lb) empty and 4.90 kg (10.80 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Vektor LM4?
The Vektor LM4 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the Vektor LM4 hold?
The Vektor LM4 holds 35 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Vektor LM4?
The Vektor LM4 is 1005 mm (39.6 in) long overall, with a 460 mm (18.1 in) barrel.
Who makes the Vektor LM4?
The Vektor LM4 is made by Denel Land Systems (formerly Lyttelton Engineering Works) (South Africa).
When was the Vektor LM4 introduced?
The Vektor LM4 was introduced in 1990.
How does the Vektor LM4 operate?
The Vektor LM4 uses a gas operated long stroke action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Civilian market (South Africa)
- South Africa
- South African law enforcement
- South Africa
Provenance
Confidence in this record
62%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/vektor-lm4' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "vektor-lm4", "name": "Vektor LM4", "manufacturer": { "id": "denel-land-systems", "name": "Denel Land Systems (formerly Lyttelton Engineering Works)", "countryCode": "ZA", "foundedYear": 1992, "website": "https://www.denellandsystems.co.za", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": "active", "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": true, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "version": "452eaadaccf0ec2ec9abbef8c1ca7623b60cf62f7e5c6c1060d489b45dc6d200" }, "category": { "id": "rifle", "name": "Rifle", "description": "Long-barreled firearms designed for accurate shooting" }, "country_of_origin": "ZA", "year_introduced": 1990, "barrel_length_mm": 460, "weight_empty_g": 4300, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}