T2 Mk5
Summary
| Country | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| Category | Assault rifle |
| Manufacturer | Leader Dynamics / Australian Automatic Arms |
Technical specifications
| T2 Mk5 | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 700 rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 5.56 x 45 mm OTAN |
| Magazine | 30 rounds |
| Length | 965 mm (38.0 in) |
| Weight | 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) |
| Range | 400 m (1312 ft) |
Description
The Leader T2 MK5 Series, chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO, was developed by British designer Charles St. George and manufactured by Leader Dynamics in Smithfield, NSW, Australia from 1978 to 1983. Intended as a potential replacement for Australia's L1A1 SLR and M16A1 rifles, the Leader represented Australia's first attempt at designing and manufacturing a commercial gas-operated semi-automatic rifle. The project was discontinued when the Steyr AUG was selected by the Australian military. Following St. George's departure in 1982 and the folding of Leader Dynamics in 1983, the patents were sold to Australian Automatic Arms (AAA), which continued production in Tasmania.
The design featured a non-reciprocating cocking lever positioned over the left action rod, similar to the Heckler & Koch G3, which could fold forward. It utilized a triangular bolt-face resembling that of the Winchester Model 100, adopted for ease of manufacture. The weapon incorporated a diopter rear sight adjustable for 100, 200, and 300 meters, paired with a hooded post front sight. The selector switch followed an AR-18 type design, offering Safe-Fire or Safe-Fire-Auto options on selective fire versions. Construction aimed for simplicity and low tooling costs, using a readily available 16 gauge steel square tube for the receiver and incorporating spot welds and powder-metal parts. The bolt carrier group was a modular, self-contained unit based on the AR-18. Polymer was used for the pistol grip, handguards, and buttstock. Early models sometimes exhibited a tight chamber causing extraction issues and a cylindrical flash hider noted as insufficient, often replaced by owners. Loose tolerances in the magazine well could lead to feeding jams. Later models by AAA were produced to tighter tolerances, addressing some of these problems.
Variants included the selective-fire T2 rifle and a carbine version. Under Australian Automatic Arms, further variants were produced:
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the Semi-Auto Rifle (SAR) with a 16.25" barrel and synthetic stock (lacking a carrying handle)
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the Semi-Auto Carbine (SAC) with a 10.5" barrel and synthetic stock
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the Semi-Auto Pistol (SAP), also known as the "Tasmanian Devil," which was a stockless version of the SAC with a pistol grip and sling
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the Sporting Purpose 20 (SP-20) which featured a 20" barrel and wood furniture, including a semi-pistol grip stock.
AAA variants were supplied with 30-round magazines, while earlier models utilized 20-round M16 magazines.
The Leader was evaluated as a contender for the Australian military rifle contract and garnered interest from the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. Demonstrations were conducted for various entities, including the Sultanate of Oman Armed Forces, which placed trial orders for select-fire rifles and carbines. Efforts were made to market the firearm in Europe and the United States. In the US, it was imported by World Public Safety and exhibited at trade shows, receiving substantial initial orders, though fewer than 2000 rifles ultimately entered the country. Australian automatic rifles were subject to restrictions following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, leading to the withdrawal of the Leader from production. The SAP variant was banned from importation into the US in 1994.
Entities that showed interest in the Leader, or received weapons for trials, included the Royal Australian Armoured Corps and the Sultanate of Oman Armed Forces. Potential markets included European and Asian customers through a potential license with Luigi Franchi. US distributors and buyers included John Giovino NY, Bumble Bee CA, and Ellett Brothers. The firearm was also acquired by private owners in the US before importation restrictions.