The CETME Model L is a Spanish 5.56×45mm NATO assault rifle developed in the late 1970s at the state-owned small arms research and development establishment CETME (Centro de Estudios Técnicos de Materiales Especiales) located in Madrid.

At NATO joint exercises, foreign units tended to be warned not to use Spanish ammo if their rifles were gas operated[citation needed].

Handguards in the first several series were "square" in section (see LC picture), covering from magazine well to front sight.

Although they were supposed to be expendable (a cost of 25 pesetas in 1995), it was forbidden to discard them, and many soldiers were punished for losing a magazine.

It was a common sight in NATO joint exercises to see Spanish soldiers searching the zone where US troops discarded their empty mags.

The CETME Model L is equipped with adjustable iron sights consisting of a forward post (corrected mechanically for elevation) in two versions "thick" and "thin" (no official designation).

The Model LV (Visor) is a marksman variant equipped with a fixed STANAG mount over the rear sight base; the optic generally used in this role is a nationally produced 4 power ENOSA scope.

Another model with a rotating drum rear sight used by the Infanteria de Marina was also called LV, leading to some confusion, even in training manual and logistics.

[2] Another variant of the Model L is found in the United States; as a fully automatic firearm, it cannot be imported as a machine gun for civilian sale.

The CETME L, along with the LC, LV, and LV/S variants are all finished in Spanish green, black, FDE, or grey.