Daniel Defense DDM4 V7 SLW Rifle, 5.56 NATO, California Compliant

Product Description

The Daniel Defense DDM4 V7 SLW Rifle is a semi-automatic 5.56 NATO rifle built on a 14.5" Lightweight profile cold hammer forged barrel with a mid-length direct impingement gas system, a free-floating MFR 13.5 M-LOK rail and a Daniel Defense Extended Flash Suppressor pinned and welded, offered here as Daniel Defense’s California Compliant SKU.

At 5.9 lbs the V7 SLW is one of the lightest and fastest-handling rifles Daniel Defense builds, and the way it gets there is instructive. The Lightweight barrel profile removes steel ahead of the gas block. The MFR 13.5 rail is shorter and slimmer than the 15-inch rail on a V7. And the 14.5" barrel itself trims both weight and length — then the Extended Flash Suppressor is pinned and welded to bring the permanent assembly to the 16-inch minimum, which keeps it a rifle rather than an NFA item.

Mid-length gas is what makes this work as a shooter rather than just a light gun. A mid-length port sits further from the chamber than a carbine port, so pressure is lower and the carrier unlocks slightly later: less recoil at the shoulder, less wear on the bolt and carrier, a rifle that settles faster.

Key Facts

• Brand / Model: Daniel Defense DDM4 V7 SLW
• Manufacturer Part Number: 02-128-15049-055 | UPC: 818773020015
• Legal category: Rifle | Class: California Compliant
• Action: Semi-automatic | Caliber: 5.56mm NATO
• Barrel: 14.5", Lightweight profile, 1:7 twist, cold hammer forged
• Barrel material / finish: Chrome Moly Vanadium steel; chrome lined, Mil-Spec heavy phosphate coated, HP/MPI tested
• Gas system: Mid-length, direct impingement
• Muzzle device: Daniel Defense Extended Flash Suppressor, pinned and welded to reach the 16-inch minimum
• Muzzle thread: 1/2 x 28 TPI
• Rail: Daniel Defense MFR 13.5, M-LOK, free floating, seven M-LOK positions plus full-length top Picatinny
• Receivers: CNC machined 7075-T6 aluminium (upper and lower)
• Bolt carrier group: M16 profile, Mil-Spec MP tested, chrome lined, staked gas key
• Charging handle: Ambidextrous GRIP-N-RIP
• Furniture: Daniel Defense buttstock and pistol grip, glass filled polymer with soft touch overmolding
• Weight: 5.9 lbs | Overall length: 31 1/2" – 34 3/4" with muzzle device
• Origin: Made in the USA

California Compliant configuration

Daniel Defense builds this SKU as its California Compliant V7 SLW. Compliance requirements change over time and are applied differently by locality, so nothing here should be read as a statement that this rifle is legal at your address.

Why buy a 14.5-inch rifle instead of a 16-inch?

Weight and balance, mostly. A pinned and welded 14.5" rifle is the same legal length overall as a 16" rifle but carries less steel and less rail, so it points faster and hangs less at the muzzle — 5.9 lbs here against 6.2 lbs for a 16" V7. The cost is a little velocity and a shorter rail. If you want the extra rail length and the longer barrel, the DDM4 V7 is the other end of that trade. Browse optics and slings to finish the build.

Ordering from Western Sport

Order online and we ship it to the licensed FFL dealer you choose near you — see how buying a gun online works. Western Sport has been a licensed FFL/SOT dealer since 2007, and everything we sell carries the full manufacturer warranty. Questions before you order? Send us a message.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is the flash suppressor pinned and welded on this rifle?

A: To make the 14.5-inch barrel measure the 16-inch minimum permanently. Once the Extended Flash Suppressor is pinned through and welded, barrel and device are one unit, and the firearm is an ordinary rifle rather than an NFA short-barrelled rifle. It still transfers through an FFL like any firearm.

Q: How light is the V7 SLW really?

A: 5.9 lbs, which puts it under six pounds and among the lightest rifles in the DDM4 line. The savings come from three places: a Lightweight profile barrel, a shorter 13.5-inch rail, and the 14.5-inch barrel length itself. Overall length is 31 1/2 to 34 3/4 inches with the muzzle device.

Q: What does the MFR 13.5 rail give up against a 15-inch rail?

A: About an inch and a half of forward mounting space and a little sight radius for iron sights. In exchange it is lighter and slightly handier in tight quarters. It still carries M-LOK along seven positions and an uninterrupted Picatinny rail across the top.

Q: Does a Lightweight barrel heat up faster?

A: Yes. Less steel means less thermal mass, so a Lightweight profile warms sooner in long strings than a Government or S2W barrel and will show more point-of-impact drift when hot. For carry, defensive and general range use that is rarely the limiting factor.

Q: Is this V7 SLW legal in California?

A: We cannot tell you that. Daniel Defense builds this SKU as a California Compliant configuration, but the requirements change and are interpreted differently by locality. Confirm what currently applies where you live with a competent source, and send us a message to discuss this SKU’s configuration.