Daniel Defense 14.5″ Cold Hammer Forged Barrel, 5.56 NATO, 1:7 Twist, Lightweight Profile, Mid-Length, with Fixed Front Sight Base

Product Description

The Daniel Defense 14.5″ Cold Hammer Forged Barrel, Lightweight profile, mid-length, with fixed front sight base is a 5.56mm NATO, 1:7 twist barrel weighing 1.38 lbs bare, which makes it the lightest 14.5-inch barrel Daniel Defense builds.

Daniel Defense describes the Lightweight 14.5″ barrel as being for shooters looking to shed a few ounces without sacrificing durability or accuracy on an AR-15 build. At 1.38 lbs it undercuts the 14.5″ Government profile mid-length barrel, which the company lists at 1.50 lbs stripped, and the saving comes off the section forward of the gas block where it matters most for how the rifle points.

The fixed front sight base configuration pins the gas block and front sight tower together as one unit at the mid-length position. That gives a permanent iron front sight with a long sight radius, and it indexes mil-spec drop-in handguards and mid-length quad rails.

Key Facts

• Brand: Daniel Defense
• Model: 14.5″ 5.56mm, Mid-Length, 1:7, LW
• Manufacturer Part Number: 07-078-07154
• Caliber: 5.56mm NATO
• Barrel Length: 14.5″
• Twist Rate: 1:7
• Barrel Profile: Lightweight
• Gas System: Mid-length
• Manufacturing Process: Cold Hammer Forged
• Material: 4150 Chrome Moly Vanadium (CMV) steel
• Bore Finish: Chrome lined
• Exterior Finish: Mil-Spec Heavy Phosphate
• Muzzle Thread: 1/2×28 TPI
• Diameter at Gas Port: .750″
• Barrel Extension: A4
• Barrel Weight (bare barrel): 1.38 lbs
• Barrel Configuration: With front sight base (FSB)

Lightweight profile: what you gain and what you give up

At 1.38 lbs this barrel is 0.12 lbs lighter than the Government profile 14.5″ mid-length barrel, and lighter still than any M4-profile option at this length. For a rifle that is carried, shouldered repeatedly, or run in a sling all day, that reduction at the muzzle end changes handling more than the number implies.

14.5 inches and the NFA

Barrels are components and not firearms, so this one requires no FFL transfer, no Form 4473 and no background check. The National Firearms Act applies once the barrel becomes part of a firearm. A 14.5″ barrel on a rifle-configured receiver is a short-barrelled rifle unless a muzzle device is permanently attached so that overall barrel length reaches 16 inches or more, the firearm is registered as an SBR, or it is configured as a pistol. Western Sport holds an SOT and our gunsmith does pin-and-weld work in house. If you are unsure which route your build needs, call 817-393-4000 before ordering.

Find a mid-length handguard in our rails and handguards, compare weights across our Daniel Defense barrels, or pick a pinnable device from our muzzle devices.

Ordering from Western Sport in Roanoke, TX

Western Sport, in Roanoke, Texas, has been a licensed FFL and SOT since 2007 and is a Daniel Defense master dealer with a gunsmith on site. Whether you need the barrel installed, a device pinned and welded, or simply a straight answer about handguard fit, call 817-393-4000.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much lighter is this than the Government profile at 14.5 inches?

A: Daniel Defense lists this Lightweight barrel at 1.38 lbs and the 14.5″ Government profile mid-length barrel at 1.50 lbs stripped, a difference of 0.12 lbs. The steel is removed forward of the gas block, so the reduction in muzzle-end weight improves how quickly the rifle points and transitions.

Q: Does a Lightweight barrel heat up faster?

A: Yes, and that is the real trade-off. Less steel means less thermal mass, so the barrel warms sooner during high-volume fire and groups start to open earlier than they would with a Government or S2W profile. For short strings, patrol use or hunting it is not a practical limitation.

Q: What handguards fit this 14.5″ Lightweight mid-length barrel?

A: Mid-length two-piece drop-in handguards, mid-length quad rails that index between the delta ring and the sight tower, or a free-float tube short enough to stop behind the tower. Because the gas system is mid-length, carbine-length handguards will not reach the tower correctly. Measure before you order.

Q: Does this Lightweight barrel take a mid-length gas tube?

A: Yes, a mid-length gas tube. This barrel uses a mid-length gas system, so a carbine tube will not reach the bolt carrier gas key and the rifle will not cycle. Most generic parts kits contain carbine tubes, so order the mid-length tube specifically when you buy the barrel.

Q: Can I build a non-NFA rifle around this barrel?

A: Yes, with a muzzle device permanently attached so overall barrel length reaches 16 inches or more. That is a gunsmith job and it fixes your device choice permanently. Without it, installing a 14.5″ barrel on a rifle-configured receiver creates a short-barrelled rifle needing BATFE registration, or you build a pistol instead.

Q: Is the muzzle threaded 1/2×28?

A: Yes, 1/2×28 TPI, which is the standard 5.56 AR-15 muzzle thread and fits the usual flash hiders, brakes and suppressor mounts. If you intend to pin and weld a device to reach a 16-inch overall barrel length, confirm the device is long enough for that before booking gunsmith time.

Additional information