Reach Out and Touch Someone:  Daniel Defense MK12

In his 2007 book, Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, Marcus Luttrell mentioned that he carried and successfully used a MK 12 during Operation Red Wings.  He used the reach out and touch someone: Daniel Defense MK12.  This weapon has become a standard among American SOCOM forces.  The Daniel Defense MK12 is known as the Special Purpose Rifle (SPR).  It is a sniper/designated marksman rifle for SOCOM forces.  It’s a heavily modified and designated marksman variation of the M16.  It is chambered in 5.56x45mm ammo and was an outgrowth for a need of a rifle with greater effective range than an M4 carbine but still shorter in length than a standard issue M16A2/A4.

SOCOM MK12

Since 2002, this weapon has seen action in both Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom.  The Naval Surface Warfare Center developed the weapon for SOCOM units.  Now Daniel Defense MK12 has created what is being touted as “a special ops’ dream rifle.”  According to Daniel Defense, they “designed this rifle with traditional SOCOM MK12 configurations, such as a stainless steel barrel and rifle length gas system.  The 18-inch barrel is cold hammer-forged.  Daniel Defense also forges its chamber at the same time as the barrel, rather than cutting the chamber later.  The A4-style upper also features a DDM4 12.0 quad free-floating rail with Quick Detatch (QD) points, and a BCM Gunfighter charging handle.  The MK12′s forged lower receiver uses a flared magazine well and Daniel Defense’s new rubber overmolded pistol grip with flared trigger guard.  It also comes standard with a Geissele SSA 2-stage trigger, and an adjustable stock with rubber cheek piece and QD sling attachment points.”  If you are interested, the Daniel Defense new MK12 is priced around $2,199 and promises to put the “special” into shooting operations.

The MK12 Upper Receiver Group is available here.