Daniel Defense 14.5″ Cold Hammer Forged Barrel, 5.56 NATO, 1:7 Twist, Government Profile, Mid-Length, with Low Profile Gas Block

Product Description

The Daniel Defense 14.5″ Cold Hammer Forged Barrel Assembly, Government profile, mid-length is a 5.56mm NATO, 1:7 twist barrel supplied as an assembly configured with a low profile gas block and gas tube, which is what separates this part number from the barrel-only low profile gas block version.

Buying the barrel as an assembly with the gas block and gas tube already matched removes the two most common build mistakes at a stroke: the wrong gas tube length and a gas block that does not index correctly on the port.

The underlying barrel is Daniel Defense’s 14.5″ Government profile mid-length, which the company lists at 1.50 lbs stripped and 1.58 lbs with a low profile gas block fitted. Mid-length gas puts the port about two inches further from the chamber than a carbine system, lowering port pressure and stretching dwell for a flatter impulse.

Key Facts

• Brand: Daniel Defense
• Model: 14.5″ 5.56mm, Mid-length, 1:7, GOV
• Manufacturer Part Number: 07-077-81718
• Caliber: 5.56mm NATO
• Barrel Length: 14.5″
• Twist Rate: 1:7
• Barrel Profile: Government
• 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 (barrel with low profile gas block): 1.58 lbs
• Barrel Weight (stripped barrel): 1.50 lbs
• Configuration: Barrel assembly with low profile gas block and gas tube

Why an assembly rather than a bare barrel

Two reasons. First, gas tube length: mid-length barrels need mid-length tubes, and getting that wrong stops the rifle cycling completely. An assembly removes the decision. Second, gas block alignment: a block that is off-centre over the port meters gas inconsistently, and a factory-configured assembly starts you from a known-good position.

14.5 inches: what the law requires

A barrel, gas block and gas tube are components rather than firearms, so this assembly requires no FFL transfer, no Form 4473 and no background check. The National Firearms Act applies once the parts become a firearm: fitted to a rifle-configured receiver, a 14.5″ barrel creates a short-barrelled rifle unless a muzzle device is permanently attached to bring overall barrel length to 16 inches or more. A receiver registered as an SBR, or a firearm configured as a pistol, are the other lawful options. Western Sport is an SOT dealer with a gunsmith on site for permanent muzzle device attachment. Call 817-393-4000 if you would like the options explained first.

Finish the upper with a rail from our rails and handguards, add a bolt carrier group from our bolt carrier groups and charging handles, or compare configurations across our Daniel Defense barrels.

Ordering from Western Sport in Roanoke, TX

Western Sport is a Daniel Defense master dealer operating from Roanoke, Texas with a licensed FFL and SOT held since 2007 and a gunsmith on site. Assemblies like this one still need correct torque and headspace verification, and we do that work daily. Call 817-393-4000.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does this part number differ from the other 14.5″ Government mid-length barrel?

A: This one is supplied as a barrel assembly configured with a low profile gas block and gas tube, rather than as a barrel in a chosen gas block configuration. The barrel itself is the same 14.5″ Government profile mid-length Cold Hammer Forged barrel.

Q: Do I still need to buy a gas tube?

A: This assembly is configured with a gas tube, which is the point of buying it as an assembly rather than as a bare barrel. Because we will not assert a packing list we cannot verify for you, call 817-393-4000 to confirm before ordering.

Q: What does the barrel weigh?

A: Daniel Defense lists the 14.5″ Government profile mid-length barrel at 1.50 lbs stripped and 1.58 lbs with a low profile gas block fitted. No total weight for the complete assembly including the gas tube is published, so we will not quote one.

Q: Can a free-float handguard cover this assembly’s gas block?

A: Yes, that is what a low profile gas block is for. A free-float M-LOK or KeyMod tube can run continuously over the block, giving you an unbroken top rail. Mid-length gas puts the block further forward than a carbine system, so check your intended rail length against how much exposed muzzle you need.

Q: Does a 14.5″ barrel require a pinned muzzle device?

A: For a non-NFA rifle, yes: a permanently attached device bringing overall barrel length to 16 inches or more keeps the firearm an ordinary rifle. Otherwise, installing it on a rifle-configured receiver creates a short-barrelled rifle needing registration. Registered SBRs and pistol-configured firearms do not require the pinned device.

Q: What thread is the muzzle?

A: 1/2×28 TPI, the standard thread for 5.56 AR-15 barrels, which fits the usual flash hiders, brakes, compensators and suppressor mounts. If you are pinning and welding a device to reach a 16-inch overall barrel length, check the device is long enough to get you there before your gunsmith appointment.

Additional information