Daniel Defense 16″ Cold Hammer Forged Barrel, 5.56 NATO, 1:7 Twist, Government Profile, Mid-Length, with Fixed Front Sight Base

Product Description

The Daniel Defense 16″ Cold Hammer Forged Barrel, Government profile, mid-length is a 5.56mm NATO, 1:7 twist barrel with a mid-length gas system supplied in the fixed front sight base configuration, which Daniel Defense lists at 2.01 lbs.

If there is a single best general-purpose AR-15 barrel configuration, this is a strong candidate. Sixteen inches clears the federal rifle minimum with no permanently attached muzzle device, and the mid-length gas system moves the gas port further from the chamber than a carbine system does.

The fixed front sight base is the piece that shapes the rest of your build. You get a pinned, permanent iron front sight and a gas block that cannot come loose, plus compatibility with mil-spec drop-in handguards and quad rails. What you give up is the long uninterrupted M-LOK tube that a low profile gas block allows. Decide the handguard first and the barrel choice follows.

Key Facts

• Brand: Daniel Defense
• Model: 16″ 5.56mm, Mid-Length, 1:7, GOV
• Manufacturer Part Number: 07-077-02114
• Caliber: 5.56mm NATO
• Barrel Length: 16″
• 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 (with front sight base): 2.01 lbs
• Barrel Weight (stripped): 1.70 lbs
• Barrel Configuration: With front sight base (FSB)

Mid-length versus carbine-length gas at 16 inches

On a 16″ barrel the mid-length gas system is generally the better engineering choice. The port sits roughly two inches further out than a carbine system, which lowers peak port pressure and stretches dwell time. In practice you feel a softer, more linear recoil impulse, and the bolt carrier group is worked less violently. Mid-length also allows a longer handguard, which most shooters prefer for a forward support hand.

Fitment, installation and legal notes

This barrel installs in any AR-15 or M16-pattern upper on its A4 extension and requires a mid-length gas tube, not a carbine one. Your handguard must clear or index against the front sight tower. Barrels are components rather than firearms, so no FFL transfer, 4473 or background check applies to this purchase.

Match this barrel with a compatible handguard from our rails and handguards, compare lengths across our Daniel Defense barrels, or look at the assembled options in our Daniel Defense uppers.

Ordering from Western Sport in Roanoke, TX

Western Sport is a Daniel Defense master dealer working out of Roanoke, Texas, licensed as an FFL and SOT since 2007, with a gunsmith on the premises for barrel fitting and headspace verification. Call 817-393-4000 and we will confirm gas tube length and handguard fit before you buy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much does this barrel weigh with the front sight base fitted?

A: Daniel Defense lists 2.01 lbs for the 16″ Government profile barrel with the front sight base installed. The same barrel stripped is 1.70 lbs, and 1.78 lbs with a low profile gas block. That means the front sight tower adds roughly a third of a pound over the bare barrel, which is the cost of a permanent iron front sight.

Q: Do I need a mid-length gas tube for this barrel?

A: Yes. This barrel has a mid-length gas system, so a carbine-length gas tube is too short and will not reach the gas key. Order a mid-length gas tube. Mixing gas tube lengths is one of the most common build mistakes and it will keep the rifle from cycling at all.

Q: Is a 16″ barrel exempt from NFA registration?

A: Yes, as a rifle. Sixteen inches meets the federal minimum barrel length, so this barrel on a rifle-configured receiver is an ordinary rifle with no tax stamp, no SOT transfer and no pinned muzzle device required. State and local law can still differ from federal law, so verify the rules where you live.

Q: Which handguards fit the fixed front sight base version?

A: Two-piece mil-spec drop-in handguards, quad rails that clamp between the delta ring and the sight tower, and free-float tubes short enough to stop behind the front sight base. A full-length rail running over the gas block will not fit. For that, choose the low profile gas block version of this barrel.

Q: How does Government profile compare with Lightweight at 16 inches?

A: Government carries more steel and runs 1.70 lbs stripped against 1.50 lbs for the Lightweight 16″ barrel. The extra 0.20 lbs buys heat capacity during sustained fire and a slightly more forward balance. Lightweight is the better choice for a carry or patrol rifle where ounces matter more than sustained-fire endurance.

Q: Does this barrel ship without an FFL?

A: Yes. Barrels are parts, not firearms, so this one comes straight to you with no transfer paperwork and no background check. Only serialized receivers go through an FFL. Some states and municipalities regulate components separately, so check your local rules or call 817-393-4000 if you are ordering from outside Texas.

Additional information