My 5.56 renewed love fest is in full bore right now. Got rid of my sig rattler .300 for an 11.5" AR and highly considering a longer range rifle in 5.56.

The MK12, specifically the mod 4 version has caught my eye. Can be effective up to 700 yards. Anyone have one? Build one or know much about them? Picture for reference including my new POF 11.5".

I love mk12. My mk12 inspired build is my favorite rifle by far. Taken out to 960 yards a couple of times.

Built mine right after I reading Lone Survivor, and I doubt I was the only one. The purest in me will admit it's not an exact clone, but it's close enough.

I didn't even know what an MK12 is. Looks like I need to know.

I find clone ARs incredibly weird and goofy....I also want a mk12 mod 0 with a good ffp mil optic.

18" stainless AR scratches that itch well enough I'm not going to shell out for a new upper though. I was shooting it at 600 prone a few days ago. The range has a steel cow elk silhouette out there. Head shots with my hunting rifle and 18" upper are no problem. Well, if there's a lot of wind it gets hard with the AR

PharmD4 said:

---

Built mine right after I reading Lone Survivor, and I doubt I was the only one. The purest in me will admit it's not an exact clone, but it's close enough.

---

Yep. It became real popular after the movie as well. I watched a YouTube video on the group that basically made the exact clone for the movie. Pretty cool.

Looks are half the battle for me. If I look at it and it turns me on then I'm all in. And this coming from a guy who went to war with an M16A2 and iron sites.

I have the PRI Mk12 Mod 0 and it has become one of my favorite rifles. Just got an optic for it and need to get it fine tuned.

Do recommend

Dark Horse.



Get some

The Daniel Defense MK 12 looks pretty cool. Why did I open this thread?

Here's mine, it's a mock 12 not a clone but had a lot of fun putting it together and shooting it at distance is fun as hell.

Also smacking pigs at night up close is fun too.

Capt. Augustus McCrae said:

---

Dark Horse.



Get some

---

Just saw the box in the OP picture. Nice.

Pros: Accurate as hell obviously. Mine had full auto capability. The build itself is pretty straightforward, if hard to find clone parts these days. Match with good glass and I had zero confidence issues engaging out to 800yds with 77grs. Cool as hell

Cons: Heavy AF (comparatively speaking of course). Not sure now but when I had a hankering to clone one a few years back, parts were not easy to find that were not collector prices. Though this was before the craze of the retro and clone rifles so I think manufacturers are back in business for them.

Honestly, nothing crazy about them. Just heavy barrel ARs with a cool pedigree and unique look. Sexy AND effective. Best of both worlds honestly.

ETA: Just saw that PSA makes a version. Have no idea how I missed that but hell yeah.

Capt. Augustus McCrae said:

---

Dark Horse.



Get some

---

They changed it to Dark Horse right after I left 3/5 in 2004. I do love the change though. Semper Fi!

Good intel. Thanks for that and Semper Fi!

If I was doing a mk12ish thing I'd grab a PRI upper, build a lower and buy an OCM-5 for it.

At the time it came about, using 77gr match rounds, good optics and a suppressor was a revolutionary thing.

These days any quality AR barrel with a good lpvo, ff rail and match grade ammo can do the same things the mk12 allowed you to do, but the history and legacy of the mk12 is iconic and its still a very cool build.

Thanks Bender. Was hoping you would chime in.

I went through this same phase about 3 years out of the USMC. While not exactly a clone, I bought an Armalite 18" with match barrel, trigger, etc. put a suppressor on it, but never bought a nice optic for it. I also cut an LE6940 down to 10.3 or 10.5 (can't recall) to have a pseudo Mk18 clone.

If I'm being honest, I thought Hilary was going to be elected and we'd never have guns again…I bought lots of stuff that year lol.

SF and Get Some!

My "not gonna pay for MK12 parts but already have an 18" BCM barrel" build:



It's just such a freaking joy to shoot.

Looking at some black ARC ammo that uses high pressure and cases with steel bases like the .277 fury rounds.

They claim to be launch 77gr SMKs at 2900 out if an 18" AR, and 73gr EDLMs over 3k! might have to buy some of the ELDMs and use the above rifle for a WY pronghorn hunt.

I built a FDE one as one of my first AR projects with an 18" Lothar Walther barrel. It shot great, but the PRI carbon fiber handguard was too heavy. I switched it to a Troy Alpha rail and used it like that for years. Then. I converted it to 270AR as a hunting rifle and put better glass on it. That's how it sits now, and is one of my primary hunting rifles. Half MOA shooter.

Ok. Took Bender's and others advice and "made" a completely not accurate MK12 Mod H. Going to call it a MK12 Mod Texags if you will.

Daniel Defense DDM4A1 with a 14.5" barrel, pin/welded silencerco ASR muzzle brake, Omega 300 suppressor, Vortex Viper PST 1-6x24. Going to add a Larue MBT two Stage trigger to top it off.

I'll post back in a few days and report on how it shoots. Thanks for listening.

Don't call it a MK12 anything on any forum outside of here or the clone autists will absolutely drag you.

That being said, I think you have an outstanding rifle there that does exactly what the MK12 program set out to do: make use of quality ammo and optics to make hits at long distance. Looks great and should serve you well.

My 16" LMT is built a similar vein. Not set up for anything in particular, but would be okay at anything I needed a rifle for.

That makes me want to go to the MK12 forum and brag about it.

That's a sweet rig you got there.

Out of curiosity, what are the specific aspects of an AR build that make it a Mk12 clone?

interesting video on "MK's" and comparing 5.556 vs 6 arc

CactusThomas said:

---

Out of curiosity, what are the specific aspects of an AR build that make it a Mk12 clone?

---

Changes based off which version you want, a Mk12 Mod 0 is a PRI tube style handguard with a continuous top rail, folding front sight gas block, Ops Inc/AEM over the barrel suppressor mount on an 18" stainless steel barrel.

Other versions are the Mod 1 which is a different handguard (a knight's armament model if memory serves) and the Mod H, named after MSgt Steve Holland, uses a shorter handgurd and top rail, 16" barrel to save on weight.

There are MASSIVE threads on AR15.com for the various rifles people want to clone, and no shortage of autists telling you your Mk18 isn't a Mk18 because it has a 10.5" barrel vs a 10.3"

Most people would call an 16-20" barreled AR set up for accuracy (SS barrel with heavier profile, variable power scope designed for precision) a special purpose rifle (SPR). The concept is a pretty cool one, IMO. Super low recoil, easy to spot your impacts and adjust and engage multiple targets very quickly.

The rifle I posted earlier might be more fun to shoot than my suppressed .22 bolt gun with subs.

Thank you!

Now I know why someone's making a trip to the ranch today!