DD MK12
- Thread starter xxflyingturtlexx
- Start date
Not clone correct but if you arnt going for that then they arnt bad. If you do want clone correct, then build your own or look at High Caliber Sales. If you don’t want clone correct then why not look at something that wasn’t speced out in 2001
+1. I have the one w/ the DD chrome lined 18" and it shoots cheap ammo better than I deserve.
They're grossly overpriced in my opinion. You're getting a very nice barrel and a good trigger. Other than that it's a run-of-the-mill AR.
-Shitty buttstock and pistol grip
-Shitty plastic EPC
-Good BCG
-Sub-par rail
-Exposed set-screw style gas block (durrrrr)
-Shitty buttstock and pistol grip
-Shitty plastic EPC
-Good BCG
-Sub-par rail
-Exposed set-screw style gas block (durrrrr)
DD makes very good commercial weapons. We are a DD dealer, and sell a bunch of their Mk18 rifles and pistols, Mk18 uppers and also the DDM4 PDW in .300 BLK. Those have been a very big hit in the last year. Their bolt gun and their Mk12 less so. That is just the market and what people like to buy, and not a comment on quality.
Keep in mind that their product is a commercial interpretation of the Mk12 and of the Mk18, etc.
Others have noted this is a commercial rifle, and not military Mk12 correct. That is fine for most. It does have DD and Mk12 plastered on the side, which is a distraction for clone correct enthusiasts, but many like the DD brand and want to show it off, and see that as a plus, so that part is a personal preference.
With the DD Mk12 keep in mind that most people buy a Mk12 or SPR "type" rifle for precision. DD does a very good job, but the barrel is cold hammer forged and chrome lined. This type of barrel is made for durability and longevity. Their CHF barrels are some of the better CHF barrels on the market. We love their barrels. But a CMV CMF barrel is not made to be match grade, which is what most are looking for in a Mk12. Certain brands have their marketing angle. For DD, they market their CHF barrels as if hammer forged barrels are the best technology in barrel making. hammer forged barrels are make to produce a large number of barrels that are uniform from one to the next, but that does not mean they are the most accurate. DD made a big investment in a hammer forge, and they market that as amazing. Every barrel manufacturing process has its pros and cons.
Geissele has done something similar, for example, with the pinned gas block or the Nanocated flash hider. It is hard to argue that pinning a gas block is a good idea, but the Mk12 gas block found on the Mk18 and Mk12 weapons are installed with a set screw, and for 99.99% of the shooting, including the US Navy SEALS for the last 20 years, a set screw with a dimpled barrel and red Loctite are great. But, there is a salesmanship with pinning the gas block, like there is salesmanship in elevating a hammer forged barrel.
Disclosure: we are a very big Geissele dealer and OEM as well. but, you have to peel back the salesmanship and look at the engineering and evaluated the cost-benefit and we try to provide transparency. We love the products made by both DD and Geissele, for sure. And, both are very solidly made firearms and components.
Most will tell you that their DD rifle is a tack driver. I would expect very good accuracy, but not to the level of what a true Mk12 is designed to deliver. But, you are not paying top dollar either. You are getting 90% of what a precision rifle can deliver for 50% of the price. And, you are getting super solid construction, and great components. Not top-grade in the trigger, but the receivers are very good as is the BCG, and their Rip and Grip charging handle, if available with a DD Mk12 is awesome.
An important observation when it comes to suppressed operation. Not everybody intends to add a suppressor. We tested most of the barrels on the market that advertise as SPR or Mk12 barrels. The DD Mk12 barrel we tested failed the fit test to attach the correct suppressor. Again, that is only important to a small number of shooters. But, it left us with the question: why profile a barrel that is not correct to the SPR standard?
Bottom line: You want a very well-built rifle that performs very good, and has a popular price tag, you will be very happy. If you are looking for more long-range match precision and suppressed fire, you might want to include other options in your search. DD is known for building one of the better consumer grade top-shelf rifles in the industry.
Keep in mind that their product is a commercial interpretation of the Mk12 and of the Mk18, etc.
Others have noted this is a commercial rifle, and not military Mk12 correct. That is fine for most. It does have DD and Mk12 plastered on the side, which is a distraction for clone correct enthusiasts, but many like the DD brand and want to show it off, and see that as a plus, so that part is a personal preference.
With the DD Mk12 keep in mind that most people buy a Mk12 or SPR "type" rifle for precision. DD does a very good job, but the barrel is cold hammer forged and chrome lined. This type of barrel is made for durability and longevity. Their CHF barrels are some of the better CHF barrels on the market. We love their barrels. But a CMV CMF barrel is not made to be match grade, which is what most are looking for in a Mk12. Certain brands have their marketing angle. For DD, they market their CHF barrels as if hammer forged barrels are the best technology in barrel making. hammer forged barrels are make to produce a large number of barrels that are uniform from one to the next, but that does not mean they are the most accurate. DD made a big investment in a hammer forge, and they market that as amazing. Every barrel manufacturing process has its pros and cons.
Geissele has done something similar, for example, with the pinned gas block or the Nanocated flash hider. It is hard to argue that pinning a gas block is a good idea, but the Mk12 gas block found on the Mk18 and Mk12 weapons are installed with a set screw, and for 99.99% of the shooting, including the US Navy SEALS for the last 20 years, a set screw with a dimpled barrel and red Loctite are great. But, there is a salesmanship with pinning the gas block, like there is salesmanship in elevating a hammer forged barrel.
Disclosure: we are a very big Geissele dealer and OEM as well. but, you have to peel back the salesmanship and look at the engineering and evaluated the cost-benefit and we try to provide transparency. We love the products made by both DD and Geissele, for sure. And, both are very solidly made firearms and components.
Most will tell you that their DD rifle is a tack driver. I would expect very good accuracy, but not to the level of what a true Mk12 is designed to deliver. But, you are not paying top dollar either. You are getting 90% of what a precision rifle can deliver for 50% of the price. And, you are getting super solid construction, and great components. Not top-grade in the trigger, but the receivers are very good as is the BCG, and their Rip and Grip charging handle, if available with a DD Mk12 is awesome.
An important observation when it comes to suppressed operation. Not everybody intends to add a suppressor. We tested most of the barrels on the market that advertise as SPR or Mk12 barrels. The DD Mk12 barrel we tested failed the fit test to attach the correct suppressor. Again, that is only important to a small number of shooters. But, it left us with the question: why profile a barrel that is not correct to the SPR standard?
Bottom line: You want a very well-built rifle that performs very good, and has a popular price tag, you will be very happy. If you are looking for more long-range match precision and suppressed fire, you might want to include other options in your search. DD is known for building one of the better consumer grade top-shelf rifles in the industry.
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I believe High Caliber is not operating anymore as Kevin retired, though it may be worth checking on it to be sure as the website is still up.
Also, Just to clarify - Douglas made the Mk12 contract barrels, they can be purchased from PRI or CLE; they may also be available elsewhere such as Charlie’s Custom Clones (hide commercial supporter).
None of the the off the shelf Mk12’s are going to be “clone correct” as many of the parts used back then are no longer produced. Yeah here are new production parts produced by PRI and ARMS but they are slightly differentIf. I was going to buy a complete off the shelf MK12 it would be from PRI. I’ve built all of mine correct and my Gen 3 Mod 0 had OG Legit surplus parts but it’s expensive and takes awhile to round up all the parts. I do have a HCS Mod 1 upper but I swapped the barrel out for a CLE Douglas in a 223 wylde. Nothing wrong with the HCS barrel but I had 2 brand new ones and the HCS barrel so I kept the CLE Wylde.
If you’re looking to buy a new production Mk12, go with PRI.
If you’re looking to buy a new production Mk12, go with PRI.
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Agreed with all of this. But again, if you just want a SPR there are a ton of newer lighter options in the market today
I purchased an AEM Brake & Collar from HCS in February, so I believe he may still be selling some items. Probably best to call or email to see if they're still selling gear.
Great point. Make sure you know exactly what you want before you start your build.
I initially built a "lightweight SPR" around an 18" PredatAR barrel with a modern rail to cover the role of an Mk12 without all the "unnecessary" weight. While the gun ran great and shot well, I always looked at it and thought "I still wish I had a Mk12". Some of the Mk12 kit is a little dated, pricey, & heavy, but it's still great quality gear. So I eventually decided to start a "Mock12" build. Mine was never going to be clone correct in California anyway, so I skipped the SWAN top rail to save some weight (and $$$), and decided to go with the PRI Delta forearm instead of the round one (found a deal on a used one!). I bought the correct SPR-profile barrel from PRI to be the "heart" of the build. It's noticeably heavier than my previous 18" PredatAR, but I honestly love this dang thing so much for target shooting & hunting, and the heavy barrel is much more consistent across strings of fire. Altogether, it's about 11 pounds unloaded, and I really like the way it balances without the SWAN rail adding weight up front. So it's heavier than a "modern" take on the SPR, but weighs a little less than a true clone. I feel like it's a good compromise for me, and I'm content with what I have now.
I've since gotten rid of the lightweight 18" - not because it was bad, but because a lightweight 18" wasn't quite as useful as I thought it would be. Now that my "Mock12" is set up the way I want it, my old "lightweight" 18" is morphing into a "midweight" 14.7" Recce that should be super handy for run & gun training with some occasional intermediate range use. Sometimes it takes some trial & error to find out exactly what you really want.
For the amount that they are asking there are better options. PRI offers a better build for less. Also PRI was also part of the original mk12
07-55618SPR-RDB7 PRI 18" Mark 12 Mod 0 SPR Gen III 5.56 mm Rifle - 1/7 Twist
The PRI 18" Mark 12 Mod 0 SPR 5.56 Rifle (07-55618SPR-RDB7) comes with a 1/7 Twist and a modular free-floating handguard.
We have barrels and original Mk12 rifles, for whomever is interested.
https://charliescustomclones.com/mk12-spr-18-barrel-kit-for-mod-0-and-mod-1-rifles/
https://charliescustomclones.com/mk12-spr-18-barrel-kit-for-mod-0-and-mod-1-rifles/
You have "original Mk12 rifles" ? Thats a pretty bold claim. CCC doesn't have the best reputation in terms of honesty, and statements like this reinforce those opinions.
@longshot2000
Interested in your "original Mk12 rifles" at Charlie's Custom Clones. If you actually have them, as you stated, please advise on how to purchase.
