It represents and important time in the development of the AR.totally disagree with mk12 being iconic and respectfully so. Most AR guys can't pick one out.
It was the Late 90's and the market was way smaller than it is now. There wasn't 1/1000th the companies out there making products. You basically had A.R.M.S for rails/optic mounts and no real competition until Laure came out. RRA and KAC were the only real triggers on the market until Bill G came out with what is still today the finest AR trigger on the market in the early 00's, the NM Hi speed.
It was also during the Assualt Weapons Ban which greatly hindered development since you couldn't buy new ARs., atleast ones that weren't severely cucked.
It was also a time when people started to think of the AR as more than just a blaster/short range gun. Up until then the M14/M1A dominated NRA high power. It was a changing of the guard as people were moving towards the AR15 platform due to its ability to accurize and reduce recoil/cost.
The MK12 really was some of the best tech at the time, and compared to a M16 or M4, was significantly more accurate as well as being able to see what your shooting at.
When the AWB ended in 04 there was a flood of new products, makers and innovation on the market. It spurred a revolution of the AR and the Mk12 was proof you could make very accurate AR's.
There are certain AR's that just scream iconic.
M16A1
XM177
M16A2
Colt 723
M4
Mk12
SR25
SR15
ect