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United States Daniel Defense, LLC
MK18
Daniel Defense's short-barreled, close-quarters-battle carbine built around the company's own version of the railed forend USSOCOM fields on its M4A1/MK18 CQBR upper receiver groups, the same 10.3-inch-barrel compact-carbine class the US special-operations community has carried for close-quarters and vehicle-borne operations since the early 2000s.
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
Competitive field
75 comparable systems from 27 other manufacturers
Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: rifles built by another manufacturer that share at least one published role with this system. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Overview
The MK18 is Daniel Defense's compact carbine built to the 10.3-inch-barrel Close Quarters Battle Receiver (CQBR) class of weapon USSOCOM has fielded since the early 2000s for close-quarters and vehicle-borne operations, where a shorter barrel trades some range for maneuverability. It pairs a chrome-moly-vanadium, cold-hammer-forged, government-profile 10.3-inch barrel (1:7 twist, MP-tested) with a carbine-length direct-impingement gas system and Daniel Defense's own MK18 RIS II quad-rail handguard; Daniel Defense also supplies the railed forend used on USSOCOM's own M4A1/MK18 upper receiver groups under government contract, distinct from USSOCOM's newer Geissele-built URG-I upper. At 5.88 lb (2.67 kg) empty and 26.75 to 29.875 inches overall on its collapsible stock, it is sold in semi-automatic form (as a registered short-barreled rifle or, with a pistol brace, as an unregulated pistol) to civilian and law-enforcement buyers and in full-auto configuration to military and government agencies.
Full specifications
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 5.56×45mm NATO |
|---|---|
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 5.6 mm |
| Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity. | 30 |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 0.76 m |
|---|---|
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 3 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 1 |
| Barrel length Barrel length, longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling. | 262 mm |
Specifications compiled from public Daniel Defense, LLC and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-08-22.
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Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the Daniel Defense, LLC MK18 require? +
The Daniel Defense, LLC MK18 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Daniel Defense, LLC MK18? +
The Daniel Defense, LLC MK18's primary weapon is the 5.56×45mm NATO.
What is the Daniel Defense, LLC MK18 used for? +
The Daniel Defense, LLC MK18 is a rifle & long arms typically used for infantry combat, close quarters battle.
