It is funny to me that, when Daniel Defense’s ARs are discussed, almost everyone says, “Yeah. They’re good guns but overpriced.” I want to convey to you, dear reader that quality adds value. The Daniel Defense M4A1RIII was on display at the 2022 Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous. The Daniel Defense M4A1 RIII Guns are designed to take bullets from point A and point B. The gun’s performance and the effects it has on the shooter is what reflects its value. Daniel Defense has been in operation for over 20 years. They are experts in building the best ARs. Marty Daniel, the Daniel Defense owner, literally bet his father’s farm on his RIS II handguard design. The handguard won the SOCOM contract over every major defense-industry company at that time. Daniel Defense was born from that contract. What does all this have to do the M4A1 RIII? There are many things to consider… Next Steps A man who bets his father’s farm won’t rest on his laurels. This year’s RIII ARs feature the new RIS III handguard. The RIS III handguard features the same six-bolt attachment system that was used on the RIS II handguard, as well as a full-length Picatinny Rail on top. It also features seven sides of Mlock slots to keep the handguard light. (Photo by Andy Grossman). All RIII models will feature fully ambidextrous controls and polymer dust cover. They also have DD’s grip, stock and a catchy 2-tone finish. The handguard is a MilSpec + finish, while the rest are black. There are currently four models in the RIII family. The main differences are the barrel length and rail length. The DD4 RIII’s barrel is 16 inches and the rail is 12.5 inches RIS III. The M4A1RIII features a 14.5-inch barrel and a pinned DD Flash suppressor. It also has a 12.5 inch rail. The DD4 RIII S also has a 11.5-inch barrel with a pinned DD Flash suppressor and a 12.5-inch rail. The MK18 RIII also has a 10.3 inch barrel and a 9.5-inch rail. The M4A1 caught me attention, and I thought it would make a great home-defense carbine. It is based on the battle-tested M4A1 designs. Daniel Defense also included their sights, 32-round magazine, and hard polymer case for the M4A1 RIII. The carbine looks amazing, but the photos don’t do it justice. (Photo by Andy Grossman). There is no play between the lower and upper, and everything was tight and secure. The GRIP-NRIP charging handle, which is ambidextrous, was also equipped with anti-gas features. This helps keep gas out of your face in the event that you shoot suppressed. Overall, I was excited to run the carbine with excitement similar to driving an Audi R8. The Sights on M4A1RIII. This is a home-defense carbine so I chose to use EOTech’s HWS XPS Green holosight. There’s a reason why EOTech holosights won a SOCOM Contract not too long ago. These HWS are easy to use and built tough. One CR123 battery powers the XPS Green. It can provide 600 hours of continuous use at a minimal setting. Their signature reticle makes it super easy to use. The 68-MOA ring and 1-MOA dot provide three aiming points at 7, 50, 200 yards. The XPS Green is very fast to hit the target and get the hits where they matter. (Photo by Andy Grossman). Any battery can go out, so it is a good idea to have a backup. Enter XS Sights AR-15 Tritium flip-up BUIS. These BUIS are made of aluminum and have stainless clamps. They are hard-coat anodized. The front sight has XS Tritium Stripe while the rear has XS CSAT. The Tritium is an excellent addition in low to no lighting, which is often when things go wrong. I regret not ordering their XTI2 45 degree offset sights. These would look great with the M4A1RIII setup. (Photo by Andy Grossman). Lighting It Up. SureFire makes the best weapon lights, and their Scout Light Pro is no exception. The Low-Profile Mount allows you to move your light closer to the guard to optimize its position. It attaches to your handguard via Mil-STD-1913 rail or M-Lok rail. This mount will spoil your taste buds. The light output is 1,000 lumens and can be powered by two CR123A AA batteries. It has a runtime time of 1.25 hours. The light weight with batteries is only 4.8 ounces. A weapon light for a home-defense firearm (or any other firearm) is essential. Make sure you know the target and what it is behind it. SureFire is known for producing top-quality products that are durable and long-lasting. Hands-On with M4A1RIII Carbine. After the M4A1RIII was empty, I began home-clearing drills. The 6.4-pound carbine was light and easy to carry around the house. The barrel of 14.5 inches was great for getting around tight corners. The ambidextrous controls, which can be used when one arm is pinned, are a blessing. After oiling and cleaning the M4A1RIII, it was ready to hit the range. The EOTech HWSXPS made it easy to transition from target to target. It was also thanks to how comfortable the carbine felt in your hands. I ran the carbine through over 800 rounds, with no cleaning required. I used Winchester M655 62gr FMJ, Speer LE gold Dot 62gr, Gorilla 69gr MatchKing OTM, Federal 73gr BT Target Open Tip Match. Since this rifle was primarily a home-defense weapon, I didn’t bother to take formal accuracy measurements. Following-up shots and reliability were therefore my main concerns. It is still firing 800 rounds per hour without any cleaning and shows no sign of slowing down. My transitions between targets were very quick and double-taps were even faster. Final Notes: The MSRP for the M4A1RIII is $2,278. It is more precise, lighter, and more fun to shoot. The carbine makes me better because I have a wonderful experience at the range. You can feel the difference just like a high-performance car. And you’ll notice that grin on your face. Do yourself a favor, and check out the new RIIIs. DanielDefense.com has more information. (Photo by Andy Grossman). Daniel Defense M4A1RIII Specs Caliber 5.56mm NATO
Barrel: 14.5 inches
Overall Length: 31.5 to 44.7 inches
Weight: 6.4 pounds (empty)
Stock: Polymer
Sights
Action: Semi-auto
Finish: Black with Mil Spec + RISIII
Capacity: 32+1
MSRP: $22,278 This article originally appeared in Personal Defense World’s October/November 2022 issue. Subscription is available in print and digital editions at OutdoorGroupStore.com. Or call 1-800-284-5668, or email [email protected]. Continue Reading Search The post The Daniel Defense M4A1RIII is the Next Step in AR Evolution appeared originally on Personal Defense World.
