Daniel Defense MK18 SBR 10.3" – Black with FDE Rail

Daniel Defense MK18 SBR 10.3" – Black with FDE Rail

The Daniel Defense MK18 SBR is a semi-automatic AR-15-pattern short-barreled rifle in 5.56 NATO, with a 10.3-inch cold hammer forged Government-profile barrel and a carbine-length direct impingement gas system. This variant pairs black receivers with the Flat Dark Earth RIS II quad rail — the rail Daniel Defense supplies to USSOCOM — and ships with an independently ambidextrous GRIP-N-RIP charging handle, Daniel Defense buttstock and pistol grip, and a 32-round Daniel Defense magazine.

Barrel and Gas System

The 10.3-inch barrel is chrome moly vanadium steel, cold hammer forged, with a Government profile, 1:7 twist, chrome lining, and a Mil-Spec heavy phosphate coating, and it is HP/MPI tested. The 10.3-inch length is the same length used on the MK18 upper most commonly used for CQB operations. The gas system uses a pinned low-profile 4140 gas block, and the muzzle device is a Daniel Defense flash suppressor in 17-4 PH stainless steel with a salt bath nitride finish, threaded 1/2x28 and removable for a suppressor mount.

RIS II Rail

The Daniel Defense MK18 RIS II is a free-float Picatinny quad rail with a continuous 1913 rail on all four sides, CNC machined from 6061-T6 aluminum with a Type III hard coat anodized finish. Its Bolt-Up System free-floats the barrel and was rigorously tested prior to fielding by USSOCOM, with over 15,000 units currently in use. It ships with three low-profile Santoprene rail ladders, heat resistant to 300 degrees F.

Receiver, Stock, and Controls

The upper and lower receivers are Mil-Spec, CNC machined from forged 7075-T6 aluminum with a Type III hard coat anodized finish; the upper has indexing marks and M4 feed ramps, and the lower has an enhanced flared magazine well and a rear receiver QD swivel attachment point. The Daniel Defense buttstock is glass-filled polymer with soft-touch overmolding, a nonslip cheek weld, interchangeable butt pads, and an integral QD point, on a 6-position Mil-Spec 7075-T6 receiver extension. The pistol grip is Daniel Defense glass-filled polymer with soft-touch overmolding and an integral trigger guard. The trigger is a Daniel Defense Mil-Spec single-stage, the bolt carrier group is M16-profile with a chrome-lined, MP-tested carrier and properly staked gas key, and the buffer is an H buffer. The safety selector is ambidextrous. Sights are sold separately.

Product Specifications

What's Included

• Daniel Defense MK18 SBR
• 32-round Daniel Defense magazine
• Daniel Defense Full-Latch Impact Plastic Case

Transfer note: Under ATF's October 9, 2026 enforcement policy, this short-barreled rifle transfers on a Form 4473 with a NICS background check; NFA approval, registration, and tax stamp are not currently enforced for SBRs. The NFA itself has not been repealed, and state and local laws still apply. Purchasers must be 21 or older.

Product identification: Daniel Defense MK18 SBR, manufacturer part number 02-088-17024, UPC 815604015554. Specifications reflect the supplied product information.