I am the one that posted those pictures that everyone has been so curious about. I can't say with 100% certainty but my guess is that it's some kind of simulation/airsoft conversion for training use. That picture was taken from a training compound that routinely trains SF units, LEO, etc… There have been many other pics posted from the same class and other classes with very clear simunition conversions (the typical blue carriers, etc…), so it's pretty clear that this particular class does a lot of that type of training where they're shooting at each other using training rounds. So, if I had to bet money on it, it'd be some kind of simunition/airsoft/blank conversion for training purposes.
But they are real rifles and the picture is legitimate.
They are indeed machine guns, specifically they're issued M4A1s.
Negative. First off, there's usually a couple very obvious tells with fake PEQ-15s and those units have none of those tells. Secondly, those are not PEQ-15s. Those are LA-5s, which is the current standard ATPIAL issued to SF as part of the SOPMOD program (Block II).
That wasn't the "OG" Mk 18 thread, there had been 2 before that one. I believe the current one is the 4th one.
I don't know why I'm even responding to this, as it seems to be just dragging garbage from one forum to another, but I'll try and hopefully it doesn't spin out of control. The point is, the current military issued CQBR is a pretty interesting rifle as it relates to US small military arms, and their history. Some people (including myself) find them interesting and enjoy discussing them. The Mk 18 thread is specifically dedicated to that purpose. The people that do find them interesting also sometimes like to "build" ones as close as they can and enjoy it. Your rifle is clearly not attempting that in any way. Besides being cerakoted, it really doesn't have a single related part (other than the rail) that would qualify. So while being a super badass SBR in its own right, it's relatively off topic for that particular thread. Some people get annoyed when people come in and post OT rifles … and really, nobody understands the compulsion of why they do it. There are many theme-specific picture threads across gun forums, including on M4C, and most people would find it weird to go in and post a picture of a 8.5" Krink in a long range precision AR thread. It just makes no sense.
Your criticism of people's color-filled pirate filled lowers is just as valid, but sometimes people have to use whatever parts they have available while their build is "in process". If someone is in the process of building a military clone, but they only have 1 NFA lower to use until another gets approved, or one suppressor that's "wrong", for instance, then it's usually acceptable to say "Hey guys, I know there's some glaringly wrong things on this, but I'm in the process of building a CQBR and am limited to these incorrect parts until my correct ones get approved. In the meantime, here's a pic of how the build stands right now." That's much different than "Hey guys, I know you're discussing one specific thing, but here's a pic of something completely unrelated just because".
It's hard to tell, but it almost seems like you take pride in derailing the thread? I'm probably just reading that wrong. But if that's the case, that's a bummer. Because these military rifles really are a pretty interesting topic and the forums make it pretty neat that a bunch of people with similar interest can discuss some of the aspects of them. I certainly did not mean offense with anything in my post, I'm just hoping to add a little bit of context and offer an opinion as to why your SBR could have caused so much drama.

