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Thread: Modernizing the Mk 12 SPR: Recce or Not?

  1. #1
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    Modernizing the Mk 12 SPR: Recce or Not?

    To set the context for my question, I need to explain my background. I never served in a military or LE capacity, so if I confuse terms and roles, please forgive my ignorance. As a connoisseur of military history and historical weaponry, I can't help but love the basic concept of the MK 12. Having grown up shooting NRA Service Rifle matches, I have appreciated what good ammo and a well-built AR-15 is capable of. After discussing some basics with friends, I wanted to ask the forum what they think a modernized Mk 12 would look like for an urban environment, say for Ramadi or any major urban center in the Western Hemisphere.
    Has the concept merged with the "Recce" rifle?
    Are we going with an 18'' or 16'' barrel, and at what contour?
    Would you mount a fixed stock or a specific type of M4 aftermarket stock?
    Mlok or a Picatinny rail?
    What magnification range would you consider necessary? Is there a specific go-to optic
    Bipod or not?
    Singe stage match or two-stage trigger?
    If you have an example or a personal rifle that might fit this criterion, please explain your thought process behind it. If there are readers with experience behind the Mk 12, please feel free to provide your two cents on the rifle or the intended role.
    Thanks!
    "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill.

    https://learningfromhistory.weebly.com/

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    This is my culmination of 25 years of trial and error going back to a trimmed FSB Colt 6731 barrel under a free-float tube (not rail just a tube), various Mod 0 and Mod 1 iterations and a whole bunch of HK 416 DMR setups...

    A 16" DD CHF barrel more than suits my needs and has no trouble with 2/3 IPSC's out to 880y and 1/3 IPSC's to 600y. Picked one out of a batch that turned out multiple sub-moa groups.
    Rifle is geared to run 0-600y at minimum.
    I've run 1-4x's up to 5-20x on SPR's and 1-8x fit the above parameter fine even though target ID and hit calling at 500-600y with 8x top end can get a little sporty. Despite the 1x CC feature, I like the piggy-back Micro red dot as a sighter at distance (when optic is left 4-8x), a backup sight, and CQB option.

    Went with the Harris over the Atlases that I normally use on precision guns due to weight and simplicity.
    I added the wrap as a temp barrier in hot/cold months and it acts a little like a bag as it has some give when resting on barricades
    The rear monopod flat I use as a rear bag rest
    Slimmer sling with a forward mount to be of actual use for positional shooting.
    20-round PMags with use of a +5 adapter. Sounds stupid but 30-rounders don't let the rifle sit without extending the bipod legs. This is the Goldilocks compromise to have a shorter mag profile without dropping 33% capacity. 25+1 is a fair compromise for this.



    Barrel length is negotiable. If you want short, get short. If you want the most juice, go long. I see no point in going beyond 16" for practical reasons

    The beauty of a small-frame is the capability for the size. Longer barrels and fixed stocks complicate that. With all that you can bolt onto a CTR stock, save the PRS stock for the SR25's

    Magnification is a subject for the distance AND size of the target. 0-600 is where the system shines brightest. 1x per 100y and divide by the size in target in MOA to find what your minimum mag top end should be.

    Rail and trigger stage are subject to personal preference.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by pointblank4445 View Post
    This is my culmination of 25 years of trial and error going back to a trimmed FSB Colt 6731 barrel under a free-float tube (not rail just a tube)
    For this style of build is a simple tube a bad idea? What do you give up with a Harris on a sling stud?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Disciple View Post
    For this style of build is a simple tube a bad idea? What do you give up with a Harris on a sling stud?
    Nothing wrong with simple/slick.

    How much are you wanting to load the bipod? The stud/clamp method of attaching a Harris pales in comparison to the Badger, Larue, or even ARMs mount style that replaces that hardware...so much so that it shifts the failure point to the legs/joints.
    If you never shoot from anything but a bench its fine, but if you start throwing your weight around you will.

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    Quote Originally Posted by pointblank4445 View Post
    The stud/clamp method of attaching a Harris pales in comparison to the Badger, Larue, or even ARMs mount style that replaces that hardware.
    Are these for the simple FF tube or do they require a rail?

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    Quote Originally Posted by LivingtheHistoryM1 View Post
    To set the context for my question, I need to explain my background. I never served in a military or LE capacity, so if I confuse terms and roles, please forgive my ignorance. As a connoisseur of military history and historical weaponry, I can't help but love the basic concept of the MK 12. Having grown up shooting NRA Service Rifle matches, I have appreciated what good ammo and a well-built AR-15 is capable of. After discussing some basics with friends, I wanted to ask the forum what they think a modernized Mk 12 would look like for an urban environment, say for Ramadi or any major urban center in the Western Hemisphere.
    Has the concept merged with the "Recce" rifle?
    Are we going with an 18'' or 16'' barrel, and at what contour?
    Would you mount a fixed stock or a specific type of M4 aftermarket stock?
    Mlok or a Picatinny rail?
    What magnification range would you consider necessary? Is there a specific go-to optic
    Bipod or not?
    Singe stage match or two-stage trigger?
    If you have an example or a personal rifle that might fit this criterion, please explain your thought process behind it. If there are readers with experience behind the Mk 12, please feel free to provide your two cents on the rifle or the intended role.
    Thanks!
    Personally, for my own spr-ish setup, I went a midlength 16" Kreiger CLE chamber barrel, VLOR upper receiver and 15" MK4 handguard. The lower is standard, nothing fancy with a BCM LPK, SSA-E and a PRS Gen 3 stock with rifle buffer and spring.

    I originally ran a NXS 2.5-10x42 but switched to a ATACR 4-16x42 to see if I could use more magnification. It's nice to have, but not necessary, IMHO.
    Last edited by gunnerblue; 07-05-21 at 19:16.

  7. #7
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    I have both a 20 inch SPR type and a 16 inch recce rifle. I went with a 20 inch partly because I used the M16a2 and I liked the Marines concept with the SAM-R. I’m using a PRS gen 2 now, but was using fixed Magpul rifle stock which I’m tempted to go back to. Scope is a Leupold MK5 3-18 great scope btw. I will admit it’s on the heavy side but I like the 20 inch for just a little flatter trajectory, though an 18 would probably be fine. Geissle SSA-E two stage is also what I’m running. It’s a fun rifle to shoot and extremely accurate, I wished I could have had it when in the service. 16’s are great also and very versatile. When I first started doing matches I was running a 16 inch BCM with a non free floated HFB. Range went to 550 yards had no problem keeping up with bolt guns and longer barreled AR’s. 16, 18,20 they all have their merits and handicaps.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  8. #8
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    Here's another serious question: Does a 16'' have an advantage over 14.5'' in a DMR/SPR type setup?
    "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill.

    https://learningfromhistory.weebly.com/

  9. #9
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    To me, the SPR was to take down things from 200-600 yards. I used my JP upper with 18inch, rifle length adjustable gas and LMOS operating system and hydraulic buffer. Oh- so sweet recoil impulse and the ability to see splash and take follow-ups. I’ve topped it with a 3-15Premier when focusing on long distance, before the 1-8/10x scope came out. I had a 3-15 when a 2-10 would be the more natural choice. I run a 1-8 on it now. To me, the SPR was a long range capable, hence the 18inch barrel and big scope. I think the scope technology getting with the 1-8/10 scope has made 2-10s redundant. 1-8/10 give you ‘red dot’ and the ability to reach out with a tree reticle on higher power.

    Two stage G-trigger, slick JP fore-end with a Harris Bipod.
    The Second Amendment ACKNOWLEDGES our right to own and bear arms that are in common use that can be used for lawful purposes. The arms can be restricted ONLY if subject to historical analogue from the founding era or is dangerous (unsafe) AND unusual.

    It's that simple.

  10. #10
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    I just went through this myself, updating/modernizing a MK12.

    The heart of the rifle is a Douglas SPR 1:8 SS barrel. V Seven upper receiver, V Seven 16.5” Enlightened Rail, Nightforce 2.5-10x24 in an A496 mount. Geissele SSA trigger, Dead Air Keymo flash hider and a SOPMOD stock.

    Is it heavy? Yeah, kind of, sitting at 9.75 pounds. It does what I need it to do, it’s accurate, fairly smooth shooting, and it handles heat well.

    My next updated rifle will be a RECCE. Almost same setup as above except using a V Seven 16” 1:7 SS barrel.






    Quote Originally Posted by LivingtheHistoryM1 View Post
    To set the context for my question, I need to explain my background. I never served in a military or LE capacity, so if I confuse terms and roles, please forgive my ignorance. As a connoisseur of military history and historical weaponry, I can't help but love the basic concept of the MK 12. Having grown up shooting NRA Service Rifle matches, I have appreciated what good ammo and a well-built AR-15 is capable of. After discussing some basics with friends, I wanted to ask the forum what they think a modernized Mk 12 would look like for an urban environment, say for Ramadi or any major urban center in the Western Hemisphere.
    Has the concept merged with the "Recce" rifle?
    Are we going with an 18'' or 16'' barrel, and at what contour?
    Would you mount a fixed stock or a specific type of M4 aftermarket stock?
    Mlok or a Picatinny rail?
    What magnification range would you consider necessary? Is there a specific go-to optic
    Bipod or not?
    Singe stage match or two-stage trigger?
    If you have an example or a personal rifle that might fit this criterion, please explain your thought process behind it. If there are readers with experience behind the Mk 12, please feel free to provide your two cents on the rifle or the intended role.
    Thanks!

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