"Mk12 Mod 2"

[ashooter]

Well, thanks to BHO I got motivated to put together another rifle for the first time in a few years...

Upper builder: Wes Grant, Mid-South Tactical Network (aka MSTN)
Receiver: Larue Stealth with M4 ramps
Forend: Daniel Defense M4A1 RIS II
Barrel: 18-inch Noveske 3-groove 1/8 twist barrel with MSTN's "Mk12 Mod 2" profile
Bolt/carrier: Young Mfg, "diamondblack" coated
Charging handle: LMT's new "tactical" chanrging handle
Glass: Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x32mm, NP-R2 reticle, covered 1/4 MOA turrets
Bipod: LT706
Lower: Tactical Innovations plain-jane "multi" caliber lower with std trigger group and A1 stock
Suppressor: John's Guns M16QD
Metal finish: Rustoleum

Conditions: 0900, elevation 2800ft, wind was calm to nonexistent, clear, approx 75 degrees F, 60% relative humidity (+/-)...

Ammo: Prvi 75gr HPBT, Black Hills Mk262 2nds, Black Hills Blue Box 75gr moly coated HPBT.

Only paper shot was a few 3-round groups just to get a halfway decent zero and see where my zero would go with each ammo type suppressed vs. unsuppressed. I'm not much of a paper-puncher, so I was in kind of a hurry to start shooting steel before the wind kicked up. I wanted to see how far out I could get hits on 18x24 inch plates with this thing. Below is a photo showing the Mk262 and BH 75g results. The Prvi wasn't worth taking pics of... not horrible, but I was getting random flyers that opened up groups to about 1.5-2 MOA. These are all sub-MOA. I have no doubt the rifle can do better than this... and yes, I know 3-shot groups are not as definitive as 5 or 10 shot groups, but this premium ammo is not exactly easy to get these days.




Overall impressions - I've shot my last 10,000 rds or so with AK's and M4/Mk18 types at distances under 200 yards, so it was nice to get back to some longer range shooting for a change. I LOVE this setup! I was making consistent hits out to 700 yards using the bipod and a sand sock under the butt. Again, the shooting conditions were about as perfect as they could be, but I was amazed at how easy it was to hold off for elevation and smack steel with this system, suppressed or unsupressed. 5.56 doesn't make a very impressive noise when it hits at 700 yards, but I still wouldn't want me shooting at me out there at 700 yards.

The Larue LT706 bipod is lot more user friendly than other Harris setups I've tried with various rifles. That little bit of compactness goes a long way. The rifle is heavier and more cumbersome than an M4, but not nearly as awkward as I feared it might be. I would still put this in the "compact rifle" category and wouldn't mind carrying it around all day if I thought I might have need to shoot something farther than 150 yards or so.

If I had one "complaint", it would be that the Nighforce NP-R2 reticle is so fine that it would probably be next to impossible to pick up in a fast/close type scenario. Of course this is not a CQB optic, but I think some black posts out beyond the hashmarks would be a great addition to help center up your eye quickly. That said, I've tried just about every other option over the years and this glass is the best one for the use I intend for this rifle.

Overall, she's definitely a keeper! Kinda pricey, but I got everything pretty fast, EXACTLY like I ordered it, and she performs as advertised. This is not the first upper I've bought from Wes and probably won't be the last.

[karmapolice]

very nice build, sexy looking rifle.

[Boss Hogg]

Great job. I'm surprised you're getting subpar performance out of the Prvi. I hope their QC hasn't slipped because I just got a case of their 75gr

The paint job looks awesome! Which did you use as a base coat- brown or tan?

[ashooter]

Great job. I'm surprised you're getting subpar performance out of the Prvi. I hope their QC hasn't slipped because I just got a case of their 75gr

The paint job looks awesome! Which did you use as a base coat- brown or tan?

Just plain old Rustoleum "sand" or whatever they call their khaki color, then a handful of grass for a "template" and randomly shot it with O.D. Hi-tech finish for sure!

The Prvi isn't horrible stuff, but this rifle didn't seem to like it as much as it likes Black Hills (surprised?). Kinda funny, but I find sometimes that something that doesn't look all that great on paper can still make hits a lot farther than you'd expect on reasonably sized targets. Hell, I've heard stories about Mk12's, M40A1's, etc in service that wouldn't group much under 2MOA on paper, but they're still killing bad guys well enough.

[JesseWin27]

Like the paint job!

[Iraqgunz]

Nice build. Pretty decent spray job as well.

[SWATcop556]

I'm liking the spray job. I might be convinced to try it on one of mine now that I've seen yours.

[Iraqgunz]

Swatcop,

I have painted probably a dozen maybe two dozen weapons between my own and some here in country. If you do the prep properly, use good paint and your imagination it will work out just fine. Give it a go.

[S45]

Really nice paint job! Looks like a good shooter too.

[Pilgrim]

Super nice setup ashooter!!!

I can think of few things more enjoyable than taking a rifle like this and spending the day ringing steel at landing strip distances.

Love it when somebody takes a few thousand dollars of equipment, and sprays paint on it.

I paint my rifles exactly the same way. Not quite as good of results. But it seems like the 'worse' of a job you do painting sometimes, the better it conceals in the field!

Surprised you are keeping a standard trigger and stock on it... or are you?

Oh yeah, I'm very interested in your data concerning the difference in bullet drop between a suppressed and non-suppressed barrel. I can't find it in your post... were the groups pictured shot at 100 yards?