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Mk 12 Special Purpose Rifle

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Maximus Rex (talk | contribs) at 02:06, 1 July 2004. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Otherwise known as the Special Purpose Receiver, or SPR for short, this is rifle that has been in service with United States Special Forces in the Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

This weapon system is a heavily modified deviation from the familiar AR15/M16 line of infantry weapons, and thus is chambered for NATO standard 5.56x45mm (.223" Remington) caliber ammunition. It serves a light sniper/sharpshooter role.


The Mk 12 MOD 0 rifle. This specific rifle here comes with a special battery storage telestock developed by the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Crane, Indiana. Notice the color difference between the greyish A1 lower receiver and the railed A3 upper receiver. A Pachemeyer rubber pistol grip is used on this specific rifle, and a Harris bipod is used instead of a Versa-Pod.

Specifications

  • Receiver: M16A1 Lower Receiver with M16A3/A4 Upper Receiver. Non-standard internal components. Can be considered an 'accurized' weapon, as accuracy is far superior to that of any general issue M16. A Precision Reflex M84 'Gas Buster' charging handle system is used.
  • Barrel: A 18" match-grade free floating steel heavy barrel, 1:7" Rifle twist ratio. Manufactured by either Douglas Barrels or Obermeyer. An OPS Inc. Muzzle Brake is installed with the barrel.
  • Buttstock: Either the standard M16 fullstock or the M4 telestock is utilized.
  • Handguards: A free floating carbon fiber forearm is utilized. This handguard does not ever touch the barrel, increasing the accuracy of the weapon. In current issue SPRs, the forend is a Precision Reflex 2nd Generation tube.
  • Sights: A Precision Reflex flip-up front sight/gas block system is installed rear of the muzzle. An ARMS #40A2 flip up rear sight is used in the rear.
  • Optics: Due to the relative modulartiy of the system, optics (as well as almost everything else) can be mounted per the operator's wishes, however, this weapon system is most often seen with a Leupold Vari-X III 3.5-10x40mm Long Range/Tactical Illuminated Reticle Dayscope. Night vision devices can also be attached. These scopes usually come with flip open dust covers and a honeycomb anti-glare anti-reflection device (ARD).
  • Mounts: A long accessory rail, called a SWAN Sleeve (ARMS #38 SPR), manufactured by ARMS, is installed, running the length of the rifle. Two ARMS #22 Throwlever 30mm steel rings are used to mount the dayscope. An under-the-handguard ARMS #42 Throwlever mount is used to mount the bipod.
  • Bipod: The bipod usually used with the SPR is a Versa-Pod.
  • Silencer: The silencer threads directly onto the OPS Inc. Muzzle Brake. It is an OPS Inc. 12th Model SPR Muzzle Brake Suppressor (MBS).
  • Ammunition: The SPR is not used to fire standard issue M855 ball or M856 Tracer (and even less so 1:12" M193 ball). Due to the limits in performance and poor accuracy of the 61.5 grain M855 ball (standard NATO green-tip .223), the Mark 262 Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) round was developed as more accurate 5.56x45mm round. It is utilized in the SPR. The bullet utilized in this cartridge is the Sierra MatchKing 77 grain Hollow Point Boat Tail (HPBT) (Nosler also was under contract to make a similar bullet). The cartridge is designated the Mark 262 MOD 1.

Other Notes

Though the Mark 12 Mod 0 Special Purpose Rifle has enjoyed relative obscurity in it's short life, recently it has been featured prominently in interactive video games such as the government-created title America's Army: Special Forces and the upcoming, private, for-profit title Ghost Recon 2.


Photos

File:SPR-NVG.jpg
A Mk 12 Mod 0 SPR with a full M16 riflestock and various night vision optics attached.
File:Spr sf p2.jpg
A US Army SF operator shows his Filipino counterparts the Mk. 12 Mod 0. This one also has a full M16 riflestock, has the OPS Inc. silencer attached, and is camouflage painted.
A US Army SF operator takes aim with his desert camouflage painted Mk 12 Mod 0. An Insight Technologies AN/PEQ2a ITPIAL laser/infrared illuminator is mounted on the right of the rifle's handguards. A standard M4 telescoping stock is used on this one.
File:Spr sf p5.jpg
Another US Army SF operator carrying is OD green painted Mk 12 Mod 0. The exposed front end of the rifle details the OPS Inc. muzzle brake, the Versa-Pod bipod (folded) and an Insight Technologies AN/PEQ2a illuminator mounted on the side of the handguards.
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