
- description
The MK18 earned its reputation with US Special Operations Command under the SOPMOD Block II programme, and it has been copied more often than almost any other short AR. The externals here are licensed rather than approximated, with the markings engraved into the receivers instead of printed on, which is what separates a replica you are pleased with from one you quietly want to repaint.
The important decision is the gas system. This runs the MWS design, which is the most supported gas platform in airsoft by a wide margin. That matters more than any single specification on this page, because it means nozzles, bolts, hop units, barrels and magazines from a large aftermarket all apply to this gun rather than leaving you waiting on one manufacturer.
In the hand it is 700mm and around 2,400g, built from a mix of aluminium, steel and ABS over a metal body. The 9.5 inch outer barrel sits inside the 10.5 inch handguard, which carries Picatinny on all four faces and a continuous 21mm rail along the top.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Platform | Daniel Defence MK18, AR-15 pattern |
| Action | Gas blowback rifle, green gas |
| Gas system | MWS type, by Double Eagle |
| Licensing | Officially licensed, engraved markings |
| Receivers | Metal upper and lower |
| Outer barrel | 9.5 inch |
| Handguard | 10.5 inch RIS II, Picatinny all sides |
| Optics rail | Full-length 21mm top rail |
| Inner barrel | 290mm, 6.03mm |
| Fire modes | Safe, semi, automatic |
| Muzzle | 14mm CCW thread |
| Magazine | 35rd aluminium gas magazine |
| Stock | Adjustable |
| Materials | ABS, aluminium, rubber and steel |
| Length | 700mm |
| Weight | Approx. 2,400g |
In the box
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| EMG x Double Eagle Daniel Defence MK18 RIS II | 1 |
| 35rd gas magazine | 1 |
| Instruction manual | 1 |
Good to know
One magazine in the box is normal for a gas rifle and is not enough for a game day. Budget for at least two more before your first outing, and remember a gas magazine holds 35 rounds rather than the hundreds an electric one does.
Gas rifles are weather-dependent in a way electric guns are not. Performance drops as the temperature falls, and a gun that is comfortably within limits in July can read differently in January. Anyone running a gas rifle year-round ends up with a way to adjust it.
Frequently asked questions
What magazines does it take? MWS pattern gas magazines, and a 35-round aluminium one is supplied. The breadth of that magazine market is one of the main reasons to buy an MWS gun.
Is it metal? The upper and lower receivers are metal, and the build uses aluminium and steel alongside ABS and rubber for the furniture.
Can I fit MWS aftermarket parts? That is the point of the platform. It follows the MWS design closely and takes a wide range of parts and accessories built for it.
What are the fire modes? Safe, semi-automatic and automatic.