Mk12 SPR

Mk12 Special Purpose Rife (SPR)

5.56mm NATO Sniper / DMR Designated Marksman Rife

M16 meets Sniper Upper

The story of the Mk12 begins in 1999 with the US Navy at Crane collaborating with the US Army Marksmanship Unit at Ft. Benning to find an accurate upper to drop into an M4 or M16 lower. The SPR would have to provide sniper accuracy and also change roles as an automatic fire weapon in the field.

By 2001, the Mk12 had taken shape, and was being tested by SOCOM, with the now famous heavy 18" Douglas barrel and two-stage match triggers, utlilizing 77 grain Black Hills ammo. When 9/11 hit, the Mod 0 uppers were deployed with mothballed M16A1 lowers, as the M4 lowers were in high demand.

Ultimately, three versions of the Mk12 would be fielded, the Mod 0 with the PRI handguard; The Mod 1 with the Knights Armament quad rail, and later the Holland, which was build by PRI with the round handguard and a shorter 16" barrel.

The Mk12 was the first true sniper rilfe to be developed on the M16 / M4 platform with a 5.56 NATO round, and has proven itself to be highly accurate and durable in the field.

The Mk 12 sniper rifle has been very popular in the field, as it provides excellent sniper range out to 800 meters, yet is light to carry and provides high capacity, and easily doubles as a DMR and close quarters weapon, when needed.

Core to the design is the heavier 18" stainless Douglas barrel with a 1:7 twist to accommodate the heavier bullet designed for the Mk12

At Charlie's the Mk12 is very popular build as well. First, because the Mk12 is an awesome weapon, but also because the full rifle, and its components are relatively afforable, when compared to 7.62 gas guns and longer range bolt action sniper rifles.

Mk12 Mod 0

The Mod 0 was originally developed at NCWC Crane, and had a Precision Reflex (PRI) composite handguard, with an ARMS, Inc. #38 sleeve and a PRI flip-up front gas block sight and rear ARMS #40 back-up sights.

The muzzle device was a unique combination of a collar and a break, with a screw-off thread protector, made by Ops, Inc. to accept the #12 Suppressor.

The optic on the Mod 0 had a few minor variations, but pretty much the Leupold TS30-A2 with ARMS #22 rings and top rail, for optional red dot or reflex sight. The deployment kit also came with the mount for an M68 Aimpoint red dot, for use in close combat situations.

Mk12 Mod 1

The Mod 0 and Mod 1 share a number of common items, or variations, but the biggest difference is the front rail. The round PRI rail is replaced with a Knights Armament free floating rail.

The Mod 1 was manufactured is far larger numbers, and while initially the Mod1 had the M16A1 lower, as time went on, the M4A2 stock become quite commone.

The suppressor and muzzle device remained the same, as did the optic for a period of time. It was not too long into the Mk12 program that many Mod 1 rifles upgraded to the Nightforce 2.5-10x24mm scope.

Mk12 Mod H

Called by many names, the Mod Holland was developed by PRI at Ft. Cambell for the US Army.

The refit was produced for a small group of Special Forces, and featured a shorter 16" barrel with a 1:8 twist, originially from Noveske and later from Douglas.

A number of other changes were made, including the introduction of a new "Gen 3" PRI round handguard, gas block and sites, and a carbine stock.

The Holland is very popular in the cloning community, and variations abound and great license is taken in personalizing the Mod H that is not seen with the Mod 0 or Mod 1.

Featured @ Charlie's

Mark 12 Deployment Kits

What could be better than a complete deployment kit of your Mk12 rifle?

These are true collector's items. A mix of old and new parts in a new case, with perfectly cut foam, made to modern tollerences to historically correct standards.

Charlie's has done the research, and is bringing you the most authentic Mk12 deployment kits that are commercial available. We have painstaking reasearch the case, the foam, the rifle, the accessories, and the optics and provide this in a complete and updated kit.

Mk12 Complete Rifles

Our custom made Mk12 rifles, which are the closest Mk12 rifles available commercially to what was issued. We also have Mk12 rifles from other quality manufacturers like Preceision Reflex, Daniel Defense and others.

Mk12 Upper Assemblies

The hardest part of getting a Mk12 build done correctly is the upper receiver group. Get a Charlie's upper receiver group, or a Mod 0 upper made by PRI or others

Mk12 Optics, Suppressors & Parts

Mk12 parts. Yup.

Demand for Mk12 parts is very high, and we are constantly looking for the parts we need to build rifles.

Our parts go first to full rilfes, then to complete uppers. We usually have left overs, and make what we can available for sale.

"Garand Thumb" describes the Mk12 Mod 0

the fact is everyone needs a Mk12

A customer asked us, "If I could only get one sniper rifle, which would it be?"

Wow. How do you even begin think that one through. How do you look for one sniper rifle. After all, the M110 is a classic. And the Mk15 is a beast. Who does not love a Mk13 Mod 7 or Mod 5. What about the M24 or M40? Though question. M24 is right up there, for sure.

But, as an all around sniper system, the Mk12 should be first on everyone's list. It is compact, affordable (as these things go), ammo is available, and parts, optics and suppressor can still be had. And, it is a start. From the Mk12, you can now look the 7.62 gas guns or 7.62 bolt guns, then on and up from there. You can hit 600 yard targets consistently, and stretch to 800 yards on a good day. You can learn what wind will do to a pill at long distance, and use that to reach even further.

At Charlie's, we love the Mk12. We are especially fond of the Mod 0. What a classic. What design and thought went into this weapons system. The Mod 1 is practical and reinforced the quad rail design. No offense to the Mod 1 guys, but there are lots of great quad rail guns. But, the round PRI carbon fiber and the top sleve. Nowhere else do you see this design.

The Mod 1 has its own beauty. Classic Knights with the flip-up rails, and that sleek Nightforce scope make it a solid pick as well.

The Mod H. Again, unique. Different. Shorter, and back to the PRI round rail.

All you need to decide is: keep it black; get it in FDE, or rattle can the whole gun ? You choose.

If this is your first sniper rifle, choose the Mk12 Mod 0. The classic design will delight you everytime you look at it, and you can shoot it for years to come.

Listed below are some resources to learn more about the Mk12, and also the specifications of how each rifle is built. We call these build sheets.

There is a really good article from Small Arms Defense Journal from 2016 that is very informative. Also, there is a link to a Reddit post from a guy who calls himself the Mk12 Guy, and he has spend a lot of time and research on the correct parts list for all the various vintanges of Mk12.

photo credit on this page to the US DOD and other unknown sources, as well as original photography.