Mk 12 Army and Navy Special Purpose Rifle

The MK-12 is a rifle employed by special Operations Forces in the U.S. Army and Navy. The weapon is a modified from M-16 that also functions as a sniper rifle and can be employed by military marksmen. The MK-12 was designed in response into the U.S. Army’s desire to have an infantry weapon that had better range than it is most fundamental infantry rifles. The rifle entered service With the U.S. military in 2002.

The MK-12 rifle has been deployed primarily in Iraq during military operations that have taken place in that country following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. The MK-12 is a gas operated, semi-automatic rifle that weighs 10 pounds when completely loaded. The weapon measures 37.5 inches in length and has a barrel length of 18 inches. It fires 5.56 x 45 millimeter bullets and holds 30 rounds. The MK-12 has an effective range of 600 yards. The weapon is commonly referred to as a "Special Purpose Rifle," or "SPR."

The MK-12 rifle is a modern weapon that could be outfitted with numerous add-on features. These add-ons include sights, night visions scopes, suppressors or silencers, mounts and bipods for target shooting, and dust covers to protect it from desert sands and winds.