Daniel Defense M4A1 RIII

Daniel Defense builds its rifles in Black Creek, Georgia, and it's known for cold hammer-forged barrels and well-finished AR-pattern rifles. The M4A1 RIII takes the classic M4A1 carbine and updates it with a lighter rail and fully ambidextrous controls. Daniel Defense's RIII rails use M-LOK slots instead of full quad rails, which saves weight, and they attach with a six-bolt system. RIII rifles pair that rail with a fully ambidextrous lower, so the bolt catch, safety selector and magazine release all work from either side, along with the ambidextrous GRIP-N-RIP charging handle.

It's chambered in 5.56mm NATO with a 14.5-inch cold hammer-forged M4-profile barrel, chrome lined with a 1-in-7 twist. A Daniel Defense flash suppressor is pinned and welded in place, so the barrel meets the 16-inch rifle length. Unlike the RIS II M4A1, this version runs a mid-length direct impingement gas system with a pinned low-profile gas block.

The handguard is a 12.5-inch RIII rail with M-LOK slots. The buttstock is Daniel Defense's glass-filled polymer design with soft-touch overmolding and six positions. The trigger is mil-spec, and the receivers are hard coat anodized.

It measures 31.5 to 34.75 inches long and weighs 6.39 pounds, a bit lighter than the RIS II M4A1. Daniel Defense includes a hard case, and the rifle is made in the USA.

The M4A1 RIII keeps the proportions and feel that made the M4A1 popular, but it's easier to live with thanks to the lighter rail and controls on both sides.

If you want the classic M4A1 layout with modern ambidextrous controls and an M-LOK rail, the M4A1 RIII is the updated version to choose.