Employee Build of the Week: Crafting the Ultimate FDE MK18-Inspired SBR
Hey All! Ryan Lathrop here from Rainier Arms. I’m excited to share my latest AR-15 build that I just completed. When creating this AR-15 build, I aimed to achieve two primary goals: ensuring it could withstand rigorous use and making it visually appealing.
Working at Rainier Arms offers a unique opportunity to explore and build with some of the best firearms parts available on the market. Inspired by the iconic MK18 builds, I decided to embark on creating my own 10.3” 5.56 SBR, incorporating different shades of Flat Dark Earth (FDE) to achieve a visually striking and highly functional rifle. For those of you who don’t know, the Mk18 is a short-barreled version of the M4 carbine, chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and featuring a 262mm (10.3-inch) barrel, compared to the M4’s 14.5-inch barrel. It is the preferred weapon for close-quarters combat (CQB) when the maximum engagement distance is expected to be less than 300 meters.
I think many people would agree with me that the FDE builds are some of the best looking builds out there. I really like the different shades of FDE and thought how cool it would be to build myself a 10.3” 5.56 SBR in FDE.
As I mentioned before I wanted my rifle to be aesthetically pleasing and at the same time hard use. When picking out the parts, I knew I had to go with a Rainier Arms forged receiver set. After picking out my receiver set, I got it in FDE anodized as the build was going to be around that color. Next, I picked out the barrel. I went with a Geissele CHF 10.3” 5.56 barrel. After picking out the barrel, the handguard was next. When Daniel Defense came out with their RIII handguard, I knew that was the handguard of choice. It was a no brainer. I went with the Daniel Defense RIII 9.55” handguard in their dark brown color. Those were the major components that I was looking for to start off my build.
Next I went with a few Forward Controls Design parts to go along with the build.
-FCD RE5 VLTOR buffer tube in Burnt Bronze
-FCD FDE Anodized Charging handle
-FCD Ambi Safety Selector
-FCD FDE Trigger Guard
-FCD Plan B Muzzle Brake
I paired the muzzle device with a Rex Silientium MG7-K Suppressor. To finish off the build with FDE parts, I went with a Magpul CTR Stock in FDE, a BCM Vertical Grip in FDE, a Unity Tactical FAST optic riser, and an EOTech EXPS3 in FDE. Everything else was in black accents to give it some character, from the Bolt catch, to mag release, to safety selector and the trigger. The trigger I went with was a Geissele SDC Flat Trigger as I prefer Flat over curve triggers. With that my build was complete!
Conclusion: A Blend of Style and Performance
This FDE MK18-inspired SBR build not only looks impressive but is designed for hard use, balancing aesthetics with performance. Every component was carefully selected to ensure the rifle is both functional and visually cohesive. As an employee at Rainier Arms, it's incredibly satisfying to bring together these top-tier parts into a single, cohesive build that stands out both on the range and in the armory.
Visit Rainier Arms to explore more about these parts and start building your own custom rifle today!
