The Loadout Room
Menu
  • Shooting
        • Pistol
        • Pistol Accessories
        • Rifle
        • Rifle Accessories
        • Shotgun
        • Machine Guns
        • Air Guns
        • Ammunition
        • Optics and Sights
        • Weapon Lights
        • Tips & How-To
        • Concealed Carry
        • Holsters
        • Suppressors
        • Precision Rifle Shooting
        • Firearms Training
        • 1A Gun to Ride the River With: The Smith & Wesson 686
        • The Tristar folding shotgun is ready for your wilderness adventuresThe Tristar folding shotgun is ready for your wilderness adventures
        • maxim defense cqb stock (8)The Maxim Defense CQB Stock: Short and Sweet
        • Perfecting your zero | A little help goes a LONG wayPerfecting your zero | A little help goes a LONG way
    • Close
  • Gear Reviews
      • Mission Gear
      • Camping Gear
      • Survival Gear
      • Medical Gear
      • Adventure & Travel
      • Knives & Tools
      • Overland
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Footwear
      • Womens Gear & Clothing
        • RIP-MVehicle Preparedness: Fast access to essential items | Grey Man Tactical RIP-M
        • Midland radioOverland Essential | Midland Radio MXT275 | GXT1000
        • ppGrab your gear and go | Here’s everything you’d need to build an adventure go bag
        • Scrubba Washbag: Keep your clothes clean in the fieldScrubba Washbag: Keep your clothes clean in the field
    • Close
  • Men’s Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • EDC
      • Eyewear
      • Watches
      • Electronics & Technology
      • Downtime
      • Mens Clothing & Accessories
      • Manly Skills
      • Style & Grooming
      • Gentleman Drinks
      • Crate Club
        • The Outdoor Edge ParaClaw: A concealed stingerThe Outdoor Edge ParaClaw: A concealed stinger
        • How to determine how long you have before the sun setsHow to determine how long you have before the sun sets
        • fireWilderness survival expert breaks down how to build a fire
        • 5.11 Tactical Expedition Long Sleeve Shirt5.11 Tactical Expedition Long Sleeve Shirt, SWAT Tested and Approved
    • Close
  • News
  • Video Demo
  • Shop

DANIEL DEFENSE DD5V1 RIFLE REVIEW

July 20, 2016 by The Loadout Room Leave a Comment

The DD5V1 is Daniel Defense’s first foray into the .308 Win. world. This direct-impingement carbine feels deceptively light. After removing my sample rifle from its hard shipping case and checking to be sure the action was clear, the first thing I noticed upon shouldering was the gun’s excellent balance. I would have sworn this was an 18-inch, pencil-barreled, 7-pound, large-receiver AR, but it was actually a 16-inch gun with a medium-weight barrel, tipping the scales at just more than 8 pounds. Part of the DD5V1’s excellent feel comes from a small-outer-diameter, lightweight, 15-inch freefloat fore-end. The barrel, as well, is just about the perfect contour for a rifle this size—balancing the needed heft for stiffness and heat dissipation with natural “pointability.”

The handguard accepts KeyMod rails and accessories, but is topped with a machined-in, full-length Picatinny rail. The fore-end’s rear reveals the first major departure from what we are used to seeing on modern ARs. Instead of a barrel nut, Daniel Defense uses a proprietary upper receiver and handguard that attaches from front to rear via four bolts. The handguard and receiver sandwich a star-shaped flange that is actually part of the barrel extension. The through-bolts hold the flange (and therefore the barrel) in place so long as they are tight. My test rifle’s screws were a little loose to my way of thinking. The included manual did not indicate any torque setting for these screws, and the protected bolt heads would be tricky to get at with a torque wrench anyway. I used a simple Allen key to snug them up a bit before shooting. I checked with a company representative and was told to take it “a quarter-turn past hand tight.” Freefloat tube removal is easy after unscrewing those bolts. The barrel on my test sample was very tight to the receiver and does not appear to be intended as a switch-barrel system beyond what is normal for the AR family. The barrel extension’s large flange is there mainly to provide more surface area and a much more positive lockup between receiver, barrel and fore-end.

Read the rest of the Daniel Defense DD5V1 Rifle review over at Shooting Illustrated here.

(Featured image courtesy of danieldefense.com)

Share This

Filed Under: Rifle Tagged With: .308, 7.62, 7.62x51, AR, Daniel Defense DD5V1

More From The Loadout Room

Comments

What’s Hot

Top 8 upgrades every Kel-Tec Sub 2000 owner needs: MCARBO parts review
Featured

Top 8 upgrades every Kel-Tec Sub 2000 owner needs: MCARBO parts review

Why .45ACP is an outdated caliber
Ammunition

Why 45 ACP is an outdated caliber

Ammunition

The Reasons Why FBI Went to Back to 9mm

Firearms

Kel-Tec Sub 2000 Optic Mount head-to-head review between MCARBO and Midwest Industries

AR Build Kits under $300
Firearms Technology

Peak AR: Davidson Defense AR Build Kits under $300

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive email updates daily and to hear what's going on with us!

In Case You Missed It

Gear Reviews

A Gun to Ride the River With: The Smith & Wesson 686

October 9, 2019 Leave a Comment

Camping Gear

The MSR Pocket Rocket | Your little camp dragon

October 8, 2019 Leave a Comment

The Outdoor Edge ParaClaw: A concealed stinger
EDC

The Outdoor Edge ParaClaw: A concealed stinger

October 7, 2019 Leave a Comment

Gear Reviews

A plate carrier for the big boys: AR500’s Testudo Gen 2 is a good pick for large frames

October 7, 2019 Leave a Comment

Get it on Google Play

© Copyright 2021 Crate Club Group · All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers