By David Crane
david (at) defensereview (dot) com
September 12, 2015
Last updated on 9/13/15.
Last year, DefenseReview (DR) reported on the Midwest Industries MI SSK12 Minute Man Rifle 16″ mid-length direct-gas-impingement (DGI) semi-auto-only tactical AR (AR-15) carbine with MI SSK-KeyMod Series One-Piece Free-Float Handguard, which we handled at SHOT Show 2014. Well, Midwest Industries (MI) is now making a very cool M-LOK-variant DGI 16″ mid-length AR (AR-15) carbine called, appropriately enough, the MI 16-Inch Mid-Length Rifle M-LOK Compatible, which sports the MI SSM Series Free-Float Handguard M-Lok Compatible modular tactical handguard/rail system/forend rail tube. DR got to view and handle the new carbine this year at SHOT Show 2015, and really liked it. The gun we actually handled and photographed had an interesting distressed/patinated/worn-in finish on it that gave the gun a nice visual aesthetic. We liked this finish, so we’ll try to find out if it will be offered as an option at some point, and update this article accordingly.
By the way, there are some that claim that an M-LOK tactical handguard/rail system/forend rail tube is physically stronger than a KeyMod rail, but Defense Review hasn’t seen any actual comparitive analysis/testing on it. In any case, DR video taped a demo of the M-Lok system (see embedded videos below) at the MagPul Industries booth at SHOT Show 2015, and the system looks well-designed and thought-out.
Anyway, at a current MSRP of $1,199.95 USD (as of this writing), the MI 16-Inch Mid-Length Rifle M-LOK Compatible semi-auto-only DGI tactical AR carbine represents a lot of bang for your ballistic buck, and is a great package for anyone looking for a range-ready tactical AR.
Midwest Industries MI 16-Inch Mid-Length Rifle M-LOK Compatible Tactical AR-15 Carbine Features and Specs (from MI website):
“Caliber: 5.56mm NATO (5.56x45mm NATO)
– Forged from 7075 T6 alumiwm
– Precision machned to M16/M4 specs
– M4 feed ramps
– Hard-coat anodized 8625 type 3 class 2 finish
– .250 take-down pins
– M16 bolt carrier group
– Laser engraved T-marks
– MI-SSM 1 2″ handguard, M-LOKW compatible
– FN 16 inch, CHE medium-contour, 1/7 twist, 5.56mm NATO chamber, chrome-lined barrel
– Mid-Length gas system
– A2 flash hider
– Machined from 7075 T6 forged aluminum
– Matte black hard-coat anodized mil 8625 type 3 class 2 finish
– Recever marked “CAL-MULTI”
– Works with standard AR-15 components and magazines
– Recever rear takedown pin hole threaded for a 4-40 set screw
– MILSPEC-diameter buffer tube
– Magpul CTR buttstock
– Magpul MOE Grip
– Magpul(R), M-LOK(TM), MOE(R) and CTR(TM) are tradenurks of Magpull Industries Corp
Ml Lifetime Warranty – 100% Made in the U.S.A.“
Company Contact Info:
Midwest Industries, Inc (MI)
W292S4498 Hillside Rd.
Waukesha, WI 53189
Phone: 262-896-6780
Email Contact Page: http://www.midwestindustriesinc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&page_id=33
Website: http://www.midwestindustriesinc.com
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All photo and video content contained in this article was shot by DefenseReview.com, and is copyrighted. DefenseReview.com owns the copyright on all photo and video content. All DR photos and videos were shot with a Sony Cyber-shot RX100 (DSC-RX100/B) Digital Camera with 20.2 MP (20.2-megapixel) still camera and 1080p HD video camera capability.
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