Daniel Defense M4 V11 Carbine, a 3 Minute Review: Knowing that Daniel Defense has been trying to improve on the AR design for years, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on their M4 V11 carbine. I had a lot of fun working the target range with this 5.56x45mm piece of hardware, but I did have a few drawbacks.
As always, the first thing that I check is the concept and the V11 is built for competitive or target shooting. It doesn’t come with iron sights or any kind of optics, but the 15” rail gave me plenty of room to add one.
Speaking of the rail, it’s a combination of Picatinny and KeyMod to make the most of the SLiM technology. I loved how lightweight it was and that I could hold it closer to the muzzle. Since the barrel is 16” overall, that little addition helped really minimize recoil and let me switch between targets.
I also liked that Daniel Defense kept left-handed shooters in mind with an ambidextrous charging handle and safety. However, knowing how many original parts they used like the polymer grip and stock, it did make other parts feel a little cheap.
Still, the whole thing weighs just over 6 pounds so my arms didn’t get tired. You might need that extra time at the range to get comfortable because the trigger felt almost weighted. I started to get the hang of the tension and, with my mounted optic, had a spread of under 2” at 100 yards.
I try to cycle through a few reloads before I make a review, and I was really happy with the V11’s flared magazines. They slid in and out without a hiccup, so you’d easily be able to swap mags on the fly.
One of the other positives I have to mention is the number of quick detach points along the length of the carbine. I had more options to hook up my sling than I do on some restaurant menus, so anyone can be comfortable.
With half of the gun being made with normal carbine parts, I do feel like the price is a little hefty. The lowest I saw the V11 go for is $1,300, which is kind of expensive for a semi-automatic rifle considering I also saw it upwards of $1,700 or more.
The long and short is that I really enjoyed shooting the Daniel Defense M4 V11 carbine. It’s more expensive than some other rifles, but it’s accurate and navigated between targets with ease. Add the quick magazines and it would be great for competitive shooting.
Richard Douglas writes on firearms, defense, and security issues. He is the founder and editor of Scopes Field, and a columnist at the National Interest, 1945, Daily Caller, and other publications.
