For years, Daniel Defense has made a name for itself building quality ARs that shoot just as good as they look.
Founded in 2002 by Marty Daniel, the company produces AR-style rifles and accessories used by law enforcement agencies, special operations units, and civilian shooters alike.
Now, the company has taken a giant step in a new and long-awaited direction, developing and manufacturing for the very first time in its history a bolt-action rifle. Gear Scout got a chance to get up close and personal with DD's new gun during its big debut at SHOT Show 2019.
Known as the Delta 5, this gun fuses together the modularity and versatility of an AR-15, changing the game for shooters who prefer the feel and look of a classic bolt gun. While it retails for USD $2,199 -- no small amount for a rifle of its type -- the Delta 5 offers shooters a highly accurate and competition-ready gun without the need for any expensive aftermarket modification and tuning.
Based off the popular Remington Model 700 platform, the Delta 5 is anything but your run of the mill bolt-action rifle. The gun features a threaded cold hammer forged stainless steel barrel that can easily be swapped based on user preference without having to avail of a gunsmith, thanks to factory-set headspace.
Internally, the Delta 5 makes use of integrated pillars which maintain rigidity through the stock to the mini-chassis, making for a tighter action.
An integral recoil lug, mated to the action, further dampens recoil, making the gun highly consistent and incredibly accurate. The Picatinny scope base boasts a 20 Minute of Angle/5.8 MRAD of elevation right out of the box.
A single-stage Timney Elite Hunter trigger which can be adjusted between a 1.5 and a 4 lb trigger pull, an ambidextrous magazine release, and a swappable bolt head and knob are among the more noticeable features of the rifle.
A total of 11 M-LOK points along the forend, and one more under the stock, which itself is fully adjustable with a variable cheek riser.
The Delta 5 feeds from most AICS-type detachable magazines, and has plenty of rail space to mount a wide array of optics.
DD design engineers were able to keep the overall weight of the rifle down thanks to extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer in the stock and the body of the gun. As such, the Delta 5 clocks in at just around 9 to 9.5 lbs. It will be available in 3 primary calibers: .308 Winchester with the 20-inch factory barrel, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Remington, the latter two using a 24-inch factory barrel.
Ian D’Costa is a correspondent with Gear Scout whose work has been featured with We Are The Mighty, The Aviationist, and Business Insider. An avid outdoorsman, Ian is also a guns and gear enthusiast.
