AR-15 Review: Griffin Armament MK1 RECCE
When I first heard that Griffin Armament was hopping into the AR-15 game, my first thought was, “great… yet another AR.” This day and age, it seems like everyone sells AR-style rifles (I mean, even Savage has one now) and I wasn’t quite sure what Griffin was planning to bring to the table with the MK1 line. To be perfectly frank, I somewhat dismissed the announcement altogether.
At SHOT Show, I had the opportunity to speak with the Griffin guys and handle one of the MK1 rifles. They ran through the features and philosophy behind the guns. By the end of our discussion, my dismissal had transformed into at least a budding curiosity. Almost every part in the MK1 rifles has been upgraded to some degree. When the company then offered to send one for review, my interest was fully sparked.
Today, we will take a close look at the standard carbine in the MK1 line, the Recce. It features a 16.1″ barrel and is chambered in .223 Wylde. Griffin also sells MK1s with 14.5″, 11.5″, and 9.5″ barrel lengths (NFA laws apply). The 9.5″ barrels are available in both .223 Wylde and .300 Blackout.
Tech Specs & Build
As I mentioned in the opening, few of the parts in the MK1 Recce are standard AR components. Almost all have been upgraded in some fashion. Here is a closer look at the breakdown:
| Griffin Armament MK1 RECCE | |
|---|---|
|
Receiver |
7075-T6 Forged |
|
Barrel |
16.1" 416R SS Nitrided, .223 Wylde |
|
Trigger |
Milspec Single-Stage |
|
Forearm |
15" Low Pro Rigid Rail, MLOK |
|
Muzzle Device |
Taper Mount Minimalist Flash Hider |
|
Stock |
Extreme Condition Stock |
|
Pistol Grip |
A3 Grip |
|
Sights |
Micro Modular (M2) Sights |
|
Magazine |
D&H Tactical 30-Rounds (1 Included) |
|
Misc. |
Maritime Receiver Extension, |
|
Weight |
~7.25 lbs |
|
Length |
32.75" - 36" |
|
MSRP |
$1,795 |
Like most AR-15s, Griffin’s MK1 is built around standard forged upper and lower receivers. The company then added their Enhanced Mil Spec BCG and one of their 16.1” 416R stainless steel barrels with mid-length gas. The bolt, carrier, and barrel are all nitride-treated and the former two parts are respectively made of 9310 and 8620 alloy steels. All Griffin bolts are MP tested.
The machine work on the BCG is phenomenal and the nitride finish adds to give it a very smooth feel. Meanwhile, the barrel features a medium profile maintain accuracy and slow heat-up under use. The barrel’s 1/2-28 threads are cut to Griffin’s True-Bore specifications, meaning they’re guaranteed concentric and they have a perfect 90-degree shoulder. This attention to detail helps to minimize the likelihood of barrel-induced baffle strikes when the MK1 is used with a suppressor. The threads are cut at the top end of the 1/2-28 specification too. My ASR flash hider was supremely tight going onto the barrel. Finally, the barrel is capped off by one of Griffin’s fantastic Taper Mount muzzle devices.
Encircling the barrel is Griffin’s new 15” Low Pro Rigid M-LOK rail. Made of 7075-T6 aluminum, the Low Pro Rigid is light (11.6 ounces installed with its proprietary barrel nut) and extremely slim. It’s just a hair over 1.5” wide and right at 2” tall. To be honest, I found it to be a little too narrow for my preferences, but that was easily addressed by the included M-LOK compatible Rail Shield panels and handstop, which collectively bring the rail to around 1.75” wide and offer more positive grip. The Low Pro Rigid handguard is capped off by two QD attachment points on either side of the barrel nut.
At the rear of the rifle, you’ll find Griffin’s Extreme Condition Stock (ECS) and their Maritime Receiver Extension. The ECS is a fantastic, minimalist stock that provides more cheek weld than seems possible for a stock so slim. It also weighs only 8.9 ounces. The Maritime Receiver Extension under the stock is ported at the rear to drain water and other contaminants inside the receiver and it offers six adjustment points for length. Finally, within the receiver extension sits the AR Suppressed Optimized Buffer (AR-SOB). This buffer is weighted similarly to an A1/A2 rifle buffer (4.9 ounces). Furthermore, both the internal weight platters and buffer head reciprocate to help increase lockup time and prevent bolt bounce. Finally, the buffer features two urethane pads to dampen recoil. Until trying the AR-SOB, I never gave much thought to the performance impact of different buffers, but there is certainly something to Griffin’s design as the MK1 is a very comfortable rifle to shoot.
Moving on up to the receiver, we immediately come to Griffin’s Contour Connect End Plate (C2E). The C2E looks like any old end plate, but it sports a QD attachment point for slings and the like. Above the C2E sits the Suppressor Normalized Ambidextrous Configurable Charging Handle. That’s an absolute mouthful, so let’s just call it by its nickname/acronym, SN-ACH. The SN-ACH features a generous channel for gas blowback to travel through as well as a port to release the gas through the side of the part – rather than the rear like most charging handles. It also sports two large, ambidextrous handles for ease of operation. While we’re at it, the rifle’s selector lever is also ambidextrous.
The final parts that really need to be addressed here are the Rail Shield Panels and A3 Grip. I touched on the Rail Shield Panels earlier in this section, but they could use some more attention. As slim as the Low Pro rail is, the Rail Shields are almost necessary. Thanks to their added thickness and their well-sized handstop, the panels feel excellent once installed. The frag-style texture on rail covers is also spot on. It’s neither too aggressive nor too slick.
The same texture can be found on the A3 Grip, which has a roughly similar profile to an M16A1 grip, but is thicker. To be honest, this grip really surprised me. I’m used to the Magpul MOE pistol grip. If you’re familiar with the Magpul product you surely know that it’s designed to lower the web of a shooter’s dominant hand to align more closely with the trigger. The A3 doesn’t have this added backstrap, so I wasn’t sure how comfortable it would be. Thankfully, the added thickness of the A3 over something like a basic A2 grip makes the Griffin product far more comfortable. The A3 also has a more upright angle than some AR-style grips. This shortens the effective length of pull and feels more natural when shooting with a modern, squared stance.
Sights
I recently reviewed the Micro Modular (M2) Sights in a separate article, so I’ll simply summarize here. In short, the M2s are excellent folding sights, if a bit barebones. The rear aperture is adjustable for windage, but it lacks elevation adjustment or range presets. Up front, the sight can be easily set for the proper elevation by simply depressing a small plunger that closely resembles the one on standard A1/A2 sight bases. In that same vein, the post on the M2 Sights is compatible with any other A1/A2 style front sight post, so the options are almost endless.
When folded, the tops of the M2s sit at exactly 0.5” over the rail. They do not feature any sort of spring mechanism and must be manually deployed. Thanks to strong, tactile locking detents, spring-loading isn’t missed.
Trigger
If there’s a disappointing aspect to the MK1, it’s the trigger. This isn’t so much because the trigger is bad – it isn’t at all. It’s actually very nice for what it is, but Geissele it is not. The single-stage, milspec bang switch cleanly breaks right at six pounds and has minimal take up and reset. In a rifle with a $1,795 price tag and loads of other upgraded parts, a basic, milspec trigger just seems out of place. If Griffin wanted to really crank up the overall value of this rifle they would drop in a light, single-stage, competition trigger – or they’d devise their own two-stage part.
Range Report
Since Griffin Armament is, after all, a suppressor manufacturer, I had to try the MK1 with a can. Unfortunately, logistical challenges prevented my Recce 5 demo from arriving on time, but I was able to mount up my SilencerCo Specwar 556. The Specwar isn’t necessarily the gassiest silencer in the world, but it falls reasonably high on that list. On an AR that hasn’t been optimized for suppressed shooting, adding the Specwar almost assuredly leads to significant blowback and gas leakage around the charging handle. Unless you take steps to mitigate the additional backpressure, adding a Specwar 556 to most ARs can be unpleasant.
The MK1 is not like most ARs. Griffin has quite clearly tuned the rifle to work very well with suppressors. After I mounted the can for the first time, I did notice some gassiness, but it appeared to be caused by CLP burn-off as I liberally applied the lubricant to the bolt and carrier before my range trip. Once that smoked off, little to no blowback could be felt even when suppressed.
Without a silencer, the MK1 was also one of the softest-shooting ARs I’ve ever tried and since I frequently swap out AR uppers, I’ve used quite a few. As a matter of fact, the Griffin rifle compared very favorably to my Knight’s Armament SR-15 build. Knight’s gear is pretty pricey, even more so than the MK1. In this regard Griffin’s rifle competes above its weight class.
There are several factors that contribute to the overall shooting experience with the MK1. First, the gas port seems to be appropriately sized. The rifle plowed through a combined 440 rounds of ZQI M855 and Freedom Munitions’ slightly less powerful remanufactured .223 without issue, at least until one Freedom’s cases decided to separate inside the MK1’s chamber (Freedom Munitions’ dubious reputation seems justly earned). At no point did the rifle feel like it was operating with surplus gas. Second, Griffin’s suppressor-optimized buffer (AR-SOB) actually does seem to work. I’ll be honest, I was a little skeptical about the part as I couldn’t quite see how it could substantially alter the shooting experience. As it turns out, the SOB truly appears to extend lock-up time and reduces bolt speed. Lastly, the Suppressor Normalized Charging Handle, SN-ACH for short, works to keep gas out of the shooter’s face. It has an internal gas groove and a port drilled into its right side to vent blowback before it hits the rear of the receiver.
The MK1 as tested seemed to be acceptably accurate. Because I wanted to run the M2 sights through their paces, I didn’t install an optic. As a result, my test configuration wasn’t ideal. The other problem was that I was primarily shooting M855 for groups, rather than a more accurate load. At 50 yards, I managed several groups that were just over 1”. That isn’t bad by my standards for iron sights and I think it’s approaching the upper end of the M855’s capability (particularly MKE/ZQI loads).
Conclusion
Despite my initial skepticism, I have to admit, the MK1 Recce is an excellent rifle. It easily goes toe-to-toe with my Knight’s SR-15 build and in many ways is actually better than KAC’s offering. Most notably, it’s far better optimized for a suppressor and it features a more modern rail than my KAC Legacy upper. The MK1 features loads of upgraded components, with noteworthy standouts like the AR-SOB and the Low Pro Rigid rail garnering the bulk of my attention. Unlike some rifles in this price range, the MK1 also includes sights and nice ones at that. The M2s are among the nicest folding sights I’ve used to date. All Griffin needs to do now is drop a more exciting trigger into the rifle.
With an MSRP of $1.795, the MK1 Recce isn’t cheap. However, when you consider that almost every part inside and outside the rifle is upgraded over basic AR-15 components, Griffin’s pricing starts to make sense. Frankly, after shooting the MK1 I’m inclined to consider it a bargain.
An information security professional by day and gun blogger by night, Nathan started his firearms journey at 16 years old as a collector of C&R rifles. These days, you’re likely to find him shooting something a bit more modern – and usually equipped with a suppressor – but his passion for firearms with military heritage has never waned. Over the last five years, Nathan has written about a variety of firearms topics, including Second Amendment politics and gun and gear reviews. When he isn’t shooting or writing, Nathan nerds out over computers, 3D printing, and Star Wars.