By: Friedrich Seiltgen
Copyright © 2024
DANIEL DEFENSE
Daniel Defense is a family-owned and privately held firearms manufacturer in Black Creek, Georgia. Founded in 2001 by President/CEO Marty Daniel, the company started from Marty’s vision to create custom accessories for his M-16 rifle.
An avid sportsman and supporter of the 2nd Amendment, Marty Daniel committed himself to making a product unmatched in quality and precision. Just 18 years later, Marty Daniel’s concept has evolved into one of the most recognizable brands in the firearms world, manufacturing the world’s finest AR-15 rifles, rail systems, and accessories for civilian, law enforcement, and military customers.
Today, with a combined 300,000 sq. feet of manufacturing space, Daniel Defense has maintained a commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
THE LIMITED SERIES
Daniel Defense has partnered with industry-leading manufacturers to build small batches of once-in-a-lifetime rifles, the Limited Series.
The Limited Series rifles are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. So, the best way to get your hands on one is to sign up for insider notifications and be one of the first to know what’s coming and when it’s available. Once these limited-edition rifles are gone, they’re gone for good.
THE LIMITED SERIES AUGUST 2024: NIGHT MOVES
Daniel Defense wanted to create a turnkey rifle package for precision shooting right out of the box for low-light/no-light conditions. There is currently a lot of interest in thermal sighting options, and the Night Moves Limited Edition was born. It’s their most extensive, feature-packed Limited Series build yet, featuring all the accessories you’ll need to own the darkness.
THE CHASSIS
Night Moves starts with a Delta 5 PRO chassis coated in a Desert Night Camo Cerakote finish with a chassis base that allows the mechanical bedding of the action with a metal-on-metal design to protect against changing weather conditions.
The top of the action features a mounted Picatinny scope base, while a bridge that’s compatible with optics extends out on the forend. The forend features 6 M-LOK positions on the bottom and one on the bottom of the stock.
A Two Vets, No Name Tripod with a 55mm dual tension ball head with Area 419 clamp is included for stability during shooting.
The trigger is an Adjustable Timney Elite Hunter featuring a 2-position safety.
THE BARREL & BOLT
The rifle features a cold hammer forged, varmint profile 16-inch barrel chambered in .308 and given a Cerakote finish. The barrel is interchangeable for replacement or to change calibers via a proprietary barrel nut. The muzzle is threaded 5/8 x 24, and an Area 419 muzzle brake is installed to prevent muzzle rise and reduce recoil.
The action is a mechanically bedded stainless-steel action with an integral recoil lug, while the three-lug bolt features a 60-degree throw and floating bolt head with a 5/16 – 24″ removable bolt knob.
THE FURNITURE
The buttstock is set up for a length-of-pull adjustment, a cheek riser adjustable for height, yaw, and drift, a thumb rest with left or right adjustability, as well as a butt-pad vertical adjustment without the use of tools. The grip attachment will accept AR-15 pattern grips for the shooter’s preference.
THE OPTICS
The optic on the Night Moves rifle is the Steiner T6Xi 2.5-15×50 scope, accompanied by a newly released Steiner Nighthunter C35 Gen II clip-on thermal optic. This combination allows the shooter to transition between thermal and optical modes without losing performance.
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: Bolt Action
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Magazine Capacity: 10-round PMAG
Sights/Optics: Steiner T6Xi 2.5-15×50 Riflescope and Steiner Nighthunter C35 Gen II Clip-on Thermal Optic
Barrel Length: 16 Inches
Weight: Rifle 11.4 Pounds
MSRP: $12,999
THE VERDICT
The Night Moves rifle features the quality of workmanship you would expect from Daniel Defense, and its 100% satisfaction guarantee backs it against defects in original materials and workmanship. Night Moves is guaranteed to shoot 0.5 Minute of Angle or less at 100 yards when used with quality factory match-grade ammunition.
The Night Moves rifle comes shipped with a few extras, including an upgraded Royal case, a commemorative challenge coin, and a certificate of authenticity.
That’s all for now, folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There.”
Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, Soldier of Fortune, The Counter Terrorist Magazine, Off Grid, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International.
Contact him at [email protected]