Geissele Announces 12.5” and 13.9” Super Duty Variants

Geissele Automatics has announced new barrel lengths available now on its popular line of Super Duty pistols, SBRs, and rifles. Previous versions include 10.3”, 11.5”, 14.5”, and 16”, with newcomers in 12.5” and 13.9” variants, providing granular options for shooters looking for an AR15 they can trust in a configuration that suits their preference. You know I’m going to ask you about your favorite barrel length when all is said and done, so start thinking about it now.

Super Duty Construction

The Super Duty MOD1 is known among shooters for its rugged ergonomics, modularity, and performance. The heart of the Geissele Super Duty is the in-house Cold Hammer Forged, chrome-lined barrel combined with a Nanoweapon-coated Reliability Enhanced Bolt Carrier Group. The barrel and Forged Stressproof Bolt are individually High-Pressure Tested and Magnetic Particle Inspected to ensure dependability and match-grade accuracy.

The Geissele Super Gas Block and fine-tuned gas port sizing are balanced with a Super 42 braided buffer spring resulting in minimized felt recoil, less wear and tear on components, and reliable cycling even under adverse conditions. A signature Nanocoated HUXWRX Flash Hider-QD muzzle device offers compatibility with the popular HUXWRX FLOW series of low back pressure suppressors.

Controls

The Super Duty comes outfitted with a Geissele SSA-E X two-stage trigger, with a wide-body Lightning Bow and Nanocoated components. Personal experience with this trigger makes it my choice for most AR applications. The ambidextrous Super Configurable Safety, Airborne Charging Handle, checkered magazine release, and Maritime Bolt Catch provide a seamless and tactile interface for both right and left-handed shooters.

Handling

The most distinguishable aspect of the Super Duty is the no-nonsense Geissele MK16 rail, which features stainless steel QD inserts. Geissele also includes a QD sling mount endplate at the rear of the receiver adding to the modularity and sling placement options on the Super Duty. Rounding out the furniture is a modernized A17 grip with the B5 SOPMOD stock upholding the exceptional ergonomics the Super Duty is known for.

New Barrel Lengths

The nice thing about the new 13.9” option is that its muzzle device is pinned and welded giving you a 16.1” length, avoiding the NFA and retaining your stock. That’s a pretty great way to maximize maneuverability while minimizing hassle. The 12.5”, on the other hand, gets you down to a very manageable system with a suppressor, and doesn’t sacrifice the much-needed velocity of the 5.56x45mm the way shorter options do, especially the 10.3”. The caveat here is that you will either lose your B5 SOPMOD for a pistol stabilizing brace, still not a bad option, or you’ll need to file your form 1 or 4 and pay Uncle Sam’s tax to SBR it.

As with previous models of the Super Duty, you will be able to purchase the complete upper receiver by itself as well. Both complete firearms and upper receiver assemblies are available in black and Geissele’s Desert Dirt Color (DDC). MSRPs are as follows, per the Geissele website.

Complete Firearm:

12.5” Pistol, Black: $2,200.

12.5” Pistol, DDC: $2,425.

12.5” SBR, Black: $2,145.

12.5” SBR, DDC: $2,475.

13.9” Rifle, Black: $1,995.

13.9” Rifle, DDC: $2,325.

Complete Upper:

12.5” Upper, Black: $1,260.

12.5” Upper, DDC: $1,410.

13.9” Upper, Black: $1,260.

13.9” Upper, DDC: $1,410.

I can’t tell you the countless number of shooters I know who own one variant or another of this rifle as their go-to AR15, and like it or not, the reputation is earned by the folks at Geissele. The question is, which one is for you? I told you I would ask. I’ve gone down the barrel-length rabbit hole over the years, and perhaps that is a more in-depth discussion for a later date. But for now, as a guy with 24/7 ringing in his ears who almost exclusively shoots suppressed, I tend to favor shorter barrels, but not too short. Personally, I’d love to get my hands on the new 12.5” Super Duty and just cough up the tax. Let me know what you think of the Super Duty and your favorite barrel length for the AR15 in the comments below.

For more information on Geissele rifles, parts, and accessories, see   www.geissele.com