POTD: Colonial Armament Commando MK-56 - Belt Fed in a Rifle Package
Fifty. That's the number that matters here. Colonial Armament has pulled the wraps off the MK-56 Commando, a limited-edition belt-fed rifle chambered in 5.56 that takes the familiar M249 ecosystem and repackages it into something considerably more portable. Only 50 units will be produced, split between black and FDE.
The MK-56 is built around an all-billet lower cut to accept M249 nut sacks, but it also takes standard GI magazines, giving it some flexibility in the field. The operating system is a short-stroke piston, the barrels are quick-detach, and the stock is an original M249 collapsible, so the lineage is unmistakable. Colonial Armament has also fitted it with an FRT trigger; anything else would probably have been unimaginable.
For collectors chasing something genuinely unusual on the belt-fed side, this is a hard configuration to ignore. More information at https://colonialarmament.com/commando-mk-56-belt-fed-5-56-caliber/Â
Ex-Arctic Ranger. Competitive practical shooter and hunter with a European focus. Always ready to increase my collection of modern semi-automatics, optics, thermals and suppressors. TCCC Certified. Occasionaly seen in a 6x6 Bug Out Vehicle, always with a big smile.
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I held a fightlight for a while and had issues with the charging handle (weak point broke two of them) wonder if this system has a different design that mitigates those problems?
Website says call for pricing. If substantially less than the $10k for an M249S it would be of interest. But why only a limited run of 50? What does that mean for parts if it's a shooter and not just a display piece?