Desert Tech MDR
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- 406 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.72 kg
- Introduced
- 2017
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Desert Tech MDR (Micro Dynamic Rifle) is a multi-caliber bullpup semi-automatic rifle developed by Desert Tech (formerly Desert Tactical Arms) and publicly debuted in 2014, with consumer production beginning in 2017. Designed to be fully ambidextrous, the MDR uses forward ejection and a tool-free side-ejection conversion to accommodate left-handed shooters, and accepts AR-15 or SR-25 magazines depending on caliber. Users can convert between 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO, .300 Blackout, and 6.5 Creedmoor with included tools by swapping the barrel, bolt, and magwell. Production was discontinued in January 2024 in favor of the second-generation MDRX.
The MDR's tool-free, no-stock-tool conversion was a deliberate response to the European bullpup template (FN F2000, Steyr AUG): Desert Tech's engineers designed it so a soldier could swap from .308 to 5.56 in under three minutes in the field - a flexibility no other production bullpup of its era could match.
The MDR was Desert Tech's submission for the U.S. Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSAR) program but was not selected. The civilian semi-automatic MDR is what was offered for retail; the select-fire MDR-A was offered to military and LE customers only.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Desert Tech
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- United States
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 2017 to 2024
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 406 mm
- Overall length
- 698 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.72 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated short stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Trigger pull
- 31.0 N
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Polymer
- Slide
- Aluminum
- Barrel
- Stainless steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Anodized black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 960 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1843 J
- Effective range
- 600 m
- Maximum range
- 900 m
- Rate of fire
- 625 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Bullpup configuration
Fully ambidextrous
Tool free caliber conversion
Forward ejection
Side ejection convertible
Adjustable gas regulator
Full length picatinny rail- Uses ar15 magazines 5-56
- Uses sr25 magazines 7-62
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 84 5.56x45mm NATO rifles | 3.72 kg | 3.08 kg | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 77 5.56x45mm NATO rifles | 698 mm | 900 mm | Among the shortest tenth |
| Barrel lengthAmong 98 5.56x45mm NATO rifles | 406 mm | 406 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 98 5.56x45mm NATO rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Desert Tech MDR
How much does the Desert Tech MDR weigh?
The Desert Tech MDR weighs 3.72 kg (8.20 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Desert Tech MDR?
The Desert Tech MDR is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and 7.62x51mm NATO.
How many rounds does the Desert Tech MDR hold?
The Desert Tech MDR holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Desert Tech MDR?
The Desert Tech MDR is 698 mm (27.5 in) long overall, with a 406 mm (16.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Desert Tech MDR?
The Desert Tech MDR is made by Desert Tech (United States). It was designed by Desert Tech engineering team.
When was the Desert Tech MDR introduced?
The Desert Tech MDR was introduced in 2017 and discontinued in 2024.
How does the Desert Tech MDR operate?
The Desert Tech MDR uses a gas operated short stroke action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Civilian sport shooters
- 2017
- U.S. Army NGSAR program (evaluated, rejected)
- United States
Provenance
Confidence in this record
75%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/desert-tech-mdr' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "desert-tech-mdr", "name": "Desert Tech MDR", "manufacturer": { "id": "desert-tech", "name": "Desert Tech", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 2007, "website": "https://www.deserttech.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "updatedAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "version": "dc44519af9814e839b3ba8ee4edc5de5ae211ae9c34cc65c9af57c91e0a8e3bd" }, "category": { "id": "rifle", "name": "Rifle", "description": "Long-barreled firearms designed for accurate shooting" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2017, "barrel_length_mm": 406, "weight_empty_g": 3720, "action_type": "gas_operated_short_stroke"}