{"id":127515,"date":"2020-04-26T13:23:04","date_gmt":"2020-04-26T17:23:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=127515"},"modified":"2020-04-26T13:23:04","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T17:39:32","slug":"desert-tech-mdrx-6-5-creedmoor-reviewed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/desert-tech-mdrx-6-5-creedmoor-reviewed\/","title":{"rendered":"Desert Tech’s Small Package Puts In Work: MDRX 6.5 Creedmoor Reviewed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In my opinion, bullpups are the future. For those that don’t know what a bullpup is, this is a term for a firearm with an action and firing mechanism that is located behind the trigger. They do everything better than the conventional rifle platform by being shorter, more maneuverable, concealable, and consequently, versatile. Desert Tech<\/a> is a top dog in this niche market that is constantly releasing innovative and quality products: and I have their newest release, the MDRX (Micro Dynamic Rifle Extreme) in 6.5 Creedmoor. Many of you have likely heard of their all-too-familiar MDR already. Well, this new MDRX is basically the same rifle, but improved. How so? Let’s dive into the details!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The MDRX made for a pleasant change from the normal range day visit. By the end of the day, I had addressed a lot of people’s questions about the firearm and taken home a whole new appreciation for the system. Note: The handguard on my MDRX is a 10″ option that does not come standard.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

MDR vs MDRX<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The MDR and MDRX are so similar that you can interchange any part between the two. This includes barrels, handguards, and the likes. That said, they are not identical: The MDRX has an improved trigger over its predecessor. This improved trigger has a lighter trigger pull and less creep. This revised model also features a stronger polymer resin that is more resistant to high-impact falls. And because the MDRX is designed to be a workhorse battle rifle, they also improved gas block drainage for better performance in mud and water submersion testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The MDRX comes with a Ratchet muzzle brake that is caliber specific.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The MDRX retains the MDR’s ability to be converted between 223 Remington, 300 BLK, 308 Win. and now, 6.5 Creedmoor. Yes, you are correct in noticing that this is a mixture of small and large frame calibers. This ability alone makes the MDRX very unique and adaptable. And that is without noting that there are aftermarket barrel options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This new offering also provides another unique option with the MDRX SE which is a side ejecting model. This is for those of you who prefer the simpler, or more conventional ejection system over the MDRX’s forward eject. As with the MDRX, the MDRX SE can be configured to eject on either the left or right side by simply rotating the bolt 180 degrees and swapping the ejection port cover, allowing the gun to be comfortably operated by either right-handers and\/or our beloved wrong-handed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Close up of the forward ejecting port.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Examining the MDRX<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting from the beginning, the MDRX is a bullpup, semi-auto rifle that can be configured to fire 223, 300 BLK, 308 Win., and 6.5 Creedmoor at the moment. It takes your standard AR magazines and is totally ambidextrous. Because it’s a bullpup, the MDRX can have a longer barrel than your standard rifle while still maintaining the same length, or even being shorter than said rifle. This gives you the advantage of additional velocity, which is great for hunters, long-range shooters, or military (sometimes a few inches on the barrel is the difference between defeating body armor or not). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here, I compare the 20″ barreled MDRX with a DDM4 PDW with a 7″ barrel and suppressor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some would question the ergonomics of the MDRX because they have never handled a similar firearm, but I assure you that everything feels natural and all controls are operated familiarly. To release the magazine, you can hit a mag release with your pointer finger, located on either side of the gun above the trigger guard. You can also release the magazine with a button located in front of the magwell; this can be decided by the user based on what feels\/works best for them when training with it. A similar trend of options can be seen with the bolt catch. You can drop the bolt using a lever at the rear of the magwell, or slap the charging handle down and continue blasting away. Again, choose whichever method you prefer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adjusting the gas block on the MDRX’s short-stroke piston system is great for tuning your particular rifle to specific ammunition, or decreasing gas for use with a suppressor. Thankfully, doing this is also simple. All it takes is a screwdriver, bullet tip, allen wrench, or some other tool to rotate the gas <\/strong>selector to the desired position. Now, you can even access this gas selector without removing the handguard, unlike with the MDR. Total, there are 6 different gas options that you can use to fine-tune your unique setup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Adjustable gas block can be accessed through the window in the handguard. No need to take the handguard off to tune your rifle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As always, the trigger on this bullpup is going to be a source of a lot of questions and a bit of concern. After firing several hundred rounds through the MDRX, I became familiar with how it felt. I would compare it to your typical mil-spec trigger in any AR15 except it’s lighter than a mil-spec AR.. There is a bit of creep with a slightly mushy break at 4.5 pounds (measured with my Wheeler Trigger Pull Gauge). The trigger reset is very crisp though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don’t know, there is a lot of challenges for engineers to design a streamlined trigger linkage that provides a crisp and light trigger pull safely. Typically, bullpup triggers are on the heavy side so they do not fire when dropped or jostled just right, and being designed as a battle rifle, the MDRX follows this trend. Even though it sounds like I just bashed the trigger on the MDRX, I would place it above most semi-auto bullpup triggers that I have used. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The MDRX has a flat-faced trigger that allows you to position your trigger finger where you like. It is also very long, allowing you to use mechanical advantage to get a more comfortable trigger pull.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Disassembly and Barrel Swapping<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because the MDRX has been designed to easily convert between calibers and swap barrel lengths, the barrel is extremely easy to remove. Simply loosen the two screws on the side of the gun in front of the ejection port, rotate the barrel lock next to these screws and slide the barrel out of the action. You can also remove the handguard in a similar fashion. loosen the Torx head screws on either side of the handguard and then punch the pin on the underside of the handguard through. Then just pull the handguard off. You can also remove ejection port covers and bolt in a similarly simplistic manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In this photo, I wanted to show how the barrel sits back behind the trigger. Also note the adjustable gas block and short-stroke piston.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Accuracy Testing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I rigged up the MDRX with a 4.5-27×50 Meopta Optika6 and set out my target at 103 yards, measured with a Leupold RX-2800 TBR\/W. I then fired several 5 shot groups with a handful of different ammunition types. Below, you can see the average groups from Hornady<\/a> Match 147 grain ELD-M, Hornady Match 140 grain ELD-M, Hornady American Gunner 140 grain BTHP, Hornady 143 grain Precision Hunter ELD-X, and 130 grainPrime<\/a> BTHP. Even across the 130-147 grain weight range, my results were pretty consistent in hovering around 1 MOA, which is what Desert Tech claims for the MDRX on their website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Desert Tech’s Warranty<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Desert Tech’s warranty will allow you to return your firearm and get it fixed or replaced at no expense. This will cover any kind of defect in barrels, conversion kits, and firearms from manufacturing or materials for the lifetime of the firearm, regardless of ownership. However, there are some exclusions to what they will cover: they will not cover firearms that have been modified, had aftermarket parts installed, has not been properly maintained or been damaged by high-pressure ammunition or reloads. This warranty applies to any customer in the U.S.A or Canada. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The MDRX’s charging handles tuck up against the rifle when they are not being operated. They are also non-reciprocating and allow for total ambidextrous operation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Specifications and Features<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n