Daniel Defense RIS III M-LOK Handguard for AR-15
Mix and match across the range: 2 items save 5%, 3 save 10%, 4 or more save 15% on your whole basket.
Fits AR-15/M4 upper receivers, including UK straight-pull AR-15 builds. Supplied with a steel barrel nut for the six-bolt Bolt-Up System. Inside diameter 1.34" (34 mm) — the handguard must clear the gas block along its full length. Daniel Defense specifies carbine-length gas for the 9.5" and 10.5", rifle-length gas for the 12.5". Accessories are M-LOK or Picatinny on the top rail; KeyMod does not fit.
Not sure it fits your rifle? Ask us before you order
The Daniel Defense RIS III is a free-float M-LOK handguard for AR-15 and M4 rifles, bolting to the upper receiver through Daniel Defense's six-bolt Bolt-Up System.
The rail that succeeded RIS II on the platform SOCOM has used since 2006 — same bolt-up, same uninterrupted top rail, M-LOK in place of quad Picatinny.
The RIS III is Daniel Defense's evolution of the RIS II, the rail system that has served U.S. Special Operations Command since 2006. It keeps the free-float barrel design and aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminium construction of its predecessor, sheds weight by replacing three faces of Picatinny with M-LOK, and adds M-LOK attachment at seven positions along the length of the handguard. The upper rail platform stays uninterrupted and Mil-Spec 1913 throughout, so optics, backup sights and night vision all sit on one continuous plane.
Attachment is the proven six-bolt Bolt-Up System with Grade 8 military-specification fasteners onto a steel barrel nut. On a UK straight-pull AR-15, where the rifle is worked by hand and shot deliberately from a bipod, a bag or a barricade, a handguard that free-floats the barrel and does not shift under hand pressure is the difference between a zero you trust across a season and one you re-check every session.
Integral QD sling swivel attachment points are machined into both sides, so a forward sling point needs no extra hardware. The system is backward compatible with the RIS II bolt-up system, and the RIS III upper rail is fully compatible with the RIS II lower rail.
Fits AR-15/M4 upper receivers, including UK straight-pull AR-15 builds, and mounts through the six-bolt Bolt-Up System onto the supplied steel barrel nut — fitting replaces the existing handguard and barrel nut rather than sliding over them. Inside diameter is 1.34" (34 mm), so the tube must clear your gas block along its full length: measure from the receiver face to the front of the block before choosing a length. Daniel Defense specifies the 9.5" and 10.5" for carbine-length gas and the 12.5" for rifle-length gas. Accessories are M-LOK, or Picatinny clamped to the top rail; KeyMod hardware does not fit. If you want the quad-Picatinny generation instead, the Daniel Defense MK18 RIS II Quad Rail is the SOPMOD II pattern with rail on all four faces.
| Platform | AR-15 / M4 |
|---|---|
| Fits | Mil-Spec upper receivers; steel barrel nut supplied for the Bolt-Up System |
| Type | Free-float M-LOK handguard with seven M-LOK positions and a continuous Mil-Spec 1913 top rail |
| Material | 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminium |
| Finish | Black or FDE |
| Weight | 9.5" 12.93 oz (365 g) · 10.5" 13.7 oz (390 g) · 12.5" 16.61 oz (470 g) |
| Length | Rail length 9.55" (243 mm) · 10.55" (268 mm) · 12.55" (319 mm) |
| Mount interface | M-LOK at seven positions; six-bolt Bolt-Up System; integral QD sling swivel attachment points both sides |
| Brand | Daniel Defense |
| MPN | 01-004-02976-006 · 01-004-02976-011 · 01-004-03261-006 · 01-004-03261-011 · 01-004-03086-006 · 01-004-03086-011 |
The SOCOM rail, brought up to M-LOK. Order the Daniel Defense RIS III today — imported from the USA with all duties paid by us and dispatched tracked from the UK in 7–10 business days, with nothing to pay on delivery.
Explore more: M-LOK Accessories, AR-15 Parts & Accessories or browse all Daniel Defense.
| Platform | AR-15 / M4 |
|---|---|
| Fits | Mil-Spec upper receivers; steel barrel nut supplied for the Bolt-Up System |
| Type | Free-float M-LOK handguard with seven M-LOK positions and a continuous Mil-Spec 1913 top rail |
| Material | 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminium |
| Finish | Black or FDE |
| Weight | 9.5" 12.93 oz (365 g) · 10.5" 13.7 oz (390 g) · 12.5" 16.61 oz (470 g) |
| Length | Rail length 9.55" (243 mm) · 10.55" (268 mm) · 12.55" (319 mm) |
| Mount interface | M-LOK at seven positions; six-bolt Bolt-Up System; integral QD sling swivel attachment points both sides |
| Brand | Daniel Defense |
| MPN | 01-004-02976-006 · 01-004-02976-011 · 01-004-03261-006 · 01-004-03261-011 · 01-004-03086-006 · 01-004-03086-011 |
| Category | Handguard |
| Barcode | 818773023047 |
£5 tracked UK delivery on every order via Royal Mail Tracked 24. Our products are ordered in from the manufacturer rather than held in UK stock, so please allow 7 to 10 business days (Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays) from the date of your order for it to reach you. Tracking details are emailed on dispatch. UK delivery only.
You have 30 days from receiving your order to cancel it for any reason, then 14 days to send it back unused and in its original packaging. Faulty, damaged or incorrect items are replaced or refunded and we cover reasonable return postage. Refunds go back to your original payment method within 14 days of receiving the return.
They are different generations of the same idea. The RIS II is quad Picatinny — rail on all four faces, the SOCOM SOPMOD II pattern. The RIS III keeps the free-float design, the six-bolt Bolt-Up System and the continuous top rail, but replaces the side and bottom rails with M-LOK at seven positions, which cuts weight and bulk. Daniel Defense made them cross-compatible: the RIS III is backward compatible with the RIS II bolt-up system, and the RIS III upper rail takes the RIS II lower rail. If you specifically want quad rail, see the <a href="/products/daniel-defense-mk18-ris-ii-quad-rail">MK18 RIS II Quad Rail</a>.
Measure from the upper receiver face to the front of your gas block, because the handguard must clear it along its full length. Daniel Defense specifies the 9.5" and 10.5" for carbine-length gas systems and the 12.5" for rifle-length gas. Inside diameter is 1.34" (34 mm), so a large front sight base will not pass through.
Yes. A steel barrel nut for the patented Bolt-Up System is supplied, and fitting replaces the existing handguard and barrel nut rather than sliding over them. The fasteners are Grade 8 military specification.
On the top rail, yes — it is uninterrupted Mil-Spec 1913 from the receiver forward. Elsewhere the interface is M-LOK, so you would use M-LOK accessories or an M-LOK Picatinny rail section where you need a 1913 clamp. KeyMod hardware does not fit. Both sides carry integral QD sling swivel attachment points, so a sling needs no extra mount.
Handguards are dispatched from the United Kingdom with £5 tracked UK delivery in 7–10 business days, and you'll get tracking by email when it ships. If a part turns out to be the wrong fit, see our returns policy or <a href="/pages/contact">contact us</a> and we'll help sort it.
7 to 10 business days from the date of your order. Every order is sent Royal Mail Tracked for a flat £5 and you receive tracking details by email when it is dispatched.
Yes. We list only genuine parts and optics from the brands shown, ordered in from the manufacturer for your order.
Compatibility notes on this page come from the manufacturer. If you are unsure, email us with your make and model before ordering and we will check rather than guess.
Yes. Bundle & Save applies automatically in your basket: 5% off when you buy 2 items, 10% off at 3 items and 15% off at 4 or more. It works across the whole range, so you can mix and match, and there is no code to enter.
Yes — you have 30 days from delivery to cancel for any reason, as long as the item is unused and in its original packaging. See our returns policy for the details.
Why Onyx Armaments
