‘Delta Defence Group’ Part Two: The Rifle

This is the second part of the two-part series on the firearms of the ‘Delta Defence Group’ a firearms manufacturer which has proven difficult to trace the origins off. Check out the first part about the “Delta Defence Group” Pistol.

This article will examine the “Delta Defence Group” self-loading M4-pattern 5.56×45mm rifle the “D.D.G-4 Carbin” (Carbine is misspelt on all of the recorded examples). As mentioned in the previous part of this series, despite our research efforts it has not been possible to find a “Delta Defence Group”, there is a similarly named Turkish import and export defence company, but they do not use the same name or logo and appear to be a different company. Many U.S. companies produce billet AR-15 lowers, which makes it difficult to trace the heritage of this rifle, one of the companies that produces it is relatively close to the “D.D.G-4 Carbin”, who also have a similar name “Delta Level Defense”, but the rifle does entirely not match the “D.D.G-4 Carbin”. The closest match is the Emtan MZ-4 Carbine besides the furniture, but Emtan also produces the furniture seen on “D.D.G-4 Carbin” rifles. Also of note is that the “D.D.G-4 Carbin” and the Emtan rifles use exactly the same rear sight. It is also worth noting that the “D.D.G-4 Carbin” buffer tube is of commercial and not mil-spec. The naming of the “Delta Defence Group” weapons could indicate that there are at least three other weapons, but it is more likely that the names are a marketing ploy.

Below are some examples of the rifles seen in the field and some of the Emtan rifles for comparison: 

There are similar rifles to the “Delta Defence Group” “D.D.G-4 Carbin”, in Iraq a similar rifle with “Eagle Firearms” markings and a yet unidentified rifle that appeared on an Iraqi Facebook page in December 2018, that preceded the first “D.D.G-4 Carbin” rifles in Iraq. The Eagle Firearms rifle is very similar to the “D.D.G-4 Carbin”, but the December 2018 rifle has notable differences.

The rifle and pistol were likely assembled by the same company, which presumably is located in Jordan, so it makes sense that at least some parts were sourced from Israel and there they could be from Emtan. But it is also possible that parts were sourced from China, which also produces billet lowers.

But it is difficult to determine the manufacturer or even the country of origin, as local sellers and sources claimed that DDG weapons were manufactured in different countries such as: Azerbaijan, Turkey, Slovakia, America, Georgia, Egypt, China, Iraq, Israel, Canada, Brazil and Taiwan. Most of the countries listed here likely did not manufacture the weapons.

They are either sold directly or through a broker to Iraq and probably to legal firearm dealers. From there they are trafficked onto the Iraqi black market. In April this year an illegal shipment of over a thousand Ukrainian Fort-19 pistols was found. They were shipped in a container marked “Toys”. The stage of proliferation might indicate that the pistols were first brought into Iraq because they proliferated further and more widespread than the rifles. It is likely that the rifle may also appear in SDF-controlled Syria and Idlib. Currently, they have spread across the legal and illegal Iraqi arms market and the KRG market. The first “D.D.G-4 Carbin” was document in Erbil, KRG in early April by a Silah Report source and on July 8, 2019, the first rifle in Iraq appeared in the blackmarket.

It is possible that an example reached as far as the PKK in Turkey, which are known to procure weapons from the Iraqi black market. The rifle were confiscated from the PKK in mid-December near the town of Derik/Dêrika in the south-eastern province of Mardin/Mêrdîn in Turkey. The features differ too, such as the stock which could have been replaced by a M4 stock, which the PKK regularly does with M16.

Here are the serial numbers we observed:

Serial Number – Location

11111301XX	Iraq
11111808XX	Iraq
11111814XX	Iraq
11111801XX	Iraq
11111818XX	Iraq
111XXXXXXX	Iraq
11111808XX	Iraq
11111811XX	KRG
11111800XX	Iraq

The use of fake markings, fake names and real names on fake and real firearms is common, especially in the Middle East, where a name can increase the price of a weapon. For example an FNH M16A4, which was shortened and various parts like handguard and stock replaced and an Colt logo and the letters “M4—-INE” added and was for sale in Iraq on Telegram a few months ago (see below).

Thank you to those who helped me during my research and thank you for the contributions from @CalibreObscura and @ArmoryBazaar.