#MarcusLuttrell

The Mk12 has been the SPR of choice for United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) for more than a decade. SOF operators rely on the rifle for its precision and reliability, two key attributes that cannot be in question in combat. There are other important features, of course, and all the various components came together one day eleven years ago for one man in particular: Navy SEAL (ret.) Marcus Luttrell. Luttrell vividly recalls the way his rifle somehow managed to stay close at hand during the firefight even though he was quite literally throwing himself off cliffs and tumbling down the shale-strewn Afghanistan mountainside. When he came to a halt his Mk12 would be there, no matter where he landed. Arguing whether it can be attributed to tactical skill, miracles, or a little of each is beside the point. The point is it was a phenomenal rifle, and Marcus has long considered designing and building his own version. Today, with the help of former teammate Garrett Golden, Luttrell has done just that. It’s the Team Never Quit Mk12CF SPR, and it does it all from tactics to precision shooting to hunting.

Although this is not a firearms-related post, it is relevant both within the firearms industry and because it is a point of respect – and pride. June 28, 2016 is the 11th anniversary of Operation Red Wings. The nation at large became far more aware of it thanks to the movie Lone Survivor, which was released in 2013, but the events of that day have been felt by many for far longer. And for some, those events have altered their lives drastically and permanently.

Snake River Shooting Products was founded by former USAF Casey Betzold with the goal of designing and manufacturing high-quality, reliable ammunition. Betzold has refused to budge from his dedication to quality, a stance that sometimes means things might move a bit slower – but they’ll be done right. He’s also puts a great deal of weight on the importance of helping other military veterans which is one of the reasons he ended up working the former US Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell to produce Luttrell’s Team Never Quit (TNQ) ammunition line.

Today knowledge of Operation Red Wings is fairly widespread as a result of the movie Lone Survivor, which followed on the heels of the book by the same name. Of course, many movie-goers did not and still do not realize they were watching a tragic story play out that was not manufactured by Hollywood but actually took place in the shale-strewn mountains of the Hindu Kush. It’s been a decade since those four Navy SEALs were inserted into Afghanistan’s Kunar Province, a decade since Lieutenant Michael Murphy, Petty Officer Second Class Danny Dietz, and Petty Officer Second Class Matt Axelson lost their lives in a ferocious fight to the death against known terrorists. A decade since the one survivor, Hospital Corpsman Second Class Marcus Luttrell, fell down a mountain, crawled to a stream, and was quite literally saved by a Pashtun by the name of Gulab. Ten years later, families continue to mourn the loss of their husbands, brothers, and sons. But in the case of the family of SEAL Matt Axelson, they’ve found a way to help his memory live on by founding Axelson Tactical.

Former Navy SEAL Marcus Lutrell is launching a line of ammunition; it’s an announcement that was made at SHOT Show last month and one that tops my list of most interesting new rounds coming in 2015. The ammunition will be sold under the brand name Team Never Quit, which is a reference to Luttrell’s own refusal to quit, something he passed on through his book Lone Survivor and his motivational speeches. Team Never Quit even has a motto, which is taken from the SEAL Ethos: “I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.”  Team Never Quit is more than a brand name to Luttrell, it’s a way of life.