Looking for Advice on an AR10

[calicojack]

I was at Hanover Armory the other day and am thinking about one of the AR10's they have hanging up on the wall. For those of you that own one or are knowledgeable, what advice do you have?

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

I have an Armalite AR-10 and a Colt LE901SE…their version of a 7.62 MSR. Both are excellent…the Colt is a better rifle…more accurate…less felt recoil…better balance…but not substantially so. It’s also discontinued with spotty parts availability plus more expensive if you can find one.

The Armalite is a fine rifle on its own merits…have been very happy with it. I’ve no experience with other makes. A friend has a Black Rain version of the AR-10 and it’s proven very troublesome for him.

 

[AlBeight]

Best advice would be you need to realize that on the AR-10 platform it’s not uncommon for parts to often be non-compatible, unlike the AR-15 platform. Be careful upgrading or replacing parts! Not just different patterns, but totally proprietary stuff (yeah, you hear me Savage MSR-10!).

 

[Boats]

Best advice would be you need to realize that on the AR-10 platform it’s not uncommon for parts to often be non-compatible, unlike the AR-15 platform. Be careful upgrading or replacing parts! Not just different patterns, but totally proprietary stuff (yeah, you hear me Savage MSR-10!).

This.


Also, they run way over gassed

 

[smdub]

If you get DPMS / SR25 type stuff there really isn't much of a compatibility problem. I have a Mega MaTen I built, Sig 716, and some Aero M5s I'm working on. As long as the barrel and bolt are compatible it should just go together. Not nearly as difficult as some make it out to be.
308 ARs have invited a lot of proprietary tinkering trying to make them shorter. But most of those are complete rifle assemblies so you typically aren't buying those parts individually.

 

[Sticky]

I have two, built from scratch (80% lowers), both run great (they are the SR25/DPMS patterned rifles), both in 308. I am working on a 6.5creed as well, but it's not done yet.

 

[steves1911]

I have a couple by far my favorite is the ruger sfar. It handles and feels like an ar15 and comes with a lot of nice features especially for the price.

 

[1841DNG]

I have a couple by far my favorite is the ruger sfar. It handles and feels like an ar15 and comes with a lot of nice features especially for the price.

I have been curious about that gun and the POF DI Revolution. Both looked real nice on paper but I have not had the chance to handle either.

 

[calicojack]

I have a couple by far my favorite is the ruger sfar. It handles and feels like an ar15 and comes with a lot of nice features especially for the price.

I am seriously thinking about this one.

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

Daniel Defense
SIG
LaRue

Those are what I was willing to lay out money for. I believe each of them is well built and reliable. They all shoot better than I can/do.

Each of them wears a very differently purposed optic.

I‘d buy any of them again.

FTR, I had two DPMS. Nothing wrong with either (especially after putting in MBT triggers). I just traded up when I got the chance. Noticeable difference. The old buy once cry once adage rings true. Moreso if you’re only gonna own one.

 

[steves1911]

I am seriously thinking about this one.

I like mine enough I've been trying to find the 20" model to go with my 16". My current 20" 308 weighs about 12lbs all up pretty sure I can save a good 4lbs . I think a luth stock and a vortex razor lht on a 20" would be awesome.

 

[alucard0822]

There are essentially 3 main categories. Armalite AR10, DPMS/SR25/AR308, and "other/proprietary". You have a range of factory builds from PSA to Knight, and a lot of companies that make parts to build on. Big thing is AR10 receivers and barrel nuts are different from the the AR308s. They can be just as easy to build as an AR-15, but being 7.62 and 308 ammo port pressures vary wildly, they can be harder to tune.

 

[AlBeight]

One more piece of advice I forgot to mention. Depending on your intended purpose for the AR-10, keep in mind they can get pretty heavy. If you intend to hunt with it, the newer “slimmed-down” models may be more to your liking.

I bought the DPMS LR-SASS, with the intent of adding it to my long range target stable, but with the possibility of using it for deer hunting as well. With the scope on it that thing is terribly heavy and in no way suitable to carry in the woods beyond a very short distance. It’s definitely more tailored to a range or competition rifle.

I then picked up a Savgae MSR-10 in .308 for the purpose of hunting, and it’s way more suited for that task. It’s pretty lightweight, but as I found out it falls into that in-between “mostly proprietary” category, many of the parts are sized somewhere between the AR-15 and the AR-10 patterns. I dislike the OEM charging handle but there are no replacements, it’s completely proprietary to Savage.

My advice is to determine your primary reason for buying or building the AR-10 / AR-308, and choose the model “category” that’s best for you.

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

One more piece of advice I forgot to mention. Depending on your intended purpose for the AR-10, keep in mind they can get pretty heavy. If you intend to hunt with it, the newer “slimmed-down” models may be more to your liking.

I bought the DPMS LR-SASS, with the intent of adding it to my long range target stable, but with the possibility of using it for deer hunting as well. With the scope on it that thing is terribly heavy and in no way suitable to carry in the woods beyond a very short distance. It’s definitely more tailored to a range or competition rifle.

I then picked up a Savgae MSR-10 in .308 for the purpose of hunting, and it’s way more suited for that task. It’s pretty lightweight, but as I found out it falls into that in-between “mostly proprietary” category, many of the parts are sized somewhere between the AR-15 and the AR-10 patterns. I dislike the OEM charging handle but there are no replacements, it’s completely proprietary to Savage.

My advice is to determine your primary reason for buying or building the AR-10 / AR-308, and choose the model “category” that’s best for you.

Bingo.

or get several and dress them according to purpose

 

[clandestine]

I wouldn't buy one built locally. I have seen too many that are not done right and some that are downright unsafe.

Buy a model that been around for at least a decade.

 

[smdub]

United had a nice Aero Precision M5E1 for sale in the consignment area this morning. $1100 IIRC. Looked to be the 16" version.

Someone brought up overpassed guns. That all depends on the manufacturer but nearly everything (including AR15s) can benefit from an adjustable gas block to tune perfectly.

Weight can be an issue. My big Maten has a 20"+ heavy barrel and big 5-25 optic. It weighs a lot but it's a total pussycat to shoot. For hunting you'd want something lighter. So the weight can be a benefit or hindrance depending on it's primary purpose.

 

[haoleboy]

I have had the POF Revolution DI for about 2 years now. I got it for the light weight and smaller trigger group. My buddy just got the Ruger SFAR and TBH, I am thinking about selling the POF to buy the Ruger.

 

[alucard0822]

One more piece of advice I forgot to mention. Depending on your intended purpose for the AR-10, keep in mind they can get pretty heavy. If you intend to hunt with it, the newer “slimmed-down” models may be more to your liking.

I bought the DPMS LR-SASS, with the intent of adding it to my long range target stable, but with the possibility of using it for deer hunting as well. With the scope on it that thing is terribly heavy and in no way suitable to carry in the woods beyond a very short distance. It’s definitely more tailored to a range or competition rifle.

I then picked up a Savgae MSR-10 in .308 for the purpose of hunting, and it’s way more suited for that task. It’s pretty lightweight, but as I found out it falls into that in-between “mostly proprietary” category, many of the parts are sized somewhere between the AR-15 and the AR-10 patterns. I dislike the OEM charging handle but there are no replacements, it’s completely proprietary to Savage.

My advice is to determine your primary reason for buying or building the AR-10 / AR-308, and choose the model “category” that’s best for you.

Figure to stretch the receiver and bolt travel to deal with the larger cartridge AR10s and AR308 receivers are about 1.25 longer(longer mag well and longer behind the trigger pins)
, and the BCG extends about 3/4" further into the buffer tube compared to AR15s. This can add a fair bit of length to the LOP with AR-15 stocks on an AR10.

Also adds a fair amount of weight with most receiver, barrel extension and BCG parts being larger to deal with the more powerful round. The DPMS gen 2 and most proprietary solutions were to use a short BCG, shorter buffers to fit in an M4 buffer tube and keep the added length in the magwell only. Thing is with less weight and less room for a buffer they take a lot more work and proprietary parts to be reliable, and usually more ammo sensitive.

Pretty much the best way to keep builds reliable is to use rifle buffer setups or the AR10s carbine setup A5 length tube, H3 buffer and same spring as the rifle. The DPMS setup with M4 tube, short buffer and short spring are largely responsible for the AR308s reputation as unreliable. There are also a lot of small differences, an AR10 carbine gas system is about 5/8" longer than the DPMS carbine/AR-15 midlength gas system. Might end up with a gas tube jamming into the key, or barely seating in it leaking gas everywhere.

All that being said I've built several, all are reliable, all have adjustable gas, and I usually run mine suppressed. My favorite is my 16" 3 gun build on an Aero M5 receiver set. Got it down under 7.5lbs before optics, but balanced really well, 100% reliable with or without a can, and shockingly light recoil. Ends up within 6oz of my 18" AR-15 SPR 3 gun rifle. Can put my cheap FMJ match loads into a 2moa group all day long, and SMK match loads 1moa or better.

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

I wouldn't buy one built locally. I have seen too many that are not done right and some that are downright unsafe.

Buy a model that been around for at least a decade.

I’d say listen to Lord Chad but ya just can’t tell some folks.

Good gouge above.

 

[calicojack]

I wouldn't buy one built locally. I have seen too many that are not done right and some that are downright unsafe.

Buy a model that been around for at least a decade.

Good to know.