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So, I'm considering saving up for a .308 AR, I want another .308 battle rifle, I've already had a Saiga and a ptr91. I liked both of them, different guns, different pros and cons. I'm looking at the AR's now because it seems like a lot of the .223 rifles are down in price, maybe the .308 will follow suit. What's everyone's opinions on building vs buying, brands, mags etc?

The reason I'm looking at the .308 AR is because I think the direct impingement system would probably allow for the greatest accuracy, as opposed to other piston driven gas systems. I'm going for a dmr battle rifle type thing, maybe with some mild optics on the top rail with some BUIS, collapsable stock, no railed forend or anything.

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IMHO a .308 AR is a poor choice for a battle rifle. Given my choice for battle rifle in .308 caliber, meaning carry it, shoulder it, and shoot off hand in situations where heart rate is up, and reaction time is short, I would much rather have a Saiga. It is lighter, and albeit less accurate, but let's face it a battle rifle doesn't need to be 1/2 MOA to be effective.

 

With that said, I love .308 ARs, strictly because they are so accurate and I do a lot of benchrest shooting. The base DPMS LAR 308 is a very decent relatively cheap rifle with lots of room to grow with aftermarket parts overtime. For the .308 AR market, it is still cheaper to buy a complete rifle that to do the build yourself. However that is slowly changing. As far as mags are concerned, all I have owned and will own are Magpul 20rd mags. They have been flawless through 1000 rounds without one FTF.

 

I will send you a PM. We are both Birmingham. If you would like, I will bring my CMMG and see if you like the way it's shoots.

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I am eventually going in a similar direction myself.  For me I want to go the custom route.  20 inch barrel (Never can find a 22 in barrel AR upper for .308, I just like the extra muzzle velocity I guess, anything longer is too long, I guess I'm odd that way.) standard M16A2/A4/HB profile, muzzle comp and with an RRA LAR8 lower with a collapsible stock.

 

Why  LAR-8?  Because it uses FAL mags (Even the polymer ones which I have.).  It also operates the bolt catch like my FAL so I guess there is a familiarity to it as well.

 

I'm on a .308 kick as of late, not sure why.

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IMHO a .308 AR is a poor choice for a battle rifle. Given my choice for battle rifle in .308 caliber, meaning carry it, shoulder it, and shoot off hand in situations where heart rate is up, and reaction time is short, I would much rather have a Saiga. It is lighter, and albeit less accurate, but let's face it a battle rifle doesn't need to be 1/2 MOA to be effective.

With that said, I love .308 ARs, strictly because they are so accurate and I do a lot of benchrest shooting. The base DPMS LAR 308 is a very decent relatively cheap rifle with lots of room to grow with aftermarket parts overtime. For the .308 AR market, it is still cheaper to buy a complete rifle that to do the build yourself. However that is slowly changing. As far as mags are concerned, all I have owned and will own are Magpul 20rd mags. They have been flawless through 1000 rounds without one FTF.

I will send you a PM. We are both Birmingham. If you would like, I will bring my CMMG and see if you like the way it's shoots.

The CMMG rifles I've seen looked really nice. They were on the top of my list if I buy a complete gun. I'd love to check it out. Do you have a spot down there or do you do helena?

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Cool, a buddy of mine lives in alabaster near the range, we were talking about going out there, but I don't have a hunting or conservation license or whatever, and I don't wanna get nailed by the game warden. I heard they write tickets and take guns.

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Get a annual hunting for fishing license. They are cheap in AL, and you can do it online. You are right though, if the warden rolls up he will check licenses. If you don't have one, I have heard it is a $300 ticket, although I have never heard of them taking anyone's guns.

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Just to confuse things further, if you already have experience with .308's, why not consider a 300 Blackout or other caliber?  :)

 

If I didn't already have a 6.8SPC that I finished building last year, I would definitely consider that new 300.

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I have the dpms 308 and I like it alot...I built mine...mostly because I didn't like any of the complete rifles at the time...didn't want to pay for a bunch of parts I was going to replace. I like the quaid rail over the gb look and when I built mine a few years ago nobody offerdd a complete rifle like that. The pmags are great too.

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I am in on the range day. I am gone this weekend, off next week, and gone the following weekend, and off until Jan 2. Termite, do you have a place we can shoot further than 108 yards? If the weather holds out I will be trying 800 yrds at two liters on Saturday in TN.

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I have the dpms 308 and I like it alot...I built mine...mostly because I didn't like any of the complete rifles at the time...didn't want to pay for a bunch of parts I was going to replace. I like the quaid rail over the gb look and when I built mine a few years ago nobody offerdd a complete rifle like that. The pmags are great too.

If you don't mind me asking, what did you end up spending? I don't knowanything about AR's, so this will be a learning experience. I've built ak's, so I can handle it, I just have to wrap my head around the extra parts. Generally, do you buy a complete upper, or do you buy individual parts and build it? I understand that other that the upper, you need a lower, fcg, furniture, some pins and other hardware, and what looks like a wrench for adjusting coilovers.

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I have the dpms 308 and I like it alot...I built mine...mostly because I didn't like any of the complete rifles at the time...didn't want to pay for a bunch of parts I was going to replace. I like the quaid rail over the gb look and when I built mine a few years ago nobody offerdd a complete rifle like that. The pmags are great too.

If you don't mind me asking, what did you end up spending? I don't knowanything about AR's, so this will be a learning experience. I've built ak's, so I can handle it, I just have to wrap my head around the extra parts. Generally, do you buy a complete upper, or do you buy individual parts and build it? I understand that other that the upper, you need a lower, fcg, furniture, some pins and other hardware, and what looks like a wrench for adjusting coilovers.

 

 

 

Depends on what you want to do.  But since you said you want DI (Direct Impingement) it does simplify it for you.  For a DI upper you can build it yourself just like you do a DI 5.56 AR.  Once you have everything set up and you get the bolt and carrier that you want (Lower mass carriers will have less inertia which might help with your perceived felt recoil, your choice.  Low mass carriers will probably be more like the Colt carriers for 5.56.  But made with steel that will handle the force of a .308 round built solely for semi-auto in mind.  While PC, it might help your follow ups, you never know and it's a .308, fun mode is already difficult to master in such a light package, even for a traditionally built FAL and M14.), you will need to headspace your upper to make sure it's safely ready to go.  3 gauges to use, Go, No-go and Field gauge.  If your bolt closes up on the field gauge, you definitely know you didn't get the headspace right. lol  After that you just adjust your headspacing till it's right.  Once it's right, you can test fire it for the final test.  You have to match the bolt to the assembled upper to ensure you have a safe operating rifle.

 

As for the lower, if you wanted a LAR-8 (Just an example) because it is so different from the standard AR .308 configuration, you'd probably just be better off getting it as a complete lower instead of building it.  I'm not even sure they offer a stripped lower and kit for it to be honest.

 

There are also G3 mag friendly lowers out there but to my knowledge, companies stopped making them.  I don't think people liked them much on the factor of no LRBHO device like on standard configurations and the LAR-8 lowers.  I do hear they worked well among people that bought them though.  CMMG made them for a time and I think maybe one or two other companies as well.

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The reason I'm looking at the .308 AR is because I think the direct impingement system would probably allow for the greatest accuracy, as opposed to other piston driven gas systems.

It has no effect on the accuracy one way of the other. 

 

The inherent accuracy of the firearm is a direct relationship between the bolt face, lock up, chamber, barrel and ammunition (Brass, Bullet, type powder,velocity, BC, etc.)

 

I have built quite a few of them, generally take a bull barrel, turn it down to a diameter of .875 at 20" OAL and add a JP Muzzle Brake.  They are all capable of shooting sub  MOA with the right ammunition. (CMMG, DPMS, Rock River, etc.)  It is a 1000 yard gun.

 

the .308 is one heavy SOB also, so be aware of that!

 

Here is one that I built recently for a  customer, US Army, 10th Mountain Division.

post-11998-0-07492300-1387502957_thumb.jpg

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Jack, what is the felt difference in the front end with a barrel like that? Does it add enough weight where it would be noticeably more difficult to tote around (if I'm not a pussy) versus a regular sized barrel? I certainly don't want anything shorter than 18", but hadn't put much thougt in the bull barrels. I see them selling occasionally though.

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That barrel is turned down from a bull/varmit barrel.  The original 24" Barrel made it one HEAVY SOB!

 

The muzzle brake turns the recoil to that of a .223

 

Shooting 175 grain SMKs at a velocity of 2530 (Same as M118) will stay supersonic out to 1000 yards with a 20 inch barrel, 1:10 twist.

 

If I was going to build another gas gun, I would build it on a .260 Remington and then you would have an EXCEPTIONAL long range gun!!!!!!!! 

 

Hard to beat  a .260  (6.5mm) for accuracy, energy, velocity and long range.  The .308 won't hold a candle to it!!  The .243 (6mm) will but components are hard to get right now.

 

Jack

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I built mine back in 08 so I don't know how the price then would compare to today...but probably somewhere between 1500 and 2000 not counting the eotech. I do have good bit of that number tied up in the Troy rail, Vltor stock, and Geissele trigger. I did the Duracoat myself. I also have a FDE miad grip but I forgot to get the wedge so it hasn't been installed yet. It is DI with a 16" barrel.

post-39691-0-98192500-1387505089_thumb.jpg

Edited by sccritterkiller
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  • 1 month later...

Ruger SR-762, it's a dual stage piston gun. Now I'm saving for glass to put on it.

 

attachicon.gifRuger 762 Rt side.jpg

Get a range report when you can. What kind of glass you plan on running?

And the only problem Ive seen with piston AR's is they tended to be a bit more front heavy, and not as well balanced as a DI gun. Other than that, it shouldnt matter accuracy wise.

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Ruger SR-762, it's a dual stage piston gun. Now I'm saving for glass to put on it.

 

attachicon.gifRuger 762 Rt side.jpg

Get a range report when you can. What kind of glass you plan on running?

And the only problem Ive seen with piston AR's is they tended to be a bit more front heavy, and not as well balanced as a DI gun. Other than that, it shouldnt matter accuracy wise.

 

 

Weather is too shitty to get out, but man I'm itchen. Not sure exactly what kind of glass for it, I have plenty of time to research and make a decision, as the money spent on it will take a couple of days to recoup, I'm open to suggestions.

 

One of the selling points for this gun is the fact that it isn't front heavy at all, I can balance it between my thumb and forefinger and it just sits there. Anyone considering an AR style .308 should take a serious look at this gun, IMHO Ruger has done a fantastic job with this design. It also comes with 3 DPMS Mags. I don't know very much about ARs, this is the only one I have, but I do trust the two guys I deal with at the shop I buy from, they just love this gun. I am going to look around here for someone to do a trigger job on it, as it's pretty stiff, and feels like a grinder compared to my Saiga's.

 

On another note about Ruger....the extra rails and rail covers that are supposed to come with this gun were not in the box when I got it home. I called Ruger and they sent me the missing parts, plus a set of 3 other covers that don't come with it and, I received the stuff within a few days after the call to them. Many kudos out to Ruger.

 

So I went on Youtube and watched a few videos on polishing AR trigger sets. Within 45 minutes I ended up with a very clean/smooth trigger and was able to get the pull down from 9 LBs. to about 6.5. I'll play with it some more and see if I can take a little bit of the travel out of it and get it down to 4-5 LBs. If I screw it up I'll put a Timney in it.

Edited by AA re-cvrd
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  • 5 months later...

Ruger SR-762, it's a dual stage piston gun. Now I'm saving for glass to put on it.

 

attachicon.gifRuger 762 Rt side.jpg

how has the ruger been for you? It was my top pick as I understand it you can shoot wolf out of it. Have you had any issues with it? I have been reading a thread on the ruger forum where many have had issues.

Edited by shipwreck2
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Ruger SR-762, it's a dual stage piston gun. Now I'm saving for glass to put on it.

 

attachicon.gifRuger 762 Rt side.jpg

how has the ruger been for you? It was my top pick as I understand it you can shoot wolf out of it. Have you had any issues with it? I have been reading a thread on the ruger forum where many have had issues.

 

 

I'm not sure what kind of "issues" others have had, but mine hasn't ever missed a beat...not once, and that's running steel and/or brass cased ammo. I would rather have the clap than "issues", as clap is a problem, and problems can be solved i.e. (penicillin), I have no idea what to do about "issues", or people who have them.....sceeeery  what.gif  

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