billt

I really love my DPMS AP-4. I changed my stock to a Vltor E-Mod Stock. It's one of my best running AR platform rifles.

Here it is after I installed A Vltor E-Mod Stock on it. I absolutely love this stock. I have long arms and it gives a full extra inch to the length. It also provides an excellent cheek weld as well. Since I took this photo I also added a Ergo AR-10 Grip from Falcon Industries. It really improved the feel of the rifle.

I was reading about it. I think it has a burn rate at or near Varget, but has a formula that is supposed to cut down on copper fouling. I'm currently sitting on about 10 pounds of H-335 at the moment. So I'll shoot that up before I decide if I should give this new stuff a try. I might just try a pound and load a couple of hundred rounds before I start production style reloading with it. Right now I really like Varget for .308, and H-335 Spherical for .223 / 5.56 MM. H-335 flows through a powder measure like water. That's really nice when you reload on a progressive machine. I find that it also burns quite clean as well. Very nice rifle, by the way.

That's what I thought. I was just concerned about the length of the .308 being the same as the .223 / 5.56 MM models.

Does anyone know if the Vltor E-Mod stock will fit on the standard buffer tube DPMS supplies with this rifle? I measured the diameter and it's 1.170". That is the same as my 5.56 MM Bushmasters, and I have Vltor E-Mod stocks on 3 of them. I just wondered if the gun being a .308 changed anything as far as length? Or if not will the standard commercial buffer tube model fit like on my Bushmaster 5.56 MM guns?

Maybe it's just me, but i'm finding a lot of the older guys, (50+) are more drawn to the .308 AR platform for some reason.

I went to the range this past week with the new .308 DPMS, and overall had a very good range session. The gun functioned flawlessly. No FTF or FTE's. The gun ate everything it was fed. I tried both DPMS magazines that came with the rifle and both fed 19 rounds each of Magtech 150 Gr. FMJ without a hitch. I then switched to the Mag-Pul P-Mag I had for all the rest of my shooting, because that is the magazine I will be purchasing several extras of. It ran fine with everything I stuffed in it. At 8.25 pounds empty, the gun has very manageable recoil. Much less than a light .308 sporter like my Winchester Model 88 does. It was LOUD! Much louder than any .223 AR-15. Ejection was positive, but it did not damage or ding any of the brass. I don't have any optics on this rifle, and really don't intend to mount any. The standard A-2 sights were pretty close at 100 yards, where all my shooting was from. I had to adjust about 2 inches up and about 2 to 3 inches to the left, and everything after that was well central on the targets. After about 50 rounds I switched to some handloads I had brought that were loaded with 42.0 Gr. of Varget under a Sierra 168 Gr. Matchking bullet. My eyes were getting used to the sights, and using the small aperture shooting off the bench it was not difficult to get groups that could be covered with a drink coaster. For my 59 year old ageing eyes I'll call that good. I switched to some Hornady 168 Gr. A-Max bullets loaded with the same 42.0 Gr. of Varget. They grouped just a bit tighter, but I would of had to have a scope mounted to really establish which was the better load as far as accuracy. After taking a break and BS'ing with some of the guys there I tried some informal offhand shooting on the 200 yards steel plates. It was very easy to achieve steady hits. This rifle is very easy to shoot accurately. Much more so than my Springfield M1-A's are offhand. It being shorter is far less muzzle heavy and less tiresome to shoot from an offhand stance. All in all I ran a total of 220 rounds through the gun. More .308 than I normally would shoot at a single range outing. Before I left I heavily lubed up everything, and after every 30 rounds or so, I gave the bolt and bolt lugs several drops of Mobil 1 to keep everything good and slick. After I got home the gun cleaned up effortlessly. Everyone has their own method of lubricating AR's. For me more is better. I disassembled the bolt carrier group and washed everything in clean Kerosene, then blew everything dry with compressed air. I then re oiled and greased everything, and the gun was as spotless as before I took it out of the case. I used Bore Tech Eliminator in the barrel, and it cleaned up much easier than I had expected. I didn't get the barrel very hot, and gave it plenty of time to cool off between magazines. It was mostly cloudy and cool out with almost no wind at all. Overall I'm very pleased with this rifle. The gun ran perfectly, shot where it was aimed, and was easy to handle doing it. I wished I hadn't waited so long to get into the .308 AR game. These guns are a lot of fun, and I couldn't be more pleased.

[img width=810 height=318]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/DPMSPantherAP4Carbine006.jpg [img width=810 height=607]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/DPMSPantherAP4Carbine003.jpg [img width=810 height=607]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/DPMSPantherAP4Carbine005.jpg I just picked it up this morning. It had everything I wanted, and the price was right. Removable carry handle with A-2 sights, plus a free floater foreend. It came with 2, 20 round mags and the dealer threw in a 20 round Mag-Pul P-Mag which I really like. I'll be picking up a few more. I won't get a chance to crank it up until Monday, weather permitting. This is my first .308 AR. I have a couple of Springfield M1-A's, and I'll be glad to see how this one stacks up. It seems like a nice, solid, well made rifle. Fit, finish, and overall feel look good, and I really like the sights. I'm still not used to the big magazine! When he handed me the Mag-Pul P-Mag I did a double take because I'm so used to .223. This thing looks like it's going to get shot a lot! Does anyone have any ammo recommendations? I've been running 42.0 Gr. of Varget under a 168 Gr. Sierra Matchking in all of my other .308's, and it's more or less been my "go to" round in that caliber because it runs well in all of my rifles. Anyway,I'm looking forward to lighting it up!

This particular model is an Armalite 10ACBF AR 10. He has it for $1,409.95. It is a flat top model with a small rail on top of the gas block. I agree with you that Armalite makes one of the better .308 AR's on the market, and as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=253945901 This shop is near me, and I've delt with him before. The only thing is the Armalite worth an additional $365.95 over the Bushmaster ORC?

Thanks for all of the information you have contributed about the problems you have had with this weapon. I feel your pain. Sending in the gun, waiting weeks, only to have it returned in the same condition is inexcusable. Especially when this issue appears to be a common one with this model. I was considering a Bushmaster .308 O.R.C., but now have reservations. I can get one for $1,066.00, or an Armalite for $1,409.00, which puts me into Springfield M1-A territory. If I take the gamble on the Bushy, I will be buying it from Davidson's, and it will come with a Lifetime Free Replacement Warranty, which is somewhat comforting. I'm still leery however. Again, thanks for your honest assessment of this rifle. Bill T.

I'm also intrested in one of these. I have several 5.56 MM / .223 Bushmasters, but am considering the .308. My local dealer has them through Davidson's for $1,066.00. I know Bushmaster had a lot of bolt issues with their older .308 models. Now that Cerberus has purchased them, as well as DPMS, I'm thinking the reliability on these guns has improved drastically since they've been reintroduced. I have 2 Springfield M1-A's as well, but want a .308 AR model. I have always felt that Bushmaster has offered very good value for the money.