Bang4Buck

Yep. I shipped the bolt to rainier and they shipped it back with the barrel. Local gunsmith I use verified the headspacing as well.

Aero precision makes the BCG with forward assist. My mega Maten doesn't even have a forward assist. Many would say it is not necessary.

OP circling back on the final build. Thanks to everyone for their help. Here is the complete parts list I went with: 1 - MEGA ARMS MKM MATEN Keymod Upper / Lower Set - http://www.capitolarmory.com/mega-arms-mkm-maten-keymod-upper-lower-set.html I got this on sale for $720 including tax and shipping. And that was the extended rifle length set which is 14 inches. Also included 9 slot rail and charging handle. 2 - H3 Buffer and castle nut through Damage Industries - $40 including shipping and tax during Halloween sale 3 - Geissele Super Semi-Automatic Enhanced (SSA-E) - on sale for $194 through Trading Place Pawn. Price included shipping and no tax. 4 - DPMS LPK minus FCG - http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/receiver-parts/parts-kits/308-lower-parts-kit-minus-fire-control-components-sku231000334-27207-111705.aspx Got it for $50 5 - A5 receiver extension - http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/receiver-parts/buffer-tube-parts/buffer-tubes/a5-receiver-extension-sku100010797-55056-111100.aspx Paid $47.50 6 - STR stock - http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/stock-parts/buttstocks/str-mil-spec-stock-black-sku100009321-45226-102656.aspx paid $76 7 - Noveske QD end plate http://www.brownells.com/shooting-accessories/slings-sling-swivels/tactical-sling-mounts/qd-receiver-end-plate-sku100004756-31766-57871.aspx cost $27 8 - Magpul MIAD 1.1 grip http://grabagun.com/magpul-mag520-blk-miad-gen-1-1-grip.html paid $28 9 - BCM Low Profile Gas Block (steel with set screws) 750 cost $45 10 - BCM mid length gas tube $13 11 - Larue Tactical A2 flash hider for 308 - $20 12 - Aero Precision 308 complete BCG(follows DPMS pattern) http://aeroprecisionusa.com/aspx/store/productdetail.aspx?pid=175 cost $195 13 - Rainier Arms 308 Match 16 inch Barrel DPMS pattern https://www.rainierarms.com/rainier-arms-matchtm-308-barrel-21 cost $315 FYI if you buy a barrel from Rainier, you don't have to buy the BCG through them to get free headspacing. Call and they'll tell you how to add this to your order 14 - AR 10 buffer spring - $10 That got me to right at $1,750 for the base setup I want for way less than the LMT, Larue, or FN. I could have gone much cheaper in a few area to keep the cost down such as going with Aero Precision receiver set, use the trigger and grip that comes with the DPMS LPK, Rainier Select barrel instead of Match barrel, etc... That would have probably saved several hundred bucks, but I would not have been as happy. My pictures don't do it justice. This is a great looking setup and I'm excited to go break it in soon. I will likely do a few other things, such as Raptor, BCM, or Mecharmor TacOps1 charging handle (would be interested to hear you opinions on which is better), a good light never hurts, etc.... But I have the foundation I want and I'm quite certain I'll save money vs. the LMT, Larue, or FN routes.

I did. Fulton armory, right? From what I have read people seem to think the Fulton BCG is a DPMS BCG with fulton name on it. My AP may run just fine. Time will tell. All I know is when running searches I could not find any threads mentioning problems with aero products. DPMS is a whole different story. Nightmares everywhere with their stuff.

Yes it is AP carrier. I sent them a pic and they had their guy look at it and he said he thinks it is staked correctly. I would have liked a bit more material pressing against the screwheads. Maybe I'm being too picky, but this was not a cheap build and I'm paying attention to detail. Everything else on it looks great. The bolt was sent of to Rainier Arms who will headspace for free with my barrel purchase. I should have everything back and put together in the next week or two. I will post a thread will lots of pics and all the final details.

Does this look staked correctly?

I wound up ordering the aero precision BCG. I have not been able to find a single negative review on their stuff. It should be here Monday and I will send it off to rainier arms for free headspacing with the match barrel I am buying. Hope to have everything done and It together in the next couple weeks.

Well that is good to know that if I order the barrel as DPMS config I have LMT as a a choice. I'm sure they make an excellent BCG. I thought I read somewhere that the Fulton 308 BCG was the DPMS BCG but they were just using Fulton's name?

I am leaning towards a DPMS barrel config because it seems I will have more choices when it comes to BCG, such as the Aero Precision and JP offerings. I'm a little disappointed in LMT. I actually called them yesterday morning when they opened and asked one of their tech people if the LMT 308 BCG followed DPMS or Armalite. He said he thought it was more of a SR-25 type BCG, but that he would check and get back to me. I haven't heard anything back. I'd actually pay up to go with the LMT BCG but I need a firm answer before I can order the barrel.

That... and this recent example: Plus what I've read in other threads about DPMS 5.56 issues out the yin-yang. I'm new at this 308 thing but the 5.56 guys seems to avoid DPMS like the plague. Improper staking and many other issues on their 5.56s just have me scared of that brand. Why would they allow so many QC issues to go on for so long and allow the DPMS name to be on the product? Just concernes me.

Well then the AP looks to be the best deal, provided it is solid. And the JP is awfully pricey. They are approaching sr-25 BCG prices. The low mass concerned me that it would not have the reliability and longevity. I am picky on this only because I have learned the barrel and BCG are really the heart of the rifle. I won't touch a DPMS manufactured BCG. They have a long history of QC problems based on what I have read.

I want to runa DPMS pattern BCG. Questions: 1 - does the LMT BCG follow DPMS pattern? I can't find this anywhere I look 2 - anyone use the aero precision BCG? Price is good but I am concerned about quality. 3 - does JP BCG follow DPMS (looks like it from their site) and which of their BCG would you recommend? This is my first 308 build and since I know the barrel I will use, BCG is the last critical choice I have to make,

Would this BCM block work well? http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCM-Low-Profile-Gas-Block-p/bcm-lgb-.750.htm barrel is .750 so that would match waiting to hear back from my guy on your buffer system comments, but I believe you. He may not have realized that VLTOR was longer than a normal m4

Just got an e-mail from the gunsmith I am going to work with on putting everything together. Here is what he said. Let me know your thoughts: Just got off the phone with DPMS. They said the armalite BCG is a different design from the DPMS design and would not work. They could not speak for the Aero Precision. I sent Aero an email since they didn't list a phone number to call. DPMS also said that the length difference on the ar15 H3 buffer compared to the 308 buffer would cause cycling problems. For a gas block I would suggest the YHM clamp style gas block. Clamp style as opposed to the set screw gives a tighter seal around your gas port. Either clamp style or set screw would be fine though. Any castle nut will work, nothing special to get here. any thoughts on what he said?

That makes sense. I didn't see anything in the barrel description to indicate which pattern was followed. The Mega barrel I looked at specified dpms pattern barrel extension