Quentin

I would have loved building an AR-10 but honestly, this ArmaLite DSR10 is almost exactly what I would have put together myself and the price is very attractive. I hope ArmaLite is selling a bunch of them, they need to get a bigger share of this market. The 308 AR market is exploding these days - there are so many good choices out there.

Gator, I admire you, building retro ARs! When I got into ARs (2008, when it was obvious Obummer was going to be elected and evil guns might be banned) I planned to build a near M16A1. But everything dried up in 2009 and I pounced on a S&W M&P-15 stripped lower that I lucked across. Then it took forever to find a parts kit and receiver extension kit/stock. Then I lucked into an ArmaLite M15 upper and had a rifle. Next, in 2010 I found a lightweight Daniel Defense upper and soon after a stripped ArmaLite M15 lower and swapped around to have a LW S&W and a complete M15. Never did get that retro going, never had the patience and luck - so I tip my hat to you, sir! I guess my retro is my M1A but even that is updated as a Scout model.

Thanks guys! Yeah there's something special about the 7.62x51/.308! I've wanted one for decades but never got around to it till a couple years ago when I got an M1A Scout. Waited a LONG time! I qualified with the M14 but also liked the M16 when in Nam. I like the 5.56x45, it's so handy, so I built a few lightweight ARs. But I've wanted an AR-10, just couldn't commit to the funds until now. I looked at DPMS, S&W and PSA, anything that took the old ArmaLite waffle mags or SR-25. I anted PMAG compatibility so that ruled out RRA and ArmaLite until 2012 when ArmaLite introduced the A-Series. Then ArmaLite priced the DSR10 to sell and I couldn't ignore it any more. If that hadn't happened I probably would have built a PSA. Like you say, beantown, there's just something about owning the original, though honestly we know today's ArmaLite isn't the old Fairchild ArmaLite. But with today's ArmaLite A-Series you have something very close to the streamlined AR-10A of 1959! Gator, I hope you do find a lower marked AR-10A but I've heard that name is on the CA banned list. Such a shame these draconian laws get forced on us by useless idiots who don't have a red blood cell in their body. I'll be looking forward your build thread!

Thanks, beantown! I love this rifle. Yes, you did welcome me in my introduction thread. It was a few weeks ago so I'll paste in my reply to you... "Ah, I really feel at home now! I was born and raised in NC. Then took Basic at Fort Bragg in 1966. After Vietnam I moved to Phoenix/Mesa, AZ. And now in Boise, ID."

It’s Good Friday. A really good Friday! Got an Easter Egg early. Got my AR-10! It’s known as the ArmaLite Defensive Sporting Rifle 10, or ArmaLite DSR10, or ArmaLite DEF10 and in California as the ArmaLite SPR Mod 2A. But none of that is rollmarked anywhere on my rifle; instead AR-10A is stamped on both the lower and upper receiver. The “A” after AR-10 means that it’s designed to use the old 1950s ArmaLite AR-10/AR-10A style magazine that Eugene Stoner used way back then and again in the early 1990s when he was designing the Knight’s Armament SR-25. (Funny thing about the SPR Mod 2A, California has “AR-10” on their banned list so you can’t go in a gun shop there and buy one but you can buy a slightly neutered version with the bullet button and neutered name. However, ArmaLite had some fun with that name, rumors are it stands for Special Purpose Rifle Model 2nd Amendment! Of course the name also borrows from the military 5.56mm SPR Mod 1.) This is a nice rifle for the price, very well built for a low cost model. I’m impressed, they really priced this one to sell. It is my first factory built AR and I like almost everything about it. First, the lightweight 16” double lapped barrel is marked 7.62 NATO CR-MO CL 1:11.25, so it’s chrome lined with an 11.25 twist. I’m glad it has the midlength gas system like many ArmaLite carbines and of course the evil (non-CA compliant) flash hider is installed. The upper and lower receivers are 7075-T6 hard anodized aluminum as you’d expect from any quality AR. The receivers fit snug with no slop and the black finish is very good. The rifle weighs in at 7.9 pounds with no sights or magazine, which is fairly light for an AR-10. But they didn’t scrimp on the BCG, that thing weighs 18 ounces and is mated to an H3 carbine buffer. The only thing that does slop around is the M4 buttstock, but they all do so that was the first thing to change out. Since the receiver extension is milspec diameter I grabbed my old Magpul ACS stock from the closet and it fits very snug, no slop. My other ARs are builds and I always use the milspec tube so was glad ArmaLite felt the same way. It would have bugged me to be stuck with a commercial diameter tube and not be able to easily swap stocks with my other ARs. (And have to buy a stock when I already had a perfectly good ACS.) The ACS adds 8 ounces right up against the shoulder which won’t hurt much, in fact it moves the center of balance toward the rear. The ACS also has a rubber pad that will help with recoil over the hard M4 stock. The ACS was a little much on a lightweight AR-15 but is about right on the AR-10. I think it’s found a home. The trigger group is a standard AR-15 single stage trigger while more expensive ArmaLite ARs come with a two stage trigger. I lucked out, the trigger is quite good for a milspec, some are terrible. It’s about 6-7 pounds and crisp, comparable to an ALG QMS trigger. I doubt all DEF10 triggers are that good but I’ll take it. I like that many lower receiver parts are standard AR-15 parts, along with the stock, pistol grip and handguards. Of course many parts must be larger due to the AR-10’s larger 7.62 NATO round. No sights come with the DEF10 so I bought an ArmaLite front sight and Magpul MBUS2 flip up rear sight. And I borrowed a red dot for now. The RDS kept its bottom 1/3 cowitness from another AR so this one has a good mechanical zero right now. I also threw on a cheap M4 sling for now. I’m getting an ArmaLite branded Raptor charging handle and a BCM pistol grip, I’ve been wanting to try them out and now have a good excuse. Enough talk, now some pictures!

GRA, thanks, I took your advice and ordered a DEF10 from Impact Guns. Been thinking about this for months. They will truck one up to the Boise store from Ogden. Can't wait to test her out! Years ago I built an M15A4C starting with a stripped ArmaLite lower bought at Impact Guns. Love that place, they can get almost anything but it might take time. They price match to their internet price, which usually is good. And of course the indoor range is handy. Got some PMAGs and ordered an ArmaLite AR-10 gas rail front sight and MBUS2 rear sight from Amazon.com. Got XM80 and .308, so ready to have fun!

Interesting, but is that repeatable? For example, the Jan/Feb 2015 Special Weapons for Military & Police tested both the DSR10 A-Series and the SRC-308 and the $1000 ArmaLite outshot the $1300 Windham! Five shot groups at 100 yards of 1.10", 0.93" and 0.63" vs.1.00", 1.00" and 1.72".

Thanks, Rsquared! I found them. And thanks again to Pat for all that information and for providing it here!

Link is broken again... :(

Did Mr. Raley's PDFs ever get hosted on this forum? I really miss those Technical Notes on the old ArmaLite site. Wish I had made copies before the revamped website! I must say Pat did a wonderful job writing and compiling that invaluable information! It would be a shame to lose access to it forever. The new ArmaLite management should have worked something out with Pat. Sadly, good things don't last.

Thanks for all the warm welcomes, guys! Nice place you have here.

Ah, I really feel at home now! I was born and raised in NC. Then took Basic at Fort Bragg in 1966. After Vietnam I moved to Phoenix/Mesa, AZ. And now in Boise, ID.

Thanks, Mike! Yeah, I considered doing a Quentin Defense .308 build! In fact I lived in Gilbert, AZ back in the 1990s. And in the Valley of the Sun for 30 years before moving to Boise. Never driven by the QD storefront, will have to do that next time I'm in Gilbert. However I did buy a Quentin Defense US Army Edition billet lower a few years back and finished it off with BCM and Daniel Defense parts, then a PSA upper. I love that carbine! Especially since it has my name on the rollmark! 5.56 AR, of course.

Hello, all! I'm new to the AR-10 but not new to firearms, including the AR-15. Otherwise, I am a Vietnam Vet, retired IT/Network Admin and now live in Idaho. I'm just about ready to buy an ArmaLite AR-10A, the DEF10 no frills model. I've been researching for many months and like this model because it's plain Jane, inexpensive, high quality and ArmaLite. And exactly the configuration I want. It's a real plus that it uses the 1950s AR-10/SR-25/PMAG magazines. My first AR was a build using an ArmaLite upper, so I considered a 308AR build from PSA but the DEF10 isn't that much more to get a little more rifle (in my opinion). I like PSA and have done a couple 5.56 builds with their parts but this time am opting for my first factory built AR. You have a nice site here and I'm looking forward to browsing around!

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