quality of dpms vs some of the others

[jjrgr21]

i have been reading alot about the feeding issues with dpms, but it seems to be crappy factory mags.  i have a rock river car, and have never had a problem of any kind.  so the question is, is the RRA lar-8 worh $500 more than a dpms build.  or would getting say si defense upper and lower maintain reliability. 

is there a quality comparison anywhere, or is it personal preference.

[imschur]

DPMS had a bad batch of mags a while back. The internet being what it is this stuff sticks around and runs rampant. Im not 100% sure but I dont think you can use any upper other then RRA on your rifle either way.

Folks tend to hit the net vocalize a problem with anything.

With no milspec standard there will always be issues mixing and matching parts

Armalite seems to have the least complaints.

[survivalshop]

I would say about 95 % of feeding issues are the mag. in any AR type rifle . Extraction & ejection is another matter , with any AR type rifle.

The DPMS receivered 308 I built is 100% reliable with any mag. & a good portion of it is DPMS parts (BCG,upper/ lower receiver & there parts groups )

If the action is not working , theres some thing wrong & needs to be tweaked ,so to speak.

I have two gripes with DPMS , they changed there upper receiver rail height & they have chamber issues (mass produced rifle , shows some quality control issues ), but all can be changed or cleaned up to make the rifle shoot & when they do they usually shoot very well .

SI defence are nice receivers . I have a CMMG lower with a SI Defence upper & its very nice ,but doesn't like the new Pmags for some reason .

Bolt over & FTF with them, but likes DPMS & CProducts mags & runs with them 100 %. This is some thing I am looking into when I get a chance.

If you are building , ya really can't go wrong with any of your choices ,as long as its put together right .

I'm not familiar with RRA rifles . Others will have to comment on them .

[jjrgr21]

i have a 223 RRA, and the non compatibility of rra is a negative for me, thats why i want to go with something else.  the cheapest way is a dpms build, but i don't want to regret it, if it wears out too quickly, or malfunctions constantly.

[6132expert]

Well you are taking about a build on the DPMS platform. Your problems are going to be none to many the question what other parts are going to go on the DPMS lower. That is going to determine what problems you have. If you go with cheap parts then yeah expect some quicker than normal wear. If you go with the great parts that are out there then dont expect any problems. Thats not to say there will not be a little fine tuning on the rifle when you have it finished.

[jjrgr21]

i was either gonna go with a dpms kit w/ RRA 2 stage or a cmmg kit with the 2 stage.  whats your advice?

[jjrgr21]

how can you tell if its a forged or milled lower,

this is the one i'm looking at along with the SI defense

http://www.jsesurplus.com/dpmslr-308strippedlowerreceiver.aspx

[6132expert]

I do believe that all dpms lowers and SI lower are milled

[jjrgr21]

i saw somewhere it was advertised as a forged dpms lower, meybe it was wrong

[6132expert]

•Milled from a solid billet of 6061-T6 aluminum

Right of the DPMS web site

[ghitch75]

i have ran over 2k threw mine with p-mag and factory mags.....not a 1 FTF or jam.....400 of them was ran with a Slide Fire stock....as same as FA.....

should have said what i have.....DPMS LR-308AP4....

[jjrgr21]

nice 75, would you all mind if i posted up the parts i want to use for the build on here, for feedback?

[6132expert]

Brother it is an open forum, but know not everyone has an answer for evry part. Post and you will get feedback!!

[jjrgr21]

bolt : http://www.jsesurplus.com/dpms308boltcarrierassemblyphosphate-1.aspx

lower : http://www.jsesurplus.com/dpmslr-308strippedlowerreceiver.aspx

or

lower : http://www.tacticalmachining.com/store/products.php?pid=114

upper : http://www.jsesurplus.com/dpms308a3flattopupperassembled.aspx

parts : http://cmmginc.secure-mall.com/item/.308-Lower-Parts-Kit-with-CMMG-2-Stage-Trigger-1722

or a kit without a trigger, based on advice

handguard : http://www.jprifles.com/buy.php?item=JPHG-1D

barrel : http://shop.si-defense.com/SI_Defense_308_Win_20_SASS_Barrel_p/si%20ar-b-sass-m110-308-20.htm

but the barrel i'm open about.  i'm shooting 168gr handloads, out to 800 yards.  i prefer fluted, but is more $$

thanks for the input all!

[survivalshop]

The only thing I see there is the DPMS upper .

They changed the rail height (lowered it ) & there are very little choices in hand guards to match the new rail height on the upper receiver .

Fulton Armory sells there DPMS uppers to the old std. rail height , but you might want to contact them to be sure . Last I knew , they did .

[jjrgr21]

do you have a suggestion for a replacement? how do you tell if it's the old vs new. 

[survivalshop]

do you have a suggestion for a replacement? how do you tell if it's the old vs new.

As said ,  Fulton Armory ,I think still sells the old height( & I believe they are made by DPMS ) , call or email to make sure they haven't changed any thing .

Here is how to measure the upper to find out .

Info straight from DPMS:

Our AR15 receivers are all the same height except the High Rider and Tri-Mount.

The LR308 Platform has two heights, the A3 and Lo-Pro Raised Rail. The A3 was changed recently to better accommodate our other components. I guess in reality, with the number sold before the change, there are now 3 heights.

To find out if you have a newer model or older run, the easiest way to measure is with a caliper from the bottom surface that mates to the lower to the top of the rail. The new versions measure 2.003 and the old versions are 2.063.

Any larger receiver rail to handguard rail height difference would be due to the lack of an industry standard in the large frame AR style rifles. Everybody is still pretty much making their own thing and some measurements just don't line up between manufacturers.

And the above is from a manufacturer that just changed there's from std .

[jjrgr21]

is 63/1000ths going to make that much of a difference?  i can't afford a pvs 26 or any other NVS'. 

[survivalshop]

Only difference is the alignment or the upper rails , height wise.