odie64 Posted May 12, 2017 Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 This will be a build list, cost and lessons learned post about building a PSA PA10 Gen II .308 AR platform rifle. I started the build with the mindset that I could get a good quality upper , lower and barrel combo for a reasonable price, so I could splurge on better quality components and come away with a solid performing rifle. The core of the rifle is the PSA PA10 Gen II upper , lower and 14.7" barrel. I price shopped on the LPK and bought a DPMS LPK for $69.99 figuring I would save $30.00 over the PSA LPK, but we will get to that later. I will list the parts and then note where I could have saved some money is I went with some generic options over some of the components I selected to build this rifle. PARTS LIST: PSA Gen 2 PA10 .308 stripped lower $99.99 PSA AR10 14.7" mid length barrel $99.99 PSA PA10 Gen2 complete upper $149.99 PSA PA10 pivot pin $14.99 PSA PA10 .308 takedown pin $16.95 Midwest Industries 308ss15 DLM rail $209.95 ACE skeleton stock 9.9" $91.99 JP Enterprises silent capture recoil spring assy Gen @ AR-10, LR 308 $139.95 Vltor BCM Gunfighter Mod 4 Med CH $52.15 Troy Industries low profile gas block $35.99 gas tube mid length $13.86 SilencerCo Specwar 762 Muzzle Brake $79.99 DPMS LPK .308 $69.99 Plus 1 Armory Nickle Boron DPMS Spec .308 BCG $179.99 Doublestar A2 Buffer Tube $24.99 MagPul MOE RVG $26.99 MagPul K2 Grip Black $24.99 Vortex Optics Spitfire 3x Prism Scope w/ EBR-556B Reticle $314.10 TOTAL COST $1646.84 MINUS OPTICS AND ACCESSORIES (MagPul grip and RVG) $1280.75 LESSONS LEARNED: PSA has a lot of PSA specific parts, trying to save a buck or thirty has cost me more. Everyone plays by their own rules, All the same yet different A little more research and less impulse would go a long way If they recommend to use only their parts, heed their advice Patience is a virtue ON THE CHEAP( going full budget build): NO need to upgrade to MagPul grip and RVG all LPKs come with an A2 pistol grip Convention buffer and spring saves money Rear stocks are cheap, did not need the ACE skeletonize rear stock Charging handles are cheap .308 muzzles devices are cheap can be had as cheap as $15.00 (had a .308 A2 style flash hider in a parts box) There is a large variety of front rail systems did not need to spend over $200.00 on a free float rail generic rail $24.21 .308 recoil spring $5.99 .308 buffer $5.25 AR 3 prong Flash hider $9.90 PSA lpk $99.99 TOTAL PARTS $145.34 UPGRADE PARTS $630.96 BUILD MINUS OPTICS AND MAGPUL PARTS $1280.75 MINUS UPGRADE PARTS $630.96 TOTAL $649.79 PLUS BUDGET PARTS $145.34 TOTAL BUDGET BUILD $795.13 Keen observers will note the pivot and takedown pins are incorrect. I hope to have it at the range this weekend but I have a bolt catch issue and need to get the Muzzle brake pinned and welded. I know this was long but hopeful it was informative and will help someone avoid the mistakes I made. odie64 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted May 12, 2017 Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 25 minutes ago, odie64 said: and need to get the Muzzle brake pinned and welded. Please make sure that happens - the potential for big trouble is huge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odie64 Posted May 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 1 minute ago, 98Z5V said: Please make sure that happens - the potential for big trouble is huge... Once the remaining PSA proprietary parts are in and fitted it is off to gunsmith for proper pinning and welding of the muzzle brake. Don't need and don't want trouble. My mistakes in parts selection is what has kept it from being properly secured at this time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted May 12, 2017 Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 Right on, man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odie64 Posted May 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 The parts differences between the PSA PA10 308 LPK and the DPMS LPK when used on a PSA PA10 Gen 2lower: Takedown and pivot pins do not interchange PSA uses a roll pin for the bolt catch, DPMS uses a threaded pin The DPMS bolt catch interferes with the PSA PA10 Gen 2 upper, making it inoperative Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
survivalshop Posted May 12, 2017 Report Share Posted May 12, 2017 3 hours ago, odie64 said: The parts differences between the PSA PA10 308 LPK and the DPMS LPK when used on a PSA PA10 Gen 2lower: Takedown and pivot pins do not interchange PSA uses a roll pin for the bolt catch, DPMS uses a threaded pin The DPMS bolt catch interferes with the PSA PA10 Gen 2 upper, making it inoperative More great proprietary components to confuse builders . They must think this makes them special , it may , but you won't sell a lot of components , thats been proven with proprietary rifle's & their special parts . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odie64 Posted May 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 (edited) After getting the muzzle brake pinned and welded and the correct bolt catch installed, I was able to take the PSA PA10 to the range tonight. I only ran 60 rounds through it tonight , but it ran without a hitch. Feeding, ejecting and cycling were uneventful. I only shot it tonight to get the Vortex Spitfire 3x Prism sight dialed in. I am not the best at zeroing optics but it only took 2 groups of five to get a good base zero. I was rest on the bench and was somewhat sloppy but managed to get it to shoot to point of aim. I was somewhat concerned about the PSA PA10 after reading all the comments on the teething problems they have been having. Mine is a Gen2 up[per and lower and I used a DPMS spec BCG from a different manufacturer. At this time I have no function issues and the brass cases look good, only a random few have a slight ding to the case mouth. This pics are from the range session, a pic of the rifles a five shot group verifying rough zero( with a flyer high right) and some quick shot offhand shooting at 25 yards The guy next to me in the lane to the right was also shooting a PSA PA10... thought that was pretty cool Edited May 18, 2017 by odie64 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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