Owl21 Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 (edited) ***EDITED I am going to build my first 308 AR after many years of building accurate AR-15s. The rifle will be used to replace my 200-600 yard DMR AR-15, and is based off of a stock DPMS Oracle with about 20-rounds through it that I took in a trade. Keeping the upper receiver, lower receiver, BCG, and charging handle here is a list of the intended upgrades: • Blackhole Weaponry 18" mid-length gas 1:11 barrel • PXT low-profile adjustable gas block • YHM Phantom QD flash-hider (for Phantom QD suppressor) • Midwest Industries 15" free float rail • FAB-Defense GL-Shock stock • HeavyBuffer's CAR-10 buffer and spring • Hyperfire 24E trigger I intend to always run suppressed and will use factory 168 A-max match ammo (at least initially.) My longest average ranges will typically not exceed 600, but I will occasionally try targets out to 1000. If anyone can poke holes in my choices, have at it. I will start ordering parts in the next few days. (I just realized I am going to have a lot of parts laying around) ***EDIT: It seems I just found a good deal on an AERO Precision upper/lower set, which I just purchased. So instead of modifying the DPMS, I am now going to simply build a new one from the ground up. So in addition to the parts mentioned above I will also be adding the following to the complete build • Lord Arms Nickel Boron BCG • LPK (minus trigger group) • Mil-spec carbine buffer tube Edited July 9, 2014 by Owl21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Armory Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 Just change the trigger group and put a brake on it then reassest your gun ! Most of that list is nice but not needed right away. Piece meal your accessaries, handguard , buffer then the rest of your list. You might not want them. JMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darb Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 what type of optics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owl21 Posted July 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 Just change the trigger group and put a brake on it then reassest your gun ! Most of that list is nice but not needed right away. Piece meal your accessaries, handguard , buffer then the rest of your list. You might not want them. JMHO. I know that I don't want a brake since I have a suppressor and I use it on all of my guns religiously. I know I want to freefloat the barrel and want a lower recoil impulse. Though it is my first 308 AR, it is not my first 308 semi-auto. I have gone through several FALs, and an RFB. I like the lower recoil afforded by adjustable gas and the accuracy that comes with free-floating the barrel, not to mention the ability to easily install a bi-pod and IR laser when needed. Darb, I will either be running a FFP mil-dot or I might try out the new PA ACSS .308 H.U.D. scope for quicker ranging. I am not sure yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaRKle! Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 As always, I recommend an AR-10 pattern buffer system.Look for a rifle-length gas system if doing an 18" barrel.The SLR Sentry adjustable gas blocks seem to be the top pick now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 How did you like the RFB brother ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owl21 Posted July 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 How did you like the RFB brother ? Ergonomically, it was outstanding. Functionally it left something to be desired. Anytime I changed ammuntion, it had to be re-tuned. I had one of the first 200 to come off the production line, and I think the early models had some quirks. Within 20 rounds, the chrome was flaking off of the bolt face. I never came to terms with the forward ejecting brass. Mine didn't want to run if you were shooting at targets above your head, since the empty casings were fighting gravity in the ejection tube, preventing the next spent case from getting out. A few minor changes would make it an awesome weapon, but I do not know if any of those have been addressed. I might own another one in the future, but I am still searching for a relaible 308 semi-auto rifle, especially since the three FALs I had all failed to be reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnatshooter Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 I might own another one in the future, but I am still searching for a relaible 308 semi-auto rifle, especially since the three FALs I had all failed to be reliable. I've never seen, in this forum, a comparison between a .308 BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) and an 'AR-type' .308 rifle. I've heard marvelous things about the BAR, but the inability to find one anywhere at a reasonable price, and Browning's refusal to take advance orders, brought me to DPMS -- and here. What are your reliability tests? Initially, the chamber in my DPMS was too tight, and the factory guys fixed the issue, took them 2 weeks. It's been flawless ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 (edited) Thanks for the response brother Owl. Edited July 10, 2014 by unforgiven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
survivalshop Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 especially since the three FALs I had all failed to be reliable. Wow , I've had many FAL 's , including an FNHB in select fire & never had a problem with any of them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owl21 Posted July 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Wow , I've had many FAL 's , including an FNHB in select fire & never had a problem with any of them . Yeah, it seems that I am the unlucky one. My "reliability tests" were nothing more than use. One simply did not like many type of ammuntion and had consistent FTFeed issues. Another kept breaking pistons and no one could figure out why, and the last one simply would not cycle reliably (I found out later that it had an internally broken gas block), and the new owner says once found and repaired (the gunsmith that found it apparently lost locks of hair in the process) that it now runs without issue. So now I am going back to the known reliability of DI and see if my luck changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsquared Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 especially since the three FALs I had all failed to be reliable. I've never heard of FALs failing like that. Damn.....and I thought that I had bad luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolndie7 Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 As I was reading this yesterday I was thinking to myself "gonna strip the gun and keep the recv set and bcg" why not just build from scratch? But I did not comment beacause to each there own. I am glad to hear you changed your mind and now you will have two new rifles correct? Keep us updated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owl21 Posted July 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 As I was reading this yesterday I was thinking to myself "gonna strip the gun and keep the recv set and bcg" why not just build from scratch? But I did not comment beacause to each there own. I am glad to hear you changed your mind and now you will have two new rifles correct? Keep us updated. I was going to strip the DPMS because I had it (received in a trade.) It is a simple carbine battle rifle, which is not appealing to me, so that is why I was going to make the changes. With the deal offered by AP, it made the decision easy for me to just build from scratch, which is what I am more accustomed to doing. I am sure I will sell off the DPMS since it is not something which I will get much use from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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