The most important things to me are reliability and weight.  I am leaning toward a factory build to avoid having to fiddle to make things work.  I want something that will run out of the box.  Weight is important as I will be humping it around on hunts.  I will eventually add a can.  

Open to suggestions.  On the list so far:
-POF Revolution (I know, above the 2k mark)
-Armalite Tactical 16.  I like that it comes with an upgraded trigger, stock, and adjustable gas block
-Windham R16SFST-308
-Ruger SR762
-PWS (still figuring out their model numbers)


I am not averse to building but have read many horror stories (I have built several 5.56 without issue).  

Appreciate the input!

Thanks,

DPMS G2 or other small frame equivalent, if you're going to be lugging it around.

Read up on some reviews.

I have looked at the G2 Recon.  It looks really nice on paper but I read a decent number of reviews online and in the forum where people had a tough time getting it to work reliably.

Armalite, they have been in this game a long time ad have done a ton of R&D to their rifles. I don't trust anything DPMS based on some of the rifles that I have worked on. Maybe they have changed their QC with the G2 but I still don't trust them...

I don't think the Recon is a good choice if you are looking for an out of the box solution where weight is a concern. Yes, it's lighter than some .308 rifles out there, but the barrel and handguard are both extremely heavy, which will do nothing for hunting. (edit based on below comment from DPMS: Newer GII Recon's will have a lighter barrel than mine did)

Depending on what all you want out of it, the Compact Hunter might be a better out of the box choice: Compact Hunter thread pic links are dead, but the video contained clearly shows the rifle.

There do seem to have been some teething problems with the design, if it's the new "variant" it should be pretty well GTG from the box.

DPMS doesn't have the best track record for QC, IMO about the best you can do if interested is find a local place that is selling one, and do a good job inspecting it before purchase.

Reliability-wise I don't recall any large-scale (or even small) reliability issues with the GII. I'm sure in response to all sorts of ammo out there, they tend to be overgassed, but an adjustable block can solve that, or just leave it as-is. My only malfunctions have been as a result of exceptionally bad ammo, which was no fault of the gun itself.

It took a bunch of money to get the Recon down to a decent weight for hunting, which included having the barrel profile reduced, fluting, and an SLR handguard. The compact hunter starts out at the weight my Recon ended up at. If weight is a concern, your only real choice to keep cost in check is to stick with small frame guns from the get go. You can make large frame guns lighter, but you will spend a bunch of money to do so.

Not talking up the GII over every other gun out there, it's just what I have experience with. There are other small-frame .308's out there that are probably as good or better.

@Ghostface
What are some of these problems that YOU have seen first hand with DPMS 308 AR rifles.
What models and Gen rifles?

I bought my GII last fall.  Since then I've changed out the free float tube, the gas block (and tube) and the stock/buffer tube/spring/buffer.

It now has a SA adjustable gas block, YHM free float tube, standard buffer tube, A1 fixed stock, and a modified rifle buffer as well as a PA 1X6 ACSS scope.

I just opened up my fourth SA battle pack last week (to replenish some magazines after that last range session) and so far I've only had one malfunction.  One.  In spite of all the changes I've made (some were pretty damn aggravating, but that's another story) just that one malfunction.  And I wonder if that wasn't the ammo.  

I inserted a loaded magazine, chambered the round, pulled the trigger (factory trigger is better than many AR15's I've put together) and it went bang.  It failed to feed (correctly) the next round.  The bolt rode up over the back of the brass case and jammed the bullet part of the way into the locking lugs.  I cleared it, put that round back on top in the magazine, chambered it from bolt lock and fired two more rounds.  I stopped to really look at my target and I had two holes almost touching and one almost 2" high (25 yds.)  I have to wonder if that first round was a bit on the weak side resulting in both a short stroke and a higher POI on the target.  I went on to shoot two more magazines without a single failure.

So basically, no break in issues, it was 100% right out of the box until that single round on the last range trip.

Now that I've bought all the stuff to break all that rockset DPMS uses on the flash suppressor, free float tube, free float tube jam nut, gas block set screws and even the gas tube in the gas block I would probably even buy another one as adding the new stuff to make it better for me would be a lot easier.

Three shots on the right are that first group.  The hole on the left is the second three shot group.  Only 25 yds. but not bad for a .308 shooting SA surplus.  I eventually got the groups where I wanted them as I was sighting the rifle in again after making some changes to it.

I have an RRA X-series LAR8 in 308.  Nice rifle and deadly accurate - only downside is FAL magazines.  Street price is ~$1600ish

http://rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=611

Appreciate the input.  
I saw the DPMS G2 Compact Hunter but I think I passed because the barrel is not threaded.  I'm cool with swapping a handguard to get pic slots and changing the gas block but doing the barrel on top of that seems a bit much.  
I love me some Rock River but the Lar-8 appears to be 9+ lbs.  

Really digging the POF Revolution.  It's pricey but looks cool.  Any insight?

Trying to determine if the Armalite AR10 Tac 16 is pinned/welded or if I can remove the factory comp.

If 8.1 pounds is lite enough , nothing you can buy at this price can touch it . Mine is a sub 1 moa with my 178 grain H4895 hand loads . A true work of art and functions 100% . www.cflgunandtactical.com/POF-USA-GEN-4-P308-16-NP3-p/00725.htm
POF USA GEN 4 P308-16-11M-308 NP3 , for $1799.99 it is hard to beat .  This is an exceptional deal , and they ship quick too . I live in Phoenix AZ where POF is made and no place in Phoenix even comes close to the price . As a bonus this is the softest recoiling 308 I have ever shot .

Central Florida Gun and Tactical

new LaRue 6.5G?  right at 2K.

"almost" a .308 with cheap Wolf steel case as a bonus for blasting (24 cents a round)



ETA:  I have a DPMS G2 recon with MI rail and am very happy with it.  I run it almost exclusively suppressed (YHM 30 cal ULT can) and it is very reliable with both cheap Russian 308 and also the good stuff.

The only players in the AR10 lightweight game right now are DPMS GII, Savage MSR10 and the Xanthos set.  Xanthos is probably over your price range, Savage is brand new and hard to find.  The DPMS G2 have a $150 MiR right now.

Personally, I would get a DPMS G2 MOE for about $850AR, buy a $400 Rainier barrel, a $200 SLR or Midwest Industries free float rail, an $85 SLR adjustable gas block, a Lancer carbon fiber A1 stock setup to drop weight, and have a gunsmith put it all together.  Thats like a 1/2 hour work, and you can sell the old parts.  You could even keep the original 16" barrel and save a could hundo.

Anyone have experience with the MSR10?  Cabela's has it for $1200.  Web reviews appear to be positive with a few complaints about quality of some of the furniture, which isn't a big deal.

CABBELAS IS ALWAYS OVER PRICED HERE IN PHOENIX .+ SALES TAX .

I have a WW, but it's the 18" fluted version.  Pretty damn sweet.  I got it, Vortex 4-12 scope, rings and 10 pmags for $1600ish a year ago.

There are two Armalite AR-10s in the safe.

My son has the Tac-16 and I have the Defender10.

The Tac-16 did have a minor handguard alignment issue
but Armalite is taking care of it. Did not affect function.

In fact I liked his Tac-16 so much that's why I purchased the other Armalite.

Bought the Defender10 from Trip's Defense for $877.
Added some Magpul furniture and a  LaRue MBT trigger.

Both rifles are very accurate and very reliable so far.

I would buy another one.

Thread for the MSR10: https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_121/710891_Official-Savage-MSR-10-Hunter-and-Long-Range-thread.html

Out of spec gas ports, chambers  and premature bolt failure. We don't allow them at our department and the history I'm talking about is the .223/5.56 variants. I know a deputy in a neighboring county that had a long range .308. This guy is a real shooter, totally ate up with it. He will spend all day out in cold as he'll temps shooting. He knows how to work on guns but is not a gunsmith, he has a an old 40X that he did some work to and it shoots like a laser. His LR308 would never function and he sent it back to DPMS I believe 5 times and on the 6th he was able to get them to give him a 5.56 since the .308 never ran.

Like I said their QC may have changed for the better with the Gen 2 but I won't ever trust them. I would build on their receivers though.

ETA we have one left in our inventory that does work with 55 grain and lower bullets. It's sitting locked up in the armory but it does work with the right bullets, we just won't issue it.

I had also wanted an AR10 or AR 308 rifle and was looking at the LMT and Scar 17.  I went back to were it began and looked into Armalite which now offered an AR10 with the waffle style mags/Pmag.  I searched for reviews on the Armalite DSR (Defensive Sporting Rifle) but not many reviews or bad things about the rifle.  I went ahead and found one near my area for 949.00 and the fit and finish was excellent with the forged upper and lower.  I was impressed with the rifle after shooting and the 25 round Pmags worked excellent, well that's what the rifle came with.  I will save the rest of my money for ammo and an optic.  I will still get a Scar 17 later but for an AR10 with the availability of parts and magazines for low cost why not.  Armalite Link

Aero M5E1

/thread

https://www.windhamweaponry.com/firearms/rifles/308-caliber-rifle/

I just picked up an SRC-308, have yet to fire it. But it comes with a lifetime transferable warranty, out of the box it weighs around 7.5lbs. It doesn't strike me as heavy, at least not when I go pick up my Springfield Armory M1A Scout... To me it kinda feels about the same as a basic middy AR-15...

Anyway, have yet to use it. Changed out a few things to make it a little more to my liking. The one annoying thing is they use commercial spec buffer tube, but you can always pick up a mil-spec tube for cheap and swap that out...

Out of the box, POF. The stag 10 seems to do well with minimum effort. The M&P 10 is good but very proprietary.

<$2k

The POF is nice personally I dont like the way they raised the height of the pic rail. I wonder how that would effect stock height/scope eye alignment especially in the prone.

I'd also look at Falkor Defense, the Christensen CA10, or a nice Mega Arms build which is the way I've went.

Build on Mega MaTen receivers.

Pay no mind to the finger.

Attached File

You may want to check out the Del Ton echo. I have been shooting one for a month and it's doing a good job... not too bad on the pocketbook either.  

I did a lot of reading, and about two years ago I picked up my DPMS GII Hunter.  I have never had any issues with it at all.  
It keeps a good group at 200, and eats any ammo I have fed it.  
Again this is a GII, not the old LR.  

AS

Throw the Colt 901SE into the ring.

My buddy has a 12.5" mega 762 SBR and the receivers are beautiful

Are they even making those anymore? They seem to be extremely scarce.

I have an Adam arms 308 and have been very pleased with it.

Pics of Defender 10 and steel target hits at 200 yds....

Attached File


Attached File


I estimate about 1.5 MOA using XM80 ball so far.

The kids Tac16 will do 1 MOA with Federal 168 GMM

$2000 allows you enough money to build a great rifle. I used Armalite AR10B uppers and lowers for my base, and built from there. Noveske 16" and 21" barrels.

Mega Machine or Armalite AR10A uppers and lowers are another good option. The only real difference between building an AR10 over an AR-15 is the tools you need and the amount of torque you use on the barrel nut. I use 70 foot pounds of torque on my AR10's.

$2000 will build a very nice rifle. Just make sure you stick to the design parameters,  AR10 parts are not interchangeable between brands like AR-15's.

Savage MSR-10.

Already has a slim handguard with Mlok.

Adjustable gas with cylinder, not port choke with set screw/carbon weld.

Nitrided barrel with 5R rifling.

Muzzle break included.

Only things I don't like are the furniture, but you know what you can do with furniture and it's better than adequate compared to what we see normally on factory furniture, given the QD sling socket.

7.8lbs

DEF-10 Model A.

I have to say, I'm really impressed with my Colt LE901, as is everyone who has fired it... including Sig 716, Armalite AR-10, REPR, and POF owners.

And I HATE Colt in general.

If you are looking for lightweight, the Ruger SR762 and Colt901 should not be anywhere near your radar.  Granted, some of the later variants of the 901 might be lighter, but the original model is a pig.  And as was stated a couple of times, any of the 901s are not easy to find anymore.

Of the ones I have owned, the Windham Weaponry SRC-308 was the lightest.  It was also the most unpleasant to shoot because of the light weight.  Not I don't want to shoot it unpleasant, but it definitely had more kick than the other AR10 style rifles I owned.

Could buy 2 psa pa10 and an aero m5.

If the POF Revolution is on your list, and you're okay with the over $2k price...I'd tip my hat for one.

I have met Frank the CEO of POF a number of times. Probably one of the most humble and outstanding individuals I have ever met. One of those that truly believe in their product and making it the best they can for their customer. POF itself is probably less than 15 minutes away from where I live and their customer service with the products I have of theirs has been nothing short of outstanding, even if its just me calling to ask oddball questions. Point blank: They stand behind their products.

And lets face it, a 7 pound, piston 308 crammed into the size of an AR15, with an adjustable gasblock that can reliably cycle subsonics? Whats not to love? My only word of warning: The factory muzzle brake is LOUD as all hell, but the recoil is practically non-existent for a 308.

I have too many current builds at the moment, and spending the cash on another purchase and the wife would murder me with it... otherwise the Revolution would already be in my safe.

All of that aside, I also have a Mega Maten, and the fit and finish of Mega Arms products is probably one of my favorites in the industry. I am truly excited to see what they can do with their Maten-SF when its released. No clue on the price point for that yet though.