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Posted: 10/24/2025 9:39:28 PM EDT
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A couple local guys have DPMS, AERO and Springfield AR-10 for sale. I have .308,bolt gun, owned several FAL’s. But, I know nothing about the AR-10 platform. I want one because I never have owned one. Probably a range toy, maybe hunt out of a box blind or SHTF/ larping. I have been reading here, and more confused. I mean are mags interchangeable? Small frame v large frame I see the difference in stores. Are any of the local guys guns worth checking out? |
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I bought my DPMS AP4 LR-308 in 2012. Have never had a failure with it. Looks like this one but with factory carry handle. Attached File My eyes and the irons are good to about 250 on a 10” gong. Furthest I have shot it with an optic was a little over 550. Still put 8/10 on steel. I use the factory DPMS mags and Pmags. Round count is around 2700 +/- a few. Likes 145/147 fmjbt commercial and milsurp. Most accurate with 168 ballistic tip. Did not like 190 SMKs. Hope this helps. |
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I've had 4 DPMS lr308 now as well as a CMMG MK3 which is a copy of the DPMS they are a large frame, they weigh in depends on barrel length and setup anywhere from 10 lbs. up to 18 lbs. my SASS was in the 18 range when setup, they have all shot around moa or better with good ammo and a good trigger pull . they all have been in 308 for myself i stayed with that LR308 pattern because everything except the upper fore end and the bolt carrier group, everything else is standard AR15 pattern, my triggers are all 2.5 lbs drop in CMC flat that i can switch out with any AR trigger as well as grips, buffer tubes or stocks. can use any magpul p mag, dura mag steel or DPMS steel mags, for myself the weight of the large frames have never been an issue i set them up as i need them and suck it up . I stayed with this pattern because of the years of shooting the DPMS pattern , you learn how to make them run doesn't matter the setup , most problems if any will be over gassed or setting up a full stock or carbine to run . this one is a 16 inch i use it for varmits and deer hunting , it weighs in the pic loaded with 10 rounds and a K can right at 13 lbs Ive never used any Aero 308 parts on mine so i don't know how the parts fit or if you have to modify to fit the LR308 pattern  |
All Gave Some / Some Gave All
Maj. Richard Ayers
4-16-70
http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/a/a048.htm
Maj. Richard Ayers
4-16-70
http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/a/a048.htm
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i bought pieces/parts of an Aero M5 (upper/lower) then a Criterion 16" 308 barrel, a Wilson combat MLOK rail, LaRue trigger, and a Toolcraft BCG. Basically everything designed to fit in a DPMS "large" platform. having read all of the gassing issues, I bought an Aero adjustable gas block. Went together like a dream but had awful issues with the BCG so I sent that back, got an Aero nitride BCG and everything funtioned fine. This was my "poor man's clone" of my DD M5 308 factory rifle. It cost a bit more than 1/2 as much and shoots 95% as well. In summary, I'd say do it if you are looking for a 308. Looking back I probably would not have bought the factory DD if I know what I do now. It all went together great, fit and finish are great also. |
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There are is no real standard pattern for the 308 pattern ARs. The closest there was was back in the day when there was a DPMS pattern rifles or Armalite pattern. DPMS took SR25 pattern mags and Armalite had a different cut on their upper and lowers and they used the modified m14 mags. There was also the Rock River 308 that used FAL mags. From there, Armalite caved and came out with a model that took the SR25 mags which outsells the original. Companies like Aero built components and you could assemble a 308 in the pattern you wanted from their catalog. Then DPMS came out with the small pattern 308. A 308 with a shortened receiver that is much closer to the size of an AR15. Colt came out with something similar in the 901. And Ruger came out with their's (I think it is a small frame). Palmetto had a small frame....there are probably more. Then Remington went bankrupt and DPMS got sold off. Palmetto state bought them up and now owns everything DPMS. I think the bulk of their rifles are the DPMS LR308 patterned but they may be making small frame models too. If you want to put together a 308, you have to be very careful and do a lot of research into your components to make sure they they are going to fit. The LR308 pattern is probably the only route to go at this point and the best place to start is with an upper and lower from the same source. From there you can purchase bolt carrier, LPK and barrels from other sources. But frankly, just buying a rifle outright is best option. Just pick the one you want. I think Palmetto makes decent stuff and are really good fixing defects. They have a M110 clone they put out under their Sabre brand, that looks pretty sweet. You can also order the upper and lower separate to avoid some excise taxes. They will send you a shipping lable and get it back to you fairly quickly. But there are plenty of decent rifles out there. And I don't know what is going on with Aero currently towards the end of last year they were taking orders but no shipping. This was going on for months and there was speculation that they had ripped a lot people off and were going to go bankrupt. Then there was some info that got out that there were some internal problems in the company but they were working it out and started to ship again. IDK what the current status is. |
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Originally Posted By zoe17: A couple local guys have DPMS, AERO and Springfield AR-10 for sale. I have .308,bolt gun, owned several FAL’s. But, I know nothing about the AR-10 platform. I want one because I never have owned one. Probably a range toy, maybe hunt out of a box blind or SHTF/ larping. I have been reading here, and more confused. I mean are mags interchangeable? Small frame v large frame I see the difference in stores. Are any of the local guys guns worth checking out? One recommendation - Stay with the DPMS pattern, much easier to find accessories. All of the rifles mentioned above are DPMS pattern so which ever suits your fancy and the price is right. They all use the same DPMS pattern mags, which is as close to de facto standard as it gets for AR10 (all PMags are in this pattern). I would have picked up a small frame AR 308 if I didn't already assembed 2 using CMMG and DPMS receivers. The small frame 308 would be around <8 lbs (16") instead of 10 lbs. Accuracy is all depends on barrel and ammo, this example is my 16" using a Mega Arms. It would hold 1 moa using Sheep Dog ammo (not sure if they're still around) 168 gr ballistic tip (nosler ?). Rung IPSC size steel at 600 yds (under the clock in matches) without much trouble. Shot with Burris MTAC 1.5x6X scope. Attached File Attached File |
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I think the DPMS ARs are built solid - look and feel like they can shoot many thousands of rounds and keep on running. With a good barrel they are as accurate as any. I have am Aero that I built but it's not quite the tack driver that the DPMS is with the HBAR. Those barrels were known for being pretty accurate. The majority of after market stuff is based on the large frame DPMS pattern - including the AERO - which is about as much of a standard as there is. The real (Armalite) AR-10 is slightly different in several ways. The smal frame AR308s all seem to be pretty proprietary and there really isn't much of a standard. |
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guys would get so mad if you called a DPMS an AR10....lol They had a whole section here just to the AR10 and if you posted DPMS pattern stuff in there you would get flogged. Armalite should have just let progress happen and they would have been the standard. But since they didn't DPMS came out with their version which was much cheaper/easier to get and dominated the marketplace. Now AR10 is anything not AR15. I have an Areo upper/lower with DPMS barrel....I put it together about 10 years ago and have yet to shoot it......this thread reminds me that I need to see if it works. |
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Originally Posted By backbencher: Take a hard look at the Ruger SFAR, OP. F everything about a Ruger. "No honest man needs more than a ten round magazine" - Bill Ruger. He worked with Clinton to bring you the AWB. Ruger is not a friend to the civilian gun community. Its like a young Jew goes to temple to show off his new brown shirt and jackboots. The congregation is aghast, god smacked, and bewildered by their shear stupidity supporting those who tried to destroy us in the past. |
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Originally Posted By Carbinekid: F everything about a Ruger. "No honest man needs more than a ten round magazine" - Bill Ruger. He worked with Clinton to bring you the AWB. Ruger is not a friend to the civilian gun community. Its like a young Jew goes to temple to show off his new brown shirt and jackboots. The congregation is aghast, god smacked, and bewildered by their shear stupidity supporting those who tried to destroy us in the past. |
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Here's two, one is slant and the other DPMS. add: when I say slant cut, it's Armalite pattern. look at the rear where upper/lower mate, DPMS is more curved whereas Armalite is slant. Some makers have proprietary parts, such as pivot/takedown pins, carriers too.<--I can't speak to which carrier is which. I bought what I needed years ago, now I forgot which is which. DPMS shelf height is generally what you seek I think. The one on vice is DPMS  This one is slant cut  I now prefer the slant cut, both work well though. One post says easier to get parts for DPMS. I totally agree. |
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Originally Posted By piperpa24: I think the DPMS ARs are built solid - look and feel like they can shoot many thousands of rounds and keep on running. With a good barrel they are as accurate as any. I have am Aero that I built but it's not quite the tack driver that the DPMS is with the HBAR. Those barrels were known for being pretty accurate. The majority of after market stuff is based on the large frame DPMS pattern - including the AERO - which is about as much of a standard as there is. The real (Armalite) AR-10 is slightly different in several ways. The smal frame AR308s all seem to be pretty proprietary and there really isn't much of a standard. The medium frame DPMS Gen 2 (G2) was designed by Remington - is proprietary - and is dead. The medium frame Colt 901 was able to accept AR-15 upper receivers w/ an adapter - is proprietary - and is dead. The small frame POF Rogue is a .308 w/ a 16" barrel - 5.9 lbs. The small frame Ruger SFAR is a near copy of the Rogue at 7.1 lbs. They're both using AR-15 length receivers, by taking out the rear curve over the pistol grip and shifting the FCG rearward. Some parts and assemblies interchange between the POF & the Ruger, but I've not seen anyone demonstrate which parts on video. |
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Originally Posted By zoe17: Thanks for the info. YW Add: What ya want to know with any LFAR maker is which cut pattern it is, be it Armalite pattern (slant, accepts Magpul mags) -or- DPMS. Most common you'll see usually is DPMS (think Aero-they made doing a LFAR easy). There can be different shelf heights uppers. Pay attention to that. There are two, i just remember I seek the high shelf because most handguards in LFAR match that height. AR-10=Armalite/slant cut receivers DPMS=LR-308/rounded cut recievers-can have different shelf heights on upper. Otherwise, there's no real issues. If you roll your own, just get the same receivers i.e. Aero upper/lower=DPMS, high shelf, most handguards I came across will work with it. Select your barrel/chamber. Use the Aero LFAR LPK. Select trigger. Done, well not done but that's major part of it. I really like Centurion's frame set. If I were to do another, that frame set is what it would be. But, in terms of cost effectiveness, the Aero frame set, LPK, least headache/cost. Allows you to choose barrel/trigger/handguard/gas system<--pay attention to that so it won't hiccup. .308's act differently I wanted carbine .308's. So I went 16" rifle gas barrels. No hiccups. This is from (The Primary Source; Primary Arms site I believe). Good at explaining differences you see on the market today. "Armalite offers both Type A and Type B rifles, which have slightly different lower receivers. DPMS, for its part, offers high and low upper receivers, which have slightly different upper rail heights. As such, it is essential to verify that your parts are properly matched before assembling your rifle. Even beyond this incompatibility, though, there are a number of components that must be matched specifically to one rifle or the other. Barrel nuts, for example, are not interchangeable, but instead must be matched to the pattern of your upper receiver. AR-10 and LR-308 upper receivers have different thread patterns, making it impossible to use the other’s barrel nut successfully. Gas tubes also have dimensional variations, with the AR-10 gas tube being slightly longer than the LR-308 tube. As such, an AR-10 tube in an LR-308 receiver would protrude too far into the receiver, whereas the inverse would not reach all the way to the gas block. Lastly, it is essential that the bolt carrier group and barrel extension patterns be matched: i.e., use an Armalite BCG with an Armalite barrel, never a DMPS BCG with an Armalite barrel. The headspace dimensions of the two patterns are different, meaning that mixing them could result in a dangerous, though fireable, firearm at risk for catastrophic failure. Most other parts, including charging handles, gas blocks, trigger components, detents and springs, etc., are interchangeable." |
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