Two seperate departments I've worked for have issued us dpms for patrol. we did have seveal problems with the rifles initally (not extracting jon one, and somting out of order with the bolt seating in the chamberb on anouther one) to their credit they fixed the problems asap when we reported them.  no body is perfect all the time it holds alot of weight with me on how a company deals with a mistake.

with that said I now work for the man and we have the old A-1 colts (don't ask why because I have no idia how they slipped through the cracks and stayed in the system) that are as wore out as a 50 year old  hooker. I think they are the old vietnam eara guns because we can't even use A-2 ammo in them,  we tried and they are tumbling head over heals at 25 meters and key holing the targets on every shot! They deffinately have to be re worked or replaced I am more apt to deploy my 500A 12 ga before these rifles in a critcle incident.

dpms is not my first choice in firearms (everybody has an opinion) but if given the choice between them what I have now I would take the dpms over my currant patrol rifle anyday.

I think the bad rap stems from the older cast recievers.

Now days DPMS is a different company with an excellent product, and Forged recievers. My partner has one of the DPMS assembled forged rifles and its a better gun than my colt was. If you spot a used one, just make sure the serial number starts with a F for forged...

I have a DPMS lower that I used with a RRA upper(2001 LEGP). It fit tight to the upper and the finish matched perfectly. Never any problems or complaints. For the money it really is about the best buy in the AR market. RRA is great but I can walk into my local shop buy DPMS for less money than RRA. I have had two RRA and just the DPMS lower, so YMMV. Hope that helps.

Quoted: OK, some people are really touting DPMS as being on par with the big dogs.  Now I’m curious. Was DPMS in the running for the DEA and FBI Hostage Rescue Team carbine contract (that RRA won)?

DPMS has stated on this board that they chose not to participate.  I wonder how many other manufactures chose not to participate.  I for one would be really interested.  What if RRA was the only participant?

I use my DPMS for High Power League and I love it.

Never have had a problem with it.

Great gun, great price. Sounds like a big freakin problem to me.

Quoted: OK, some people are really touting DPMS as being on par with the big dogs.  Now I’m curious. Was DPMS in the running for the DEA and FBI Hostage Rescue Team carbine contract (that RRA won)?

Besides what RRA and a certain vendor on this baord want you to beleive, RRA was not the only company to win the contract.  They only won part of it, and tha smallest part at that.

Quoted: I have had two bolts break at the cam pin hole, both replaced by DPMS and the chambers on the guns I sold were on the tight side and picky on ammo brands.

You are the first person I have noticed with a broken DPMS bolt.  When did you buy these rifles, any idea when they were manufactured?  I would like to find out if this was isolated to a particular lot of bolt, maybe from a certain supplier.  Do you think you had any contribution to the bolts breaking?  I'm asking because my experience with DPMS is far different.

Quoted: Could you guys please offer a chrome lined .308?

No shit; please...this would make it a hotter seller.

I have seen more broken DPMS bolts than any other brand.

Quoted: Quoted: Could you guys please offer a chrome lined .308? No shit; please...this would make it a hotter seller.

I can't keep them in stock as it is, I always have a waiting list.  I don't think DPMS could handle "hotter."  They have had to open another production line according to a recent letter from DPMS.

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Quoted:
OK, some people are really touting DPMS as being on par with the big dogs. Now I’m curious.

Was DPMS in the running for the DEA and FBI Hostage Rescue Team carbine contract (that RRA won)?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




DPMS has stated on this board that they chose not to participate. I wonder how many other manufactures chose not to participate. I for one would be really interested. What if RRA was the only participant?

Thanks for all the great replies!  
I get the impression that the vast majority of people are as happy with their DPMS products as I am.  I suppose it is true that the squeaky wheel gets the grease...or complains about a problem on as many threads as they can...

As for the above statement, I have heard the same type of statements through the grapevine.
I wish I could find cold hard facts, but there are rumors that most companies chose not to bid the contract....

tag

I currently own or have owned Bushmaster, RRA, DPMS, & ASA rifles. Can't say I ever had a serious problem with any. Most current manufactures put out quality products. Not to say that a lemon won't slip through the door from time to time. My experience tells me most problems come with parts built rifles not done correctly, or poor maintenance. DPMS is on par with the other major producers.

Quoted: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quoted: OK, some people are really touting DPMS as being on par with the big dogs. Now I’m curious. Was DPMS in the running for the DEA and FBI Hostage Rescue Team carbine contract (that RRA won)? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DPMS has stated on this board that they chose not to participate. I wonder how many other manufactures chose not to participate. I for one would be really interested. What if RRA was the only participant? Thanks for all the great replies!   I get the impression that the vast majority of people are as happy with their DPMS products as I am.  I suppose it is true that the squeaky wheel gets the grease...or complains about a problem on as many threads as they can... As for the above statement, I have heard the same type of statements through the grapevine. I wish I could find cold hard facts, but there are rumors that most companies chose not to bid the contract....

In DPMS's case Randy Luth came on the board and stated DPMS did not participate.

About a year back, there were number of posts of different people having bolts from dpms break on them.  Enough to make you sit up and notice.  Likewise, around the same time, there were even more posts of people getting barrels from dpms with overly tight or rough/poorly machined chambers.

dpms seems like a good company with their heart in the right place.  I just don't thing they have the knowledge base inhouse to put out the same quality of stuff as say Colt, CMT, or even BM.

Their 308 ap4's do interest me though.  Like the fact they use sr-25 mags and the upper comes with a dust cover and forward assist.  Just need to start making the chamber a little looser, chrome the barrel, and offer a medium weight 20" barrel.

I've seen a broken Colt bolt before.

Never dealt with them on AR parts, but I used to buy small 1911 parts from DPMS when I was in college and never had a problem with any of them. I do find it interesting that a company that does defense procurement still makes and deals in .45 parts, not to get off topic.

I've used DPMS parts to help build all of my three ARs (DPMS guy comes to the local gun shows). Zero problems. So far I'd rate DPMS right up there with RRA (who makes the majority of my AR parts). The only part on any of the AR's that I might gripe about is the Gov profile barrel I just put on my A1 replica. It's a Bushmaster and the FSB looks like my 4 year old son forged it (a little on the rough side compared to the other two).

Quoted: Quoted: OK, some people are really touting DPMS as being on par with the big dogs.  Now I’m curious. Was DPMS in the running for the DEA and FBI Hostage Rescue Team carbine contract (that RRA won)? Besides what RRA and a certain vendor on this baord want you to beleive, RRA was not the only company to win the contract.  They only won part of it, and tha smallest part at that.

Well ok, but they won part of the contract.  Along with who?  FN and Colt?  I can't remember.  They (RRA) were the only ones who didn't need a second crack at one of the function tests IIRC.

In any event, winning the contract is a credit for whoever won it, whether one two or three companies.

Quoted: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quoted: OK, some people are really touting DPMS as being on par with the big dogs. Now I’m curious. Was DPMS in the running for the DEA and FBI Hostage Rescue Team carbine contract (that RRA won)? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DPMS has stated on this board that they chose not to participate. I wonder how many other manufactures chose not to participate. I for one would be really interested. What if RRA was the only participant? Thanks for all the great replies!   I get the impression that the vast majority of people are as happy with their DPMS products as I am.  I suppose it is true that the squeaky wheel gets the grease...or complains about a problem on as many threads as they can... As for the above statement, I have heard the same type of statements through the grapevine. I wish I could find cold hard facts, but there are rumors that most companies chose not to bid the contract....

They weren't.

Nothing.

That's what's wrong with DPMS rifles. Wanan know why? Customer service. If you buy parts you can't bitch if they don't work after YOU built the rifle. If you buy a complete package from DPMS, you can expect top notch service after the sale. This is based on my personal and professional experience in dealing with them.

If you don't know something, ask them, and their sales staff (which is overworked btw) will tell you the answer with regard to their product. Without a doubt, Joe is one of the easiest people to work with. Shane, the same thing.

Most of those guys are shooters and the will do their level best to get you what you need as products become available. I see this company unveiling new products all the time, constantly expanding their product line. Bushmaster and RRA are way behind the power curve.

For instance... Hey Mr. Bushmaster sales person, what color are the extractor buffers in your 16 inch carbine supposed to be? Blue, he says. They've never had a problem with them. I finally got the parts money to change the buffers in our Buhsmasters (all 37 of them.) Our failure to extract problems disappeared. Way to go, BM.

Quoted: Quoted: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quoted: OK, some people are really touting DPMS as being on par with the big dogs. Now I’m curious. Was DPMS in the running for the DEA and FBI Hostage Rescue Team carbine contract (that RRA won)? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DPMS has stated on this board that they chose not to participate. I wonder how many other manufactures chose not to participate. I for one would be really interested. What if RRA was the only participant? Thanks for all the great replies!   I get the impression that the vast majority of people are as happy with their DPMS products as I am.  I suppose it is true that the squeaky wheel gets the grease...or complains about a problem on as many threads as they can... As for the above statement, I have heard the same type of statements through the grapevine. I wish I could find cold hard facts, but there are rumors that most companies chose not to bid the contract.... They weren't.

So, who were the others?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quoted: OK, some people are really touting DPMS as being on par with the big dogs. Now I’m curious. Was DPMS in the running for the DEA and FBI Hostage Rescue Team carbine contract (that RRA won)? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DPMS has stated on this board that they chose not to participate. I wonder how many other manufactures chose not to participate. I for one would be really interested. What if RRA was the only participant? Thanks for all the great replies!   I get the impression that the vast majority of people are as happy with their DPMS products as I am.  I suppose it is true that the squeaky wheel gets the grease...or complains about a problem on as many threads as they can... As for the above statement, I have heard the same type of statements through the grapevine. I wish I could find cold hard facts, but there are rumors that most companies chose not to bid the contract.... They weren't. So, who were the others?

Well, I think Colt and FN (or maybe it was HK...I can't remember) got the other parts of the contract so they were obviously in it.
I will have to find the article I read to be sure but if I remember correctly it said there were 10 or 12 entries.  Who they all were, I don't know but I read something saying how many entered.  I will do a search and see if I can find it.

article

"In September, 2002, the DEA issued a request for samples to meet a very broad set of requirements and a total of 11 "offerors" submitted the three required samples for testing."

"only four progressed to the "Endurance/Functional Reliability" test."

RRA did not require the "do-over" in the additional 5000 round test tacked on at the end.  Two other companies’ products did apparently.

I have a DPMS barrel .... no problems whatsoever.

Quoted: article "In September, 2002, the DEA issued a request for samples to meet a very broad set of requirements and a total of 11 "offerors" submitted the three required samples for testing." "only four progressed to the "Endurance/Functional Reliability" test." RRA did not require the "do-over" in the additional 5000 round test tacked on at the end.  Two other companies’ products did apparently.

"semiauto carbine chambered for the .223 Remington"  Also, in the article, right at the top.  The "semiauto carbine chambered for the .223 Remington" may not have been AR 15s.  One might have the Ruger Mini 14 for all we know.  Does anyone know who the other participants were?

Quoted: Quoted: article "In September, 2002, the DEA issued a request for samples to meet a very broad set of requirements and a total of 11 "offerors" submitted the three required samples for testing." "only four progressed to the "Endurance/Functional Reliability" test." RRA did not require the "do-over" in the additional 5000 round test tacked on at the end.  Two other companies’ products did apparently. "semiauto carbine chambered for the .223 Remington"  Also, in the article, right at the top.  The "semiauto carbine chambered for the .223 Remington" may not have been AR 15s.  One might have the Ruger Mini 14 for all we know.  Does anyone know who the other participants were?

Yeah, it might have been.

Anyway, I can't remember who the other two were that got a piece of the contract...Colt and FN or HK I think.  The others, I don't know.  Never saw a list.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: article "In September, 2002, the DEA issued a request for samples to meet a very broad set of requirements and a total of 11 "offerors" submitted the three required samples for testing." "only four progressed to the "Endurance/Functional Reliability" test." RRA did not require the "do-over" in the additional 5000 round test tacked on at the end.  Two other companies’ products did apparently. "semiauto carbine chambered for the .223 Remington"  Also, in the article, right at the top.  The "semiauto carbine chambered for the .223 Remington" may not have been AR 15s.  One might have the Ruger Mini 14 for all we know.  Does anyone know who the other participants were? Yeah, it might have been. Anyway, I can't remember who the other two were that got a piece of the contract...Colt and FN or HK I think.  The others, I don't know.  Never saw a list.

Colt got a contract for some more M4's and Sig got a contract for a 55X carbine. RRA got the smallest contract of the group, yet still technically won the competition.

WIZZO

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: article "In September, 2002, the DEA issued a request for samples to meet a very broad set of requirements and a total of 11 "offerors" submitted the three required samples for testing." "only four progressed to the "Endurance/Functional Reliability" test." RRA did not require the "do-over" in the additional 5000 round test tacked on at the end.  Two other companies’ products did apparently. "semiauto carbine chambered for the .223 Remington"  Also, in the article, right at the top.  The "semiauto carbine chambered for the .223 Remington" may not have been AR 15s.  One might have the Ruger Mini 14 for all we know.  Does anyone know who the other participants were? Yeah, it might have been. Anyway, I can't remember who the other two were that got a piece of the contract...Colt and FN or HK I think.  The others, I don't know.  Never saw a list. Colt got a contract for some more M4's and Sig got a contract for a 55X carbine. RRA got the smallest contract of the group, yet still technically won the competition. WIZZO

SIG!!!  That's it!  I couldn't remember.  I was thinking FN or HK for some reason.  Thanks, WIZZO.

I never did see anything about the other 8 companies though.  I would like to know who they were.

Quoted: Their gas keys are staked wrong or not at all. Maybe DPMS Industry Partner can clear this up for us.

Had that problem 2 weeks ago with a RRA upper.  How can I stake them properly?  

Thanks!

Brad

Wasn't there a run of Bushmaster carriers where the gas keys weren't even staked?

rough exterior finish on their bolt carriers, both phosphate finish and the TiN carrier.

I was lookng to purchase one from a local shop and was able to handle 4 different examples.

All showed the same finish (or lack there of).

I did not buy a DPMS bolt carrier that day.



their forged lowers may be the tits though...I haven't held one yet.

For the price I like their lower and A2 upper kits. Lowers are made by one of the bigger makers and worked fine for me.  No problems for me with their carriers. The rails look fine on all the ones I got from them and that is the only part that rides in the upper.

Ordered their gas tubes from two different vendors and sent some of them back. The offset was not true on them and they were difficult to align.

Quoted: rough exterior finish on their bolt carriers, both phosphate finish and the TiN carri their forged lowers may be the tits though...I haven't held one yet.

Not the two I've owned

The first one was bought bought as a complete lower assy, and silly me didn't bother to check it over.  Bad mistake on my part.

Buttstock was gouged on the side. Bolt holdopen so out of spec it had to be replaced immediately, because it gouged the upper every time it engaged.

And worst of all, the cut in the front lugs was off center, so the upper mounted in a tilted to the left position.

Sold that piece off

Second lower bought stripped, for my M16 lookalike project, simply because it was a perfect edge fit for the Colt upper. If I hadn't been planning to reshape the front wall and rear ring to early configuration, I never would have touched the thing.  Forge lines at the front and rear were horrible. In fact the one at the rear was so thick and raw, that you couldn't hold the assembled piece w/o it gouging your hand. And the forge line inside the trigger area was the same. It would gouge your finger if you didn't insert the finger carefully. Front wall looked like it had been shaped by a monkey.

Have used DPMS internals, and have mixed feelings about them.  The hammers are great. The triggers are OK. about par for the aftermarket these days.  Lower receiver extentions are only black anodized, not finish coated; so if you want to avoid a shiny black ring around the back of the lower, break out the  spray can.  Buffers look good, but the finish is so flimsy that the front  face of the one I have shows more shiny bare metal after a couple of hundred rounds, than the Colt buffer on my class 3 piece does after 25+ years and countless thousands.

Push pins are staright off the screw machine and full of tool marks, and I have to finish them off before installation.

Note.  In general, my comments refer to essentially appearance type stuff.  Even the off center cut lower I mentioned functioned OK.  If you want the cheapest priced, DPMS is probably ok for you. I often use their parts simply because they're about the least expensive of the US made replacement pieces.  

My own personal preferences though are:

Colt GI surp parts ('cause I won't pay the outrageous prices Colt gets for new stuff)
Bushmaster
DPMS comes in a distant third, and Rock River, as far as I can see gets their stuff from the same contractors, and charges more.

Haven't tried any of the Conti pieces yet, so can't comment.

I HAVE HAD A DPMS DISSY UPPER BLOW THE GAS BLOCK OFF THE BARREL AFTER ONLY 500 ROUNDS BUT THE FIXED IT FOR ME NO PROBLEM AND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW GAS BLOCK