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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Questions for DPMS owners please (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 4/7/2007 10:44:54 AM EDT
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I'm almost for sure gonna buy a DPMS. I'd like to get some opinions about accuracy/reliability/etc on these. I would like experienced opinions from people who own, have owned or at least have trigger time on them. I already know that they arent' mil-spec...so please spare me that lecture. This will be my second AR behind a Bushmaster...if I could shell out cash for for the top shelf stuff then I would, but the price on the DPMS starts at $675 NIB out the door!! Thanks! |
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I have a DPMS lower that has been SBR'd. The trigger pins are loose....So loose that you can push them out with your fingers! I have since remedied the problem with KNS pins. I own Colt and LMT, and the one DPMS lower....It will be the last DPMS product I purchase. Sean |
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I have used private label DPMS lower parts kits in 4 builds for myself, my father and 2 friends so far. The quality has been great and the triggers have been surprisingly awesome. For a whole rifle, as long as you are aware of the difference between a $600 and $1200 rifle then there is nothing to worry about. Buy it and enjoy it at the range! |
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Out of all the ARs I've owned and fired, I really feel that the price-to-performance ratio on a DPMS is the best out of all the makes. They have the nicest triggers for the money, the best accuracy for the money and the best fit-and-finish for the money. RRAs and Colts and Wilson Combats all cost more. But, in my estimation, their cost-to-benefit ratio begins to show a diminishing return. Especially when you plonk twice the cash for a Colt only to have a 20% increase in performance. If you buy a DPMS, I'm sure you'll be pleased with your purchase. |
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Bought a brand new one with all the bells and whistles. Not happy with the quality or the fit and finish. Sent it back to DPMS for better mating of upper and lower then got it back the same as before. This is my first, only and last DPMS. Save your cash and buy a better rifle, Armalite, Bushmaster, Colt, RRA etc... You'll find out, like I did, that you trully get what you pay for! |
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I bought a complete rifle and have had 0 problems with it. I have now shot about 2000 rounds and it continues to work flawlessly. I loved it so much I used I used their upper and lower receivers to create my first build. Everything worked great except the RRA charging handle. Gonna' get DPMS. |
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I have a Panther Carbine that will eat anything and is as accurate as I can be. I examined it side by side with a Bushmaster and could see no appriceable difference in the two. I actually prefer my DPMS to the Colts we have at work on the finish alone. Also I know that my gun is 100% reliable unlike our work Colts. Kool Aid comes in different flavors. |
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Well, I have a Bushmaster and really like it. In this case, I can get the DPMS version of the 20" A2 for almost $200 less than the Bushmaster. I think I'm gonna try the DPMS just to see for myself how it goes. There are some mixed reviews here, but enough people with good experiences to give it a try. If I don't like it I'll trade the sucker back in and get a Bushmaster or Armalite!!! |
| DPMS turns out some good stuff, and also some total garbage. If you can see what you're buying and you like it, fine; but don't buy anything DPMS mail order. When you do, it's a craps shoot. It might be fine, and it might look like it was put together by a retarded monkey. |
| 1 complete rifle from DPMS. Fit and finish was great when it came out of the box. functions reliably, even shooting Monarch brass ammo (russian, dirty, yuk). Im using $10 mags too, one of which is suspected of causing a rifle at work to not feed correctly when loaded with more than 25 rds. Have not had a chance to get a good group on it yet, just been doing reflexive drills (need to find the ol' buddy holly glasses from basic, 20/50 vision doesnt produce dime size groups no matter how good your rifle is) |
I would say to go with the classic A2 20" Gov't profile. One of these days, when I get done buying some of the older battle rifles, I am going to do an A1 or A2 20". |
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I have not had one problem with any of my DPMS builds. I use their lowers and uppers with an RRA LPK with 2 stage trigger and all is well. Accurate, really accurate, no hiccups, dependable, and a great value. I think that I would rather take a Colt or LMT to battle, but for anything aside from all out combat DPMS is the way to go. Get a railed 20'' with an Ace stock! |
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I have a little experience with two DPMS uppers, one is a flatop-16"/Superior Arms lower, and the other is a A2-16"/Sun Devil lower. Both lowers have DPMS lower parts kits. Went out last weekend for a little test-firing. only about 50 rounds thru both, everything functioned fine. I know this is not a well used upper report....but everything worked!h.gif I will be working on another build...and will be using DPMS barrels for that one. Go and buy with confidence. |
I have a M-4 type DPMS upper receiver (Chrome-lined barrel too) which works and shoots great!! I have shot all types of ammo through it, including Wolf, and after 2,000 round, not one fail FTF or FTE. Eats everything I put through it! I have used both Stag and DPMS LPK for all my guns and my friends also. The only complaint I have is the trigger guard pin; I always have to grind it down a bit with a Dremel tool inorde for it to go in smoothly. Otherwise, all parts fit and function fine. If you order from DPMS, make sure you buy a Chrome-lined barrel ($35 or $40 USD extra), and if you can, a barrel with 1/7 twist. Unlike Bushmaster or Stag, it is an extra option (but well worth it). Just be advised that the DPMS is EXTRTEAMELY back logged with orders, and their wait times are long!! My next build is a Fulton .308 lower with a DPMS AP-4 .308 upper, and the wait time is 14 to 20 weeks. |
I don't see this option on the DPMS Web site!? |
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Don’t walk away... run. Run away. So I pretty much despise DPMS. I had special ordered two complete rifles (one for me and one for a friend) and both were junk. Tried to get DPMS to make things right, but they wouldn’t have anything to do with it. Save your money up and get something worth having, another Bushmaster perhaps. |
Could you elaborate on exactly what was wrong with the guns? "They were junk" is not very instructive. 
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I've never heard of DPMS not making something right. Wanna fill in some detail? |
I agree that Bushmaster is a very solid choice, but DPMS has always treated me well. What exactly was wrong with your rifles? |
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I'll go first. I only had an upper. It ate bolt rings in a few hundred rounds. The upper receiver was out of spec and an ARMS sir would not go on it. I had several reliability issues, one of them being the impact of a key and a gas tube. The staking was poor. The finish on the carrier was rough and the finish on the upper flaked. The carrier cycled roughly. The plastic grips were made cheaply compared with the Colt M4 handguards I am accustomed to. They had one shield, which may or may not be a good thing, depending... Other DPMS products I have used have been less than reliable as well, but I didn't break them down and study them, as they weren't mine. I have observed flaws in every DPMS I have examined. They also don't cut all of their 5.56mm marked chambers to 5.56mm spec. |
How long ago were these problems? Current or very recent production, or early examples? |
| I have all the pieces to build an AR, but have not got around to actually doing it yet. I have a DPMS lower, a DPMS lower parts kit, the 20 in A3 upper from the bushmaster tax time sale, and a Bushmaster A2 stock. This will be my first build. I read in this thread that DPMS rifles are not mil-spec, which part is actually not mil-spec? I bought everything thinking it would all fit together fine, I hope I wont be dissapointed. As far as the quality of the DPMS lower, it looks great, but now I'm worried everything wont fit together. |
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I have 2 DPMS ARs in the safe. My 15 and a buddies 10 (he joined the Army and left the gun with me, to use and store. Yeh, sweet deal!.) I love both guns. No problems, except some serious jams with mine because of primers pushing out of the back of Olympic ammo. Good guns in every aspect. Buy it up. Oh, but I remember it was a 2 month wait on my custom order. Not a real fast turn-around. |
03-04. I have seen serious flaws with rifles made as late as last fall though. |
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Questions for DPMS owners please (Page 1 of 2)
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