AR10 variant difference

[freakshow10mm]

Thinking about building a .308 caliber AR style rifle.

I've heard there is a difference between the DPMS and Armalite stype uppers and lowers. What are the differences and how do they have an overall effect on the performance of the weapon? I was thinking of using a CMMG lower. What upper would need to match it? I'm going to piece it together myself and won't be doing a "buy and upper and build the lower" deal. I'm assembling everything myself from scratch.

 

[alistaire]

Armalite/eagle arms designed thier AR10 from scratch using m16 parts where practical for availability. Since this was during the AW ban, they designed a magazine derived from the M14 mag which the could remanufacture into legal pre-ban AR10 mags. The M14 mag used a slight tilt (apparently for better feeding) so Armalite's mag well is tilted.
You should not mix Armalite uppers and lowers with DPMS/Knight's Armament etc, The Armalite website has a history section covering this.

According to this: http://www.armalite.com/Categories.aspx?Category=376e8176-9800-47af-ad62-932357d7be9f
LMT did most of the design work on the Armalite AR-10.

See also:http://www.armalite.com/images/Tech Notes/TECH NOTE 71 AR-10 Magazines 090603 Rev 0 Final.pdf

 

[freakshow10mm]

So CMMG lower means DPMS or KAC upper with DPMS mags?

 

[nyresq]

yes, armalite/eagle only works with armalite/eagle... and only armalite mags or M14 mags modified with them.

the DPMS design is compatable with the others and the DPMS mags are what everyone else uses, but some have said they done work without some modification in stoner SR-25 rifles...

 

[freakshow10mm]

Thanks. Looks like CMMG lower with DPMS upper then whatever else I can think of wrapped around that.

 

[taliv]

good question. i was kind of wondering that myself. i have two SR-25s, but had been pondering a 260rem build out of dpms parts. definitely a back-burner project for me, but good info nonetheless

 

[nyresq]

260rem is the way to go... superior balistics for paper punching, and a flatter trajectory with less recoil. whats not to like?

 

[freakshow10mm]

Reason I'm going with a .308 is I got 400 blemished Hornady 175gr BTHP-M bullets for $75 shipped. I need something to shoot them. Thinking for an excuse to build or buy a .308 and then I can start offering .308 ammo too.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I have had both. Armalite mags require dremeling to work in an Armalite rifle - and I mean brand new mags. DPMS don't. Get a DPMS.

260rem is the way to go... superior balistics for paper punching, and a flatter trajectory with less recoil. whats not to like?

I have to agree, since my DPMS is in .260. Buuuut, I dunno if DPMS still makes them - when you click on any .260 on their website, it says page cannot be found or some such. Not so with the .338s, .243s, and 6.5 creedmoor.