Help me pick a .308 AR

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henschman

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Hello, I am looking for a .308 AR for Second Amendment purposes. I also have an M1A and am definitely going to keep it too, but I am thinking about getting something that is a little more optic-friendly and easier to fit with a collapsible stock and modular handguard.

Anyway, I have some requirements for the rifle that narrows the field down significantly. I want:

At least a 20" barrel
Chrome lined bore and chamber
At least rifle-length AR sight radius
Front sight base attached to barrel
Ability to add a modular handguard
Flat top receiver
Under 10 lbs. unloaded

From my online searching, it would appear that there is a very limited market for chrome lined barrels for .308 ARs. I haven't seen any available for the DPMS pattern. Armalite seems to be the only one who makes one in a light profile, which is probably necessary to meet my weight requirements.

So it looks to me like my only options are to buy an Armalite, or build a rifle with an Armalite barrel. Pricing all the parts, it looks like I could buy a whole AR-10 for the same price or less than what it would cost to build a rifle on a DPMS-pattern receiver with an Armalite barrel.

So right now, I'm leaning toward the AR-10. Planned mods would be a carbine receiver extension and CTR stock, Troy TRX-308 12" handguard, iron sights, and the 5.5x ACOG that I currently use on my M1A.

What do you think? And do any of you know of anywhere I can get a 20" light profile chrome lined barrel in DPMS pattern? Any input would be appreciated.
 
I'm not seeing a lightweight AR-10 bbl. on the Armalite website. With all the mods you want to do, have you thought about ordering an LMT MWS .308 with the 20" bbl? You'd have a your railed handguard, iron sights, carbine extension, and the LMT SOPMOD stock. If you don't like the SOPMOD stock, they're easy to sell. Other than bbls. you'd have DPMS / KAC pattern parts compatibility. Considering the UK MOD recently adopted the MWS .308 I wouldn't worry about barrels. I know it's not exactly what you want, but it's the only chrome lined bbl alternative I can find for you. I'm not sure if the KAC SR-25 is chrome lined or not, and that's going to be your other major option in the DPMS / KAC pattern.
 
Buy a complete AR10 from ArmaLite, life time warranty to original buyer. The ArmaLite 10A4BF has a 20" double lapped, chrome lined barrel. Comes with a tactical two stage trigger that is easy to upgrade to NM specs. This rifle should easily shoot moa and have a milder recoil than your M1A.
 
madcratebuilder said:
Buy a complete AR10 from ArmaLite, life time warranty to original buyer. The ArmaLite 10A4BF has a 20" double lapped, chrome lined barrel. Comes with a tactical two stage trigger that is easy to upgrade to NM specs. This rifle should easily shoot moa and have a milder recoil than your M1A.
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this is great advice
 
For that exact feature set I think Armalite is it.

You might want to check out the LMT MWS 308 as another option. It doesn't offer a 20" chrome lined barrel (choice of 16" chrome lined or 20" stainless, IIRC) and the FSB is on the monolithic upper instead of the barrel, but it's a great .308 platform.
 
Here is a link to the Armalite 20" light profile barrels. It is what comes standard on their AR-10s: http://www.armalite.com/ItemForm.as...Category=7c507152-dc24-48a0-aa95-f7998786f57b

Yeah, the 20" SS on the MWS just makes the rifle too heavy for what I have in mind. I'm thinking more "battle rifle" and less "long range precision" for this one. As for the SR-25, the EM comes with a 20" chrome lined barrel, but the rifle weighs over 10 lbs (I bet the barrel is heavier than Armalite's). Plus it costs 3x more and doesn't give you that much more than what an AR-10 does. I wouldn't keep the adjustable A2 stock or the quad rail anyway. Also, it appears that KAC doesn't even sell barrels or other spare parts for these rifles. That is a major deal breaker for me, since I like to keep spare parts for my 2A purpose rifles.

There is also the FN SCAR 17 LB with the 20" barrel. It has a 20" CL barrel and is amazingly light weight, plus it runs on a gas piston and has a side charging handle, which I greatly prefer to the AR charging handle; but I don't like how you are stuck with stubby carbine-length handguards and sight radius. I also don't like how you can't change out the handguards -- I don't like quad rails. I greatly prefer a modular handguard where you can put rails just when and where you want them.

Does anybody know of somebody who can make me a custom chrome lined barrel in DPMS pattern?
 
my favorite is the Armalite AR10A2, good battle rifle. got an older Bushmaster in same configuration. both are shooters with iron sights. wear good ear protection.
 
Rock River LAR-8 has some qualities Armalite can't match. First, it actually works, unlike Armalite. Second, you can find plenty of cheap mags that work,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,unlike Armalite. Third, they are priced better than Armalite. Fourth, unlike Armalite, they have customer service.




I owned two different Armalite guns, both had issues they had no interest in fixing or resolving and neither worked well enough with factory mags to use for anything but goofing around.

Rock River makes a great gun, DPMS has solid reviews from quite a few people as well. Don't buy into the hype on the Armalite web page, unless you want a gun to look at and never fire.
 
Here is a link to the Armalite 20" light profile barrels. It is what comes standard on their AR-10s: http://www.armalite.com/ItemForm.asp...5-f7998786f57b
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That's a government profile bbl, not a light profile bbl. Here's the LMT 20" government profile chrome lined bbl - http://www.lmtstore.com/bolts-carriers-groups/barrels/308-barrels/lm308b220.html.
If you want a battle rifle rathen than a long range precision rifle why are you hung up on a 20" bbl? For your stated use a 16" or 18" bbl would be more than adequate.
 
I have one of the new Bushmasters LR308s. Not sure if they have a 20" version. Its made by the same company as DPMS and shares alot in common. But it come with a chrome lined barrel chamber and carrier. Comes with a 16" heavy barrel and is sub moa with match ammo. Takes 308 pmags!

They have one with a front sight base.

I like the size for for ease of carrying etc. Its also light to carry. Pic:

IMG_3512.jpg
 
"...for Second Amendment purposes."

Ohhhhh-kay.

Other than that, WHAT do you intend to use it for?

Why hung up on the "chrome-lined barrel?"
You're just creating a financial/availability problem for yourself, and for no good reason.
 
lonegunman said:
I owned two different Armalite guns, both had issues they had no interest in fixing or resolving and neither worked well enough with factory mags to use for anything but goofing around.
Click to expand...
Can you elaborate on what problems you had and what Armalite customer service did/did not do? Also, what mags were you using? The Gen 1 converted M14 mags? Were they the ones that came in the box, or after market ones?

As for the LAR-8, they have the 20" barrel and meet the weight requirement, but they don't offer a chrome lined barrel. That is a deal breaker for me. This will not be a hobby rifle that sees only casual use.

Those Bushmaster ORCs are nice if you want a 16", but don't offer a 20" barrel.

The reason I want a longer barrel is because I do not want a large muzzle signature in low light, nor do I want a large muzzle blast. I also like the extra velocity, since I sometimes shoot out to 1000 yards. I have shot short-barreled .308s and do not care for them. In short, I want the longer barrel because that is what I have on my M1A and I like what it does for me -- I just want something that is more ergonomic and optics friendly. Better accuracy is just an added bonus.
 
Armalite CS has been awesome on both problems I had with two different weapons. Both were new "store-stock" items, one had a cosmetic flaw in the handguard, the other was missing the second magazine advertized to be included. Both times the items were sent on just my word.

The gen II mags are nothing like the converted M14 mags, they are top-quality and feel like you could drive over them without damage. But it is also a plus that you can convert mil-surp M14 mags if you wanted to
 
Here is a custom cl bbl for the ar10...
http://criterionbarrels.com/ProductPages/AR10.html

According to the site above, you can buy one from Fulton Armory, but all I found in a std weight AR 308 bbl was an 18in tube. (You might give them a call however, and/or contact Criterion directly.

If the Criterion AR chrome lined std weight tubes shoot as well as the M14 tubes, then this will make for an outstanding bbl for your AR10. Both of mine are std weight chrome lined 18.5in bbls, and one will shoot just as well as the SAI M1A medium weight 22in chrome molly tubes. ( I havent had a chance to shoot the LRB M14SA yet)

If it were me, I would go with a new Armalite, and especially if my requirements were as yours are.

FWIW.... My 18.5in (M14) with SEI Vortex direct connect flash hider reduces more flash in low light while compared to my 22in bbl M14S with a GI flash hider.
If your referring to the 16in bbl socom with it's factory muzzle brake, then I would agree with you.
Neither of them will give you the sight radius of a 22in bbl M14/M1A however.

11B
 
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"...for Second Amendment purposes."

Ohhhhh-kay.

Other than that, WHAT do you intend to use it for?

Why hung up on the "chrome-lined barrel?"
You're just creating a financial/availability problem for yourself, and for no good reason.
Click to expand...

Other than for 2A purposes? Why do you need to know any other purposes? I just stated that is going to be the primary purpose for the rifle. If you have advice it would be appreciated, but I can do without the sarcasm.

No good reason for chrome lining? Come on... lasts 3x longer than CM, corrosion resistant, more reliable extraction when dirty, and cleans easier. There is a reason just about every battle rifle since the 50s has been designed with it.

Fragout, thanks for the info. I know Criterion is good stuff... their site says they make a CL barrel in 20", but Fulton only lists the 18". Maybe they could order me a 20" if I asked them. I know their .308s are DPMS/KAC pattern. You are probably right that I would be better off just buying an AR-10 though.
 
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sansone said:
The gen II mags are nothing like the converted M14 mags, they are top-quality and feel like you could drive over them without damage. But it is also a plus that you can convert mil-surp M14 mags if you wanted to
Click to expand...

+1

The GenII mags eliminated all the feeding problems of the GenI's. The biggest problem with the GenI's was people used cheap import M14 mags to convert. These mags didn't work well in the M14/M1A and of course would not function well in the AR10. GenI's built on usgi M14 mags worked OK. I have over a half dozen of both I's and II's and I don't have any mag related issues, well maybe one, a five round mag that's a tight fit in the mag well. Only real issues I have is keeping match grade ammo in it.

ArmaLite recently lowered the prices on the GenII mags to be more competitive with the cheaper plastic mags.
 
The OBR's are nice and very accurate, but the 20" weighs too much for me, its not chrome lined, and I would have to add a clamp-on front sight base -- I don't want to mount the front sight on the handguard, which is why I specified that I need "front sight attached to barrel" in my original post.

As for the hunting rifle BAR, its not even close to what I'm looking for.
 
Why the fascination with a chrome lined barrel? Sounds like you've been looking at "the chart" and <deleted> for chrome lining. Why would you want a fixed front sight base?

Get a Larue Predatar. It weighs just 8.5 lbs
 
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You are being asked the purpose for the purpose of helping you find the ideal rifle. Nobody is suspecting you of something nefarious.

I really like PWS long stroke piston 7.62 x 51 ar but to my knowledge they do not come in 20" barrel. Not to sidetrack but if money were not an object i'd take a SCAR H over any AR10 platform any day of the week.
 
AR10A4 SP : AR10A4SPECIAL PURPOSE: ORDER OUT...TRIPPLE LAPPED BARREL, TWO STAGE TARGET TRIGGER. if interested contact via PM..



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Here is another custom bbl maker........
http://www.montanarifleman.com/

Scroll down the page until you get to the AR10 bbls.

20in 4150 CMV.

I'm not sure if CMV = chrome lined or not.

It might be worth an e-mail sent to them to find out if they make DPMS pattern tubes in a 20in cl std or featherweight format.

11B
 
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