DPMS AR-10 LR-308

[ArmyBrat61]

I would like some honest opinions on the DPMS AR 10 LR-308. I know a fellow that wants to trade his DPMS for my FAL. I know nothing about the AR 10 and am very comfortable with the FAL. What are the pros and what are the cons about the AR? It would be my plinking/hunting/SHTF/ go to gun if I traded....just don't want to make a mistake cuz its shiny new ...thanks gents.

[R1100R]

There are a few models of the LR 308. I have owned a model AP4 for several years and it has been a excellent rifle. The new model is the GEN II. Mine has a 16.inch barrel and shoot very well and is accurate.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I would keep the FAL. Edited April 19, 2016 by Dolomite_supafly

[TripleGGG]

I would keep the FAL.

My opinion also. Especially if it's your SHTF go to gun.

[Danger Rane]

I would keep the FAL.

[xtriggerman]

I have a Springfield SAR 48 FAL bought new in about 1985. Its pretty much a flawless running gun that has pretty decent accuracy especially with reloads. A friend of mine bought a AR 308T years ago and it was nothing but trouble. Very finicky with ejection. I told him to buy a FAL with adjustable gas but he didn't listen. Then sold it at a loss. That said, out of the box, I would venture to say the AR would be the more accurate in general due to fewer parts over the barrel providing better barrel harmonics. The AR breech lock up is also superior in strength and a better base control of the barrel harmonic. On the other hand, The FAL is a time tested design with plenty of surplus parts available. And in a SHTF situation, the adjustable gas is a feature I would rather not be without. I would stick with your FAL..... no question about it judging from your criteria. Edited April 19, 2016 by xtriggerman

[ArmyBrat61]

We set up a meeting at a local range to give each rifle a test run. My FAL has been very reliable since the day I bought it back in '02 and this fellow seems very insistent on trading....not really a red flag but it makes me leery. The only issue I ever had with the FAL was vertical stringing when the barrel heats up....shifts the POI over the course of 100 rounds....still good enough to drop a white tail but loses me after action beers on the range. Thanks for the input gents...I needed a different perspective.

[Ropin4gold]

I have a DPMS LR308 with a 24" barrel. It shoots the lights out. The only issue I have ever had with it is that the DPMS factory mags are shitty. I went through 3 batches of them and could not get reliability. I switched to C-products and magpul mags and have not had a single malfunction.

[Dolomite_supafly]

If you are meeting him at a range go buy 3-4 different types of cheap ammunition and shoot it.

DO NOT LET HIM CONVINCE YOU TO SHOOT THE AMMUNITION HE BRINGS.

Remember the FAL was main battle rifle for a very, very long time for 1/2 the world's countries.

BTW, what kind of FAL do you have? Some are worth thousands, as in $4K+, depending on what it is.

[Dolomite_supafly]

A FAL is a much better SHTF than an AR10. No AR10 will be as reliable as a FAL, ever. Edited April 19, 2016 by Dolomite_supafly

[R1100R]

There are a lot of crappy FAL out their. Especially parts built rifles. Metric vs inch pattern. Plus Century built ones are usually crap. The newer built ones are great. But so are a lot of AR 10's.
The FAL is a heavy rifle. Edited April 19, 2016 by R1100R

[Dolomite_supafly]

http://specialoperations.com/28765/fn-fal-worlds-successful-battle-rifle/


Here is a list of countries that use(d) the FAL
Angola[22]
Argentina -
Austria -
Bosnia & Herzegovina[35]
Bahrain[22]
Bangladesh:
Barbados[22]
Belgium[22]
Belize[22]
Bolivia[22]
Botswana[22]
Brazil -
Burundi[22]
Cambodia[22]
Cameroon[22]
Croatia -
Chad[22]
Chile[22]
Colombia[22]
Costa Rica[22]
Cuba[37]
Cyprus[22]
Democratic Republic of Congo[22]
Djibouti[22]
Dominican Republic[22]
Ecuador[22]
Fiji[22]
Gambia[22]
Ghana[22]
Greece[13][14]
Guyana[22]
Honduras[22]
Ireland -[
Israel -
Katanga
Kenya[22]
Kuwait[22]
Lebanon[22]
Liberia[22]
Libya
Luxembourg
Malawi[22]
Malta[22]
Mauritius
Mexico
Morocco[22]
Mozambique[22]
Myanmar[22]
Nepal[22]
Netherlands
Oman[22]
Pakistan
Panama[22]
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay[22]
Peru[22]
Portugal
Qatar[32]
Rhodesia
Rwanda[22]
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[22]
Saudi Arabia[45]
South Africa
South Kasai[citation needed]
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Suriname[22]
Swaziland[22]
Syria[22]
Tanzania[22]
Thailand
Togo[22]
Tunisia[22]
Turkey
Uganda[22]
United Arab Emirates[22]
Uruguay[22]
Venezuela - Produced under license.[34]
West Germany[54]
Yemen[22]
Zambia[22]
Zimbabwe[22]

Here is the list of countries that use(d) the DPMS AR10.
(This space intentionally left blank)


The ONLY AR10 made by DPMS I would ever consider is the G2. But if I had to pick between a FAL and a G2 I would always pick a FAL.

As you said your FAL has been reliable and is accurate, which are the top considerations of a SHTF rifle. It has proven reliable in some of the most austere conditions on the planet. The AR10, especially the DPMS, is known to be finicky and require constant maintenance to be somewhat reliable and that is not something you want in a SHTF gun.

[R1100R]

You are discussing factory built select fire FAL's. Not the FAL's that are available to the public that were built from demilled kits that are out there. There are new ones that were purpose built for semi that are great. I have own four DMPS. 308's that have been flawless. I still own my little over 7 pound DMPS that is my hog gun.

You stated AR10. there are a few countries using them. I'm just talking my own experience with owning FAL'and a AR 10 (DPMS). THE AR10 that I have is more accurate than any FAL I have shot. For many years DPMS was at the forefront of. 308 deveoplment.There is still talk to this day how the contract was awarded to Knight over DPMS. DPMS has twice received rifle of the year for their. 308.

The OP's question was for personal experience. I don't know what type FAL he owns. But if he is happy with it I would keep the FAL. Good ones are hard to find.
DSA makes some fine new rifles from New parts. Everybody is making ar10's.

How many DPMS. 308s have you owned? Or ar10's? just curious Edited April 19, 2016 by R1100R

[xtriggerman]

I think the biggest consideration here between the 2 properly assembled designs is the gas system. The gas impingement family of AR's are generaly "over gassed" from the factory with barrel gas ports of up to .086 or larger. This over gassing of the action is primarily a stop gap answer to the wide variety of factory loaded pressures found on the civilian market. In a light recoiling semi auto 5.56, over gassing is not a big deal aside from launching your brass into the next county.
Now when you apply the same theory of overgassing a 7.62 x 51 in the light weight alloy of the AR, I'm not so sure there may not be issues down the road.
The AR10T I mentioned earlier had come to me after it was already back to Armalite for fail to eject issues. LC ammo failed to eject every 3-4th round. The only ammo that would run threw it was some old FNM I had. The gas port was properly aligned threw the gas block and the action was smoothly finished threw out the captured gas flow route. It was just a turd.
Maybe the DPMS has designed its alloy components to withstand a constant hammering of the hot NATO spec pressures since they have a long standing good reputation but due to a lack of history, I have to say "maybe".
As with the many crappy FAL builds out there, it looks like folks are rushing to build AR10's like the 15 market. Those home builds may end up giving the AR 10 family of guns a rep that will hurt the well made DPMS. No matter how badly Century or others slapped together FAL parts, its reputation will stand unblemished as a first rate battle rifle design.

[R1100R]

That is true the FAL is a fine rifle with a long history as issued. DSA makes a very nice semi version. Lot of good AR10 type out there also.

If the OP has a nice FAL I would keep it they are hard to find. Edited April 19, 2016 by R1100R

[R1100R]

... Edited April 19, 2016 by R1100R

[ArmyBrat61]

Just returned from the meet and shoot.....I'm keeping my FAL! It is a DSA upper on a Stg lower and it ran like a sewing machine all afternoon. I brought Izzy mags, DSA mags, some Belgian surplus mags, various 30 rounders and a few mutts of unknown origin. I brought Remington CoreLok, Prvi Partizan, Aussie surplus, hand loads, Silver Bear and Wolf....it didn't miss a lick...no FTE FTF or stove pipes. His DPMS had 2 factory mags and 1 Magpul....he brought Hornady and Winchester factory ammo. He graciously let me load and shoot 5 of my hand loads (147 gr FMJBT over TAC in LC brass) 1 stove piped but the others ran fine....ok "could" be my loads but it did not like my Remmy CoreLok at all....2 feed failures from the factory mag. He said it was ammo picky...must be why he wants to let it go.....I put 5 rounds of his  Winchester inside a quarter at 100 yds....accurate indeed but I need it to eat what I feed it. ...had 1 misfire on my Aussie surplus, dented primer....brought it home and shot it from the FAL....milspec primers are notoriously hard but they fire from the FAL. I really like the DPMS...good and familiar ergos, nice balance, doesn't hurt the brass and leaves it in the same time zone...but my FAL ate steel cases, has many more mags and parts available plus I already have the tools for her. She may  be an old gal but I know her quirks and she looks great in wood. The afternoon was a learning experience for me plus I made a new shooting buddy and got to launch lead out of a very nice rifle. I wouldn't mind owning a LR-308 sometime but my FAL stays with me. Time to clean her up then I'll show her off. Thank you all for the excellent replies. It shows a deep and wide knowledge base here on TGO and I respect and appreciate that.

[ArmyBrat61]

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[Chucktshoes]

She's a beaut. I wouldn't have traded her either. I soooo got a jones for a FAL.

[musicman]

No combat expert here... just a guy who is happy with his M&P10 which is close to 1k rds without a hiccup yet from anything I've put through it.

[TripleDigitRide]

I just wish the .308 AR parts were as interchangeable as the AR15.

[Mark A]

Gosh, you guys are making me think we need to have a 308 semi-auto meet and shoot. I've got a couple that need to get out and stretch so bad if I don't do it soon I'm afraid they may sneak out and leave for someone who will shoot them regularly...

Mark

[deerkiller2011]

FAL [emoji41]

[DaveTN]

Both.

My DPMS AP4 308 didn’t get the memo that it can’t be 100% reliable; because it has been. But I don’t shoot crappy ammo or steel case ammo in mine.

I don’t buy foreign made guns so I can’t really comment on the FAL, but it seems to me comparing an AR10 and a FAL would be like comparing my DPMS and my Garand; apples and oranges. But I would say if I could only have one rifle it would be a .308 DPMS AP4. Short range, long range, battle rifle, it does all the jobs. Thankfully I don’t have to make that choice and can keep all my rifles.

[xtriggerman]

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Very nice configuration! You can shave nearly 9 oz off by swapping in a DSA alloy lower. Looks great! Edited April 20, 2016 by xtriggerman