Opinions on DPMS LR-308 AP4

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dbshabo

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I'm in the market for an AR style .308 rifle. I've been looking at the DPMS LR-308 AP4. I've got a dealer here in town who says he can get me one for $950 plus tax.

Anyone here have any experience with this weapon? I've read some posts on AR15.com about this gun. Most were positive with a few minor critiques about the gun being rather tight out of the box. Seems a few hundred rounds cures that problem rather nicely. Anyway I'd like to hear from anyone with an opinion based on experience with the rifle.

Thank you in advance.

Shabo
 
Great rifles. They're meant for benchrest shooting, "sinpering", or stand hunting only as they are VERY heavy. Mine weighs about 16 lbs. fully loaded, w/ a scope & bipod.

I ordered a custom LR-308 w/ lots of upgrades, waited 10 weeks and the fit between upper and lower receivers was waaaay too loose. I sent it back w/ a letter of complaint, and DPMS replaced the loose receiver for free.

Now my LR-308 looks great, and will shoot sub MOA with ease.

Fired 16 rounds so far without a glitch.
 
Grizz, he is referring to the AP4 which is the M4 style 16" version of what you have. I have one and it is very light at 8.5 lbs and very handy. Mine is 100% reliable with factory .308 but I get failures to extract about 10% of the time with Argentine and Malaysian 7.62 surplus. I got mine for around $950 w/o the rails and love it. Very accurate.
 
i know this is an old thread, but I'll comment about the loose receivers...


Mine, as well as the others ive seen lately, have had such a tight fit, that mine actually requried a flat-head screwdriver to pry the halves apart :what:
 
I would check out the Rock River LAR-10, also. It takes the affordable (and available) FAL magazine. I'm not 100% certain, but I think I've been told that the DPMS uses a proprietary magazine that is expensive and hard to find.

My local dealer is advertising the LAR-10 in the $950 range, as well.
 
I was researching the AP4 last week. Seems like it gets high marks for accuracy. For long term durability and reliability, especially under field conditions, I'm not so sure. The real deal breaker for me was when I found out magazines cost fifty bucks apiece. I ordered a DSA FAL.

-jagd
 
Great Rifle

I have one and it is very accurate, and I would recommend everyone at least give it a try before giving comments. This rifle shoots very well and would buy another, DPMS makes a very good AR, hands down.
 
The DPMS uses a steel magazine of their design that holds 19 rounds and will interchange with the Knights Armament SR-25 magazine.

At about $50.00 it isn't cheap but it certainly isn't overly expensive either.

Like any new product initial buyers found their rifles having some issues that DPMS corrects as the problems become known.
In time they will have an excellent version of the .308 AR rifle and they intend on offering some other very interesting calibers, .243 Winchester, .260 Remington and .338 Federal come to mind.

I am holding out for a 22" barrelled .338 Federal version myself.
 
I was looking at the long-barreled version. Getting a semi-automatic anything in 308 at under $1000 is difficult enough, getting one with a fluted, floated barrel, is even better. A DSA FAL will cost at least $1500, and similiar with M1-A. So comparibly, you could buy 10 magazines before you would even approach the price of another rifle in 308. And even then M1-A magazines are at least $40. I might still get one, I'm not sure. I have just heard of a few reliability problems, and it may be an "AR" thing instead of a DPMS thing.
 
Great rifle, but very tight for taking apart during the breakin! That rear pin will have to be "helped" out the first few dozen times. (For the heck of it, we followed the strict DPMS procedure of one shot, clean barrel, etc) The one I helped break in was shooting sub MOA after about 100 rounds. No misfires, FTF, FTE etc. Flawless.....at least on its breakin day.
 
I hope I can get an answer to this

The .308 DPMS lr-308 i'M THINKING of purchasing. I have a Colt M4 .223, I have 11 regular 30Rd mags, But I also have a 100 round mag from cheaper than dirt. Anyway, Bushmaster is coming out with a .308 M4 on steroids Style Carbine. Would you guys wait? or go with the DPMS. Also, I'd like it to have a larger mag, I found a 25rd Magazine for an AR-10, would that fit? BTw, the AP4 weighs 8.25lbs. However they may have put it on a diet.
 
I have had a LR308AP4 for about a year and a half.Operation has been flawless so far with Portugese NATO ammo.Put a Burris Fullfield Tactical 3-9X40scope with Burris Xtreme rings on her.Let's see,also a Badger tactical latch and a CAA stock saddle.The factory trigger was horrendous,so I added a JP Tactical trigger package,and now it is sweet.Short and handy,and very accurate too.I got my mags from 44mag.com for 20-something each,as I recall.Nice rifle.
 
I had a 24" heavy barrel, and have a 308T and an AP4. The 24" was way more accurate than me, and most all of the bolt guns that my shooting crowd have. Sub 1/2 MOA at 100 yards on a good day. It was just too heavy for me (I'm an old guy!) The 308T (16" heavy barrel) shoots 1/2 MOA at 300 yards (1 1/2") and may be better than that. I haven't yet tried 500+, but it should be good for it. Again, I'm an old guy! The AP4 is still in the breakin stage, but shoots one hole at 50 yards with a Leupold Mk4 CQ/T scope. It's certainly sub- MOA, but I'll wait until I get to shoot some distance before I brag on it.
 
AP4

I have a LR-308 AP4 with a 16" barrel. Able to shoot sub one inch with FGMM at 100 yards. Reliable (after you get DPMS to send you mags that work) after you switch to C-Mag SR-25 mags (I ordered 2, 10 rounders that have performed flawlessly). I have about 367 rounds through it, no major problems save the DPMS mags.

The DPMS AP4 is about as good as it gets in that price range. Sub MOA at 100 - 200 yards!

Gruff
 
I would check out the Rock River LAR-10, also. It takes the affordable (and available) FAL magazine. I'm not 100% certain, but I think I've been told that the DPMS uses a proprietary magazine that is expensive and hard to find.
Click to expand...

That's old info and in the last year the mag prices have totally flipped. FN-FAL mags are now becoming scarce and are mostly $25 and up each. The DPMS uses what has become the standard .308 AR pattern magazine (which just happens to also be the pattern of the original 1950's AR-10, though not the current Armalite product). DPMS mags run $28-30, but C-Products makes pretty good mags that run $18-20, and Magpul's Pmags for this rifle just hit the market yesterday and are priced around $19. Mags will be cheaper and more available for the DPMS.
 
I am interested in this platform too. Seems DPMS may have more experience, options and chamberings available with this platform. Does any barrel over 18" put the final weight above 10 lbs?
 
Knight's and Armalite (the Illinois company) probably have the most experience, but DPMS can certainly build a quality gun as well, as can Rock River. IMHO the major benefit of the Rock River was the magazine choice, and that was based on a set of market conditions that existed several years ago but has completely reversed. It is still a quality gun but the FAL mag is no longer a benefit and in fact is probably a drawback now.

Here's my selection suggestion:
really accurate shooter, price no object: Knight's SR-25
really accurate shooter, like quality, OK with proprietary mags: Armalite AR-10
really accurate shooter, budget conscious, like lots of options and accessories: DPMS
you already own a pile of FAL mags: Rock River
 
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