Quentin
Member
For some reason there's not a lot of buzz over the new 7.62x51 ArmaLite DSR10 but it's a lot of rifle for the money, in my opinion. I just got one and am pleased with the quality for $1000, only a couple hundred more than a good PSA 308 AR build. Nothing wrong with PSA, in fact I've used a lot of their parts with good results in a couple AR-15 builds. The biggest down side of PSA is finding what you want in stock.
I've been longing for a .308 AR and since ArmaLite introduced the A series that uses the original 1950s AR-10/SR-25/PMAG magazines it rose to the top of my list. A year ago when the DSR10 came out at a bargain price they really had my attention. So I finally got my first factory built AR and first in .30 caliber.
This rifle is known as the ArmaLite Defensive Sporting Rifle 10, or ArmaLite DSR10, or ArmaLite DEF10, and in California as the ArmaLite SPR Mod 2A. But none of that is rollmarked anywhere on my rifle; instead AR-10A is stamped on both the lower and upper receiver. The “A” after AR-10 means that it’s designed to use the old 1950s ArmaLite AR-10/AR-10A style magazine that Eugene Stoner used way back then and again in the early 1990s when he was designing the Knight’s Armament SR-25.
(Funny thing about the SPR Mod 2A, California has “AR-10” on their banned list so you can’t go in a gun shop there and buy one but you can buy a slightly neutered version with the bullet button and neutered name. However, ArmaLite had some fun with that name, rumors are it stands for Special Purpose Rifle Model 2nd Amendment! Of course the name also borrows from the military 5.56mm SPR Mod 1.)
This is a nice rifle for the price, very well built for a low cost model. I’m impressed, they really priced this one to sell. It is my first factory built AR and I like almost everything about it. First, the lightweight 16” double lapped barrel is marked 7.62 NATO CR-MO CL 1:11.25, so it’s chrome lined with an 11.25 twist. I’m glad it has the midlength gas system like many ArmaLite carbines and of course the evil (non-CA compliant) flash hider is installed. The upper and lower receivers are 7175 hard anodized aluminum as you’d expect from any quality AR. The receivers fit snug with no slop and the black finish is very good. The rifle weighs in at 7.9 pounds with no sights or magazine, which is fairly light for an AR-10. But they didn’t scrimp on the BCG, that thing weighs 18 ounces and is mated to an H3 carbine buffer. The only thing that does slop around is the M4 buttstock, but they all do so that was the first thing to change out. Since the receiver extension is milspec diameter I grabbed my old Magpul ACS stock from the closet and it fits very snug, no slop. My other ARs are builds and I always use the milspec tube so was glad ArmaLite felt the same way. It would have bugged me to be stuck with a commercial diameter tube and not be able to easily swap stocks with my other ARs. (And have to buy a stock when I already had a perfectly good ACS.) The ACS adds 8 ounces right up against the shoulder which won’t hurt much, in fact it moves the center of balance toward the rear. The ACS also has a rubber pad that will help with recoil over the hard M4 stock. The ACS was a little much on a lightweight AR-15 but is about right on the AR-10. I think it’s found a home.
The trigger group is a standard AR-15 single stage trigger while more expensive ArmaLite ARs come with a two stage trigger. I lucked out, the trigger is quite good for a milspec, some are terrible. It’s about 6-7 pounds and crisp, comparable to an ALG QMS trigger. I doubt all DEF10 triggers are that good but I’ll take it. I like that many lower receiver parts are standard AR-15 parts, along with the stock, pistol grip and handguards. Of course many parts must be larger due to the AR-10’s larger 7.62 NATO round. No sights come with the DEF10 so I bought an ArmaLite front sight and Magpul MBUS2 flip up rear sight. And I borrowed a red dot for now. The RDS kept its bottom 1/3 cowitness from another AR so this one has a good mechanical zero right now. I also threw on a cheap M4 sling for now. I’m getting a Raptor charging handle and a BCM pistol grip, I’ve been wanting to try them out and now have a good excuse.
Enough talk, now some pictures!
I got the ArmaLite/Raptor charging handle and BCM pistol grip so I'll update with more pictures. I love the charging handle, lukewarm to the pistol grip right now. However, it does feel better than the old A1 grip. I'm glad BCM includes a flat head screw to mount it. I've gone to the flat head screw in all my AR builds but this ArmaLite came with the 3/16" hex head screw - now it's upgraded to my standard. I like the look of the hex head better but the flat head makes more sense, in an emergency it's a lot easier to find a screwdriver than hex wrench. Yeah, I got a hat, too!
I've been longing for a .308 AR and since ArmaLite introduced the A series that uses the original 1950s AR-10/SR-25/PMAG magazines it rose to the top of my list. A year ago when the DSR10 came out at a bargain price they really had my attention. So I finally got my first factory built AR and first in .30 caliber.
This rifle is known as the ArmaLite Defensive Sporting Rifle 10, or ArmaLite DSR10, or ArmaLite DEF10, and in California as the ArmaLite SPR Mod 2A. But none of that is rollmarked anywhere on my rifle; instead AR-10A is stamped on both the lower and upper receiver. The “A” after AR-10 means that it’s designed to use the old 1950s ArmaLite AR-10/AR-10A style magazine that Eugene Stoner used way back then and again in the early 1990s when he was designing the Knight’s Armament SR-25.
(Funny thing about the SPR Mod 2A, California has “AR-10” on their banned list so you can’t go in a gun shop there and buy one but you can buy a slightly neutered version with the bullet button and neutered name. However, ArmaLite had some fun with that name, rumors are it stands for Special Purpose Rifle Model 2nd Amendment! Of course the name also borrows from the military 5.56mm SPR Mod 1.)
This is a nice rifle for the price, very well built for a low cost model. I’m impressed, they really priced this one to sell. It is my first factory built AR and I like almost everything about it. First, the lightweight 16” double lapped barrel is marked 7.62 NATO CR-MO CL 1:11.25, so it’s chrome lined with an 11.25 twist. I’m glad it has the midlength gas system like many ArmaLite carbines and of course the evil (non-CA compliant) flash hider is installed. The upper and lower receivers are 7175 hard anodized aluminum as you’d expect from any quality AR. The receivers fit snug with no slop and the black finish is very good. The rifle weighs in at 7.9 pounds with no sights or magazine, which is fairly light for an AR-10. But they didn’t scrimp on the BCG, that thing weighs 18 ounces and is mated to an H3 carbine buffer. The only thing that does slop around is the M4 buttstock, but they all do so that was the first thing to change out. Since the receiver extension is milspec diameter I grabbed my old Magpul ACS stock from the closet and it fits very snug, no slop. My other ARs are builds and I always use the milspec tube so was glad ArmaLite felt the same way. It would have bugged me to be stuck with a commercial diameter tube and not be able to easily swap stocks with my other ARs. (And have to buy a stock when I already had a perfectly good ACS.) The ACS adds 8 ounces right up against the shoulder which won’t hurt much, in fact it moves the center of balance toward the rear. The ACS also has a rubber pad that will help with recoil over the hard M4 stock. The ACS was a little much on a lightweight AR-15 but is about right on the AR-10. I think it’s found a home.
The trigger group is a standard AR-15 single stage trigger while more expensive ArmaLite ARs come with a two stage trigger. I lucked out, the trigger is quite good for a milspec, some are terrible. It’s about 6-7 pounds and crisp, comparable to an ALG QMS trigger. I doubt all DEF10 triggers are that good but I’ll take it. I like that many lower receiver parts are standard AR-15 parts, along with the stock, pistol grip and handguards. Of course many parts must be larger due to the AR-10’s larger 7.62 NATO round. No sights come with the DEF10 so I bought an ArmaLite front sight and Magpul MBUS2 flip up rear sight. And I borrowed a red dot for now. The RDS kept its bottom 1/3 cowitness from another AR so this one has a good mechanical zero right now. I also threw on a cheap M4 sling for now. I’m getting a Raptor charging handle and a BCM pistol grip, I’ve been wanting to try them out and now have a good excuse.
Enough talk, now some pictures!
I got the ArmaLite/Raptor charging handle and BCM pistol grip so I'll update with more pictures. I love the charging handle, lukewarm to the pistol grip right now. However, it does feel better than the old A1 grip. I'm glad BCM includes a flat head screw to mount it. I've gone to the flat head screw in all my AR builds but this ArmaLite came with the 3/16" hex head screw - now it's upgraded to my standard. I like the look of the hex head better but the flat head makes more sense, in an emergency it's a lot easier to find a screwdriver than hex wrench. Yeah, I got a hat, too!
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