DPMS AR-15 any good?

[Fire_Fight]

Azizza Quote: DPMS low on the totem pole????? Where have you been? DPMS weapons and patented accessories are currently in use worldwide by law enforcement agencies, military personnel and civilians including U.S. Border Patrol officers, security agencies in Iraq, the Jordanian army, America's top competitive shooters and big game hunters. DPMS Firearms currently ranks as the second largest manufacturer of AR-15 rifles * (*According to The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 2005 statistics.) - trailing only behind Bushmaster. To knock the company is to admit that you know very little about them.

 

[loadedround]

Azizza: With all due politeness, you are 100% wrong. Many friends shooting CMP matches recommended the DPMS rifle to me over the Bushmaster. Any guesses on what AR they were shooting?

 

[Cannonball888]

Bushmaster isn't mil-spec like DPMS. That's a big negative to me.

 

[FlyinBryan]

they are less mil spec than bushmaster.

 

[Avenger29]

I pity the LEOs, military members, and PMC employees that are issued DPMS or Bushmaster. When decisions are made by beancounters...

 

[FlyinBryan]

ya.

ignorance begets pity, huh avenger?

 

[jpwilly]

Should have known this would turn into a DPMS bashing despite all the evidence that they are great rifles. These are not and don't claim to be exact Colt and FM clones but in many respects they are close enough and the quality is high. What more do you really need?

 

[FlyinBryan]

Should have known this would turn into a DPMS bashing despite all the evidence that they are great rifles. These are not and don't claim to be exact Colt and FM clones but in many respects they are close enough and the quality is high. What more do you really need?

to be honest? in my opinion you would never need anything more.

but if you mention dpms, bushmaster, or a handful of others, you will get folks telling you its crap.

it wont matter if its a rifle you have owned for 10 years, have fired 10000 rounds through, and never had 1 single hiccup.

its like it doesnt matter how the rifle has performed, even if its done it for umpteen years.

just like ive been told here with ultimate conviction, that if i have a bushmaster or two, they dont have properly staked gas keys.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=446662

if you buy a dpms, and it serves you well, and you thoroughly test and prove it to be reliable and accurate (and i believe it would be) i dont think anyone can accurately tell you something else is better. (there are plenty of highroad experts that will try, only you will know how the rifle has performed, and thus, what to expect from it.

 

[kwelz]

Actually I know a lot about DPMS. I have owned a number of them. Sold them for a while and know a few of the guys who work there. (all of which I will note are good guys)

ANyone who claims DPMS rifles are Milspec doesn't know the meaning of the word at all. They do not in any way meet the minimum requirements set forward by the military unless you order a sustom gun.

Lets look at the list shall we?

*1/7 Twist Barrel - Nope
*Chrome Lined Barrel - Nope
*Properly tested Bolt and Barrel - Nope

*Propery staked Gas Key - Nope

*Properly sized Gas hole in the barrel - nope

*F marked FSB - Nope

That is just a short list, we could go on. I am not saying they ar terrible guns. I am saying that they are not even close to what is issued to the men and women of our armed forces.

I am also interested in what big game hunters would ever use the AR platform for anything. I find that pretty amusing.

Also a CMP match is far from an intensive use of the weapon. How many DPMS rifles make it though Carbine classes without Malfunction?

I never said DPMS were not accurate, hell that is one thing I will give them. Their barrels tend to be spot on and hold great groups. But that does not make them fighting weapons. If course as I have said, the OP proably doesn't need a fighting weapon. so that is one thing to keep in mind as well.

Actually Bryan I think you are spot on for one part. If the weapon has served you well then it has served you well and no one can speak ill of that. The problem is that many more DPMS rifles fail than say LMT rifles. This is not to say that all will fail. Just that there is a higher chance.

 

[FlyinBryan]

Actually Bryan I think you are spot on for one part. If the weapon has served you well then it has served you well and no one can speak ill of that. The problem is that many more DPMS rifles fail than say LMT rifles. This is not to say that all will fail. Just that there is a higher chance.

azizza, the way you put it is much more reasonable, and respectful than most who share your position. please see my edit at the end of my post.

i think a tested and proven dpms rifle is an effective fighting weapon.

i would trust a dpms rifle that has been run hard, frequently, over a long period of time, and meticulously maintained and inspected,,,,more than i would a rifle that i didnt know that had a horse on it. i would also trust any rifle that had been perfectly reliable over one that has had a glitch here and there, regardless of the logo.

my personal experience just does not fit with the standard answer to what is a good reliable rifle, which in my opinion is a good fighting rifle.....my experience is not the end all be all answer of course.

i dont fight with my rifles, i mean lets be real here, who does?

im certainly not saying that the majority of dpms rifles are better than the majority of the colt rifles out there, but naturally, there are going to be examples of dpms rifles that are more reliable that certain examples of colts or lmt's. it has happened to me, i swear it to you, it has.

to suggest otherwise would be to claim that there has never been a dpms rifle that can run hard through thousands of rounds without probs, and at the same time that there has never been a colt or other sold that had probs.

ive got 2 bushmasters that have outperformed the colt i had. this is in no way to suggest that overall, they are better than colts. but it can happen as far as results go, be it a rare occurence or not, but im 2 for 2.

are colt and lmt more like the rifles used by the military?

by all means.

does this mean that every single one of them is better and more reliable than the dpms the o.p. has mentioned?

of course not.

edit:

azizzas application of discussing the mil-spec components and the virtues of such gather my attention much more effectivly than those that share his views that make their points by calling me insecure or childish.

its an open minded approach thats a bit contagious, and imparts a pondering of the actual mechanics involved. i can listen to that.

 

[sarduy]

is this a Bushmaster/Colt/LMT vs DPMS thread....??? o well i like my CMMG on a Spike Tactical Lower

BTW to the OP: DPMS is a great rifle... not a colt or anything too fansy...but then again... you're not going to go to war with it

 

[mljdeckard]

Mil-spec is overrated. I had an issue rifle's key come unstaked. You should clean it and inspect it regularly no matter who made it. The vast majority of shooters will never know the difference.

 

[sarduy]

AZIZZA... what is your opinion on a CMMG rifle?

Lets look at the list shall we?

*1/7 Twist Barrel - Yes
*Chrome Lined Barrel - Yes
*Properly tested Bolt and Barrel - Yes

*Propery staked Gas Key - Yes

*Properly sized Gas hole in the barrel - Yes

*F marked FSB - Yes

 

[FlyinBryan]

is this a Bushmaster/Colt/LMT vs DPMS thread....???

lol, no, maybe you missed my point.

i think a tested and proven dpms rifle is an effective fighting weapon.

i would trust a dpms rifle that has been run hard, frequently, over a long period of time, and meticulously maintained and inspected,,,,more than i would a rifle that i didnt know that had a horse on it.

im certainly not saying that the majority of dpms rifles are better than the majority of the colt rifles out there, but naturally, there are going to be examples of dpms rifles that are more reliable

does this mean that every single one of them is better and more reliable than the dpms the o.p. has mentioned?

of course not.

the point is that it doesnt have to be a mil-spec rifle to be a good rifle.

 

[sarduy]

the point is that it doesnt have to be a mil-spec rifle to be a good rifle.

+1

 

[lvcat2004]

the point is that it doesnt have to be a mil-spec rifle to be a good rifle.

+billion

Besides, the military uses a lot of "mil-spec" that aren't necessarily great. It only means that it passed whatever arbitrary criteria that they set, which may not necessarily meet OUR needs.

Besides, we are NOT in the military, we don't treat our weapons the same way. I treat my rifle BETTER than an average infantryman would because it's MINE, and I have more knowledge about the weapon than an average infantryman would and I maintain it better.

That's just me, but I think that applies to a LOT of us firearm oweners who takes care of their weapons.

Mil-spec is not necessariy better. That's why not many of us use Beretta 94 as our carry weapon or SD weapon at home. There are other better "non mil-spec" options for what WE need to use the handgun for, and I believe that the same applies for carbine/rifle.

 

[kwelz]

AZIZZA... what is your opinion on a CMMG rifle?

Lets look at the list shall we?

*1/7 Twist Barrel - Yes
*Chrome Lined Barrel - Yes
*Properly tested Bolt and Barrel - Yes

*Propery staked Gas Key - Yes

*Properly sized Gas hole in the barrel - Yes

*F marked FSB - Yes

I honestly have no experience with CMMG except attempting to buy a barrel a couple months back. Like everyone else they were out of stock LOL.
I am hesitent to say anything about a company I havent' actually owned.
I have owned Oly, BM, Colt, LMT, DPMS, RRA, Stag, and Doublestar. So I feel safe speaking about each of them. CMMG seems to have done the right stuff but I don't know how well they function. I do know I wish I had picked up a couple of their Bargin Bin Rifles a year or so back.

 

[McGlockster]

Perhaps reading through this may discount some of the B.S. posted in this thread:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=2&f=30&t=157433

Lets really look at the list shall we?

*1/7 Twist Barrel - Nope ... ummmm yes they are available.*Chrome Lined Barrel - Nope. Available.
*Properly tested Bolt and Barrel - Nope. Yes they are.

*Propery staked Gas Key - Nope. Yes they are - mine is excellent.
*Properly sized Gas hole in the barrel - nope. Yes.

*F marked FSB - Nope. Yes

From DPMS direct:

"Barrels and bolts are lot tested by high pressure and MPI.

We use only mil-spec fire control group pins.

All rifles and complete upper barrel assemblies are test fired and function checked at the factory."

 

[JpSnareGuy]

I would buy it in a second if it is the right rifle.

 

[Ecko4]

I am also interested in what big game hunters would ever use the AR platform for anything. I find that pretty amusing.

Azizza- All your credibility just went flying out the window. I bet you hunt with a bolt action (was once a military rifle), maybe a lever action (another historic military rifle) In any case, I'm curious as to hear what you take to the field, amuse me! I bet you anything that it was, at one time, carried in the military or used by one. I can't stand ppl like you. Your the type that screams "go NRA" and are pro 2nd amendment, but yet beleive and relay what the media is "trying" to perceive.
Now this is my first post ever. What are my credentials? I could tell you but who's to say that they are true? I'm just a guy who plays with guns too much and only speaks about what I know.

 

[mcdonl]

Ecko4, guns are not toys to be played with... geesh...

 

[hak]

"McGlockster" thanks for the smart reply.

lotta FUD/BS for sure on this thread bashing DPMS.

the best takeaway above: mil-spec doesn't mean best for my particular application (ie: my LR-308 should have a 1:10 not a 1:7, etc) but if you want a 1:7 chromed line, they make it in .223, that's the point.

 

[Art Eatman]

Enuf. Too much emotion over too trivial a subject.