DPMS AR-15's
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hacksaw
Member
Hmmm
Dont know for sure myself, I believe they are generally well thought of BUT check out AR-15.com! Those quys will give you all the information you would ever care to know about AR's in all of their many flavors.
Dont know for sure myself, I believe they are generally well thought of BUT check out AR-15.com! Those quys will give you all the information you would ever care to know about AR's in all of their many flavors.
I would buy one if I found for less than say $600. I would replace the bolt and keep the DPMS one as a spare. I would also properly stake the gas key and the castle nut on reciever extension.
I've worked on a few and to me it seems that their recievers are slightly out of spec when compared to LMT, Stag, CMT, and Colt recievers. YMMV.
ETA: For $700-$800, there are more than a few options that will be a better bet.
I've worked on a few and to me it seems that their recievers are slightly out of spec when compared to LMT, Stag, CMT, and Colt recievers. YMMV.
ETA: For $700-$800, there are more than a few options that will be a better bet.
cheygriz
member
Shark,
Those early problems have been fixed for some time.
I own a DPMS LR308 AP4 and it's just a magnificant piece. Top quality, dead accurate, and utterly reliable.
The Wyoming highway patrol recently armed all of it's officers with the DPMS, and they love 'em!
www.dpmsinc.com
Those early problems have been fixed for some time.
I own a DPMS LR308 AP4 and it's just a magnificant piece. Top quality, dead accurate, and utterly reliable.
The Wyoming highway patrol recently armed all of it's officers with the DPMS, and they love 'em!
www.dpmsinc.com
kaferhaus
Member
Yep, for well over a decade....
DPMS also provides replacement parts to the US gov.
Plenty of guys using them and kicking butt in NRA highpower with them too.
So the problem with the DPMS bolts breaking at the cam pin is solved, and for ten years? News to me.
http://www.10-8forums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=otherguns&Number=33226&Searchpage=1&Main=33104&Words=dpms&topic=&Search=true#Post33226
http://www.10-8forums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=otherguns&Number=33226&Searchpage=1&Main=33104&Words=dpms&topic=&Search=true#Post33226
Bartholomew Roberts
Member
My personal experience with DPMS has been kind of negative. On the other hand, I know a guy with buckets full of DPMS uppers who subjects them to some of the most horrific full-auto abuse I've seen and they do pretty well with it.
One thing you can say about them is that they do make some accurate rifles.
One thing you can say about them is that they do make some accurate rifles.
10-Ring
Member
I have a shooting buddy who bought one just before the AWB and quickly found out he couldn't hit the ground even w/ gravity's help :banghead: Since he had a registered lower, he ended up replacing the upper w/ a Bushmaster upper & he's been pretty happy since. My only contention is that he never tried to figure out what the problem was so it's tough to say if it was him, the upper or the lower, the ammo or what????? 
RockyMtnTactical
Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2006
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Their receivers have been very good in my experience, but I don't care for their bolts or their barrels.
Stag/CMT will be slightly more than a DPMS, and be comparable to quality you typically find in the $1000+ range. Check them out.
Stag/CMT will be slightly more than a DPMS, and be comparable to quality you typically find in the $1000+ range. Check them out.
DougW
Member
OK, my experience has been great. I have 1 complete Panther Lite and a Mid length that I built. Both function perfectly. Never had any problems with DPMS.
Black Snowman
Member
I bought a Tactical 16 and it was pretty good. The upper to lower fit wasn't that great, but I planned on breaking the gun up anyway. The upper fit perfectly on my Cav Arms MkII lower and the lower fit perfectly on my Olympic Arms 9mm upper. So far neither the upper nor the lower have let me down, but they don't have real high milage yet.
I also used a DPMS lower parts kit in a DPMS stainless lower for my target gun but swapped the trigger for an RRA 2 stage setup. It's been 100% so far as well.
I also used a DPMS lower parts kit in a DPMS stainless lower for my target gun but swapped the trigger for an RRA 2 stage setup. It's been 100% so far as well.
Kaylee
Member
Just judging from their trigger group parts kits, I'm put 'em on a lower shelf than say Rock River. The selector is mushy, the trigger absolutely medicore, and the forward and rear takedown pins kinda sloppy.
Maybe I got a bad set, but I'd not go DPMS.
-K
Maybe I got a bad set, but I'd not go DPMS.
-K
If politics/community action is any factor when deciding on a brand, DPMS has done a lot to support shooters recently on the ND/MN border area. A range on the Minnesota side was recently shut down by a neighboring beet plant that claimed they were finding bullet holes in their equipment from rifles fired at the range. It's been tied up in courts for years, but DPMS has donated multiple products to raise money via raffles, and they had a rep at the local Friends of the NRA banquet a couple days ago.
Unfortunately, I have no experience with their products since I keep losing on the rifle raffles.
Unfortunately, I have no experience with their products since I keep losing on the rifle raffles.
glimmerman
Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2006
- Messages
- 127
Mine runs like a swiss watch!!!
HorseSoldier
Member
I had a DPMS rifle stolen out of my apartment a few years back. 
That was kind of negative, but I don't tend to hold the company responsible for it. Only trouble I had with the rifle was the firing pin retaining pin bent one day on the range, take down for cleaning later was a PITA, though the rifle kept shooting just fine.
More recently I've picked up a 6.8mm DPMS upper. No problems with it at all, though my roundcount through it doesn't exactly qualify as a torture test, due to the cost of 6.8 Rem SPC.
That was kind of negative, but I don't tend to hold the company responsible for it. Only trouble I had with the rifle was the firing pin retaining pin bent one day on the range, take down for cleaning later was a PITA, though the rifle kept shooting just fine.More recently I've picked up a 6.8mm DPMS upper. No problems with it at all, though my roundcount through it doesn't exactly qualify as a torture test, due to the cost of 6.8 Rem SPC.
marklbucla
Member
My A-15 magwell is kinda tight. My mags won't drop free.
RTFM
member
Last year I was at a 3 day class, the only 2 rifles that were problems were DPMS rifles.
Both had gas key issues in that no matter what the owners tried, they could not keep the gas keys secure.
Both owners said there rifles were bone stock DPMS rifles (FWIW)
After several hundred rounds on day one, one of the rifles started malfunctioning, several of the students were able to repair it and it returned the next day.
Day 2 both of the DPMS rifles exhibited the same issue. Rife One from day One completely S.the bed by the end of the day.
That is my ONLY account of DPMS, but that's all it will ever take for me.
DPMS = X for me.
RTFM
Both had gas key issues in that no matter what the owners tried, they could not keep the gas keys secure.
Both owners said there rifles were bone stock DPMS rifles (FWIW)
After several hundred rounds on day one, one of the rifles started malfunctioning, several of the students were able to repair it and it returned the next day.
Day 2 both of the DPMS rifles exhibited the same issue. Rife One from day One completely S.the bed by the end of the day.
That is my ONLY account of DPMS, but that's all it will ever take for me.
DPMS = X for me.
RTFM
M2 Carbine
member
My friend has a heavy short stainless barrel flat top version. I don't know what model it is. He's got some kind of nice mil spec scope on it.
I think he paid about $1400 for the rifhe.
We had a BG silhouette target at 300 yards. He shot for the head then told me to put three rounds in the head.
My opinion of the DPMS went WAY UP.
His group was 1 1/8 inch and mine was 1 inch.
I don't know that I've shot any kind of .223 that would would shoot 1 inch at 300 yards. Although I just bought a NM Rock River Arms AR that might do it.
I think he paid about $1400 for the rifhe.
We had a BG silhouette target at 300 yards. He shot for the head then told me to put three rounds in the head.
My opinion of the DPMS went WAY UP.
His group was 1 1/8 inch and mine was 1 inch.
I don't know that I've shot any kind of .223 that would would shoot 1 inch at 300 yards. Although I just bought a NM Rock River Arms AR that might do it.
Fat_46
Member
DPMS is local for me. I bought my first AR from them - a 24" fluted stainless bull used for target/varmint activities. I have had zero malfs with it, and have run almost 2k rounds through it, including a few handloads that were right at the top end of sane.
That being said - I have seen other folks have issues, ranging from the petty to the kaboom. The first thing I do with any new firearm is strip it down, check and remove burrs/rough edges/etc., scrub everything with a brass brush and CLP, wipe it all down with more CLP, and reassemble. That's also my SOP for cleaning. Maybe I got lucky with mine, maybe I'm just anal enough that bad things haven't happened, but as soon as I decide if I want a 6.8 or a 243 I will be purchasing from DPMS.
That being said - I have seen other folks have issues, ranging from the petty to the kaboom. The first thing I do with any new firearm is strip it down, check and remove burrs/rough edges/etc., scrub everything with a brass brush and CLP, wipe it all down with more CLP, and reassemble. That's also my SOP for cleaning. Maybe I got lucky with mine, maybe I'm just anal enough that bad things haven't happened, but as soon as I decide if I want a 6.8 or a 243 I will be purchasing from DPMS.
Glockfan.45
member
How about their 20" standard AR uppers, anybody have any negative to say about those? I was thinking of getting one.
I find that the best value in the market right now is STAG. A complete rifle with an A.R.M.S. BUIS will set you back $740. If a 1:9 twist doesn't bother you, check them out. Kiser munitions has the best price on them that I have seen.
As with any AR that you buy, check for two things before you buy it:
1. Make sure the carrier is properly staked.
2. Make sure that the gas tube is properly aligned.
As with any AR that you buy, check for two things before you buy it:
1. Make sure the carrier is properly staked.
2. Make sure that the gas tube is properly aligned.
Essex County
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- Mar 9, 2005
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- 1,247
I have used their uppers on Stag lowers. Mine have proven to be fine with no problems what so ever. Essex
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