DPMS Oracle .223 for $449; is it any good?

[Turftech1]

Hi all,

I noticed that a few local sporting goods stores have the DPMS Oracle .223 for $449 for Black Friday.

I have never really looked closely into ARs, more of a wood and leather & historical value kind of guy, but this seems like a good deal.

Is the DPMS Oracle a good AR-15?

I know that some ARs can fire 5.56 & .223, and some only .223. I believe this one can only fire .223, is that correct?

Here's a link to the add, first page, just below the Remington 870s
http://www.slickguns.com/product/sportsmans-warehouse-black-friday-2015-ads-and-sales

Thanks for any info.

 

[justice06rr]

Short answer: No.

Spend a little more and buy a Smith and Wesson M&P15 Sport for around $550-600.

Long answer, well if you're on a very tight budget and this will be a low-use plinking rifle, it might be ok. It lacks iron sights, so you will have to but some sort of sighting system of your choice. It does say 223Remington, which if the barrel/chamber is stamped 223Remington, then you cannot fire 5.56NATO in this rifle. that will somewhat limit you to 223Rem ammo only (not a big deal), but it also means you are narrowing down your ammo selection.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

I agree, the S&W Sport or the Ruger AR556 is worth the extra $100.

I have the S&W Sport and its outstanding for the money.

 

[browningman32294]

dpms parts are reliable, had very few issues with them over the years. nice thing is its a low priced basic rifle. you can add accessories to it as you wish. so if thats what you want, go for it!

 

[Catpop]

I bought one at 499 about a year ago. If I had waited, I could have had one for 449 like you. I'm not a AR fan, but I never had one and I wanted one to play with.
Pros: looks well made, cheapest on market I found
Cons: trigger reminds me of cranking the old jack in the box, no manual sights, low gas block rail requires special front sight,
I have only shot it enough to sight in a 3×9 scope (all I had surplus and way to much for gun), but it allowed me to shoot it a little (less than a box so far)
JMTCW

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

If its 223 only, that's a big negative in my book. I like 5.56 ammo.

 

[SloChicken]

The rifle shoots both .223 and 5.56

 

[Casefull]

if the barrel/chamber is stamped 223Remington, then you cannot fire 5.56NATO

Is that internet fact or something you know from actual experience?

 

[Mosin Bubba]

I've shot a mag through a friend's once, just offhand plinking using a low power scope. The gun felt a little cheap but it was shooting as well as I was.

There's two problems I see with the DPMS. It doesn't come with any sights, not even a front sight post, so you're going to have to scope it. Even if you just want to throw a cheap red dot on it, that's fifty bucks. The M&P Sport and the Ruger have flip up irons, so they're ready to shoot right out of the box. And I'd just prefer to have a rifle that could handle 5.56. Most of your shooting is probably going to be done with cheap 223s, so I guess it's not that big of a deal, but I'd like to have that option available.

A $450 AR is never a bad deal, but you can get better guns without spending a whole lot more.

 

[SloChicken]

http://www.dpmsinc.com/556-ORACLE_ep_135-1.html

it shoots both

 

[shootstraight57]

Make sure you check the staking of the gas key. Mine was very light and loosened up. It was an easy fix but something to keep an eye on otherwise a good price.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

I've read reports of Bushmaster AR's having the gas keys come loose, good o'le freedom group quality.

My S&W Sport has "5.56 Nato" stamped on the barrel, if it a 5.56 rifle, it should be stamped somewhere.

 

[outlawjw]

I have a dpms gll 308 had to shimn fit between receivers to make it tight but shoots 5/16" to 7/16" 5 shot groups only 400 or 500 rounds shot through it so far but I really like it.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

I've got a DPMS Oracle and like it just fine. They are chambered for .556. I payed more than $449. I compared the M&P Sport side-by-side with the DPMS Oracle and preferred the DPMS for whatever reasons...forward assist, dust cover, better finish and not as cheap looking. This was a year ago.

It shoots 62 grain 5.56 PMC green tip and Federal Fusion .62 grain .223 to the same POA at 100 yards.

But then again, I'm not an AR Guru or Fanboy. Also have a Windham SRC.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

I actually like the slick-side reciever's, shooting in the woods of Colorado, the dust cover and forward assist aren't necessary.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

I agree. Not much if any civilian use for dust cover...forward asist, meh.

 

[jrdolall]

I have the Oracle and the S&W Sport. Never a problem with my Oracle. Probably 15k rounds through it in three or four years I have owned it. It does like to run wet and I had some issues with "Herters" ammo the one time I used it but it seemed to be ammo related because even the Tula and other "low end" stuff I have used has run fine. I have a bump stock on mine and that gets sort of expensive.
If I could get the S&W for $100 more then I would probably do that instead. Not because the DPMS isn't a good enough gun but because I like the S&W better.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

The trigger on the S&W is really nice right out the box, at least from my perspective. From what I've read....DPMS triggers are terrible.

 

[rhweb32]

Dpms oracle

Mine works great with a Burris scope mount and Nikon pro staff!!!

 

[shootniron]

We have them and have shot the piss out of them, never had a problem.

I would buy another with no hesitation.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Depending on your uses----probably good enough.

 

[Fishbed77]

Buy it now. Sell it for $1000 when Hillary gets elected.

It's a bottom-of-the-barrel AR, but no one will care by that point.

 

[Turftech1]

Thanks for all of the responses. It was only on sale for Black Friday. I decided not to buy it. I am more of an old guns with wood and patina kinda guy.

If I get an AR 15 someday, I think I would like one with an iron sights option. I love optics, as my eyesight isn't what it was 25 years ago, but I have found that it's always good to have iron sights as a back up.

 

[MechAg94]

Quote:
if the barrel/chamber is stamped 223Remington, then you cannot fire 5.56NATO

Is that internet fact or something you know from actual experience?

There are slight differences in the chamber dimensions between 223 and 5.56. From what I remember hearing, there were some target rifles (maybe back in the 90's or early 2000's that were chambered for 223 only. I thought most all rifles these days use some sort of hybrid chamber that will shoot both well enough. I have not heard of any issues with that sort of thing in a long time. Maybe someone else can chime in with more info.

www.ar15.com/ammo has information to get started on this.

 

[ColoradoMinuteMan]

Is that internet fact or something you know from actual experience?

While dimensionally the .223 Remington and 5.56x45 cartridge are identical it is not recommended practice to fire 5.56x45 cartridges in a firearm marked .223. .223 Remington chambers are designed to the SAAMI spec for a maximum pressure of 55,000 psi. 5.56x45 chambers are designed to the EPVAT spec for a maximum pressure of around 63,000 psi. There are slight differences in .223 and 5.56x45 chambers as mentioned above although they will both clearly chamber interchangeably since the cartridges are identical in dimension.

Interestingly (and confusingly) enough though CIP (yet another testing methodology) rates the .223 Remington at roughly 63,000 psi. Personally, I'd suggest sticking to the manufactures given tolerances because I like my fingers, eyes and handsome face to remain as is.