dpms panther sportical 5.56 nato

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diesel

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hi
i have recently purchased a panther sportical ar for my first ar15 the gun is plane jane but only cost around 700 out the door with ammo.
i have ran about 1k rounds through it with no problems, i was looking at other ar related threads for ideas on sights, optics and such and noticed alot of people had negative things to say about dpms? i purchased the gun for a coyote / range gun , it has ran perfect. i dont plan on going to war with it, just having fun so why do so many people hate dpms???
i am looking for a good red dot for around the 200 mark any sug??
thanks
 
A few weeks ago someone had a red dot thread going in accessories and several people recommended primary arms red dots.

https://www.primaryarms.com/default.asp

Again I have never used one so can't say. I have a 50 dollar utg red dot that is ok for what it is, but I find the dot to be to big to be able to shoot precision shots.
 
Got the same gun, same Vortex red dot. I've had mine for about a year with zero issues. I've had good luck with my Stag and Rock River also. I use mine for range shooting, varmit hunting, and if necessary, home defense.

They aren't Colt's and there may be better rifles out there, but to paraphrase Sam Elliott's line in the movie "We Were Soldiers", if the time comes when I need a better rifle, there will be plenty laying around to pick up.
 
I thoroughly enjoy my DPMS as well. I have about 900 rounds through my DPMS Bull 20. I had exactly two malfunctions total, and they were both when using 20 round P-mags with exactly two rounds left in the mag. In both cases, I went to pull the trigger and got a click instead of a bang--the gun had fired and ejected the previous round perfectly, but the magazine hadn't fed a new one in time. I gather others have had problems with 20rd P-mags and my story is not unique there. I switched to 30 rd P=mags and have run trouble free ever since.

Some of the things your gun (and mine) is lacking:
1-7 twist barrel for heavy bullets like 75-77 grain.
Chrome lined bore & chamber for durability and ease of cleaning. (Mine is SST)
Mil-spec carbine buffer tube, which is stronger. (Mine is rifle, not carbine.)
Staked castle nut (Applies to carbine stocks only, NA on rifle stocks.)
F-Marked front sight base for proper sight alignment with flat-top rear sights.
HP tested bolt.

This is just from memory. There are other things where DPMS cuts corners compared to the top of the line. For a range gun, plinker I feel fine with my DPMS. If I was LE or expecting something that shot back, I would get the best quality AR I could get my hands on, which is not a DPMS.
 
Diesel

Here's the thing...ANY AR-15 is a good AR-15. Other than .22s, there are no guns more fun to shoot out there. Some guys only want "parchute behind enemy lines capable" stuff. Now just what constitutes that is a big question.

I have a Stag which is a "middle of the road" AR by most folks' estimation and I love it. I actually know people who think highly of Olympic which is generally considered the bottom of the barrel.

I think you will enjoy the DPMS just fine.
 
I'm not going to comment on AR brand, as I feel that as long as you take care of it (clean it, lube it, replace broken/worn parts) and as long as the gas key is properly staked, it'll be just fine for 99% of what you're going to do.


As for a red dot, Millet and Vortex tend to be the best sub-$200 red dot sights for bigger than rimfire calibers. If you like something more along the ACOG look, Bushnell makes one for about $170 that people seem to really like.



Good luck and shoot that rifle till it dies!







But then again it's an AR, meaning 10 minutes and a new part and your back in action... :D
 
I had a sportical and my buddy talked me out of it. It was a dam good gun. I shot sub moa with ammo it liked and never missed a beat. What i really liked about it is that it was about a lb lighter then any of my other ars.
 
If you want a good, low cost red dot, I believe the Vortex Sparc is one of the best out there. But for a coyote gun, a scope might serve you better.
 
A buddy of mine just bought a Sportical on the 7th round it blew the bottom out of the magazine and the bolt locked up tighter than algore. He still loves his new ar and hopes to continue sighting in his red dot and popup irons when he receives it back.

We're assuming it was something about the Winchester green tip 556 but we don't know. I have 300 rounds out of the lot he has 300 and my boss has 300. I'm not going to shoot mine now. He couldn't get the empty out of the chamber but we were able to verify it was spent, DPMS told him to send it on (sounded kind fishy, I really wanted to remove it) we'll find out (maybe) when he gets it back.

He's got all new FDE funiture coming in...Like you it's a plinking rifle, he's spent enough time behind real M16 in the 80's. LOL
 
The reason people put down DPMS is because the Navy Seals dont use them and they dont cost as much as a Noveske therefore there is no way they could be any good at all.

Kudos on the purchase, I think DPMS is a great product for what you pay and I couldnt be happer with my LR308 along with the handful of other people that have them as well. Sounds like you did alright on your purchase and are already enjoying it for your intended purposes. My brother in law has the Vortex red dot on his DPMS and loves it, his only complaint is that the buttons tend to push themselves when in the case. But as far as function goes he loves it and wouldnt trade it for anything.
 
thanks for all the good advice , i am going with a vortex spark 200 at cabellas
its my first ar but i love it! i am experamenting with other rounds now .
before i only shot rem 55gr fmj for the 100rd break in period boy am i glad thats over lol this weekend i will try fed american eagle ar223 ammo 6bucks a box and bulk packs of federal 100rds 35bucks.
the remington 55gr is grouping about 1 inch at 100yds with a 4 by 32 scope, its definetly minute of coyote accurate:) i know that with a red dot i wont have as much range on the dogs but i raise ring neck phesants here at home so theay can get pretty close 50 to 75 yds so a non magnified red dot should be fine.
i chose a red dot over a scope for the range time with my kids also targeting is much faster no doubt. i will try to post some pics after the range trip
thanks again to everyone
 
Diesel, you have had that thing for weeks now!!! It's not new anymore :)

I just loaded up a few hundred rounds for my oracle. Looking forward to a day off on the 16th to test the loads.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
i put the vortex spark on my sportical and its great. i think i must have ar feaver lol i just purchased my second ar a dpms panther lr308 heavy barrel
now i have to figure out what scope to put on it. my lil 5.56 sportical sold me on the ar platform the 308 is alot heavier than my 5.56 but it shoots great for a 1k ar thanks again for all the good advise , the high road is awesome
diesel
 
The reason people put down DPMS is because the Navy Seals dont use them and they dont cost as much as a Noveske therefore there is no way they could be any good at all.
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Maybe for commando wannabes, but not for folks who actually know about AR type rifles. If you want a $600 AR get a S&W M&P15 Sport. S&W cuts chambers to spec, which DPMS apparently still hasn't figured out how to do.
A buddy of mine just bought a Sportical on the 7th round it blew the bottom out of the magazine and the bolt locked up tighter than algore. He still loves his new ar and hopes to continue sighting in his red dot and popup irons when he receives it back.

We're assuming it was something about the Winchester green tip 556 but we don't know.
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My experience says you're right, but I seriously doubt the ammo itself is the problem. DPMS is notorious for tight chambers. The sysmtoms you describe read like a classic case of full 5.56 NATO pressure spec ammo going over pressure in a chamber cut to .223 Rem spec or a 5.56 NATO chamber that's really tight. Pressure spikes, case ruptures, mag blows out, and the bolt locks up.
I have 300 rounds out of the lot he has 300 and my boss has 300. I'm not going to shoot mine now.
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If you have DPMS, Olympic, Hesse/Vulcan/Blackthorn, or a Bushmaster get a gunsmith to cast the chamber to make sure it's cut to 5.56 NATO spec, not .223 Rem spec. Most other brands consistently cut their chambers to 5.56 spec, unless it's a .223 match gun and those are almost always marked .223 Rem on the bbl. M855 (Green Tip NATO ammo) isn't that hot for 5.56 NATO spec. Mk262 Mod 0 / Mod 1 are way out there on the edge even for 5.56 pressure. My $600 M&P15 Sport has no problem with Black Hills commercially offered Mk262 Mod 1 though.
 
If you have DPMS, Olympic, Hesse/Vulcan/Blackthorn, or a Bushmaster get a gunsmith to cast the chamber to make sure it's cut to 5.56 NATO spec, not .223 Rem spec.
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i dont think people should take their rifles to a gunsmith if they are running perfectly fine and always perform as they should. there are probably more skatterbrained gunsmiths out there (see the "my muzzle brake flew off" thread) that are just waiting to see the guy coming with a rifle that has always worked, than there are "lower tier rifles" that actually have problems.

as you might know, i have two that you mentioned that are approaching fifteen thousand rounds each that have literally never had a single stop or misfeed. they are the most reliable semi-auto firearms of any kind that ive ever even heard of.

there is no way i would let any gunsmith near either of them.
 
Congrats man! Don't let all the brand snobs bother you. If you're happy with the AR and it works flawlessly, then what is the problem?

its not like you are going to war or using it for duty use. If you were, then sure go with Colt, LMT, BCM, etc. otherwise your AR is fine.

As for another optic suggestion, I highly suggest a Bushnell Banner 3-9x40 Scope with the 6-inch eye relief. It should serve you well for long range shooting and coyote hunting! I just purchased one and should get it sometime this week.
 
i dont think people should take their rifles to a gunsmith if they are running perfectly fine and always perform as they should. there are probably more skatterbrained gunsmiths out there (see the "my muzzle brake flew off" thread) that are just waiting to see the guy coming with a rifle that has always worked, than there are "lower tier rifles" that actually have problems.
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I'm not saying to do it if a rifle is running perfectly fine, and has proven itself with 5.56 NATO spec ammo. But when you're afraid to shoot 5.56 NATO spec ammo made a by a major US manufacturer there's a problem.
Don't let all the brand snobs bother you.
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It's not about brand snobbery. It's the fact that some brands have established that they have poor quality control, and build rifles to much lower standards than other manufacturers. As I noted in my previous S&W has AR type rifles starting at $600, but they've consistently proven to build rifles to very high quality standards, and they have excellent QC.
 
My sportical has ate proably 10k of about every type of ammo i can think of and its never given me a bit of problem. My buddy bought one at the same time and his has probably done twice that much. Personaly I think that bad rap dmps gets is more of a case of brand snobery from guys that need to justify there big bucks ars then it is any actually problem with the low priced guns. I right now own 8 ars, none high dollar. Ive got them from stag, bushmaster, alexander arms, dpms and smith. the most expensive one i have is my colt and the cheapest was the dmps. I have no doubt the colt is a slightly better gun but as trouble free as the sportical has been i have problems slamming it and the fact is it will shoot groups half the size of the colt.
 
Ive got them from stag, bushmaster, alexander arms, dpms and smith. the most expensive one i have is my colt and the cheapest was the dmps. I have no doubt the colt is a slightly better gun but as trouble free as the sportical has been i have problems slamming it and the fact is it will shoot groups half the size of the colt.
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ive only owned 2 brands, colt and bushmaster, and to be honest my bushmasters have been superior in every way except resale value, which doesnt matter to me because the bushmasters i have now would be the last firearms i would sale.

i fear i would not be able to replace them with any brand that would be as reliable as these have been. perfect is hard to match, and impossible to beat. could be they were making them better when i got these, or maybe i got lucky. cant say why nor do i really care.

my colts were 20" hbar match target rifles, and were ok. maybe a half dozen stops in a few thousand rounds. they were fairly accurate, but measurably less accurate then my current pair, and definitely less reliable. the colt rifles would generally shoot around an inch and a quarter to an inch and a half, while the much lighter 16" bushmasters are consistently under 1". i always laugh at myself thankfully that i bought them before i learned on the internet how terrible they are.

it is what it is.
 
"i always laugh at myself thankfully that i bought them before i learned on the internet how terrible they are " how true that is..............
 
ain't that the darned truth!!!!
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With a sample size of 1, 2, or 3 it's easy to be true. When when you work at dealer that sells hundreds of ARs each year you're able to start seeing trends only visible in larger sample sizes. There are folks here who worked for distributors, and they've seen far larger sample sizes. A handfull of data points do not a meaningful sample make.
 
My experience says you're right, but I seriously doubt the ammo itself is the problem. DPMS is notorious for tight chambers. The sysmtoms you describe read like a classic case of full 5.56 NATO pressure spec ammo going over pressure in a chamber cut to .223 Rem spec or a 5.56 NATO chamber that's really tight. Pressure spikes, case ruptures, mag blows out, and the bolt locks up.
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How can a chamber be cut so tightly that it causes a kaboom yet still chamber a round? How come the previous shots did not cause an explosion or have overpressure signs? Headspace could come into play but I would imagine one would notice separated case heads etc before the rifle suddenly explodes.


HB
 
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