Next AR10, rifle or carbine?

[TexasPatriot.308]

I got a Bushmaster BAR 10 and an Armalite AR10 A2, recently sold a mini 30 had no use for and am considering a AR10 carbine. is the muzzle blast and muzzle flash that more in a carbine in the AR platform? I am considering the 16" barrel for a handy close quarter scenario.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I love mine. It certainly barks, but no more than any other rifle with a birdcage on the muzzle. It's not as obnoxious as my PLR-16.

Still get pretty respectable velocities out of a 16 incher, too. 2,600-2,700 FPS with a 150.

The pic is with a modified 30 round M1A mag, but I only use the Gen II 25 rounders now.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I spent a few days with a LMT MWS and still think the 7.62 platform is heavy, even with a 16" barrel, at least when compared to a M4gery. This LMT had super accuracy, shot very similar to my 21" N6 Noveske, slightly more felt recoil. Muzzle flash was noticeable at dusk.

Nice rifle MachIVshooter.

 

[Tirod]

If the ballistics of a 16" .308 are acceptable, a different caliber could be chosen that doesn't have the drawbacks of weight, recoil, and expense. The offset would be higher ammo costs.

Since it's CQB and all, not a 500m shooter, just get another AR15 in an bigger alternate caliber, you're done.

 

[Roadkill]

I've got the DPMS carbine in .308. Trigger really sucked,(felt like busted glass) even when extended the stock is minimal, kicks and puts a fireball way out. Took several tries but I finally have the trigger acceptable, accuracy was really bad until I started using 175g Sierra Match King bullets. I hand load everything so I kept experimenting until I found some that worked. I had been shooting pulled 150g fmj with 44g of RG4895 in a M14S, DSA FAL, and a PTR91 so I had a lot of them loaded. Accuracy was good. The AR10 not only wouldn't chamber them reliably but was averaging 10" groups at 75 yds. Lot of that had to do with the crappy trigger though. I adjusted my sizing die, went up to 175g bullet with 41g of RG4895, filed/polished the trigger until it was decent and am getting 1" groups at the same distance now. The chamber is not as forgiving as the military based guns. I took about 100 of the .308s I had, pulled the bullet, resized the brass, reloaded to 41g, and added the 175g Match King. Has been excellent since. Haven't done any distance shooting with it yet cause until now there was no need to. I put a Springfield 1st Generation Sniper scope on it and intend to use it hunting this year.

 

[hawk45]

I've debated this and come to the conclustion I would prefer a rifle lenght gas system and longer barrel (18" -20") over the carbine 16" barrels for what I want the rifle for, which is mostly target work at a range. The 308 AR platforms are heavy compared to an AR15 platform and doing any amount of hiking with one will be a pain as most are over the 10lb mark w/o optics or ammo, compared to a fully loaded out AR that is about 9lbs. If it is for hunting then go carbine as it will be a bit lighter and easier to swing, but the carbine gas system will give a bit more violent recoil compared to a rifle lenght unless you get an adjustable gas block. Flash will be more and louder but that is just up to the user if that is an issue. For me I want the softest recoil and most pleaurable experience at the range. Barrel length has nothing to do with accuracy so you won't loose anything there either, but you will loose some velocity if going longer range.

 

[MachIVshooter]

just get another AR15 in an bigger alternate caliber, you're done.

That's always an option, but as you mentioned, ammo cost can be significant with some of those. The other downside is capacity; The rounds that will give .308 ballistics out of an AR-15 platform are limited to +/- 10 rounds in a modified 30 round mag.

The AR-10 is fairly heavy, especially when compared to a 15, but it's not unbearable. I've done a fair amount of hiking around with mine. With a nicer sling that was more oriented to carrying, it would be better. But I don't generally hunt with it, either, since my bolt rifles are lighter, more powerful, more accurate and we're limited to 5 rounds in CO anyway.

This rifle has proved to be 1.2-1.5 MOA with most ammo. It sports a Nikon 3-9x these days, as seen below: