Pick an AR in 308 for hunting

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biggameballs

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Looking for advice on a 308 AR for deer hunting. I recently bought a BCM in 556 and really like the platform. Looking g at possibly getting a compact 308 in the same platform. Looking for something lightweight, reliable, and accurate. Doesn't need to be super tactical just plan on mounting a good scope on it. What's you recomendations?
 
I have a 308 AR 10 but I haven't hunted with it. Lightweight is not a word I would use to describe it.
 
My Aero Precision M5 w/ 18.5 inch Faxon medium tapered barrel is roughly 8.5 lbs without the optic. It's about what your average bolt action .308 will weigh. The DPMS GII seems generally well reviewed option in the lightweight .308 AR field.

In my experience .308 AR weight comes down to the barrel you choose. You can easily go up or down a couple of lbs depending on the barrel that is chosen. Make sure that you choose a barrel length that will be legal to hunt with in your area.
 
DPMS best bet now for lightweight. You are not going to get to 4 to 5 lb bolt gun weight. 8 lbs with scope and small mag is about as light as one could expect.
 
What 4-5 lb .308 bolt guns are you shooting?
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There are several options that weigh 5- 5 1/2 lbs. Kimber, NULA, Savage, etc. Many more at 6 lbs. and some of the customs can be built under 5lbs. I have 3 bolt guns in 308; the Kimber is still under 6 lbs even scoped, my Ruger American is 6.5 lbs scoped and my heavyweight 308 is a Winchester that is still 7 1/4 lbs ready to hunt including optics.

I think 8 lbs scoped is very optimistic for an AR style 308, 10-12 lbs is more realistic when you include optics and mounts. The same rifle in 223/5.56 will have can be had in a 7 ish pound rifle, but not the 308's. I have nothing against an AR style hunting rifle. And while I CAN carry a 10 -12 lb rifle in the woods, I have no desire to do so when I can get better accuracy from a 6-7 lb rifle. I can empty a 5 round magazine faster from an AR than a bolt gun. But if there is a requirement that all 5 shots actually hit a target there is no real difference in speed.
 
My 20" DPMS .308 with no optics weighs more than any of my bolt action 308's with optics including those with bull barrels.

3lbs difference between it and my Model Seven.
 
I have a AR Rem 25 308 with a 20" medium barrel DPMS lower might be 8.5 lbs and no problem to carry being I walk about 2 miles and will not be scaling mountains in search of dall sheep which many dream of but never do. also using a sling to carry it makes it easy. a lot of guys want very light rifles like they are planning to jog 4 miles with them lol. for me light rifles are to hard to hold steady even when rested in the field. you have to be in some type of shape to hunt it is not the sport of playing poker
 
6.8lbs as shown. My DPMS GII AP4 .308. Add 1 lb for Leupold scope and Aero Precision mount. This is lighter than most people AR15's.
DSC01163_zpssqcx1fzi.jpg
 
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Given the weight issues encountered with most AR-10 rifles, you may want to consider something like a 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 SPC instead. My 6.5 Grendel (which was not specifically built for hunting purposes) weighs in at 8.7 lbs with scope. Still a tad heavy for a hunting rifle, but doable, and if I wanted to get the weight down a little more I could (change stock, light weight scope mount, lighter weight/shorter handguard, different Black Hole Weaponry barrel with a lighter profile).
 
Jackal said:
I really like them. Lightweight, strong, tight fitting and cheap. They will make a barrel heavy gun feel VERY off balance though.
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Agreed. I thought about putting one on my Grendel, but decided it wouldn't be the best idea. I've got one on a "lightweight" build I did -- just shy of 7 lbs unloaded with Vortex Strikefire II, 8 lbs with 30-round PMag. I'm sure I could have gone lighter, but it was a budget build.
 
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Like most folks have said, in general AR-10 style rifles are kind of chunky with the exception of a few like the DPMS GII and S&W M&P10. If you are specifically interested in lightweight I would second the suggestion to check out something in 6.8 SPC or 6.5 G. You could build a rifle in either of those chamberings much lighter than any AR-10. Just buying an upper, bolt and magazine for your existing lower would also be a viable lower cost option. I hunted with a 6.8 SPC rifle one year and it worked quite well for deer at normal ranges. I actually sold it for an an M&P-10, but never got around to hunting it. If I were going to get another deer hunting AR it would be a light, short 6.8 carbine.
 
Guys I'm well aware that a 308 ar is not a lightweight gun. I'm not ask for a lw gun by hunting rifle standards rather lw by 308 AR standards.
 
If your gonna spend the cash and you want something that has years of experience building AR-10'S that do shoot every time, they have all the kinks worked out and they do. I mean even their ejector is patented. Nobody else can compare to ARMALITE. if your budget is $1,500 they got one or if it's $5,000 they got it. I have around $3,000 in mine including optics and I can promise I have had zero problems having fired around 2k rnds. Also be sure to buy one that takes Pmags.
 
alientrainwreck said:
If your gonna spend the cash and you want something that has years of experience building AR-10'S that do shoot every time, they have all the kinks worked out and they do. I mean even their ejector is patented. Nobody else can compare to ARMALITE. if your budget is $1,500 they got one or if it's $5,000 they got it. I have around $3,000 in mine including optics and I can promise I have had zero problems having fired around 2k rnds. Also be sure to buy one that takes Pmags.
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My friend bought an armalite in 308 with a green stock paid a lot and had many problems with it jamming etc. maybe it was a lemon but I have no use for them after seeing that and they are real expensive. that was 15 years ago maybe different now
 
Mine weighs 8Ibs with optics add a 5rd mag and add another pound. I think you need to do some serious homework they don't make light weight and if you do try to get light weight it's gonna have to have a pencil barrel and ain't no telling what corners were cut I can say if there is a possibility of it being junk Armalight isn't going to manufacturer it. All Armalite parts are proprietary to ARMALITE but for good reason. it has taken them yrs to get the 7.62 to run and they will and if anything is not right call there customers service it is all warrantied, But If You can't afford to buy quality I say save your money. There are two companies that I would put faith in # 1 ARMALITE
#2 WINDHAM
#3 DPMS GII RECON
 
As an FYI, the DPMS GII AP4 uses a 16" chrome lined bore/chamber 4150 lightweight barrel (.750 gas block). The factory muzzle device is very good at negating recoil, but it is quite loud. Seriously though, at 6.8lbs, I dont think you can find a lighter weight AR10 that doesnt cost as much as a good used car.
 
What 4-5 lb .308 bolt guns are you shooting? My kimber mt. ascent is 4 lbs, 13 oz.(bare rifle) The leupold scope on it is less than 1lb with rings. I climb up and down the rockies during hunting season and am 65, a couple of pounds is a big deal for me.
I have a montana in 308 which is about 5 lbs bare. My 300 wsm montana is closer to 6 lbs.
 
What ranges would you be shooting? If you're talking about a .308 Win. cartridge, you're limited to the heavier AR10 chassis, but if you just mean a .308 bullet, why not a 300Blackout on the AR15 chassis? I load 155 grain bullets to almost 2100 fps, and 168's to just under 1900 fps, from a 16" barrel. Both would be effective against whitetail or mule deer to 300 yards. Your other great option would be as mentioned by primalmu, something in 6.5. You'd move down a bit in bullet weight, but get back the velocity and longer range, plus better accuracy at distance.

I don't hunt any more, but I'm much more consistent and do smaller groups at 300+ with my AR15 Grendel than with my .308 semi (M1A).
 
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