should I just shoot my dpms compact hunter or get a GII hunter

[txblackout]

Bought a dpms compact hunter which is a AR-10 style .308 which weighs 7.75 pounds and has a 16" barrel. Right after DPMS came out with the G2 line which has a G2 hunter which weighs 7.75 pounds but has a 20" barrel.

I still havent shot the compact hunter, should I just shoot the compact hunter or should I switch it out for a G2 hunter? The underlying question is that this is supposed to be my longer distance rifle 200+ yards and Im thinking that the 20" barrel is better, but Im not sure how much better.

 

[OARNGESI]

Just shoot what you got already

 

[Dean1818]

Keep, shoot, and enjoy........

There will ALWAYs be something else that comes around the bend


That is plenty light

 

[txblackout]

Its less about the weight and more about the 16" vs 20" barrel

 

[G.barnes]

What's your max distance?

 

[MistWolf]

Ideally, you get the 20 inch Gen II and shoot both rifles side by side and see which suits you better. The only way to know is to get out & shoot

 

[EchoM70]

The 16in barrel will be fine.

 

[yzguy87]

I think MistWolf has the best advise, although I'd say 16" is sufficient for your needs. The best way to tell which rifle you prefer is to use both.

 

[carbine85]

I have the 20" and getting sub MOA out of it. From what I have read a 18"-20" is optimal for the .308. I doubt that I would get rid of the 16" if that's what I had.

 

[Sunray]

"...From what I have read a 18"-20" is optimal for the .308..." Nope. 22". However, you lose velocity and sight picture length, not necessarily accuracy.
Get some good ammo and go shoot the thing before you do anything.

 

[carbine85]

"...From what I have read a 18"-20" is optimal for the .308..." Nope. 22". However, you lose velocity and sight picture length, not necessarily accuracy.

Perhaps, but the OP said it was for 200 yards.

 

[MICHAEL T]

16" with good scope will work at 200 even 300 yds .

 

[dprice3844444]

they shoot 16 and 18 out to 1k yards.yours will probably out shoot your capabilities.plus,less weight to carry hunting if your an old fart like me and others.if you hunt brushy areas,less to get tangled,small vehicle,stores more easily

 

[urbaneruralite]

For me, it'd depend on how much more cash I would be out to change to the GII and how I might expect the barrels to react to firing more than a few rounds if used on targets.


There's another thread on here where many views on .308s and the shorter barrels are expressed.

 

[LocoGringo]

You're splitting hairs. You MIGHT gain 150 FPS with a 20" barrel versus a 16" barrel assuming you gain 50 FPS/additional inch of barrel...and that's ambitious. If your range is 200 yards, a 300 BLK can handle that distance and the powder load is about half of a .308. Stick with what you've got and practice to learn the ballistics of your rifle out to 300 yards and you'll be very well equipped. The grass isn't necessarily greener...

 

[maxxhavoc]

The most important question to make the decision on is whether you will primarily be shooting iron sights or optics.

Carbine vs Rifle sight radius is significant, so if you are shooting with iron sights, you may want to get the 20" if the trade-in doesn't cost you too much.

If you are shooting with optics, it won't make a significant difference inside 600 yards.

 

[txblackout]

200+ yards, 200-600 in my mind

want to be able to hit a hog at 600 yards.

using trijicon 5-20

might cost $200 to make the swap

Really appreciate the feedback, Ill read the thread about shorter barrel 308s

the 16" is more maneuverable and I can put my 762 suppressor on the end if I get the barrel threaded.

 

[grubbylabs]

I have one of the new GII rifles, the Recon, and it is a very nice gun compared to the older version.

 

[rskent]

Dean1818 said:

There will ALWAYs be something else that comes around the bend

Truer words were never spoken by a wiser man.

 

[GAF]

Just get an upper with a 20 inch barrel.

 

[Ibmikey]

I have an LR 308 with a 16" barrel and retractable stock, shoots great groups. Then changed stock and buffer assy to Magpul Fixed Rifle stock and shrunk groups and made recoil smooth and easy. I would not hesitate a shot at game at any reasonable distance.

 

[grubbylabs]

this is my chart for my 16" GII Recon shooting a 180 grain Sierra soft point. Chrono gave me an average of 2000 FPS. I loaded it with RL-15.

 

[strambo]

Well, normally I'd be firmly in the 16" is fine camp, but you said a hog @ up to 600...velocity will help especially if the range estimation is a little off, more velocity will help with windf drift too.

If you really want the 20, I'd just get it for the $200 price difference while your 16" is still un-fired. Especially if the 20" also has a more accurate barrel than what came with the 16 (I don't mean more accurate due to length, but barrel quality if there's a difference in quality between the 2).

 

[dvdcrr]

Lifes too damn short. Get the G2

 

[earplug]

Shoot it

If you don't like it, a barrel swap would be easy.