AR10

wasralex22

wasralex22

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Out of frustration more than curiosity.

How much would I be looking at for a ar10?

I am definitely willing to start putting money aside, but I want to know how much to do so, here in the great state of MA...

Any options out there?
 
Pre-Healy recievers and Pre-Healy guns, are really the order of what is available to us in MA. That being said, the question is, buy or build. If you buy, there are a number of AR-10 type rifles out there made by a variety fo manufacturers. DPMS pattern vs Armalite pattern guns take different magazines and have other variations in parts There are a number of factors to consider when building. I'm shamelessly bowrowing this from Ammo Land:
4 Things to Know Before Building an AR10
The AR10 Platform is NOT Standardized

The AR 15 is a standardized platform. Take any two AR 15s and there is a 99.99% chance their parts can interchange. AR10s are a bit different. They are not standardized for construction and different companies have different iterations of the AR10 design.

This leaves two main AR10 patterned rifles, the Armalite series and the DPMS series. When you choose your AR10 80 lower receiver you must make the decision to go DPMS patterned or Armalite patterned. Both patterns can result in a good rifle, but DPMS has a slight advantage when it comes to magazines and parts interchangeability with other manufacturers and even the AR 15 rifle.


AR10 Internal Parts are not Always Compatible

Because of the different patterns you’ll see barrels designed for both Armalite and DPMS, or upper receivers designed for Armalite and DPMS. These parts are not interchangeable between rifles. Once you select which pattern lower to use, you’ll have to select parts that are compatible with it. This includes your barrel and BCG. If you go with a DPMS pattern rifle you must use a DPMS barrel and BCG, the same goes for choosing the Armalite platform.

DPMS pattern AR10 80 lower receivers do have more options in terms of parts choice once it comes to assembling the rifle. Going the 80 lower route also means you’ll need a specific jig. The jig must be matched to the 80 lower. It’s not like AR 15s where there aren’t differences. When you choose an AR10 80 lower receiver make sure you purchase the compatible 80% Lower Jig with the right tools.

AR10 Lower Parts Kit

Because of small difference between lowers there are several parts that are only compatible with AR10 lower receivers. Small parts like the safety, trigger, and trigger springs can be swapped from AR10 to AR 15. Parts that will NOT swap are the following.

I am always on the hunt for the ban era AR-10B here in MA:

iipsrv.fcgi

.
 
The hilarity here is that the AR10 is not an enumerated weapon, isn't a "copy" or "duplicate" of an AR15 (in fact predates it by years), and is so non-standard that there are 2 completely different sets of specs and even within one set it's challenging to make different brands of parts work together! Not sure why an AR10 would be illegal even under Mad Maura's edict... what's in common, the buffer tube, gas block, and some of the trigger group parts?
 
Frizzle Fry said:
The hilarity here is that the AR10 is not an enumerated weapon, isn't a "copy" or "duplicate" of an AR15 (in fact predates it by years), and is so non-standard that there are 2 completely different sets of specs and even within one set it's challenging to make different brands of parts work together! Not sure why an AR10 would be illegal even under Mad Maura's edict... what's in common, the buffer tube, gas block, and some of the trigger group parts?
Click to expand...
It meets her “similarity test” which is effectively the “if we think it is similar it’s illegal” and it meets her “interchangeability” test. All made up crap but if you are trying to comply with her guidance until she loses in court than you have challenges.
 
CrackPot said:
It meets her “similarity test” which is effectively the “if we think it is similar it’s illegal” and it meets her “interchangeability” test. All made up crap but if you are trying to comply with her guidance until she loses in court than you have challenges.
Click to expand...

Oh I'm aware I'd just love to hear someone from her office explain to a judge how when the text of the law says "copy or duplicate" that somehow invokes a similarity test which can call into question firearms designed 5+ years earlier than the weapon alleged to have been copied/duplicated.
 
would make sure you run an adjustable gas block. the likelihood of having a reliable LR 308 with fixed gas system is low.

Frizzle Fry said:
Oh I'm aware I'd just love to hear someone from her office explain to a judge how when the text of the law says "copy or duplicate" that somehow invokes a similarity test which can call into question firearms designed 5+ years earlier than the weapon alleged to have been copied/duplicated.
Click to expand...

nobody would like to be the defendant, and logic holds little value because gun.
 
Picked up an older AR10 recently. Was surprised to learn that within the AR10 platform there are two standards. I would elaborate though I am still wrapping my head around it. My AR10 is made by DPMS though it is the "other" standard. Apparently DPMS had their proprietary standard that included mags/mag well and upper. My DPMS appears to be the other, non proprietary standard. Good news as there are more options for mags and such.

Steve at Northeast Arms in Peabody was tremendously helpful in pointing out these details. I highly recommend him.

I am still learning on this one.
 
You may want to contact papercity firearms in Holyoke. They periodically email blast me and I can’t remember if they make fixed mag ar10 lowers or just the 15. I think the lower is about 325.

To emphasise an earlier point, there’s no way an AR10 meets the definition of what Maura calls a copycat, but good luck finding a dealer to sell you one.
 
Armalite AR 10 during the Obama travesty, MA compliant, $2500. Same gun pre Healy $1500, now....priceless.
 
I built one for ~$800 in a free state. PSA with AR-type mags, at the time I knew which style was which, but now I don't.
Asinine what you people put up with.
 
I have a pre-healy armalite ar-10 (factory armalite that takes magpul 308 pmags). I find it is finicky based on ammo and not particularly reliable. That said, it's a nice range gun and I would not sell it. If you want a 308 battle rifle I'd look for pre 1994 ban HK G3s or a FAL or maybe a PTR91 as a cheaper alternative or go with a SCAR 17.
 
The August issue of Shooting Illustrated has a good article on the AR-10/ LR 308 platforms and offers tips on tune-up. Brownells has brought it back, not that it does a MA resident any good.
I had a similar thread going a couple of months ago.
Building an AR 10 / scout rifle duo
There is a lot of useful info/opinions in this thread regarding the Stoner rifle. I have decided to put a hold on the project as I worry about running afoul of the law.

It is sad that I fear the government more than the government fears me.
 
Does the AR10 have to be pre Healey? We have a judges opinion that it came *before* the AR15 and as such it couldn't possibly be a copy or duplicate, could it?
 
Drix said:
Does the AR10 have to be pre Healey? We have a judges opinion that it came *before* the AR15 and as such it couldn't possibly be a copy or duplicate, could it?
Click to expand...
That's what I originally thought. Several people smarter than me cautioned me that even IF I am right I could spend many thousands of $$ trying to prove it in front of a judge with my lawyer beside me.
All it takes is one duckhead LEO to think I have an illegal rifle now I have to prove innocence.
 
Fritz the Cat said:
That's what I originally thought. Several people smarter than me cautioned me that even IF I am right I could spend many thousands of $$ trying to prove it in front of a judge with my lawyer beside me.
All it takes is one duckhead LEO to think I have an illegal rifle now I have to prove innocence.
Click to expand...

Let's face it, you and I aren't going to be the test cases, some meth dealer, well known to local police, slinging rocks on a playground after hours with an AR10 pistol made from an 80% lower tucked up under his trenchcoat that's got 3 outstanding warrants and a failure to register as a level 3 sex offender is going to be the test case.
 
Ptr’s are great if you can bench press a volkswagon and don’t plan on reloading. That said, they’re one of my favorites.
 
I picked up a PA10 Gen II from PSA for $490 by getting a complete upper and lower separately. In retrospect, I should have spent another $100 to get the upper with a free float rail.

I did drop a new trigger in it, the original is somewhat rough, and I'll likely put an adjustable gas block on it, it's a bit overgassed.

Oh yeah, I am in a free state.
 
wmass said:
Ptr’s are great if you can bench press a volkswagon and don’t plan on reloading. That said, they’re one of my favorites.
Click to expand...

9.5 lbs stock about the same as other 30 cal battle rifles. Start adding bipods, heavy barrels, etc and then I'm sure it becomes a tank.

The battle rifles are all pretty much similar in weight to me except for the lightweight ar15 and the toylike 5lb M1 carbine
 
I would go for an M1A. Yes, the options are not very good for putting optics on it, but otherwise I think they are a better choice if you want a .308 battle style rifle. And it is hard to find of a lot of places you can shoot more than 100 yards in MA, so the problem of a needing a heavy, expensive and/or too high scope mounting on it might not cramp your style most likely.
 
IMG_20140415_120326_097.jpg IMG_20140415_151028_498.jpg IMG_20140425_114941_935.jpg

Built this .308 AR ( I don't call it an AR-10. YMMV) from a dpms pattern 80% lower I got as part of a group buy. Has dpms sass barrel. Tried that POF trigger & had light strikes & switched to a Geissele. Has Nikon M308 scope and shoots MOA with good ammo

I can't seem to find a pic of it completed. It's all FDE now. Rattlecan
 
Last edited:
I had a PTR91. It was fairly soft shooting but heavy. The ejected brass was unusable for reloading, even with a port buffer.
Sold it and now have a DPMS LR
308. Seems to be not as soft shooting, but is accurate and reliable. NIB cast me about $700 in a free state.
 
Thirwell1216 said:
Pre-Healy recievers and Pre-Healy guns, are really the order of what is available to us in MA. That being said, the question is, buy or build. If you buy, there are a number of AR-10 type rifles out there made by a variety fo manufacturers. DPMS pattern vs Armalite pattern guns take different magazines and have other variations in parts There are a number of factors to consider when building. I'm shamelessly bowrowing this from Ammo Land:
4 Things to Know Before Building an AR10
The AR10 Platform is NOT Standardized

The AR 15 is a standardized platform. Take any two AR 15s and there is a 99.99% chance their parts can interchange. AR10s are a bit different. They are not standardized for construction and different companies have different iterations of the AR10 design.

This leaves two main AR10 patterned rifles, the Armalite series and the DPMS series. When you choose your AR10 80 lower receiver you must make the decision to go DPMS patterned or Armalite patterned. Both patterns can result in a good rifle, but DPMS has a slight advantage when it comes to magazines and parts interchangeability with other manufacturers and even the AR 15 rifle.


AR10 Internal Parts are not Always Compatible

Because of the different patterns you’ll see barrels designed for both Armalite and DPMS, or upper receivers designed for Armalite and DPMS. These parts are not interchangeable between rifles. Once you select which pattern lower to use, you’ll have to select parts that are compatible with it. This includes your barrel and BCG. If you go with a DPMS pattern rifle you must use a DPMS barrel and BCG, the same goes for choosing the Armalite platform.

DPMS pattern AR10 80 lower receivers do have more options in terms of parts choice once it comes to assembling the rifle. Going the 80 lower route also means you’ll need a specific jig. The jig must be matched to the 80 lower. It’s not like AR 15s where there aren’t differences. When you choose an AR10 80 lower receiver make sure you purchase the compatible 80% Lower Jig with the right tools.

AR10 Lower Parts Kit

Because of small difference between lowers there are several parts that are only compatible with AR10 lower receivers. Small parts like the safety, trigger, and trigger springs can be swapped from AR10 to AR 15. Parts that will NOT swap are the following.

I am always on the hunt for the ban era AR-10B here in MA:

iipsrv.fcgi

.
Click to expand...
There was one on Armslist down here in North Carolina, it was out of Asheville area, guy wanted 900 bucks for it. I would have jumped all over it but its a 4-1/2 hour drive each way for me out to Asheville. All sorts of good stuuf for sale on Armslist down here. Going to pick up a complete BCM 16" upper right now for 300 bucks, never shot. Yes, complete upper with a BCM BCG!
 

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