"Building" an AR in .308

Supermoto said:
I got a rainier 16" barrel for mine. the first one they sent me was a mess. The replacement was in much better shape.
Going with a AP Custom carbon fiber handguard. Still haven't decided on a bolt. I was thinking of getting a JP, but that is a lot of money just for a light weight bcg. Might just have mine milled down
Click to expand...

What was wrong with the barrel?
 
What do you guys think of this complete upper from POF?

http://www.pof-usa.com/shop/index.php?id_product=124&controller=product

Barrel
• 14.5", 16.5", and 20" heavy contour hand-lapped button twisted rifled, fluted to reduce weight and heat.
• 4150 Mil-B-11595 chrome-moly-vanadium alloy (machine gun rated).
• 70 Rockwell case hardened (Nitride) heat-treated "5R" polygonal barrels are 2x harder than MIL-SPEC and hammer-forged barrels.
• Corrosion resistant, 10x thicker, and 10x harder than MIL-SPEC chrome lining.
• POF-USA .75" (7.25" brl) and 1.5" muzzle devices.
• 7.62x51 mm NATO (.308 Winchester) chamber.

Method of Operation
• Gas Piston operated, rotating bolt (short stroke system).
• 3-position gas system for normal, suppressed, and bolt-action operating modes.
• C.R.O.S.™ (Corrosion Resistant Operating System) Nitride heat treated barrel, single-piece gas block, Nitride heat-treated gas plug, chromed gas piston, and NP3™ coated bolt carrier assembly (one-piece) all billet machined.

Bolt & Carrier
• Nickel plated 8620, integral keyed, steel bolt carrier (billet machined), heat treated/plated per MIL-SPEC.
• Roller cam pin, NP3™ coated.
• Chrome plated bolt, heat-treated to MIL-SPEC.



Upper Receiver
• POF-USA Modular Railed Receiver™ (M.R.R.™), free-floating handguard, monolithic top rail system, billet machined 7075-T6 aircraft aluminum alloy.
• 2-piece A3 flattop upper receiver.
• Oversized heat-sink barrel nut.
• Black Anodized charging handle.

Handguard
• POF-USA free-floating M.R.R.™ aluminum handguard.
• Interchangeable top, bottom, and side handguard rail sections.

Weights
• 6.0 - 6.4 lbs. (empty)

Manufacturing
• All raw materials, heat-treats, platings/coatings, accessories, and component parts on our weapon systems are made 100% through U.S. owned and operated steel mills and manufacturers.
Click to expand...
 
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Golddiggie said:
Before I spend $1500+ on an upper, I'll see about putting one together myself.
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Agreed. I'm continuing to be blown away at the lack of choices for .308AR uppers, whether piston-driven, or gas. Might be time to start looking at stripped uppers, barrels, etc.

"Ahh, man, now I'm gonna need more tools!" -nobody, ever.
 
StevieP said:
Agreed. I'm continuing to be blown away at the lack of choices for .308AR uppers, whether piston-driven, or gas. Might be time to start looking at stripped uppers, barrels, etc.

"Ahh, man, now I'm gonna need more tools!" -nobody, ever.
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You mean you weren't already looking at the stripped uppers and such?? As soon as I knew I was getting an AR10 lower I started looking around... I'd like to have mine finished in 6-9 months time. Easier, for me, to space out the purchases over time and then assemble it.
 
StevieP said:
Agreed. I'm continuing to be blown away at the lack of choices for .308AR uppers, whether piston-driven, or gas. Might be time to start looking at stripped uppers, barrels, etc.

"Ahh, man, now I'm gonna need more tools!" -nobody, ever.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of parts out there to put one together. Don't plan on it being cheap either way though.
 
OK, I found a new Sig 716 Patrol rifle complete upper, for $999. I don't think I could build anything nearly as good, for less than that.

So I ordered it after calling Sig in NH, and confirming their uppers are compatible with DPMS pattern lowers as we've got. I wasn't going to spring for this so soon, but this seemed to be a unique offering, unlikely to be something I'd find elsewhere, anywhere. Sig doesn't normally sell their uppers separately. This gun shop in Ventura, CA, just happened to break the rifle in half, and are selling the upper (??). Color me happy.
 
Sure you can
DPMS upper receiver $185
Rainier barrel 270
Carbon fiber handguard free[smile]
Surefire brake $100
Cmmg bcg $185
Adjustable gas block $45
$785

Add
Quentin Lower $120
Ace stock with spring and buffer $100
Lower parts kit 60

Total Just over $1065
 
Supermoto said:
Sure you can
DPMS upper receiver $185
Rainier barrel 270
Carbon fiber handguard free[smile]
Surefire brake $100
Cmmg bcg $185
Adjustable gas block $45
$785

Add
Quentin Lower $120
Ace stock with spring and buffer $100
Lower parts kit 60

Total Just over $1065
Click to expand...

I really want a piston-driven operating system on this gun. But I like your configuration too.
 
716_upper_on_80_percent_lower.jpg

It's here!

Sig Sauer 716 Patrol complete upper. 16.5" chrome-liined 1:10 twist. Piston-driven. ~6.4lbs on my kitchen scale

I'm going to get FDE rail covers, grip, and stock. Debating whether to coat the lower black or FDE for contrasting look. Thoughts?

What's the best source for MA-compliant 10-round Magpul mags?
 
StevieP said:
View attachment 94381

It's here!

Sig Sauer 716 Patrol complete upper. 16.5" chrome-liined 1:10 twist. Piston-driven. ~6.4lbs on my kitchen scale

I'm going to get FDE rail covers, grip, and stock. Debating whether to coat the lower black or FDE for contrasting look. Thoughts?

What's the best source for MA-compliant 10-round Magpul mags?
Click to expand...


Sigh... It's not compatible. During our "aluminum chip making party" Saturday, I'd brought this upper with me to try with our newly-completed DPMS-pattern AR308 lowers.

Turns out Sig lied (or didn't know, and took a SWAG) when they assured me (before I bought the upper) that it would work with DPMS-compatible lowers.

Well, it seems Sig uses a proprietary upper and lower combination, as the pivot and takedown pins don't line up right (off by 1/8th inch), and the radius at the rear of the upper doesn't match the lower.

I've posted the complete upper for sale on the Sig forum discussion board. If anyone has a Sig 716 (or knows someone else who does) and who would like to have an extra upper for it, let me know. I paid a grand for it. Make me an offer.
 
Got my lower milled out, also have a Bravo charging handle. I'M ALMOST THERE!
Oh and I can't forget my hippie plate!
 
I found a guy (via sigforum.com) who's willing to buy the Sig 716 upper from me for $750 shipped. $250+ "stupid tax" on me kinda hurts, but what else can I do with an upper that only works with the proprietary Sig lower?

So now I'm starting over again...

After our milling time, I went up to State Line, just a few miles away (Thanks Ed for the directions!). Nice shop. Lots of pistols! They didn't have much I could use for this build, but I did get an .308 AR DPMS LPK, and also got a POF single-stage drop-in trigger.

I went to Brownell's and put a bunch of stuff to my wish list, and actually ordered a barrel, "assembled" upper (incl charging handle, dust cover, forward assist), BCG, gas block, mid-length gas tube, etc.

Everything but the barrel is back-ordered. The barrel is a DPMS 18" SASS barrel. 18" Threaded stainless steel fluted(!) heavy barrel.

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...r-barrel-prod54489.aspx?avs|Make_3=AR xzzx308

Still have to decide on the stock, handguard, muzzle device, optics, etc. This thing'll probably take months to complete.
 
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JCV said:
How much did State Line charge you or the LPK?
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$105 or so.

I won't know how well the barrel works until it's completed. The specs look good. Heavy/bull barrel, but with fluting to reduce weight, speed cooling, and supposedly add rigidity too. I've obviously given up on the "piston gun" concept for this build. It'll be DGI, in this "SASS / REPR" type of build. Not a SBR. Not a 24" long-range target gun. Something in the middle that'll be good at everything.
 
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StevieP said:
$105 or so.

I won't know how well the barrel works until it's completed. The specs look good. Heavy/bull barrel, but with fluting to reduce weight, speed cooling, and supposedly add rigidity too. I've obviously given up on the "piston gun" concept for this build. It'll be DGI, in this "SASS / REPR" type of build. Not a SBR. Not a 24" long-range target gun. Something in the middle that'll be good at everything.
Click to expand...

Daaaaaaaamn... I know where you can get a DPMS AR10 LPK for about $40 less...
 
Golddiggie said:
Daaaaaaaamn... I know where you can get a DPMS AR10 LPK for about $40 less...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know. But I was there. It was there. I wanted to buy "something" to throw the local business some business. I overpaid for some 5.56 probably, too. Meh, it's still cheaper than what it'll cost a year, two, or five years from now... I haven't shot the ammo I bought in 2012 yet...
 
JCV said:
Have you bought yours yet or are you waiting for a GB?
Also, how's the anodizing coming along?
Click to expand...

Need to get some acetone before I do another anodizing run. Plus I need to mix up some fresh solution due to what happened with my last run. Also need to mix up the fresh batch of dye (from Caswell)...
 
Barrel should be here soon.

I selected and ordered a Troy handguard:
http://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...erail-lp-12--sku100-009-634-53944-103254.aspx

Comes with the barrel nut, and three sections of rail, plus the 12 oclock position full-length rail. I really liked the looks of the Apex system, but everything's a-la carte, and much more expensive.

I picked up a Magpul MOE buttstock, a spring and buffer tube. the LGS didn't have a buffer, though. Do I need a .308-specific one, or just a "rifle length" buffer?

Also - the trigger I got is a POF-USA 'enhanced finger placement' (EFP) trigger. The POF website says it doesn't fit in DPMS .308 lowers, but it fits fine in these QD lowers. I confirmed with POF that "if it fits, it'll work." 4-lb single-stage trigger should be nice for this application. It came with KNS Precision anti-walk pins in the package. MSRP is $229 on this trigger, and I've seen it on the 'net in the $170 range. SL had it for $135.
 
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I used that handguard on my .308 build. I like it since it's pretty light. Getting the rail sections in can be a little tricky in the middle of the handguard. Not impossible, but wasn't easy with my banana fingers. haha.

I'm not sure whats "needed" for a buffer. I personally ordered a heavy buffer and spring from heavybuffers.com http://heavybuffers.com/ar10rifle.html
 
Wow they're mighty proud of their buffers. 10 oz? $125??? Nice, but, just... Wow.

What's the consensus on muzzle devices? What are y'all choosing, and why?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
 
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Parts keep trickling in...

I've got the MOE stock (FDE) and buffer tube, the 18" SASS barrel, handguard, trigger, LPK, spikes mid-length tube. upper is still on backorder, as is the gas block (brownells). dpms .308 buffer and spring are on the way from an amazon seller. wrench from the GB is on the way.

Other than a muzzle device and optics (I have a red dot I can use for now. plan is a Nikon M-308 BDC), I either have, or have ordered everything to complete the build. Unless someone chimes in with something I missed (?).

I'm still hamstrung about a muzzle device. I've been looking on-line, and reading reviews, comparisons, etc. till I'm blue in the face.

Having a hard time deciding on (finding) a brake / comp that's not obnoxiously loud, which still helps with recoil, and is close to the .936" OD of this dpms SASS threaded 5/8x24 threaded barrel. Was at the range last week and a guy with a S&W M&P10 was making a tremendous amount of noise. I didn't see what he had on there for a brake but it was wicked loud. Without going all NFA suppressor retarded, I want to tone it down at least a little bit, while still getting "some" braking. I'd rather put up with more recoil and less noise, than the other way around. flash suppression is least important out of my considerations. I also would rather NOT spend too much over $100 if I can avoid it.

Any of you used the PWS CQB, Troy Claymore, or other "linear compensators?"

I'm also considering the BCM Gunfighter Mod 1 Comp 7.62.

Anyone used any of these, in either 5.56 or 7.62?
 
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