AR Sponsor
Posted: 12/31/2013 8:56:51 AM EDT
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Hello all.
I'm fairly new to the AR scene and am looking to purchase my first one. I've been doing a significant amount of research for the past 2 months and I'm seriously considering the DPMS Recon. I believe this is technically an AR-10 because it shoots .308 and 7.62. I'm looking at this particular gun for a number of reasons: 1) The price is pretty competitive (I have found it for $1,150 on GunBroker.com) 2) The .308 round packs more of a punch than 5.56 or .223 3) Even with the .308, it seems that this is still a solid range gun 4) Because of the .308 round, I can do some deer hunting that would be harder with a 5.56 or .223 I understand that AR's are probably not the best hunting rifles. But because I live in the suburbs and don't have easy access to land where I can hunt, I really want a weapon that I can take to the range on a regular basis. And I don't have the cash to buy a gun specifically for range shooting and a second gun specifically for hunting. Therefore, I'm trying to find one that I can do both with. The AR platform is really intriguing to me because I love to tinker with things. As we all know, the AR platform is great for customizing almost any aspect of the gun. They're also great range guns. But the 5.56 and .223 rounds seem a little light for anything other than varmint hunting. Now to my actual question: am I on the right path here? The DPMS Recon seems like a solid weapon from the half dozen or so reviews I have read. Since I'm looking for a solid range gun with enough punch to take down a deer, this AR looks like it will do the trick. Also, I realize that a well place 5.56 will take out a deer, but most folks I have spoken with seem to agree that I'll want something bigger. Any suggestions? Again, I'm new to the AR scene, so I apologize if this question is in the wrong forum. Let me know what your thoughts are. |
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I would just like to be the bearer of bad news...
Honestly. If you can't afford but to have one rifle to do a multitude of uses...you WILL NOT be able to afford to feed that .308 at the range. Hunting, sure. The occasional magazine, maybe. But I think your math on this being primarily a range toy with hunting capabilities is seriously flawed. Price .308 ammo first. On the rifle itself, I've not heard much bad about them. Looks good. I would just reconsider my gameplan and think it through completely before proceeding. |
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Quoted:
I would just like to be the bearer of bad news... Honestly. If you can't afford but to have one rifle to do a multitude of uses...you WILL NOT be able to afford to feed that .308 at the range. Hunting, sure. The occasional magazine, maybe. But I think your math on this being primarily a range toy with hunting capabilities is seriously flawed. Price .308 ammo first. On the rifle itself, I've not heard much bad about them. Looks good. I would just reconsider my gameplan and think it through completely before proceeding. A solution to this problem is to hand load. DPMS are good rifles...I have 2 with no issues. .308 is a great round!! |
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Quoted:
A solution to this problem is to hand load. DPMS are good rifles...I have 2 with no issues. .308 is a great round!! Quoted:
Quoted:
I would just like to be the bearer of bad news... Honestly. If you can't afford but to have one rifle to do a multitude of uses...you WILL NOT be able to afford to feed that .308 at the range. Hunting, sure. The occasional magazine, maybe. But I think your math on this being primarily a range toy with hunting capabilities is seriously flawed. Price .308 ammo first. On the rifle itself, I've not heard much bad about them. Looks good. I would just reconsider my gameplan and think it through completely before proceeding. A solution to this problem is to hand load. DPMS are good rifles...I have 2 with no issues. .308 is a great round!! Doesn't sound like he is a handloader to me. No denying the .308 is a great round. However, if he were to sink enough money into reloading to reap the benefits he could just as easily buy 1 or 2 more rifles for the money spent. The .308 is one of the worst decisions in his case I think he could make. Here's an excerpt taken from OP's original post.... " But because I live in the suburbs and don't have easy access to land where I can hunt, I really want a weapon that I can take to the range on a regular basis. And I don't have the cash to buy a gun specifically for range shooting and a second gun specifically for hunting. Therefore, I'm trying to find one that I can do both with. " As always, just an observers opinion. ETA: Hey OP, just thought of something I haven't thought of before. There is no perfect solution. If you buy the larger framed "AR10" variant for your ONE rifle you are pretty much stuck with expensive ammo. Making regular range visits almost non-existent for most. But you also want something with more "punch" than 5.56 on the occasional deer hunt. Perhaps you should buy an AR15 platform rifle and set it up to your liking. Get familiar with it and enjoy your visits to the range with it. Then, later, if you feel the itch for more punch you could buy a 6.8 or 6.5G upper for your AR15. Both are more than adequate for your use. Just trying to come up with the most cost-effective solution. Either way I still stand buy my original post of .308 being a bad choice if the weapon is going to see regular range use, and it's your only rifle/platform. Hope this helps. |
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