Thanks for posting this @MGYSGT8541 Definitely some great rifles!
Also, for those with questions about group sizes and capabilities this is the man to ask! He's taken both platforms sub MOA and can offer guidance for those looking to get great results with any of the SIG 716 variants.

OK... charging handles...previous posts say special versions are needed, but I just put a DD ambi in my 716i. It bound up a little at first, but after working it a little, it seems to work normally.

I know a lot of the info in this thread is old, like the marketing materials that say Steel, then Stainless, then back to Steel for barrels, so I'm assuming CH availability has increased too?

I'm wanting to get into the .308 AR game, and despite being an AR owner and shooter for thirty-six years, and a builder for the last fifteen, I know very little about the AR-10. All I know for certain is that I want a 16" barrel because it's gonna have a can on it, and it's got to take Magpul mags. I bought a box full last fall when they were on sale, because I knew then I'd eventually get a .308 AR.

So far I've narrowed it down to the 716i and the Daniel Defense DD5 V3. I considered an LMT at first, but the price and the weight threw me off. I also considered a used HK, but the use of proprietary HK mags put an end to that thought.

One thing I don't like about the Sig is the tapered barrel. I know there's an adapter available, so that's really a non-issue. Right now I have both the DD and the Sig in my cart along with an optic. One of the guns has to come out of the cart, but which one?

How much is the difference and what do you think the DD brings to the table over the 716I to quantify that difference?

The 716I will perform better with a new charging handle and trigger. Which will usually cost anywhere from $250-$400 depending on what you choose. ETA... The Taper Adapter is included.

I still believe the 716I is the best bang for the buck AR-308/AR-10.

The difference is a little over $500.00. As far as what the DD brings over the Sig, I have no idea. Like I mentioned I'm a complete noob regarding AR-10s. I've got no personal experience with DD, just from what I've read I assumed they were a quality product.

IMO, if you can afford either or, and are willing to spend the extra coin for the DD, I'd go for the DD.

reason:  less proprietary, and top quality in the build, and top quality parts.  It's a Top Shelf gun.

you'll always see the Sig 716i being touted as the "best bang for the buck", which means if funds are limited, and you're willing to compromise a bit.  If these two were on the rack, and I was told to pick one, it'd always be the DD, no hesitation.

you won't have any regrets with the DD.  If you buy the Sig, it's because you made a cost compromise to suit your budget.

like I said, just my opinion.
and I build my own AR-10s, so I can appreciate the non-proprietary aspects, and by building my own, I get exactly what I want, and perhaps it costs more, I never do the comparison, but there's fewer compromises.

Fellow SIG716I afficianos, below is a previous owner of a 716I and a few other competitive models to include his sweet Ruger SFAR(ODG), and (FIN83) who owns a beautiful new DD 7.62 AR. Both are knowledgeable and respected members so let's hear from some other outsiders that have experience with other guns and either left the 716I or went with the DD for specific reasons. Hopefully they'll chime in. For those of us here with experience in the 716I and other platforms has well, we can chime in too.

@-OdieGreen-
@Finslayer83

Can you give us your tech and personal view points on the DD vs the SIG716I or just pros on what you do know. Thanks in advance for your time gent's. Oh and yes Odie you can take them to the SFAR land if they want a lighter gun. My mentality is more guns is betta!

So all I know is that the DD5 is that it is fully Ambi with a Bolt Hold Open & Bolt Release and a barrel that averages around .75MOA with match ammo. Never heard of issues and complaints. I researched and almost bought one but decided on the SIG to save money because I felt I was still getting a equall class competitive gun, minus some bells and whistles.

IMO the SIG will match closer than many think and is significantly less and shoots right at MOA with its shitty trigger. I really don't think the 716I is a base model gun and it's not because I own one. If it was a POS you'd be hearing way more complaints like in other large frame AR threads but you don't. OD left not because his gun sucked but because we never could get a straight answer from SIG on what the build components were and I believe he wanted a chrome lined barrel, which only a few of the early serial number models are I think, but I could be wrong and there are more out there. ODG eventually landed on a sick SFAR that works for him. One thing that's for sure though, the SIG is not a cheap entry level AR. It is highly capable and issued battle rifle because of its durability and reliability.

We all thought India was dropping the 2nd batch of 72,000units after performance complaints but they quickly got their act together after realizing there weren't any better guns they could make and proceeded with the order. The entire problem was caused by there out of spec Indian ammo and trying to avoid using NATO spec 7.62x51.

The SIG is also one of the few large frame guns that can operate without an adjustable gas valve or other enhancments suppressed. It really is more than just the best bang for the buck but only us owners understand that I guess.

With a few minor upgrades (Trigger & CH) the SIG can hang with any of the big names and many don't like that. The SFAR's skinny ass came out just in time to save the big names and innovate the game.

I wanted CHF and was not looking for a precision gun, that's what 6.5's are for. I wanted something to be 1.) reliable 2.) adjustable gas for can 3.) can gobble up M80 ball all day.

The barrel profile is on the thicker side, I might send it off to get dimpled one day, but that is way down the list for me. I've no complaints, it is +/- 2 MOA all day with M80 and shoots great out to 500 with it. I've run some nicer loads FGMM and others and if I do my part its a +/- 1 MOA gun. Best group to date is just under an inch with FGMM.

Not sure of the accuracy of this, but there were pics posted here and elsewhere years ago of what looked to be a DD5 platform (can't recall if .260/6.5/.308) all decked out, being shot by dudes in multicam. IIRC it was either a test unit or one of the various marksmanship units using it, but I thought that was neat. So is there some sort of military vetted provenance, who knows - but the specs are solid. The BCG is an absolute unit.

Maybe @Marler5811 can shed light on any of it (accurate at all?)

I just wanted something faster. A 308 that I could run like a 5.56. The SFAR does that and my 716i and M5 didn’t.

SFAR Pros
-Under 7 pounds.
-CHF barrel.
-Two stage trigger.
-The comp is super effective.
-1.25MOA (did not shoot it with the factory rail and gas block.)
-Takes 5.56 parts for almost everything.

SFAR Cons
-The factory gas block and rail made contact with very little effort. This has caused accuracy issues for some.
-Quite a few people have had leaky factory gas blocks.
-The comp is super effective.
-I hate two stage triggers.
-You’ll probably never see aftermarket bolts and no one makes a barrel that I know of.

I only have about 500 rounds through mine. Having a 308 you can run like a 5.56 is nice for the shooter but not for the wallet. Just not much point in launching that much lead at paper targets and steel for the cost over 5.56. When it shoots so fluidly it’s really easy to get carried away too.

Are you referring to the DD in the first part? I’ve got a ton of M80 to shoot in something besides my M1A.

@SPTiger

The DD is definitely more gun and I am not ashamed to say it. Both men above have given you honest and accurate accounts and regardless of whichever gun you chose they are all work horses and great guns. Between the two guns you can't go wrong. Pick whichever you want and feel safe! They're all great guns. The 716i is really good and the DD5 is even better. You can't fail either way. Let us know which beast you get!

Oh yeah @Finslayer83- & @OdieGreen- ,

Can you fellas share some pics of your sexy guns we're talking about! They are two of my favorite 7.62 AR's, both are simply beautiful.

Happy Father's Day Gents!

Here's the most recent pic of mine ready for my Dead Air Sandman to clear.
Attached File


ETA.... The 716I gives you a bare bones tough as nails accurate and reliable gun for less than the rest. To do it Ambi BHO/BR, trigger and CH get sacrificed but it can do all the other tricks in my opinion.

Looks good. I wish I hadn’t sold mine. A 716i with a PRS Lite and a 2-10 would be an awesome low weight DMR.

Happy Father’s Day to you as well!

My SFAR.
Attached File

@-OdieGreen-

Your SFAR is sick man. When I get to a free state I want to clone your rifle!

Well I managed to get my gen 1 back.  Less being filthy and missing the A2 fh, it's still in great shape.  But when I started cleaning it up, I noticed something I didn't notice when it was new - not that I did a whole lot of inspection before I sold it.  The entire inside of the upper is covered in what appears to be grey spray primer.  It's was apparently pretty evenly applied except around the edges.  The edges were spattered - it really looked like overspray.  I started cleaning up the edges with lacquer thinner and it comes off pretty easily.  But I thought I might check with the community here and see if anyone else with a Gen 1 has the same thing, and if there's some reason I should leave it, or if this is perhaps a factory oversight, or if this is some sort of monkey business my friend didn't mention.

The guy I sold it to back in 2013-2014 or so, and purchased it back from recently didn't mention having done anything to it except adding a scope and changing the A2 to a comp.  I'm not real sure what to think.  The majority of it is pretty uniform, but why in the hell would it be like this from the factory?

Hopefully these images attach correctly...

factory dry film coating?

Looks like it's Cerakote Microslick, and was done from the factory, apparently.

yes.

Guys running suppressed…

I’m running an older aYHM Phantom on mine

Feels sluggish and after about 60-80 round the BCG has indications it doesn’t want to go fully into battery.

Heavier buffer spring or did you do something different?

It sounds more like yo need to clean it than just add weight to the system.