Review: DPMS GII Recon 308 AR-Style Rifle - AllOutdoor.com The GII is lighter, more dependable, smaller, more ergonomic, and more compatible with AR15 accessories than any other 308 AR platform. These are not their words. These are mine.
I have an Adams AR308, which is built on the GII pattern and I like it a lot. The weight is slightly higher than a similarly configured AR, and so far has been 100% reliable. Honestly very little difference in handling between it and an AR. I have heard that some other manufacturers are adopting the GII pattern including Remington IIRC. My AR308 is 85% parts compatible with AR-15's and that includes rails. The only downside is that there isn't much after market support for the 15% of parts that aren't AR compatible. The only one that's a sore spot is the charging handle and until a few months ago you couldn't get vice blocks.
How is the recoil? Fired the AR10 and I missed the weight when it came to recoil on the hotter loads. I know, don't fire them, but I went to the 300 Blackout with the low recoil, common AR15 platform, ability to modify standard 5.56 ammo, etc, and it seems to be effective at the shorter ranges the AR platform seems to dominate. Guess my question is not how it works, but what is a good reason for choosing to use the GII platform other than my usual love of gun porn. At this point for me, a Rem700 at half the price, I know totally different gun, or a 300 Blackout at half the price seem to be good alternatives for either accuracy or more ammo capacity and I have not had a chance to fire one to find out if it fits some sweet spot with the advantages of both. Guess it comes down to I have read the reviews, but what does it do in real life.
It does what the others don't. Heavy Hitter out to and past 600 yards. In a compact package. I have a range that goes to 1000 yards but I know it won't match the Garand, but it does have the advantage of the 25 round mag. Recoil is milder than the older versions of the 308 in other makes of the same platform.
Thank you HK User, guess I should look into it, that is a lot farther out than 300 Blackout or the 223 are really good for..
Nothing you can chamber in an AR-15 platform including the 6.5 Grendel compares to 7.62x51, It's not just about being able to shoot further out, it's also about barrier penetration including body armor. Also, an AR-10/AR308 regardless of long or short frame can certainly match the Garand with the correct barrel - @BTPost can attest to that.
It is the Barrel that makes the weapon.... You want to "Reach out and Touch something" then you need a Good, HEAVY, LONG, Barrel and a Loading that is tuned for THAT Barrel...
Im finally seeing the AR-10 being a viable 7.62 nato rifle. In years past, reliability and accuracy was always the issue. Its nice to see things are finally being sorted out with what should be an outstanding rifle. Dont need one, im too vested with my platform of choice, but its finally showing reliability to give newer shooters and folks looking for a new rifle another option for a semi auto 7.62! For me, i would be looking at the AR-10 as a DMR platform from which to build instead of modifying a standard battle rifle, and this is where i see the true beauty of this AR! This is the one area where the AR-10 has all the advantages, having all the aftermarket support, and options in pretty much every part makes building the exact requirements not only possable, but tuning should be pretty easyas well! In years past, you had to do a shit ton of work to get a semi auto rifle to work well in the DMR role, having to spend a fortune to have a barrel made, gas block installed amd timed, and then all the reciever fitting and tuning, and then getting your hand guards to fit, or a bunch of stock work done to clear the new tube.
One thing I see as an advantage to this AR10 set up is commonality of ammo with the M240, at least for grunt work. Come DMR time, I'd have to question that a bit more carefully, since one cartridge fits all uses does not, for me, compute.
In my case I may also need the ability to take down a 1000 lb animal at a range that protects me. The Mil has been using the DPMS and some of the present mods come right off experience of the battle field. Imagine how some Terrs might find out that all the Troops they faced had an extra punch in a rifle that looks like the M4!
For myself along with barrel length comes the requirement that the rifle must configure to a form/function that allows me to carry it from the grip with one hand and allow movement around barricades, brush and gates without the muzzle touching the ground and still be quick to raise to fire. Long Barrels I got. Something I consider as a stationary weapon.
Always been a .308 fan. I think I'll start saving for one. I have BT's twin and it's a tack driver, but always wanted a small & manageable "truck gun". I cut a Moisin-Nagant down to an 18" barrel and installed a scout scope but that was a fire breathing mistake, though it would put lead on target. Looks like DPMS is in my future.
Here are the small frame AR10/AR308's I could find via search. All follow the DMPS GII pattern, so uppers and lowers are mix and match: DPMS G2 - DPMS GII // DESIGNED II DOMINATE MICRO Adams AR308 - .308 Rifles - Rifles/Lowers - Products MEGA SF-MATEN - SF-MATEN | Mega Arms Remington R25 GII - Modern Sporting Of the group, Adams is the only piston system, the rest are DI. I did a write up on the Adams here: A Simple Simian’s Primer on the AR-10 platform and Adams Arms Patrol 308 Battle Rifle Review | Survival Monkey Forums