Advice on DPMS .308 upgrades

[twfshelton]

Long story short, I just bought the wife a new deer rifle from Rural King. I am opposed to using .308 for deer, but I am more opposed(scared) of her using a lever action again this year. The loading/unloading and safety lever and adjustable stock make me feel a lot better. My big question is about the hand guards. Just switch to magpul SL carbine length or go with a longer free float. I know nothing about switching to a free float and am not sure it is worth spending a couple hundred on a $700 rifle. This is my first .308 AR, are all the accessories the same as an AR15?

 

[bobjones223]

Off topic but have to ask. What was wrong with her and the lever gun?

 

[singlesix]

.........

 

[twfshelton]

Off topic but have to ask. What was wrong with her and the lever gun?

She had issues lowering the hammer after a round was put in the chamber. I worked with her on it, but watching her do it made me nervous. We tried chambering a round just prior to shooting, but the noise of the action prior to shooting scared off a couple of deer she had a shot at which discouraged her. The AR platform is a very simple, safe and trainable platform. During Army rifle training, most new soldiers had never even touched a firearm of any kind and picked up on the simplicity of the AR.

 

[twfshelton]

A buddy of mine just picked up the same rifle and it appears most of the Magpul furniture fits with the exception of the +grip. It fits, but not flush in the web of the hand area.

 

[paintman]

i have the same rifle. i plan on free floating the rail and changing the stock. but i like it the way it is other than that.

 

[paintman]

Handguards- MidwayUSA

 

[Foxfire]

I always liked the original handguards better than magpuls.

 

[sloughfoot]

It seems to me that whatever you do, it needs to make the rifle lighter. I have a 16inch DPMS and that sucker is heavy enough. I have no plans to "upgrade" it. I agree with Foxfire.....

I have a Winchester 94 with the rebounding hammer. It takes all concern about dropping the hammer out of the equation. The 94 is the ideal woods gun for deer hunting. IMO. I don't think I would take my AR10 into the woods unless it was a survival situation. Deer hunting should be fun..Not a muscle builder.

 

[trsowders76]

I have one that I changed the gas block and put a guntech free float rail on and really like it. The rails will not interchange with ar15 the are specific to 308 and what reciever you are running. Dpms has a high and low reciever and if you get the wrong rail it will not line up.

 

[twfshelton]

I have one that I changed the gas block and put a guntech free float rail on and really like it. The rails will not interchange with ar15 the are specific to 308 and what reciever you are running. Dpms has a high and low reciever and if you get the wrong rail it will not line up.

I'm sure it will be the low end receiver coming from Rural King for $749, thanks for the heads up. Do you have to switch the gas block to run a free float?

 

[twfshelton]

It seems to me that whatever you do, it needs to make the rifle lighter. I have a 16inch DPMS and that sucker is heavy enough. I have no plans to "upgrade" it. I agree with Foxfire.....

I have a Winchester 94 with the rebounding hammer. It takes all concern about dropping the hammer out of the equation. The 94 is the ideal woods gun for deer hunting. IMO. I don't think I would take my AR10 into the woods unless it was a survival situation. Deer hunting should be fun..Not a muscle builder.

Not sure I understand the rebounding hammer. With thumb on hammer, and trigger pulled to lower the hammer on a round in the chamber it won't fire if your thumb slides off hammer?

 

[billmyn]

I would just switch to a magpul carbine hand guard . For the ranges she will most likely be hunting at there is no real benefit to free floating. The magpul will allow the addition of lights or an AFG or other vertical style fore grip. for a lot less money.

 

[sloughfoot]

Not sure I understand the rebounding hammer. With thumb on hammer, and trigger pulled to lower the hammer on a round in the chamber it won't fire if your thumb slides off hammer?

Not if you use the trigger to release the hammer, then immediately release the trigger before lowering the hammer. Don't let your thumb slide off the hammer. That is never good.

 

[paintman]

I'm sure it will be the low end receiver coming from Rural King for $749, thanks for the heads up. Do you have to switch the gas block to run a free float?

you could just grind the gas block down enough for the free float to clear it. thats what i had planned in my mind. and it shoud be the low reciever. thats what mine is.

 

[twfshelton]

Not if you use the trigger to release the hammer, then immediately release the trigger before lowering the hammer. Don't let your thumb slide off the hammer. That is never good.

LOL, I agree that is never good and has not happened. Maybe it's my over active thought process and I just shouldn't watch. This thing was on sale and eliminated the risk so I picked it up. If it kicks like a mule, it will all be for nothing and she will want the soft shooting Marlin or Henry.

 

[trsowders76]

The low has nothing to do with quality, it is the overall height of the reciever. And yes you will need a low profile gas block for free float rail unless you want to do some grinding. For the cost of the block I would just replace it as you have to take it off to install the rail anyway.