DPMS LR-308 AR-10

DPMS LR-308 [Review]: The AR, Back to Basics

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In this post, we’ll have the DPMS LR-308 review. Now, let’s begin.

The MSR nowadays is to be found not only in law enforcement or military environments (in its select-fire guise). Many civilians are looking for a semi-automatic rifle capable of at least MOA accuracy and versatility that is available in different calibers. One of those is the DPMS LR-308.

The DPMS LR-308 is an AR-15-style rifle that was introduced in 2010. It has become one of the most popular semi-automatic rifles in the U.S., used by a wide range of shooters and hunters alike.

DPMS stands for DPMS Panther Arms/ Defense Procurement Manufacturing Services, which manufactures this AR-15-style rifle. DPMS LR-308 is usually used in competitions and is becoming increasingly popular among avid shooters.

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Advantages of the MSR

I have not always been a fan of the MSR. It wasn’t until I owned one of my own that I started to see them in a new light. I was not in the military, so I don’t have the experience with the M16/M4 and variants as many of you do, so I did it on my own

I have a Del-Ton 5.56 rifle on which I leave iron sights for quick access. I discovered a few things after owning and shooting my rifle a decent amount.

Caliber Interchangeability

It is really very easy to change calibers on the AR platform, given the fact that the lower receiver, most of the time, stays the same and you only need to change out the upper. This gives you the bolt/bolt face, barrel, and chamber for the second cartridge.

A good example — I would like to obtain an upper in .350 Legend and stick it on my existing lower. With a new magazine, I’d be good to go in the deer woods in my state.

All I need to buy would be the upper, magazine (usually supplied with the upper), and optic. The modularity of the system makes it easy to experiment with different calibers.

Ease Of Mounting Accessories

It is easy to add, say, a red dot to your MSR. Most have a rail section at least at the 12-o’clock (top) position. Get the mount for whatever rail system your rifle uses and add the optic.

It works just as well for red dots, scopes, or other sighting aids. Back-up iron sights usually mount directly to the rail.

Another advantage of having a long rail on top of your upper is placing the sight exactly where you need to on the rifle. The older I get, the more my eyes change.

I generally put sights a notch or two closer to my eyes than I might have a few years ago. With my upper and its rail, this is possible.

Utilitarian Stock And Ergos

The MSR is nothing if not functional in terms of stock fit. Most of them use a collapsible rear stock that allows you to push it all the way in. Very handy for times when you need a short rifle (transporting it, for example).

You can snap it out to achieve a full-length-of-pull rifle stock for shooting off a bench or similar activity.

Another feature of the MSR is its pistol grip. I know that some states do not allow any long gun to be sold that has a pistol grip, but that grip is another great aid to the ergonomic factor of the rifle. It allows you to hold the gun higher on your shoulder.

This gets your eye closer to the line of sight of whatever optic system you have mounted. It also can help you pull in the gun to your shoulder very tightly.

Put a one-point sling on the rifle, and you have a very-quick-into-action weapon at your disposal. The stock, pistol grip, and handguard were designed to help the rifle be brought to bear very quickly in a military setting. This quick handling aspect is also not lost in a hunting situation.

Wear and Tear

The final thing I want to mention about the advantages of the MSR has to do with wear and tear. Those who own an expensive rifle or shotgun sometimes hesitate to carry it afield because you don’t want it to get scratched or worse.

With the matte black/FDE/other finish on your MSR, you tend not to worry so much about it getting beaten up in the woods or field. For one thing, it’d be pretty hard to put a noticeable ding on it. For another, a touch-up would be easy.

I see more of these guns out than ever before. More guys realize that the MSR is a good match for the woods or wherever they hunt.

Downsides of the MSR

So, we’ve seen some advantages that the MSR offers. Are there any disadvantages? Of course — everything has its pluses and minuses.

Low Butt Stock

There tends to be one slight downside to the minimal stock that MSRs tend to use: they can put the optic too low for your eyes to pick up. You can solve this by using a raised comb. This will put your eye closer to the same plane as whatever sight you’re using.

Non-Traditional Appearance & Materials

Another possible downside (for a few folks) concerns a very subjective topic — “feel.” To some, rifles should always have a smooth, checkered-in-places walnut stock wrapped around a brightly polished blued receiver and barrel.

You can’t fix this with an MSR — you’d have difficulty getting your MSR to exhibit those features. At any rate, the MSR was never intended to be walnut-and-blued steel.

Everyone is different, and that guy at the club that only owns older Weatherbys probably won’t want to shoot your LR-308. That doesn’t prove anything other than that guy likes wood-and-metal guns and you happen to own a plastic-and-metal rifle. Also, there is no right answer.

When he comes at you with the observation that the first M16s had stocks made by Mattel, you probably won’t move him any closer to your side with any argument, even given that MSRs are found in all rifle shooting events nowadays. Some folks just like certain types of guns, period.

Other AR-Pattern Rifle Reviews

If you want to explore the AR platform in detail, check out some of my other reviews on this site. I have written a few reviews of other MSRs — one of the most complete was my Buyer’s Guide to the AR-15-style rifle.

At some length, I wrote about the different operating systems types (direct-impingement vs. piston rod), the history of the rifle, how it works, and other good stuff. It has a lot of background information in it that you might find interesting.

Another AR-15 type of rifle I reviewed was the Rock River Arms LAR-15. There’s some good information there. And, if you are possibly interested in an AR format but in 9mm, check out my Troy Arms Other Firearm review. These reviews might help you understand the platform better or learn something new about it.

DPMS Panther Arms LR-308 Review

A good friend offered me the chance to review a DPMS LR-308. When he put his rifle in my hands, I instantly wanted to shoot it. The LR-308 is a basic AR-style rifle. It uses standard, minimal controls. It is also built to be very strong, given its basic style.

It’s also interesting to note (and you will read this in the above-linked review) that the AR-15 did not start as the AR-15 but was, in fact, the AR-10 — in 7.62×51, or .308.

The original Eugene Stoner model was in .308, but the military wanted a smaller caliber so those who carried the rifle could carry more ammo. Another plus at that time was that the 5.56 recoiled much less than the 7.62.

Here is a cartridge comparison. The .308 is on the right.

rifle cartridge comparison
L-R, 9mm; .223; 7.62×39; .30-30; 7.62x54R; .308.

Now, let’s look at the rifle. Here are the specs of the rifle I shot.

Caliber:.308 Winchester
Capacity:One 20-round magazine included; will accept any standard AR magazine
Action:Direct-Impingement Semi-Automatic
Barrel:Heavy Barrel, 16", HBAR Chrome-Moly 4140, 1:10 twist. Models with an 18" or 24" barrel
Stock:Pardus 6-position collapsible
Upper receiver:Extruded 7129 T6 A3 flat top
Lower receiver:Billet 6061 T6
Pistol Grip:A2
Trigger:5 pounds, 2 ounces (measured)
Flash Hider:A2 Birdcage
Sights:None; Railed gas block, optics-ready
Handguard:Glacier Guard
Fire Control:Standard AR-15
Overall Length:32.5" - 36.5"
Weight:8.3 pounds

If you glance directly above, you will see the weight given as 8.3 pounds. When you hoist this rifle, you will feel every ounce of that weight. It is not a light gun, but (given its caliber), the weight helps when you shoot it.

DPMS LR-308 Review: Photos

DPMS LR-308 right side
Here’s the gun, right side.
DPMS LR-308 receiver left
Receiver left side.
DPMS LR-308 receiver engraving
Engraving close-up.
DPMS LR-308 receiver right
Receiver, right side.

Note the forward assist and dustcover, two items that some makers are omitting to save money. This rifle uses a one-piece trigger guard and standard mag release.

Another interesting point is that the bolt’s forward-assist notches are hidden above the exposed part. I don’t see this very often.

DPMS LR-308 top-rail
Top rail.

Notice the absence of markings.

DPMS LR-308 front rail
Front (short) rail for sight or other accessory mounting.
DPMS LR-308 buttstock left
Buttstock.

Note finger-grooved release to lengthen or shorten the stock. Also included is a sling mount (below).

DPMS LR-308 sling mount rear
This is a rigid mount — it doesn’t swivel or move.
DPMS LR-308 full mag

The magazine, above and below.

DPMS LR-308 full mag front
This means business.

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DPMS LR-308 Review: Shooting Performance

In my part of the country, it is winter. The forecast calls for a winter weather advisory for today and tomorrow, so I thought I’d better try to shoot this thing before sloppy moisture falls from on high. I went to my backyard range and put a few rounds through it.

It was a bit cold that day, so I did not try many different types or ammo brands. (I hear all you younger supermen out there — what can I say? I’m old, and the cold tends to bother me more than it used to.

Plus, to be honest, I’m not a larger-caliber rifle shooter. My shooting hobby started with handguns and, with some notable exceptions, has remained with that style of a firearm over the years.

Do I own rifles? Sure. I am not used to shooting, with any regularity, calibers much above the 5.56/.243. I said I had a blast (literally) shooting my friend Marty’s AR-50 in .50 BMG. However, that .50-caliber rifle did not recoil as much as this .308 did, believe that or not.

I also find I’m getting more recoil-sensitive the older I get. I don’t have anything to prove anymore, not that I ever did.

So, all this is to say I shot one type of ammo through the LR-308. It was enough to learn a thing or two.

target and 308 ammo

Here’s the target (or at least the best one). Notice one ragged hole. This rifle is an accurate one. The rifle does not come with sights, so you will have to take that into account if you buy one.

Set a few hundred more aside to get a decent scope, red dot, or some-such sight. The rifle exhibits traits that would lead me to believe it would make a decent long-range shooter.

This says a lot for the PMC ammo I shot, as well. To read about PMC ammo, check this site out, and to order what I shot, go here.

DPMS LR-308 Review: Shooting Impressions

I like this firearm. Does it kick? Sure. It’s going to, shooting a 150-grain bullet at 2820 fps — that adds up to about 18.6 ft/ lbs of recoil energy.

Here is one area where the minimalist AR stock doesn’t help: soaking up recoil. It just doesn’t do much where that’s concerned. Considering that my synthetic-stocked Savage .243 kicks me with only about 9 ft/ lbs of recoil energy, you might begin to see why I tend to be a bit recoil-shy.

Recoil is generally harmless. How we cope (or not cope) with it allows it to affect our shooting. I’m sure this particular rifle has no more recoil than any other in its class. It’s just that I’ve been more of a handgun type ever since I was young.

DPMS LR-308 Review: About the DPMS Company

DPMS Standard Logo Panther Arms

Randy Luth founded the Defense Procurement Manufacturing Services (DPMS) company in Minnesota in 1985 as a means by which to manufacture parts for military contract firearms. They eventually began manufacturing complete AR-15-pattern rifles and moved to St. Cloud in 2004.

It was an efficiently-run and successful company because it doubled its revenue between 2004 – 2007 and employed 65 people in 2008. The Freedom Group acquired the DPMS company (along with Marlin) in 2007 with Remington being the company’s immediate parent company in organization.

I found out that DPMS rifles have won awards: Shooting Illustrated’s 2005 “Golden Bullseye” winner (as mentioned at the top of this review) for the LR-308, and American Rifleman’s 2006 “Golden Bullseye” winner with their Panther LR-308AP4 rifle.

Remington has been trying to consolidate firearm production, moving newly acquired factories’ product lines to its Huntsville, Alabama site. DPMS’s St. Cloud facility was included in that effort to consolidate, which now places DPMS production in Alabama. The company still makes a large number of AR-pattern rifles and related parts.

DPMS LR-308 Review Wrap Up: Is the DPMS LR-308 Any Good?

If you are looking for a .308 rifle to use in the deer woods, to compete with, or to simply have to shoot whenever you might want to give the DPMS LR-308 a look.

It is an award-winning gun, and seems to be built very well. I had no issues with it in the short time I had to shoot it. The rifle is accurate, handles well, and was fun to shoot.

When you ask most experienced rifle shooters who have hunted deer to describe their favorite .308, they most likely will describe a bolt-action of some brand or other. They may not even think about a semi-auto in that caliber.

I’m here to say that the AR-pattern MSR is one viable alternative to that bolt gun. Modern black rifles can be less-than-MOA-accurate and very effective in the field. We are seeing more hunters utilizing these rifles in the deer woods.

Capacity is important to some folks, as well — as long as you have ten or fewer cartridges with you, you’re legal here. That equates to one 10-round magazine here in my state, which would be legal. Most bolt guns hold three or four in the magazine, so the advantage would go to the MSR.

Whether you’re a hunter or not, check out the LR-308. You might be pleasantly surprised if you’re in the market for a nice .308 in an AR-style package. Please tell us below if you’ve had experience with one of these. As always, shoot straight and be safe.

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19 comments
  1. I have built a few AR15s and am currently building an AR10 using PSA P10 Gen2 lower assembly which is supposed to be compatible with the DPMS components. This is true I hope as it seems PSA isn’t really supporting the PA10. I am currently looking to assemble a flat top upper with side charging and 26″ heavy barrel as a LR DMR and for hunting at medium to long range (I am disabled). I also reload. Budget is a major consideration so any advice on affordable components is of use. Complete rifles are far too expensive for my meager disability income. It’s good to know the platform performs and any build advise is welcome.

    1. Steve, sounds like you’re on the right track. Let’s pick our readers’ brains…anyone out there building a similar rifle? Can we hear from you about parts? Thanks for writing!

    1. Peter, nope. The .308 is at home in both platforms. The bolt action is probably more popular, but that is changing over time as more and more of the AR-style guns are being made. Don’t think the semiauto will overtake the bolt, but it’s there. Thanks for writing!

    1. Old Man (boy, I identify with that!), glad to hear it. The .308 would be the next logical step up in caliber in your AR platform. Hope you have fun with it. Thanks for writing!

  2. Very well written article. I’m a retired mechanical engineer and built my first AR rifle on a DPMS LR-308 lower in 2009. It was chambered in .308 Win. Since then I’ve added .243 and 6.5 Creedmoor uppers. My AR-10 and -15 collection continues to grow.

    1. Patrick, your guns are an example of the versatility of the AR platform…you can pretty much buy one lower and as many uppers as you need. Glad it’s working for you. Thanks for writing!

  3. I had a DPMS Recon I rifle in 7.62 a few years ago. It had much nicer furniture than the one you test here and I did not find the recoil to be a problem – a little more than a 5.56 but not THAT much more. The only issue I had was that it used proprietary magazines which were not cheap. I sold it and got and AR-10 clone that uses Magpul magazines and I like that a lot better. All of the AR-10 pattern rifles I have ever fired have been very accurate. I think it is inherent in the design. Thanks Mr. Stoner!

    1. Kaniksu, good points. Glad you found a rifle that can use less-expensive magazines. I’ve always found the AR-pattern rifles to be accurate, as well. Glad you’re enjoying yours-thanks for writing!

  4. Like your article. One minor correction it does not take standard AR magazines. It takes larger mags for the larger cartridges. Also, on the recoil. I am almost 80 years old and I don’t think the recoil is that bad. A few weeks ago I shot five thirty round magazines through it and my shoulder was not sore in the least bit.

    1. Yogi, yeah, I didn’t make it clear that it took standard AR-10 mags, not AR-15. Everyone has a different sensitivity to recoil, and as I said in the review, I cut my teeth on handguns. I’m just not as rifle-savvy as a lot of you out there, so what I feel in recoil with a certain gun may not be an issue at all with someone else. Glad you’re still shooting – I hope I am when I’m almost 80! Thanks for writing – appreciate it.

  5. Well Mike, great write up on this rifle! Thanks for all the super info! I Like You am not a black rifle nut and do not own one yet! This review has me looking again! At 68 the eyes and the sights would be a hinderance without the mentioned several hundred for scope etc!

    Just wondering,? how did that 8x56R round that you identify as a 7.62x54R round,! sneak in between the 30-30 and 308 rounds in your cartridge comparison photo? Reason I know is that I own an early M95 Mannlicher in 8x50R and am very familiar with the 8x56R ammo.

    Always enjoy your reviews!
    Keep penning
    Jhk

    1. James, it’s never too late to pick up an AR! Like you, I need more optic power the older I get, but there are several affordable options out there. And, as for the cartridge, I thought I grabbed the Russian 7.62×54 rimmed, but could have picked up another. Sometimes my photo sessions are a bit hurried, and I do make mistakes. At least hopefully the relative sizes of the various rounds will be seen-that was the goal. Thanks for writing!

  6. As Yogi said, the LR-308 does not use standard AR mags. DPMS uses SR-25 pattern mags, and standard AR-10 mags or AICS pattern will not work.

  7. Im looking for an AR type platform as my main ‘if things go south’ battle/survival gun. Ive been a fan of the lowly .308 for 55years. Actually, I consider the 30.06 to be the one best overall caliber but thats just to big for my intended purpose. The .223 is a squirrel bullet. Oh sure, properly placed you may kill an elephant and I know it tumbles and causes damage. Aside from being able to carry more bullets in a war, which we would never see at that extreme, I want the knockdown of the .308. and high capacity. Im 68 and not trying to say I have big ones but Ive shot ten guage with wood stocks, yes that hurt but didnt make me feel like never touching it. .308 isnt a big kicker though its really in the stock so Id just boot it with a pad or something. Cant wait to buy this toy and play with it for accuracy

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