Cody_2130 Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I am looking to pick up a DPMS 3G1, and after reading the reviews it seems that everyone says the guns are very front heavy. I am considering having the standard front end swapped out to one of the DPMS carbonfiber fronts, I am hoping that someone had done something similar to this and could let me know if that would get the gun balanced out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbon9 Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I am looking to pick up a DPMS 3G1, and after reading the reviews it seems that everyone says the guns are very front heavy. I am considering having the standard front end swapped out to one of the DPMS carbonfiber fronts, I am hoping that someone had done something similar to this and could let me know if that would get the gun balanced out. Just my opinion but I don't think the carbon fiber handguard is going to make enough of a difference to balance the rifle. If you don't want to turn the barrel to a lighter profile then I would add a heavier stock(Magpul UBR or PRS) to shift the weight rearward thus helping it balance better. Of course the carbon fiber will still help a little bit and if the gas block is steel, switching it out to a low profile stainless gas block like the Firebird or an aluminum gas block will help save a little more weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody_2130 Posted April 23, 2011 Author Share Posted April 23, 2011 HMMM those are good ideas, might see if someone local has the stuff to turn the barrel down. I may try the CF handgaurd for starters, I doubt DPMS would charge me to swap it out, I will give them a call Monday. The UBR stock looks nice and I may have to get one down the road. The stock gas block looks very lo-pro so I doubt I can really shave much weight there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMIS Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I would suggest the Magpul PRS also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) I know we get hopelessly addicted to "parts changing" but honestly do have the rifle? Have you shot it? Is it really front heavy? Is front heavy a bad thing? Spend some time with it and see how well it suits you. Then YOU will have a better idea what YOU need or not. Patrick Edited April 23, 2011 by P.E. Kelley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I know we get hopelessly addicted to "parts changing" but honestly do have the rifle? Have you shot it? Is it really front heavy? Is front heavy a bad thing? Spend some time with it and see how well it suits you. Then YOU will have a better idea what YOU need or not. Patrick Crazy good advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody_2130 Posted April 23, 2011 Author Share Posted April 23, 2011 I know we get hopelessly addicted to "parts changing" but honestly do have the rifle? Have you shot it? Is it really front heavy? Is front heavy a bad thing? Spend some time with it and see how well it suits you. Then YOU will have a better idea what YOU need or not. Patrick Good call man, no I dont have the rifle, nor have a I shot that model. As a reference though I do like very back heavy guns, but I will try the gun out in the stock setup and see how it feels. I am going to need to skip the CF front though, I am going to put a Mapul AFG on the gun so I need to keep a forend with rails o it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomfab Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Guns that are heavy generally don't hop around as much when fired. It's kind of a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpeltier Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 I know we get hopelessly addicted to "parts changing" but honestly do have the rifle? Have you shot it? Is it really front heavy? Is front heavy a bad thing? Spend some time with it and see how well it suits you. Then YOU will have a better idea what YOU need or not. Patrick Good call man, no I dont have the rifle, nor have a I shot that model. As a reference though I do like very back heavy guns, but I will try the gun out in the stock setup and see how it feels. I am going to need to skip the CF front though, I am going to put a Mapul AFG on the gun so I need to keep a forend with rails o it. Don't overlook the Carbonfiber forearms just yet. Many have or will accept rails for use with the AFG. If you just gotta put one on that is. If you get a permanently railed cheese grater style forearm, your stuck with it unless you replace it. Check out the PRI carbon forearms. Some of the best out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmdCtzn Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I've used my 3G1 in a couple of matches, and I really notice it seems front heavy on long range shots. I'd like to lighten the front end, but it seems more practical to make the back end heavier, although I hate to make the rifle heavier. Maybe I'll get used to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jadeslade Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 If your a big guy like Pat Kelley, even an M14 seems like a pea shooter!. Seriously, when Pat talks, I listen. That is a quality gun for 3Gun you are talking about and when you buy a gun like that there is probably no reason to modify it until you shoot it and decide for yourself. DPMS has been a dependable company for years, they are now owned by a conglomerate, but that should not change things too much....we will see. A lot of guys shoot rifles with railed forearms and do really well-Rob Romero off the top of my head-and it comes down to what you do and your shooting style-they are great for bracing on barricades and logs and stuff-they can be heavy. If you are really wanting a custom gun-you should probably make it. Even I can do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 If you start 3-gunning seriously you will end up selling that Mag-Pul AFG anyway, so why not start with a nice light, slick forend instead of changing all sorts of stuff latter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRider Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Try holding the gun farther out on the handguard. If you hold it next to the magwell, it may seem front heavy. I shot my buddies 3G1 a couple of weeks ago and it felt good to me (it is much lighter feeling than my 20" AR10 with a Titan and the front sight mounted at the comp), but everything is relative. Hurley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephensOutdoors Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I love my 3G1! It's definitely heavier than my old rifle, but I like it that way. I had the JP forearm off the other night to add a sling mount and I don't think I'd try to lighten it up by the forearm. Without any forearm on, I felt that it was awkwardly balanced and that the JP forearm it came with adds a nice balance to the gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMc Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Shot my 3g1 for the first time, in a match, at DT's match last weekend. To me, the rifle is soft shooting and well balanced. Nothing about the rifle was an issue, I can't imagine, being able to improve on it. To me, for a 1k, they are a good value. JohnMc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody_2130 Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 If I end up getting one rather than building a 20" upper custom gun, I am planning on doing a JP low mass setup to get rid of even more recoil out of the gun... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highxj Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Just got my 3G1 upper today.....and coming from a 14.5" M4 profile barrel this thing feels like it weighs a ton. I'll play with it for a bit and see if I can get acclimated to it. If not, I'll have the barrel turned down a bit under the handguard. Anybody done that by the way?? I've run into a couple stages where I thought something a little heavier than my 14.5" would be beneficial. Last Weld County match we had to shoot some targets on the move (walking) that were a good ways away. The little guy was tough to hold still on that one. Cody 2130, how are you getting along with yours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody_2130 Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 Have not ordered it yet, may be saving for a Larue gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highxj Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Well......after receiving my 3G1 upper, I installed a JP gas block, low mass carrier, and JP spring. In putting it back together I checked out the crown and noticed a sizeable ding in it that would need to be addressed, so I didn't bother to shoot it. I still thought the thing felt heavier than I like, so I went ahead and had the barrel turned down to .650" under the handguard, and had it shortened to 17" as well since the crown needed work anyway......and just for the fun of it. What information I could uncover said that the 17" rifle gas should work fine, and it sure handles nice. Like a moron I forgot to weigh the barrel before and after the weight loss program, but they are chunky at .875" under the handguard, and reducing the diameter by .225" really changes the handling characteristics. It feels much quicker to me now.....and should be perfect for my needs, now I need some time to wring it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkemxr Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Turning down an 18" SPR profile barrel (rifle length gas) to 0.650" behind the gas block and forward to the muzzle (0.750 only at the gas block) took about 13 Oz off. Added a 15" handguard and this rifle handles great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_Ayers Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 On my rebuild of a standard AP4 with 4 rail fore end, I started off with a lighter weight upper without the foward assist, had the carrier lightened, took a 20" fluted barrel; turned & shorted by 1.5 inches, re threaded and indexed for a Benny Hill Rolling Thunder 5 port comp, Added a low profile gas block with a rifle length gas system (this will really determine how the gun shoots, It softens the recoil over a carbine gas system), used a rifle length carbonfiber fore end. On the lower, used a lighter recoil spring, added a 2 stage hydro buffer and added a Magpul UBS collapsable stock. I went with the USB to help with ballance since it was alittle heavier and it has added with asbsorbing the recoil as well. Since the rebuild, mine shoots more like a 243 bolt gun instead of a .308. I might get 1/2 inch muzzle rise shooting 145gr prvi @ 2755 ft/sec. I think the USB would be a good choice for balance and the carbon fiber fore end on the front for weight reduction on your gun. One suggestion is if you are wanting to have a sling mount on the fore end, I would add the mount before you epoxy the fore end to the barrel nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiackid Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Just do a bunch of pushups and pullups - the money savings is phenomenal and heavy guns don't seem as heavy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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