bayoupirate Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I'm sure this topic has been debated before, but I'm looking to purchase an AR model gun. I shoot a Rem 700 VS in .308. Therefore I reload and have a large stash of brass. The AR10 in 308 could virtually replace all of my rifles for hunting, sport shooting, etc... On the other hand. I've shot the carbon fiber version of the AR15 in .223 and I loved it. Light Quick to handle. Just plain fun to shoot. Bulk ammo is a good bit cheaper for .223 than .308. What's the recoil difference like? Looking for suggestions, advice, complaints, etc..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz-0 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Well it depends on what you want it for. As a rifle, I like my ar-10 a bit more. But I'm building an ar-15 to get into rifle matches and 3-gun. The ar-10 is a fair bit bulkier and less nimble. I like it more from a bench or prone, but standing I like the ar-15 better. Sitting is a toss up for me, I can make either one work reasonably well. It's fun, but it's not that carbine handy gun kind of fun. A nice 16" ar-15 almost has that levergun kind of handy feel for me. Other downside is options with a trigger, especially if you want to shoot surplus. You need hammer mass for reliable ignition, and it rules out a lot of aftermarket triggers if you want 100% reliability. Shooting surplus with my jp trigger in it with the recommended springs, the trigger is still pretty heavy (compared to a jp in an ar with the low mass hammer), but crisp. However it has a failure to fire abotu 1 in 20. The jard trigger has QA issues, the armalite NM trigger has price and wear issues against it, the knights armament 2-stage is the thing for the ar-10, but it's $300. People have gotten a RRA 2-stage, or a White oak tweaked RRA 2stage to work in them, but they suffer the light primer strike issues like the JP setup. If you reload your ammo, this is less of an issue. Other downside is that you will get failure to feeds when dirty sometimes, and no forward assist is available. Cycling the action with the charging handle has always cleard it for me, but you dump a live round thus reducing capacity even further. For competition, you have some issues, assuming you err towards reliability, you have cost, capacity, and time to require a site picture working against you compared to the ar-15 at a minimum. Doesn't mean it won't be fun or you can't win with it, but there will be issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Well, if you're going to reload fancy bullets, the cost difference between 223 and 308 practically doesn't exist anymore. I can reload 223 for $10/50 or reload 308 for maybe $12. If you can only afford to buy one, why not get one that shoots real bullets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Get both if you can! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyn Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Unless you're dedicated to shooting He-Man, get the AR15 (and not a carbon fiber one, I have yet to see one that worked over the long haul or even the short haul). You will struggle in any 3 Gun match shooting a .308 against the .223s. Advantages of .223: Cheaper (all the way around: live ammo, bullets, powder, brass, magazines) Easier on rifle and cases Equal or even superior ballistics Substantially less recoil (which equals faster and more accurate shooting) Advantage of .308: More fun to hit a piece of steel and watch it rock Will knock popppers over at Raton with a 30-40 mph wind holding them up AR15s completely dominate service rifle in highpower and all 3 gun matches. But if you really want the AR10, simply b/c you want to shoot a .308 then get one. And if you get an AR10, get the Bushmaster (so you can use FAL mags) and send it to JP. His HeMan AR10 makes competing with the FAL MUCH harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Kelly, What's the MTBF on an 308 AR-style? I thought they finally had the bugs worked out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtr Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 In case you didn't see it Zak Smith (who I can vouch for) has an AR-10 for sale http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...topic=20885&hl= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 k.i.s.s. .223 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 I have both, in fact multiple copies of both. I probably shoot 50 rounds of .223 to every round of .308. Everyone needs an AR15---that is reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Get both if you can! That's what I was thinking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimel Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Yeah...both! I have the AR-15 so the next rifle will be an AR-10. Not that I will compete with it...but a man just can't have too many guns. [oh dear lord I do so hope the wife stopped reading these forums ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 I'm just wondering... When prone, can you rest a 20-round AR-10 mag on the ground as a "monopod?" That would be a deal-breaker for me in Limited or Tactical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AH6IP Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 That's what I do when going prone. Never had any problems with that technique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGDM Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Buy 'em both! No problems going prone with 20 rounders. I reccommend a DPMS LR-308, mine is a tack-driver and hell on Nilgai. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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