New AR-15 Coming Next Week

[JoeFriday]

Well, I had been looking at building an AR. I have never owned or messed with one, so I figured that would be a good way to get to know one. I tripped across the M&P Sport and found that there are entry level rifles that may be a better option to get my feet wet. I continued looking around and ran across a deal. DPMS Oracle for $570. Yep, no sights, but not a big deal. I caught the Bushnell TRS-25 on Amazon for $76. That puts me at $646. I'll put a quad rail and light on it for $76. So, that will have me ending up at $722 in to it. So, based on what it will have, I don't think that is too bad.

While I am sure that some will want to say that DPMS is awful, and I should have purchased X rifle because it is so much better. I can appreciate that. I am sure if I would have spent $1K to $2K, I would have purchased a better rifle, or at least I would hope so. I have owned various rifles over the years, and I just was not willing to drop that kind of money on a rifle until I had hands on time with one over the course of some time and could justify the cost/benefit. If I really like the AR platform and can justify it, then I can always sell the Oracle and upgrade later. Plus, I have no intention of taking it and rolling around in the mud doing some tactical course.

Based on everything I could find, I got lucky and got a pretty smokin' deal at this point in time. I got one of the last ones the place had at that price, and that was by far the best prices I could find anywhere. I'm pretty stoked about getting some time with an AR and some range time with it hopefully soon after it arrives.

Since I'm a newbie to the AR world, anything I should watch for as I am breaking it in? I watched some YouTube videos of the breakdown and clean process. Based on some of the comments for some, they were wrong. Any recommendations on the best ones? What maintenance items should I watch?

And finally, on sighting in... Based on what I read, I can zero in at 25 yards and be zeroed at 200 yards too. Between 25 and 200 yards, I should see roughly up to 2 inches in rise. Is that correct?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[FPW823]

zero It @ 25 meters prone with a bypod or sand bag, something to help with human error. Once zeroed @ 25 meters you will also be zeroed @ 300. Take 3 shots and if those 3 shots are not in a semi snug group then re-evaluate your rest and breathing. once they are consistent your good to adjust sights.

[RKM]

I think you'll likely be fine with the DPMS for your intended purpose, but I think you should have at least gone with the M&P15 Sport.

I never do anything to "break in" any of my guns. I just go out and shoot them.

As far as sighting in, maybe it's just me, I kind of do my own thing when it comes zeroing. I zero at 50 yards as I find it's the best overall for out to 200 yards. Based on rough calculations a 50 yards zero will be .5" low at 25, on at 50, .5" high at 100, on at 150, and 2" low at 200. A 25 yard zero will be on at 25 yards and high by 1-3" all the way out to 200. I'd zero at whatever distance you're going to be shooting at the most.

[JoeFriday]

Thanks. Sounds like sighting in can be a personal preference. What is the deal about keeping the bolt wet? Do AR-15 like an oiled bolt like Sig's like oiled rails?

[Sig35seven]

DPMS is as good as any of the others. imo

[Sig35seven]

Where did you buy it from?

[JoeFriday]

I picked it up off of Guns for Sale Online - Kentucky Gun Co. . Their shipping process is slow, but I am sure they got hammered with orders like everyone else. For the deal, I was OK waiting for them to ship it. I found it last weekend, and they were all gone by Monday.

[JoeFriday]

DPMS is as good as any of the others. imo

Yea, I figured it would be just fine for my use. DPMS seems to be the frequent target of bashing for some reason.

[jonconsiglio]

DPMS is as good as any of the others. imo

They are not as good as any (his terms, not mine - by others, I'm referring to some of the pro grade rifles - wasn't trying to imply they're the bottom of the barrel) of the others. But, it will likely be good enough for the JoeFriday's uses, and that's just fine. Had it been $850, I'd suggest he buy something else. Since it's not even $600, I can understand the purchase and I'm sure it'll be fine for some fun at the range. For MY uses, a DPMS is a no go. I've had one break on me in short order and have seen a high percentage of them fail during training… It's rare that someone at a training class brings a DPMS, but the ones I've seen have not done so well for the most part. When they're cold, cleaned and lubed, they often work fine, but when they get hot, dirty and the lube needs reapplied, they're more prone to failure than a better quality rifle.

By better quality rifle I don't mean a $2,100 KAC SR15, I mean a $900 BCM or $950 Colt 6920. Now, even though $1,000 is cheap to me for an AR, it's still 50% more than the OP paid and I can understand why he went with what he did. The only reason I'm even posting this at all is some people might not think there's any difference. A gun shop selling DPMS will tell you they're all the same and many believe.

OP, enjoy your rifle. I would suggest adding a heavier buffer, maybe an H or H2 since DPMS run their gas ports on the large side. I run an H in my 14.5" mid length and my 16" Colt. The DPMS will be getting more gas than both, but comes with a carbine (lightest) buffer. Throw an H2 in there adn it'll shoot softer and likely be more reliable.

[jonconsiglio]

Yea, I figured it would be just fine for my use. DPMS seems to be the frequent target of bashing for some reason.

It's not frequent bashing, it's pointing out the lower quality parts that they use, the larger gas ports, the often out of spec machining, the lower quality lower parts components they use and the quite often out of spec chamber that they label as 5.56 but is actually closer to .223 in many cases.

It's not bashing if they put out a lower quality product. There's nothing wrong with buying lower quality if you understand that it is lower quality, but still fits your needs. Many, for some reason, try to say it's as good as something like a Colt, but that's certainly not the case. Before buying a rifle, you (generally speaking) need to understand the difference between commercial grade rifles built for weekend plinking and professional grade rifles built for defensive/duty use, harder use during training but will also work well as a plinker. There's a difference which is easy to see by comparing materials used, but really is noticeable when you compare consistency across a large sample of their rifles, when you check their chambers, when their bolt sheer a lug much sooner than the expected life cycle, etc.

Again, this may not matter to you, and that's perfectly fine. But, saying they're just as good as, is not true. Being just as good as for a few rounds here and there maybe, but generally speaking, no they are not. Some people get emotional about this for some reason, and it clouds the issue. If you don't plan on running yours hard, getting it smoking hot, putting more than 1,000 rounds or more per month through it, it will likely be fine. Do 1,000 to 1,5000 rounds in a few day class, like many of us here do, and you'll start to see little problems here and there that will require some minor (or possible major) fixes.

[atctimmy]

OP I think you got a nice deal. Enjoy it. If you start to want to run the gun harder then you can always move up a notch in quality. If you don't then you can enjoy your rifle for years to come.

95% of AR15 owners don't run their guns hard enough for the quality to make a big difference. I usually don't run my guns hard either.

On the other hand, Jon does fall into the 5% and he is the guy I ask when I have a question about ARs.

Good luck and have fun!

[JoeFriday]

Glad to know that Jon is one of the experts. I'm sure I will have questions once I start shooting it.

If I am running a thousand rounds through it in a day at this point, that means everything has gone to hell in a hand basket, and I've got bigger problems to deal with. If I start going past the capabilities of it at some point, then that just means it's time to upgrade, and I have no problems with that and can personally justify the expense based on what I know.

[FPW823]

Way to handle that, Its hard when someone tells you your new gun (which you get super stoked about and makes you happy) Is a P.O.S unless you want to baby it because it wont handle anything rough. I love my rifle and IDC that it doesnt size up too colt.

[atctimmy]

Way to handle that, Its hard when someone tells you your new gun (which you get super stoked about and makes you happy) Is a P.O.S unless you want to baby it because it wont handle anything rough. I love my rifle and IDC that it doesnt size up too colt.

Now now. That's not what Jon was saying. He was replying to another post that said:

DPMS is as good as any of the others.

The reality is far different. There is a reason other guns cost more money. It would be just the same as if someone was trying to compare a Springer Loaded to a Nighthawk Custom. They are not the same.

Most of the time folks pay top dollar for a light duty gun, the OP didn't. In this case the OP got a great deal on his gun. He got plenty of gun for not much money. Good job OP.

[jonconsiglio]

Way to handle that, Its hard when someone tells you your new gun (which you get super stoked about and makes you happy) Is a P.O.S unless you want to baby it because it wont handle anything rough. I love my rifle and IDC that it doesnt size up too colt.

What did he do a good job handling? My comments that he'll likely do well with that rifle?

This right here is a prime example of where the "bashing" comments come from. I was explaining a fact with no emotion attached whatsoever, and somehow, according to FPW823, I called DPMS junk. I never said that. I said it was a commercial grade weapon geared towards plinking more than it is towards harder use with a heavier firing schedule.

There is a huge difference between what I said and how it was interpreted.