joker581

DPMS has a reputation as a second tier manufacturer and a long reputation for producing out of spec parts.

This has been one of the problems with their builds. Some problems have come from amatuer builders and others have come from the parts themselves.

However, the fact remains that DPMS is a company with a reputation for problems.

The forums at www.ar-15.com have pages of info about DPMS problems. http://www.10-8forums.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php is another great place for info regarding the problems DPMS has had with rifles in training.

DPMS is the Taurus of the AR-15 world. They make guns that usually work, and sometimes work better than anything else. Along with those guns, they also turn out an unacceptable number of guns that don't perform well at all.

For a defensive rifle that you will stake your life on, you can do better than DPMS.

Bob The Great

ARFcom is a great resource, that's true. I lurk there quite a bit. I haven't seen anything DPMS quality related, though. Would you care to post a link or two?

10-8forums is new to me, but a search of 'dpms' turned up not a single post in the whole forum.

So, would you call this an untrue statement?

If this is the case, their components should be the same quality as a Colt, which, as I understand from my ARF lurking, is king of the hill.

Bob The Great

well, I just answered part of my own question.

A little digging on ARFcom found this chart. It's several years old, but DPMS doesn't seem to fare too badly according to it.

joker581

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.htm...f=118&t=303612
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.htm...f=118&t=304162
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=302906
http://lightfighter.net/eve/forums/a...0854#576100854
http://www.10-8forums.com/ubbthreads...true#Post36608
http://www.tacticalforums.com/cgi-bi...=000714#000000
http://www.tacticalforums.com/cgi-bi...=000760#000000
http://getoffthex.com/eve/forums/a/t...281#1471067281
http://www.10-8forums.com/ubbthreads...true#Post24316

Here are a few links to threads with negative reports. They range from out of spec parts complaints posted by builders to posts by highly respected trainers who have seen multiple DPMS rifles suffer severe failure during routine use.

I won't hazard a guess about who manufactures parts for various companies, although DPMS has gone to great lengths in the past to indicate that they make their own parts.

Colt certainly doesn't seem to be plagued by the problems DPMS has.

Like I said before, I'm not trying to bash DPMS. I'm simply saying that you can do better wothout spending much more. If this rifle is going to be used for defensive purposes, or if it is going to be shot much, you are likely to be better served by a rifle from a different company.

Bob The Great

Thanks for posting those. I'll read through them.

ssssthesnake

try a cabelas if you got one in your area they have one used in the one by my house for 700 a flat top about the same price as a ar with a carry yhandal

dimmak

May I suggest Stag Arms flattop?

I have one that has never given me any problems and I beleive , you'll find they are widely accepted as one of the finest overall AR config with a fair price as well....

__________________
"Ray Nagin is a colossal disappointment" - NRA/ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox.


"...be water, my friend."

Bob The Great

I went ahead and bought the DPMS. After reading through the threads joker581 posted, there still only seemed to be a handful of people who had issues, and the majority of those were on custom-built mix-n-match guns.

This particular rifle fit together snugly but smoothly, it had the chrome-lined barrel, and it was chambered for 5.56, not .223, so hopefully, that should take care of any chamber clearance or feed/extraction issues.

I'm gonna take it to the range this weekend, do the break-in, zero the sights, and have some fun with it.

vernonator

Bob,
Please give a range report after you put a few round thru this. I was eyeing these at the last gunshow. I would like to get an AR-15 before the newly installed GunGrabers in Congress ban them yet again....

Bob The Great

will do.