LR-308L: Worth it or build?

[xanderzuk]

After lugging around a friends Remington R-25 all Thanksgiving weekend, I strongly desired a lighter .308 AR. I went into a local gun shop yesterday and handled a DPMS LR-308L which comes in at 7.9 lbs. They had an R-25 in stock as well and picking the two up back to back is like night and day.

My question is, is there a better way to do a lightweight DPMS build for less than or the same $1500 it would cost to buy the LR-308L? I would like it to be as light or lighter, and an 18-20" barrel. Are there reasonable aftermarket barrels out there that I could perhaps contour or flute, and which contour would you recommend? Free float hand guards? Stock? etc?

Remember, goal is 8lbs or less without optics.

I should also ask, what about the carbine length gas system on a .308 vs mid or rifle length? will there be more recoil or less reliability?

 

[Balzac72]

Re: LR-308L: Worth it or build?

Kel Tec RFB @ 8.1 lbs. One of the best 308 rifles I own and one of the CLEANEST after shooting it.

 

[BCP]

Re: LR-308L: Worth it or build?

Shop around online, I see them for 1200-1300 all over the place.

To build something yourself I would figure 1500.

 

[Crashnrondo]

Re: LR-308L: Worth it or build?

I have handled both guns at the same time and didn't notice much if any difference, specs from there websites only show a 4-6 ounce difference. Did the R-25 have a tank of a scope on it or a full 20 round mag?

 

[xanderzuk]

Re: LR-308L: Worth it or build?

No, the R25 just had an Eotech and a sling. I think the biggest amount of weight comes from the barrel profile and the hand guard. The specs say that its close to a pound more, but I feel like they're fibbing on that a bit, that thing felt like a porker.

 

[CTone03]

Re: LR-308L: Worth it or build?

I built mine during the Obama election/innauguration, and it was more expensive, and I don't believe I got any more accuracy out of it than a DPMS SASS. It was also a nightmare.

Right now you could probably break even or get it all for a little bit cheaper, and get exactly what you want, but going through it all I would advise you to just buy something stock and spare yourself the headache.

With all that said, unless you are trying to shoot the AR out to 1k or close to it, my recommendation would be a lightweight 16" barrel, otherwise you're going to have a heavy rifle. You won't give up anything to the 20+" barrels out to 600 yards or so.

 

[xanderzuk]

Re: LR-308L: Worth it or build?

What about blast or recoil out of the 16 vs 18 or 20?

 

[45.308]

Re: LR-308L: Worth it or build?

Sportsmans Warehouse has the Bushmaster 308ORC for $799. Not quite want you asked for but it would save you some coin to do what you want with it. If I had the coin in the jeans, I would have bought one.