Need Current Armalite AR-10 Guidance

[Quarter Horse]

I've been mulling over the purchase of a .308 or 6.5CM gas gun. Not an immediate need so I'll wait 'til the current lunacy ends. I have an M-15T with a 24"SS barrel that I bought NIB about ten years ago. It is from the Clinton era. It has very good two stage trigger and is quite accurate. So, taking a large frame gas gun under consideration, my thoughts went to Armalite.

I've read a number of posts from back when where people give them high marks but nothing current. Apparently there have been ownership changes and there are inferences that the current rifles are not up to the standard of older ones.

What I'm looking for is absolute reliability, sub MOA and ready to go out of the box with the exception of adding an optic.

If you have experience with older, newer, new ownership, etc. Armalite 10s I would appreciate your comments.

 

[hafejd30]

I’ve owned 2 AR10

One Armalite (older)
One Rock River LAR 8 (Newer)

Armalite was set up with a 16” barrel very similar to an MP 15. Green stock set. Non free floated barrel. Shot 150 SST Fiocchi into 1.5” 5 shots at 100 yards

My rock river LAR8 is set up more modern. Heavy barrel, adjustable stock. Excellent 2 stage trigger. I have a adjustable gas block tuned to run 165 Hornady superformance suppressed. Easy 1 MOA gun. Especially with 168 FGMM

The Armalite was a nice rifle but very loud, had a pinned/welded brake and jumped around when fired more than the LAR8. However that’s all in the design of the weapon

It was reliable and accurate for the design

I know you specifically looking at the Armalite. But I’ll be that guy....if you put your budget on here many will steer you in the directions they’ve taken. Mine would be Rock River in that price bracket.

I’d be willing to bet there’s way more people that own something other than Armalite that can provide other suggestions as well to look into

Theres a good chance you don’t see as much Armalite threads anymore because there’s way more players in the game of AR10’s now

 

[CrabsandFootball]

Rock river is not even in business anymore.

 

[Xcount]

Rock river is not even in business anymore.

ah, better look again.

Rock River Arms

Rock River Arms, Inc. offers a complete line of American made, custom built AR15 style rifles.

www.rockriverarms.com

 

[hafejd30]

Rock river is not even in business anymore.

Didn't realize that. Their website says there closed to the public for sales but operating through the Covid pandemic

 

[_Windrider_]

Get something DPMS. Can’t go wrong with a seeking SP-10

 

[GhostFace]

Illinois Armalite junkie checking in, I have had an Armalite in my collection for at least 21 years now. My second one was a T and it’s 15 years old and I finally shot the barrel out. I have run that rifle suppressed dry for 500 plus rounds before it started acting up, I cleaned the extractor grove and ran a few more mags through and I stopped after that. Did I mentioned it was dry?

I have another that is an A4 that I had chopped down to 16 inches, I dropped in a binary trigger and that damn beast is fun to shoot! I can run it about 60% of the time near full auto rpm. It hasn’t failed a bit! I love the B model and and mags, that’s what I would steer you towards because they have been so reliable and accurate for me.

Im not sold on the new group, SAC that owns Armalite now. I don’t know how one can trust a company that can’t with some minute of accuracy run a website. I dunno, it’s a completely different company and I’m not sure it’s for the best.

ETA my T that I had turned down to fit under the handguard.

 

[Quarter Horse]

Please keep it coming guys. I appreciate the input.

@hafejd30, I'm actually not constrained by budget. The exception is that I try and show some measure of common sense. I'm trying to become informed about KAC, JP, LMT, GAP, Seekins, Et al. It's proving to be hard because I'm reading lots of claims and seeing almost no targets. When I used one MOA I was being liberal and am influenced by what I have and have not seen. The use of the term, in my estimation, means a performance average. That is to say, if one shot ten five round targets, half would be MOA or above and half would be MOA or below. If that meant goups up to 1.5MOA my interest would wane. The KAC is probably off the the table as it would push $8K with a good optic.

@GhostFace, I assume the A would be your early model and it runs M-14 mags? The B wou ld be a later model running P type mags? Would the B be considered recent production or are we still talking before Armalite's most recent aquisition by new ownership?

Has anyone had experience with an AR10 that is a product from the current ownership?

 

[hafejd30]

Please keep it coming guys. I appreciate the input.

@hafejd30, I'm actually not constrained by budget. The exception is that I try and show some measure of common sense. I'm trying to become informed about KAC, JP, LMT, GAP, Seekins, Et al. It's proving to be hard because I'm reading lots of claims and seeing almost no targets. When I used one MOA I was being liberal and am influenced by what I have and have not seen. The use of the term, in my estimation, means a performance average. That is to say, if one shot ten five round targets, half would be MOA or above and half would be MOA or below. If that meant goups up to 1.5MOA my interest would wane. The KAC is probably off the the table as it would push $8K with a good optic.

@GhostFace, I assume the A would be your early model and it runs M-14 mags? The B wou ld be a later model running P type mags? Would the B be considered recent production or are we still talking before Armalite's most recent aquisition by new ownership?

Has anyone had experience with an AR10 that is a product from the current ownership?

You will get a lot of suggestions for KAC, LMT and GAP. More so than the rest.

Mine was an older Armalite and used the B series mags. They are not pmag compatible.

Edit: My LAR8 uses FAL pattern mags. I believe the dpms suggested above is one that uses pmags

 

[Reverie Ranges]

I had an AR10T .308, upgraded to a LMT MWS 7.62. Much happier now.

 

[Quarter Horse]

@Reverie Ranges, which MWS? What have you found about the LMT that you found superior to the 10T? What level of accuracy is the LMT producing (conservative evaluation please).

 

[Reverie Ranges]

Fit and feel of the LM308MWS for me is better. It has a Magpul PRS stock vs the older AR10T (M16 style stock). My grouping is better by at least .25 inch at 100m. You can spend more money on better rifles, but having both AR10T and MWS, I choose LMT. These are/were older models, so do your due diligence on current models and or used in your purchase decision. There are plenty of good options out there, better options if you throw more money at your addiction.

 

[UpSideDown]

I never considered ArmaLite when I was looking for an AR-10. They’re a “dead” company to me like Remington, they don’t develop anymore. I went with a Barrett and for the money ($2,300)it’s excellent. LMT is also an excellent choice. Seekins would be great as well. I wouldn’t spend less than that on an AR-10 but I wanted something I could trust with my life and that would be accurate and reliable, and that’s what I got.

 

[sinister]

I own a number of Armalites and one Aero Precision (that Armalite built under ATF variance for the California market).

I work on my own rifles and shoot them often. I have confidence steel M14-style magazines will outlive me.

I am very happy with their precision and durability. At least two generations of USAMU champion shooters have used Armalites at the Infantry International Sniper Competition at Fort Benning, the Interservice Championships at Quantico, and the National Matches at Camp Perry. I sent a few to Afghanistan with 3rd Special Forces Group.

They are more compatible with other large-frame 308/7.62s than people generally know or accept (perhaps less than a dozen parts of different dimensions).

 

[hellishot]

I been eyeing an Armalite SASS for quite some time. I want to feel it and give it a test run but I don’t know anyone who has one.

 

[ron_c]

I purchased an Armalite AR10A Tactical 18" in June of this year. By June, it was hard to find anything and finally found the Armalite and I already wanted the 308/7.62 anyway. This rifle wasn't my first choice but was all I could find at the time.

The first shot, I had a failure to extract (case in chamber). The case was very easy to push out with a cleaning rod but this was the norm for the day and had to fire it single shot to break in the barrel. Called Armalite and was ask several questions and the person in change of Repair sent me a Ejector spring and another Extractor. I tried the Extractor first and that fixed the problem.

Because of the expense and ammo was getting harder to find, I only fired 2 - 5 shot groups for accuracy. The only factory ammo that would average just under an inch was Federal Gold Metal MatchKing 175 grain. The 11 other brands and bullet weights ranged from 1 5/16" (Federal GMMK 168 grain) to as much as 3 3/8" (PMC Bronze 147 grain).

Over the last few weeks, 20 - 5 shot groups, 3 out of 4 different lot numbers of Federal GMMK 175 grain have averaged just under an inch at .953, and that's good enough for me. The smallest group has been 11/16" (.68") and the largest has been 1 3/16" (1.18"). Probably a younger person could get a little smaller average. One lot number of Federal GMMK 175 grain did not shoot well at all. Every 5 shot group of that lot number had a flyer. Due to age, I no longer reload and factory ammo will be what I use.

Armalite calls the trigger a "Two Stage Precision". The trigger can be adjusted + or - about 1 pound, but you have to completely remove the trigger to change the weight. The lightest weight is suppose to be around 5 lbs and it does break clean, but it measures an average of 6 lbs 6 oz. That is still too heavy for me and I ordered a TriggerTech AR10 - Adaptable (2.5-5.0 lbs adj) / PVD Black Curved. 2 Stage, which is out for delivery yesterday! Needless to say it didn't show up.

 

[Quarter Horse]

Is there anyway to identify whether a particular rifle was built prior to or after acquisition by the new ownership? Is there a serial number range or possibly changes in the markings on the lower?

@UpSideDown, I hadn't considered the Barrett until you brought it up. I went to the website and watched some videos but didn't see anything regarding accuracy. There was the implication that they were MOA. What has your experience been? Is there any new info. on a SASS.

@GhostFace,wasn't familiar with the A4 designation so I looked it up. It appears it is .223. Do you have any experience with the current production rifles?

@sinister, you seem to have extensive experience with the Armalites. Is that experience with products from the old ownership. If so, what level of accuracy is typical of the earlier rifles. If you have experience with the current production what level of accuracy have you seen in which models?

@ron_c, thanks for the info. I am assuming yours is current production. Is this your first large frame AR? Edited to add- Is your lower marked Genesco, IL. or Phoenix, AZ?

 

[GhostFace]

QH, AR-10A4 Is a chromed lined medium profile 20 inch barrel. All of my AR-10s are the Illinois made ones so I have no experience with the Arizona rifles.

 

[Quarter Horse]

@GhostFace , thanks for the info. It appears that SAC gained ownership in 2015. WikiP notes that Armalite was moved from Genesco to Phoenix in 2018. I don't know whether the move was simply corporate offices or actual production.

 

[GhostFace]

physical move in ‘18

 

[UpSideDown]

My Barrett is sub-MOA. Cheap soft point hunting ammo is about 1 MOA, but that’s also in part due to the very thick reticle I have on this scope making it tough to hit small targets. All that and a chrome lined barrel makes a pretty solid package.

 

[ron_c]

@ron_c, thanks for the info. I am assuming yours is current production.

Yes , current production


Is this your first large frame AR?

Yes, first large frame AR. (and it's heavy)


Is your lower marked Genesco, IL. or Phoenix, AZ?

Phoenix, AZ

 

[Quarter Horse]

@ron_c, Bingo!!! I now have a simple way to determine current production. Thank you. Your 10s performance with FGMM is good, particularly taking into consideration that it is your first large frame. Like yourself I'm not a youngster as a matter of fact I'm an oldster. Part of the motivation is to see if I have the skills to drive a large frame. We'll see. Let me know if you find the new trigger changes your performance with your 10.

@UpSideDown, thanks for the info. An inch with ave. hunting ammo is pretty impressive. That's particularly true when you take into consideration it's an 8.3lb. rifle with a chrome bore. It's definitely worth consideration.

I appreciate everyone's input and, as has always been the case, it will guide my decisions.

 

[UpSideDown]

I didn't treat my AR-10 like I would a playtoy AR-15. I wanted something that works right and that I don't have to fuck with. AR-10's are WAY more finnicky than AR-15's, and I wasn't going to buy a cheaper option that was going to have problems. I have no regrets.

 

[army_eod]

I used to have Armalite. The original. Wish I kept it.
That said , I went through this drill recently and opted for 6.5 Grendel instead.

 

[36trap]

I have a Geneseo, IL produced A series TAC16. Swapped furniture, trigger, gas block, and muzzle device. Tried different hand guards, ended up going back to the factory dickmod. It runs well with KAC, Magpul, and D&H mags. I've gone back to a red dot setup on it but from what I recall it was a 1 MOA gun with 175gr FGGM.

One thing I've noticed under the new ownership is only the 20" SST barrel mentions being triple lapped. Previously all of the stainless barrels mentioned it.

 

[aku]

I been eyeing an Armalite SASS for quite some time. I want to feel it and give it a test run but I don’t know anyone who has one.

I have one .308 Super SASS AR10A, topped with a S&B PMII 4-16 and it shoots honest sub .75MOA or better with match grade ammo FGMM 168gn & 175gn (prone/bipod).Some times better but it's not the norm. Rifle has been extremely reliable in urban, tropical forest and arid desert type environments during short deployments.

Most people miss judge weapon systems without having proper training or lack thereof.

 

[ron_c]

Let me know if you find the new trigger changes your performance with your 10.

Changing the drop in TriggerTech AR10 trigger went smooth with no problems. The pull weight was adjusted to an average of 3 lbs 8 oz to start. Naturally, it was much better than the factory trigger weight of 6 lbs 6 oz.



I thought I might reduce the group size by a little anyway but still shot 1.00", .93", 1.00" and .87" for 4 - 5 shot groups. So, still for factory ammo just under an inch. Like my friend thought, if he installed another lighter trigger and then start shooting 1/2" groups, the other shooters around him would be impressed and carry him around on their shoulders. Alas, it didn't happen to me.....I mean, my friend.

 

[Raivkka]

The only differences between an armalite and dpms is upper receiver rail height, take down pin length, barrel nut threading and gas tube length.
I am pretty sure that's it but I could be in error.

I own a number of Armalites and one Aero Precision (that Armalite built under ATF variance for the California market).

I work on my own rifles and shoot them often. I have confidence steel M14-style magazines will outlive me.

I am very happy with their precision and durability. At least two generations of USAMU champion shooters have used Armalites at the Infantry International Sniper Competition at Fort Benning, the Interservice Championships at Quantico, and the National Matches at Camp Perry. I sent a few to Afghanistan with 3rd Special Forces Group.

They are more compatible with other large-frame 308/7.62s than people generally know or accept (perhaps less than a dozen parts of different dimensions).

 

[j-huskey]

I've got a couple of the older B models. One started life as a 10T. GAP made it different with a Schneider barrel. It's like 19-20 years old n still ticking...
One started as an A4. It wears a kreiger barrel now. Looks like the Gap twin. Both of the have been used hard. Both got carried as working guns at the pd.
One B series started as parts off ARF-Com... it's got a Kreiger barrel too, and its probably killed 500 pigs.

They were like, heavy.... I took them apart and we turned the fat assed barrels down for two and three pound weight losses. Put them back together. Two went back with no zero change, one shifted a half moa....
Later, one got the DD light handguard snatched off and a midwest Industries rail added. No zero change. Still killing pigs.

They are still, like, heavy..... there isn't much left I can reduce and be personally happy.... and they all use metal mags. However....

There were three more early variants that passed through my hands, that now reside as issued at friends houses, who come help me kill pigs...
All of them worked fine, first time, every time, and still do.

I mentioned they were all, like, heavy...

Armalite NOW sells a super light A series hunting defense 16" carbine (chrome lined), that uses pmags. It's got a pencil barrel.
A couple of them drifted through my hands a year ago and about a year ago. Both got the plastic handguard taken off and the factory gas block, and got Midwest Industries handguards added and whatever adjustable gas block I could scrounge. I run a 130 hollow point reload out of them that might be scary to some people, in pulled down crimped primer military brass. The adjustable block helps tame the nuclear load.
They kill the hell out of pigs, both have killed a hundred or so.
Zero problems, b4 the mods with factory ammo, zero after. All I've added to the extractors is a rubber o' ring like the defender D ring m4 extractor mod. All my ars wear o' rings on the extractor spring.

And then...... I had found a Gun Broker take down pencil barrel off one of the A series guns, and bought it. The two A's shot so well killing pigs, that I couldn't resist the price on a pencil barrel the seller never fired, him having bought the armalite to build on.
My old sniper partner wanted to kill some pigs, with a lighter gun.... so... I pulled the kreiger barrel B series down and stuck the A series barrel in it, and he went and killed pigs...
I walked by that taken off kreiger barrel a few months and wanted to put it back to work..... I looked high and low for a B upper to put it on. I can find moon dust and bit coin, but no B series uppers to put the barrel back into.... I had friends looking. Lots of friends in lots of places... we could find small rifle primers easier than a B series upper......
I was beginning to despair..... badly...

Then, I found this A series kit upper/lower (Matrix) on Gunbroker for sale and asked here on line if anybody knew about them. @sinister was familiar with them... another friend had a set in hand and said, "try these b4 u buy off GB"...

I took the receiver/lower kit, brownells bolt, Aero lower parts kit, Guntech upper kit, the Armalite pencil barrel back from my Sniper partner, an old taken off DD rail, and some more Armalite stock parts, and in about an hour.... see pic..

It function tested just fine when I tried to kill it. The pencil barrel shoots as good as it did b4 in the B series A4 build. It's a sub moa pig killer. Now back in my Sniper partners hands.....

The kreiger is back on the A4 built gun. Back to work...

I have pig hunters with LAR, DPMS, RR, DD, and a KAC. We have shot the shit out of them. The older DPMS had some soft parts like bolt stops and mag catches. The KAC lost a couple of bolt stops. The rest have run just fine on the factory parts. A few come overgassed and we swap to adjustable gas blocks and dont look back.

We have had a few lemons by all the factory guns, and more hummers than lemons. All shot GOOD ammo sub moa with average out of the box guns shooting .75 to 1moa consistently.

Then, there were these lots of 118LR that got sold to the public, that shoot like shit, no matter what platform we shoot it in.

And there is other dogshit ammo out there being sold that will make you sell your big bore AR because you will be convinced something is wrong with the gun. Most of the time, it's not the gun, it's the ammo.

That's my life with the Armalites, and experiences with others, to date.

Best to you.

 

[j-huskey]

The Matrix kit being sold on GB will take ANY AR10 parts kits...
It will use any AR10 barrel u can find. DPMS pattern or Armalite......
It DOES take a Midwest Industries DPMS PATTERN handguard.... a low DPMS handguard.
And, if you use an Armalite barrel, use the Armalite gas tube.
If you use a DPMS barrel, use the DPMS gas tube....

If you have all the parts laying there, and are familiar with building ar's, from beginning to end, you can take a Matrix kit, build it, and be shooting it in less than 4 hours.

Best to you.

 

[sinister]

@sinister, you seem to have extensive experience with the Armalites. Is that experience with products from the old ownership. If so, what level of accuracy is typical of the earlier rifles.

My experience is based on Geneseo-manufactured rifles and major components.

My 20-inch rifle started as a factory 10T with the Walther barrel. I had the AMU cut it to 22-, then to 20-inches. Machine-rested and computer-measured, that rifle averaged 2.98 inch ten-shot groups shooting random old brown box pick-up GI 168s at 300 Meters.

Armalites can be just like ARs (if you know which manufacturers and component sets match your base gun) in that it takes just a few common tools and skill sets to configure your weapon to do what you want.

Off-the-shelf components can work, but to wring the most precision possible you need to start with a good barrel, machined and/or fitted by someone who knows what they're doing.

Even the AR-10 carbine with a factory pencil (M14 diameter) barrel was very capable to 300 and further when free-floated. I moved away from "Mid-length" gas tubes and have converted all mine to rifle-length.

Like bolt-action mountain rifles, you can want but don't expect a light and whippy carbine to group like a heavy barreled target rifle at extended distances.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I wanted a replacement for my M1a, but all the foreign stuff looked crude, and the AR-10-ish usual suspects were O/O my price range.

Then I looked long and deep at PSA's PA-10. I reviewed Elfster's very informative reviews, and I bought a 20" Gen-2 Upper and a Gen3 Lower. It's heavy, but not impossibly so with the fluted barrel. I joined the two, took it the the range with a number of other guns and at end of day, I fired ten rounds out of it as a function check. running IMI 168 Semi-Auto Match. She ran, period.

Then the lockdowns.

I got my stimulus transfer and used it to buy upgrades for five AR's including the PA-10. The intent was to synchronize ergonomics, and standardize on building them into bag riders.

They all got Luth AR Chubby Grips, BAD Levers (or reasonable facsimiles thereof), PSA 2-stage Nickel Boron Triggers, had the collapsible stocks replaced with Choate E2 based fixed ones, A2 buffer tubes and basic buffers, and some various assorted individual tweaks. The PA-10 got a JP Silent Captured 308 Buffer and a 3-chamber AR Stoner muzzle brake. The M4gery got a Luth AR MBA-5 collapsible stock.

Finally about a week ago, I finally made it out to the range for what turned out to be a five hour session with my Buddy Dave, and my Grandson Patrick. Sighting in commenced, everything had brand new Bushnell AR Drop Zone BDC scopes, 308 versions for the 308 and the two Grendels. The M4gery got the 223 version, and I also have 223, 308 and 6.5CM versions for my Savage rifles, the last one going on my custom 260. 308 and 6.5G are very close in trajectory, and the same is true for the 6.5CM and my 260.

First off, every gun ran perfectly. The 308 was shooting 1 MOA-ish with both IMI 150gr and IMI 168gr Semi Match at 100yd. The brake was way too loud. All of the scopes were set up with too much eye relief, that had to be fixed on arrival at home, and yesterday the 30cal Linear Compensator replaced the brake on the 308, based on the sound results I was getting from the one on my 20" 67.5 Grendel. They are probably still pretty close to zero, but the next trip will be to refine that and start shooting serious groups, as well as stretching out the distance to 300yd. To restore some measure of recoil control I added a Limb Saver Slip-On. The AR Stoner Brake worked very well in all ways, and did a very good job with muzzle rise, too; but it was just too loud under the covered line's roof.

This modified PA-10 appears to be the solution I'm looking for; a smooth running, accurate, affordable 308 semi. The bag rider mods and trigger make it very simple to shoot to its capability. Part of the next round of testing will be to test out a new load, a variation on an older 308/168 FGMM clone, but with 168gr Speer Gold Dots for accuracy and definitive terminal performance.

Much work remains before any pronouncements, but it's looking good (looking really good, actually). Many of us have fixed opinion about PSA. But I what I wanted was a fairly generic armature to update into something that I can't buy as a factory package. For that, the supahdoopah stuff is very likely overkill for me. For now, it's doing what I was looking for.

Greg

 

[Strykervet]

Please keep it coming guys. I appreciate the input.

@hafejd30, I'm actually not constrained by budget. The exception is that I try and show some measure of common sense. I'm trying to become informed about KAC, JP, LMT, GAP, Seekins, Et al. It's proving to be hard because I'm reading lots of claims and seeing almost no targets. When I used one MOA I was being liberal and am influenced by what I have and have not seen. The use of the term, in my estimation, means a performance average. That is to say, if one shot ten five round targets, half would be MOA or above and half would be MOA or below. If that meant goups up to 1.5MOA my interest would wane. The KAC is probably off the the table as it would push $8K with a good optic.

@GhostFace, I assume the A would be your early model and it runs M-14 mags? The B wou ld be a later model running P type mags? Would the B be considered recent production or are we still talking before Armalite's most recent aquisition by new ownership?

Has anyone had experience with an AR10 that is a product from the current ownership?

KAC will come with the test target, they're guaranteed 1MOA or less w/168gr. FGMM but generally do better with handloads. I don't keep targets anymore and come from a time when we didn't carry cameras 24/7 so I don't have any laying around. Not to mention haven't been able to really shoot much this year.

People love to hate and bitch about people that have a KAC rifle but the fact is they perform and they do what they say they will do. Reliability AND accuracy factory guaranteed is something you generally have to pay for.

HK and FN are similar.

All three of them can do better with better ammo and all three of them passed more rigorous tests for military worldwide that include similar accuracy standards but 50 shot test targets. I don't know if those are done in a machine but the KAC test targets were done by a person shouldering the rifle.

The FN Mk20 is a really nice rifle that performs and it costs less. Still not cheap but I got mine for $3500 this last summer. So with a good optic it'd be $8k too if you don't get discounts.

 

[GhostFace]

The old Illinois AR-10Ts came with a guarantee of 1 MOA or better and they routinely shot better than 1 MOA. My old barrel was a LW and for about 4,500 rounds that thing shot better than my custom bolt gun. I had many pictures on photobucket until they took them hostage. My rifles are very reliable, I took one to a sniper school and it was drug around through all kinds of mud and dirt for two weeks. The damned thing never choked.

One thing people forget is there is a lot of DNA shared between Armalite and the highly regarded KAC/LMT/. Westrom used an SR-25 has his base when developing the AR-10 and Karl Lewis from LMT worked on the project some too. Westrom continued to develop the rifle with the use of low speed photography. Armalite was the first to use the longer buffer tube and H3 buffer, now KAC is doing it to their rifles. Armalite uses the longer gas system in their rifles, the first to do that as well. The AR-10 was/is in use with foreign countries and national police forces. The older rifles are a valid piece of kit, period. Armalite has always failed with their marketing and think that’s why they stopped being popular.

I agree with one of the posts about them not continuing to develop the rifle. It seems as if when Westrom was thinking about selling the company further development stopped. The new owners had to call Westrom back to help them according to Chris Bartucci. I really don’t like the fact they went to button rifled barrels for the stainless match barrels.

The one thing I have always liked about Armalite is you could always buy parts from them if it was in stock. There was no need to send the rifle back to them for replacing parts.

 

[AManWearingAHat]

Didn't realize that. Their website says there closed to the public for sales but operating through the Covid pandemic

They've always been that way AFAIK. Their main facility is closed to the public, but you can order straight through them or through a dealer. My first ever AR was a Rock River.

 

[jharms80439]

Last year I bought the Armalite 13” competition rifle. Shot it with Federal 175’s to sight it in. Immediately had numerous failure to extract - even after adjusting the adjustable gas block.

Contacted Armalite and they had me box it up & ship it with their shipping label (overnight on their dime too). They called me the next day said the gun was done - tested it with everything they had - including Federal 175‘s.

They reported that the gas port in the barrel was out of spec and that there were 2 revisions to the hole diameter. Mine was the initial spec.

Runs like a sewing machine now. Feeds & ejects everything I feed it.

In the beginning, I was a bit concerned about going with the shorter barrel. That was unfounded as it shoots under an inch at 100 and I’m hitting small 4” steel at ~680 recurrently, but I haven’t taken it out further yet.

Mine is fitted with a Vortex Viper PST 4x16 50 and (now) a 45 degree RMR. Here it is in the go kit before I added the RMR.

On the list is a suppressor with a different brake that can also be pinned/welded to keep me legal without the can.

For me, it’s a keeper.

John

 

[LRRPF52]

My first AR-10 was an ArmaLite, or actually an Eagle Arms EA-10 24” with a chromoly barrel and black aluminum handguard, A2 buttstock. It was one of those rifles that just shoots right out of the box and immediately builds confidence. No matter what I pointed it at, I connected. I was big into 3-Gun at the time, so I sold it to the Assistant AG of North Carolina. He dropped-in some after-market trigger, then came back with a target that had a 1” (I don’t recall how many rounds, but it was more than 5.) group.

He had a huge grin like a kid at Christmas, and then proceeded to tell me he shot that at 300yds. “This thang is uh shewwwwwtur!” It made me wish I had kept it, but he was so tickled with it, I didn’t feel bad.

I’ve bought and had built several other AR-10s since then, including a DPMS LR-308 with the high profile rail/no ejection port door(had all kinds of failure to extract problems and started with a defective extractor I had to replace before the FTEs (chamber needed to be opened up as it was tight), a DPMS LR-260 24” with the AP4 upper, then had GA Precision build me a 22” Obermeyer fluted .308 and a 22” Bartlein .260 Rem on DPMS receivers. The GAP-built guns shoot tight, consistent groups and actually run.

From what I’ve seen on the SAC ArmaLite AR-10A, they appear to still be a quality firearm. Within the modern ArmaLite brand since 1996 (Eagle Arms acquired the ArmaLite name back then), they started with the AR-10B which was essentially an SR-25 that fed from modified M-14 steel mags. After the Clinton AWB expired and new 20rd mags could be made again, ArmaLite eventually made a 7.62 PMAG-compatible AR-10A, which is what they sell now.

I’ve personally gotten away from large frame AR-10s for the most part because of 6.5 Grendel. I kept one of the .260 Remington (GAP/Bart) which is a laser. Every time I go to local stores, they have .260 Rem on the shelf as well, while all the .308 and 6.5CM are sold out immediately.

My only interest in an AR-10 at this time would be something in the 12.5” barrel length to feed 7.62 NATO battle packs and hand loads. My local Cabella’s started putting out PPU 200rd battle packs.

If you are dead set on a large frame, then the modern ArmaLite AR-10As are great rifles still. The main thing that changed with the SAC purchase was more of a 3-Gun heavy metal focus and more modern configuration of the SKU line-up. You no longer see the OD green furniture or thick carbon fiber forends that were classic 1996-20xx ArmaLite.

 

[jharms80439]

Last year I bought the Armalite 13” competition rifle. Shot it with Federal 175’s to sight it in. Immediately had numerous failure to extract - even after adjusting the adjustable gas block.

Contacted Armalite and they had me box it up & ship it with their shipping label (overnight on their dime too). They called me the next day said the gun was done - tested it with everything they had - including Federal 175‘s.

They reported that the gas port in the barrel was out of spec and that there were 2 revisions to the hole diameter. Mine was the initial spec.

Runs like a sewing machine now. Feeds & ejects everything I feed it.

In the beginning, I was a bit concerned about going with the shorter barrel. That was unfounded as it shoots under an inch at 100 and I’m hitting small 4” steel at ~680 recurrently, but I haven’t taken it out further yet.

Mine is fitted with a Vortex Viper PST 4x16 50 and (now) a 45 degree RMR. Here it is in the go kit before I added the RMR.

On the list is a suppressor with a different brake that can also be pinned/welded to keep me legal without the can.

For me, it’s a keeper.

John

View attachment 7479628

You know, the more things change, some things stay the same - but not in this case. Recently, I started shooting High Power at my club. I loved the rifle (and my scores), they hated the muzzle brake. So off I went in search of a replacement Armalite barrel - longer, threaded, match, heavy. All to no avail. Appears Armalite is on a 12-24 month backorder as people are buying rifles instead and they'd rather sell rifles instead of parts.

On a recent trip to my local gunsmith (asking about a custom barrel change) he asked if I knew anyone that had a "spare" Armalite upper and lower receiver. It seems he had an Armalite with the 20" SASS style barrel and he loved it, but he wanted another one with a shorter length barrel. I popped out mine and the horse trading began.

He ended up building me a DPMS compatible AR-308 exactly how I wanted it. Match 20" barrel, threaded, Timney trigger, Area419 match brake (with a false cap), etc., etc. Now I need to shoot the crap out of it. I already have ~1k rounds loaded up for it. Plan is to shoot next Wednesday (25th). Looking forward to seeing how it handles... Then it'll be legal for NRA High Power too. Look ma, I'm all smiles!

No pics yet, but I will post them from the range day next week.

John

 

[anon]

It would be nice if Armalite had the forward assist 10B upper receivers so I could put together a CMP class legal upper for my 90's AR-10.

 

[paulL01]

Hi guys,
I've got a new Armalite AR10 3GUN/Competition- and I also just bought an Athlon Helos BTR Gen II 2-12x42- I'm just wandering if a Leupold Mark AR 30mm scope mount would be ok for me? In particular, would it be the right height?
Please excuse my ignorance fellas, this is my first ever AR10.
Btw, I should add that, originally I thought I may want a QD Mount, but not anymore, nor will I have BUIS, either. Thanks a bushel, fellas

 

[GhostFace]

Hi guys,
I've got a new Armalite AR10 3GUN/Competition- and I also just bought an Athlon Helos BTR Gen II 2-12x42- I'm just wandering if a Leupold Mark AR 30mm scope mount would be ok for me? In particular, would it be the right height?
Please excuse my ignorance fellas, this is my first ever AR10.
Btw, I should add that, originally I thought I may want a QD Mount, but not anymore, nor will I have BUIS, either. Thanks a bushel, fellas

Small circle we live in….lol

 

[paulL01]

Small circle we live in….lol

Ha!
You've been on the Hide for quite some time!
And, yes it is hehehe