Anybody have any reviews on DPMS AR's? Academy is running them on sale for $459 until the end of the week and I was thinking about going and picking one up. I just want something that will be a good little pig and yote popper that I don't have to worry about putting a scratch on, but at the same time I want some reliability. Si or no?

go for it, not a bad price

I have a DPMS Oracle and it was my first AR. It has been rock solid through 1500+ rounds. I use it for deer and varmit hunting and it has never missed a beat! My youngest two kids have taking their first deer with it. Thats a nice price too. It a little heavier than others, but as a starter you cannot go wrong.

Nothing wrong with DPMS except the stock trigger,but that's with almost any factory AR. I've had a LR260H DPMS for several years now,and I hunt with it all the time. My digital night vision is mounted on it,and I'm setting in the blind with it right now.

Get it. I have 4 and they're great. Accurate and reliable. Like has been said the trigger is crap but most factory triggers are. Drop a good trigger in it (easily done) and you'll have a great shooting rifle.

No! It has to be a Colt or it is trash!!

Just kidding. I have a .223 with about 5k rounds through it with no major issues. Every problem I've had with it has been ammo or magazine related. Got a .308 a few months ago as well. Only has a couple hundred rounds through it, but it's accurate and reliable so far.

What they said, plus have the replacement trigger on hand. You will likely need optics as the rail on the gas block is lower than the rail on the receiver making it a little trickier finding BUIS.

It's gonna be the sportical which will be super basic. No forward assist or dust cover. But will he the job done. Honestly can't say I have ever even used the forward assist once in my life.

Cabela's has the Oracle at $499.

I'd get THIS one instead. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

The brass deflector and dust cover come in handy. Forward assist not so much. Get a little bit of debris inside the upper assy and you're out of business.

Really? I'll be at Cabelas today doing a little Christmas shopping, I'll have to go take a look. Thanks guys.

Get it at Academy. They will price match the oracle at $499 and give you an extra 5%.

With the bolt closed, it really doesn't make much difference.

Exactly. Each of my sons has a Sportical with many rounds downrange. They have been good hog killing machines.

Not if you know proper AR maintenance.

I use the forward assist on my AR's all the time when I want to quietly chamber the first round when hunting. It comes in pretty handy then.

You can do the same thing by just nudging the BCG forward with your thumb. Not trying to argue the merits of the forward assist, but there are work arounds, especially for a hunting rifle.

I know proper AR maintenance. But something that stops the firing pin during a hunt and costs you an animal isn't a maintenance problem. The maintenance comes after that.

Seed heads from high grass can be an issue as can other things.

I'll agree that it isn't likely to happen, but why risk it over $50 ??

Yup. There's a reason why the dust cover was added. Also, if you end up shooting the rifle left handed out of the pickup window (as I have been known to do fairly often), you really won't like the absence of the brass deflector. Or maybe you like having empty cases chunked into your teeth....

YES, it makes a TON of difference. Debris can still get into the upper assembly. I've seen it happen.

CRAnderson52: Go get the Oracle with the dust cover, forward assist, and brass deflector. You'll be far better off in the long run.

Once again, save $40 and have a rifle that's basically impervious to dust and dirt, or save $40 to have a rifle that is open to the elements, has no forward assist, and throws cases in a lefty's face.

I've seen it not make any difference. Most of the rifles that we had issued when I was in the military were so worn, the cover would come open any time you hit a bump. When I was stationed at White Sands, that gypsum sand would get into an action, cover or not.

I've had the M&P 15 Sport since they first came out. Strap it onto the four wheeler, or the jeep, or throw it in the bed of the truck and take out across the pasture at the lease in west Texas. Gets covered with red gritty dust. Has never failed to fire. Walk half a mile through goat weed and broom weed that is up to my waist, never a problem.

Look at all the videos on the net where they pour mud, sand, and gravel all over AR's that don't have an ejection port cover... they always fire.

If you want one, then get a rifle with one. But it is not the end of the world if you decide to save $50. The dead hog won't care either way.

If you think that a rifle with an ejection port cover is impervious to dust and dirt, then you have never served with said rifle in an area with dust and dirt. They are not hermetically sealed when you close that cover... dust and sand will find it's way in there!

And if you aren't left handed, who cares about it throwing cases in a lefties face?

But there may be other reasons for choosing one over the other, such as alloy of the receiver.. but I haven't compared these two rifles.

I have had a DPMS 20" A15 for about 12 years. Not getting rid of it, good shooter.

Shooting left handed is sometimes necessary.