AR15.. AR10.. Differences?

[happylilcuss]

What are the differences in the lower reciever? Can you buy an ar10 barrel magazine and mount it to your ar15 reciever? Just wondering. If not what are the differences? Also what about a 6.5 grendel, .50 beowulf? are any of these interchangable? Sorry for the ignorance and thanks for the info.

 

[freelunch]

I have a DPMS LR308B. The magazine is made for cartridges 2.83" inches in length while the AR-15 magazine is made for cartridges of 2.3" in length which includes (6.5 Grendel, 6.8, 223, 50 Beowulf). So the magazine is that much shorter in length in the AR 15 versus the DPMS 308 class, and the AR15 magazine is also less in width. The Aramalite 308 even uses a different magazine than the DPMS 308 and they will not work in each others rifles. The DPMS 308 uses the same magazine as Knight's Armament.

So, the magazine well is greatly different in size comparing the AR10 versus the AR15.

The DPMS comes in 338 Federal, 308, 7-08, 260 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 243 flavors. Some 300 RSAUM exist, but DPMS no longer makes them.

The takedown pins for the AR10 are 0.275" diameter, while those for the AR15 are 0.247" diameter.

So the answer is no doing it easily, but I guess a Frankengun could be cobbled up with enough money and time.

 

[happylilcuss]

Thank you free.. So If I am understanding what you have written you can use the ar15 platform to make interchangable rifles in 204, 223, 221, 6.5, 50 beowulf type calibers and then the ar10 lower can make rifles in 338 Federal, 308, 7-08, 260 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 243 type calibers. Thank you for the info it really opened my eyes.. I like the potential.
I guess I will have to start with an ar15 in 204, 223, 6.5 Then next year I will make an ar10 308, 338, 243.. I think it will be awesome fun and I can make some real shooters out to 600 yards for not a huge chunk of change..

I can make a couple heavy barrel varmint type rifles with match triggers and free float barrels out of the 204, 6.5, 338, 243. Then I make some nice a4 varients out of the 308, 223 rifles for when the revolution begins.. Good times.

 

[freelunch]

Yes, you got it on the AR-15. There are also others than you mentioned on the AR-15 lower. Rock River makes the .458 Socom.
Rock River Arms: RRA LAR-458 .458 SOCOM

Someone makes uppers for the 6mm AR Turbo which is the 6.5 Grendel necked down to 6mm to shoot high BC .243 bullets.
6mmAR Turbo

There is even a single shot bolt action 50 BMG caliber upper for the AR-15 lower.
L&G Weaponry 50 BMG Conversion for AR-15 Rifles

 

[LouBoyd]

Thank you free.. So If I am understanding what you have written you can use the ar15 platform to make interchangable rifles in 204, 223, 221, 6.5, 50 beowulf type calibers and then the ar10 lower can make rifles in 338 Federal, 308, 7-08, 260 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 243 type calibers. Thank you for the info it really opened my eyes.. I like the potential. {/QUOTE]

ARs are tinkertoys for gun nuts.
As to the differences between an AR-10 and AR-15, the AR-10 is about 1 lb heavier, 1 inch longer, and has a bolt which can handle the thrust of
a typical magnum. An AR-15 can take about half the bolt thrust of an AR-10, though some companies offer modified bolts and barrel extensions to work at higher pressures or with larger case diameters. That and the barrel the only parts of either rifle which is directly affected by chamber pressure.

Once you start assembling them it' becomes addictive and (for the most part) very easy. I have AR-15s in the calibers you mention above plus 17 Remington, 5.7x28 FN, 6mmPPC, 300/221fireball 6.8 SPC, 40S&W, and 458 Socom. Also AR-10s (DPMS LR-XXX) in all you show above except 7mm-08 and 6.5 Creedmoor. I also have one in 300 SAUM. I dont' think the 7mm-08 is factory from DPMS but several companies (Krieger in particular) sell excellent LR(xx) barrels. Olympic Arms offers AR-15s in 223,243, and 257WSSM. And i just ordered a 410 shotgun upper for an AR-15. Got to have something for quail huning ;-)

You'll quickly get over the idea of swapping uppers on one lower. There are so many stock and buuffer options it will make your head swim. I just put a separate lower on each upper with a suitable stock, trigger, and buffer. Otherwise it's too confusing. AR-s also can be made as pistols. A 50 Beowulf pistol is fun to shoot, especially when there are 50 AE Desert Eagle owners watching. Need a pistol for hunting hogs?
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w108/ubvri/Ballistics/dsc08136.jpg

 

[jasonprox700]

Olympic Arms chambers the .223, .243, & .25 WSSM. They also have the .300 OSSM. This is a WSSM case necked up to a .30 cal bullet. They claim they are beating .30-06 velocities with this round.

DTech can also chamber any standard or custom WSSM chambering. I have heard nothing but good reviews about his rifles. He uses Shilen barrels for an extra charge.

 

[Lapua guy]

SI-Defense in Kalispell, MT can build just about any caliber you want, and on a full billet receiver. Hard to beat their accuracy too. They really are a top custom AR company. Check them out. I own one of their billet 5.56 AR-15 that I had them build with DD rails, 416 match grade barrel, and a GA DMR trigger. It is a peach.

 

[BigSkyGP]

You will put one rifle together with not a whole lot of $$$$. It's addictive, and you'll be broke before you get to next year and the AR-10! Happy building! It's been three four years now since I started putting together AR-15s, haven't made it to AR-10 yet.

I think the next one is either going to be a NM AR, or 458SOCOM, it's going to end up being a coin toss. Or both.

 

[threejones]

SI-Defense in Kalispell, MT can build just about any caliber you want, and on a full billet receiver. Hard to beat their accuracy too. They really are a top custom AR company. Check them out. I own one of their billet 5.56 AR-15 that I had them build with DD rails, 416 match grade barrel, and a GA DMR trigger. It is a peach.

+1 on the SI guns. I live about 5 minutes from SI ( it's literally on the way to the local range) so I see SIs all the time. I've been able to shoot a handful of em. So far I haven't seen one that shoots worse than .75moa with good ammo, and one that was shooting the same hole at 200. They are great guns made by good people. They aren't cheep, but well worth the money.