left handed gun
Well-Known Member
I am considering buying one. I've heard very good things about DD in general, torture tests with DI M4 5.56, (which of course is a different animal from AR 10) . . . I've also seen a video posted by a Canadian reviewer that would have had me pretty steamed if I'd purchased a DD. Repeated failures to accept a magazine (it was a steel magazine), several FTFs in a short session. That was one video, by one reviewer, but, frankly one DD probably wishes was not out there. He actually commented that the thing had run very well for him previously, but the comments were relentless ($2500 boat anchor, trot line weight, your expensive play pretty just got you killed, etc. Ouch. )
Pros-- overall firm reputation for DD? Make their own barrels, which I gather are cold forged and considered pretty good?
Cons--pretty expensive. Of course AR10s run more expensive generally, and we are in times where there are at least some doubts with the political situation whether some jake leg politicians ban these in the near future. Hope not, but those are times we're living in. So I get it, there are pressures making this very much a seller's market.
Here are the semi-auto rifles I own, with track record on each:
(1) Colt LE 6940, DI.
I had my doubts about DI, posted my questions about piston vs DI in a thread a couple years back.
Went with the Colt in this model, and I'd estimate it has had one FTF in well over 1000 rounds. And that was likely operator error from letting the sling or my hand get in position to impede cycling. The thing just runs and runs, and feeds any military ball or premium factory ammo I've thrown at it, 55, 62, 77 grain, you name it. I have NOT shot Wolf in it. Not a knock if you like that stuff, but I get American Eagle fairly cheap, and I'm not looking to save the last .02 cents on ammo for this type of rifle.
Also pretty accurate out to 100 yds., with a Mil-spec trigger, and a Leupold 3-9 configured for the AR. With a Geissele trigger or some other premium trigger, I expect it would tighten the groups up more. But it hits what you aim at and then some.
I have cleaned it thoroughly per the Colt user guide a couple times. Bore snake it frequently. I try to run it on the wet side.
I use Magpul magazines.
(2) SA M1A 'Loaded"/stainless NM bbl., trigger, sights, non-bedded fiberglass stock. Swarovski Z5, 5 x 25. Also runs like a champ.
I'm guessing well over 2000 rounds? Only FTF I can recall was shortly after I bought it, trying to feed lead nosed hunting bullets.
Likes Fed GMM 168s, 175, Black Hills until I no longer could get it, and Lake City the best for accuracy, but will reliably feed any FMJ rounds I've fed it. It's heavy. With the scope, mounts, and stainless bbl. likely bumping 10 lbs.? Recoil negligible, making it a real joy to shoot. But it is a bear to tote around. An MOA gun with match grade ammo. Maybe a 2-2.5 MOA gun with good military surplus loads.
I've never had a premium after market trigger, but I really like the feel of the NM trigger on the M1A.
Not too finicky about magazines. I have two Winchester-made surplus 20 rounders, another from maybe TRW? The 10 rounder from SA.
If the bolt is closed when you seat the magazine, it prefers 19 in the box, not 20. Open bolt, seats every time.
So, things I look for in semi-auto, in order of importance:
1) Reliability, assuming one keeps it clean, though not necessarily surgically clean.
2) Some accuracy potential, though I am OK with a Mil-spec trigger.
3) At this point, with the other guns I have, slight preference for 7.62 over another M4 5.56. A 6.5 Creedmor seems very unlikely given limited availability of everything right now.
I have heard some knocks on the AR10 platform in general, in that they can be finnicky about magazines, and temperamental in general.
Right now, there's not a lot available, and that is one other factor. You can assume I've looked at Barrett, Wilson Combat, some sources for Sig 716s, BCM. . . For every in stock, you see 19-20 out of stock.
In the time I posted this, someone might buy out the DD5 stock.
Why AR 10? I'm not necessarily stuck on it, but since I already have a 5.56 AR in good shape, it would fill a niche I don't have.
I've shot a Daniel Defense rental gun before, a DD4, I assume. It was 5.56. Flawless operation, in short session. When rental guns run well, I'm usually a little more impressed due to the possibility of abuse. Honestly, I liked the Colt LE 6920 a little better than the DD. And my 6940 is a keeper. But Colt is out of the AR picture now.
So, any thoughts, and especially any personal experience appreciated.
If the thoughts were, why spend that when you could get two Sig M400s, S & W M& Ps, etc. for same cost, it won't hurt my feelings to hear that.
Pros-- overall firm reputation for DD? Make their own barrels, which I gather are cold forged and considered pretty good?
Cons--pretty expensive. Of course AR10s run more expensive generally, and we are in times where there are at least some doubts with the political situation whether some jake leg politicians ban these in the near future. Hope not, but those are times we're living in. So I get it, there are pressures making this very much a seller's market.
Here are the semi-auto rifles I own, with track record on each:
(1) Colt LE 6940, DI.
I had my doubts about DI, posted my questions about piston vs DI in a thread a couple years back.
Went with the Colt in this model, and I'd estimate it has had one FTF in well over 1000 rounds. And that was likely operator error from letting the sling or my hand get in position to impede cycling. The thing just runs and runs, and feeds any military ball or premium factory ammo I've thrown at it, 55, 62, 77 grain, you name it. I have NOT shot Wolf in it. Not a knock if you like that stuff, but I get American Eagle fairly cheap, and I'm not looking to save the last .02 cents on ammo for this type of rifle.
Also pretty accurate out to 100 yds., with a Mil-spec trigger, and a Leupold 3-9 configured for the AR. With a Geissele trigger or some other premium trigger, I expect it would tighten the groups up more. But it hits what you aim at and then some.
I have cleaned it thoroughly per the Colt user guide a couple times. Bore snake it frequently. I try to run it on the wet side.
I use Magpul magazines.
(2) SA M1A 'Loaded"/stainless NM bbl., trigger, sights, non-bedded fiberglass stock. Swarovski Z5, 5 x 25. Also runs like a champ.
I'm guessing well over 2000 rounds? Only FTF I can recall was shortly after I bought it, trying to feed lead nosed hunting bullets.
Likes Fed GMM 168s, 175, Black Hills until I no longer could get it, and Lake City the best for accuracy, but will reliably feed any FMJ rounds I've fed it. It's heavy. With the scope, mounts, and stainless bbl. likely bumping 10 lbs.? Recoil negligible, making it a real joy to shoot. But it is a bear to tote around. An MOA gun with match grade ammo. Maybe a 2-2.5 MOA gun with good military surplus loads.
I've never had a premium after market trigger, but I really like the feel of the NM trigger on the M1A.
Not too finicky about magazines. I have two Winchester-made surplus 20 rounders, another from maybe TRW? The 10 rounder from SA.
If the bolt is closed when you seat the magazine, it prefers 19 in the box, not 20. Open bolt, seats every time.
So, things I look for in semi-auto, in order of importance:
1) Reliability, assuming one keeps it clean, though not necessarily surgically clean.
2) Some accuracy potential, though I am OK with a Mil-spec trigger.
3) At this point, with the other guns I have, slight preference for 7.62 over another M4 5.56. A 6.5 Creedmor seems very unlikely given limited availability of everything right now.
I have heard some knocks on the AR10 platform in general, in that they can be finnicky about magazines, and temperamental in general.
Right now, there's not a lot available, and that is one other factor. You can assume I've looked at Barrett, Wilson Combat, some sources for Sig 716s, BCM. . . For every in stock, you see 19-20 out of stock.
In the time I posted this, someone might buy out the DD5 stock.
Why AR 10? I'm not necessarily stuck on it, but since I already have a 5.56 AR in good shape, it would fill a niche I don't have.
I've shot a Daniel Defense rental gun before, a DD4, I assume. It was 5.56. Flawless operation, in short session. When rental guns run well, I'm usually a little more impressed due to the possibility of abuse. Honestly, I liked the Colt LE 6920 a little better than the DD. And my 6940 is a keeper. But Colt is out of the AR picture now.
So, any thoughts, and especially any personal experience appreciated.
If the thoughts were, why spend that when you could get two Sig M400s, S & W M& Ps, etc. for same cost, it won't hurt my feelings to hear that.
).
