Benefits Of An AR-10/.308

The AR-10 has been with us for over six decades now, and in that time, despite some rehashes and modifications – ignoring its downsizing to make the AR-15 – the basic rifle is the same concept as when Eugene Stoner first conceived it. That is the mark of a good, well-designed rifle, and it’s a firearm that every serios shooter should have in their arsenal.

Unconvinced? Well, let’s talk about some of the major reasons why you should invest in an AR-10.

Refined Direct Impingement.

Even a great designer like Stoner wouldn’t go so far as to saying that he invented direct impingement, but his AR-10 design certainly refined it. The AR-10, like most rifles of the type utilize the hot gasses from a fired round to push the bolt back and strip-off the next round from the magazine but, unlike many rifles, it does it without a gas piston as the hot gases act directly against the bolt carrier. This lack of piston means that the entire reciprocating mass of the system is smaller and less weighty, so you therefore get a significantly smaller amount of recoil per round, and that makes a lot of difference.

Bigger Round, Bigger Kills.

If you are using your AR-10 as a sporting rifle, you have a huge advantage over other rifles anyway as you are pushing the .308 (7.62) round out, and that means that you can bring down many of the biggest game in America – including deer, pronghorn, wild boar, black bear, elk, and even moose if necessary – all from one rifle. The 7.62 is considerably larger and heavier than the 5.56 load with the standard 7.62 bullet weighing nearly twice as many grains as the standard 5.56 bullet. This gives the AR 10 more punch and transfers more pound-feet of energy into a target. Loaded up with the .308 Winchester round which, although it was nearly half an inch shorter than the .30-06 Springfield, it almost duplicates the larger cartridge’s performance. This is thanks to the new ball powder that was developed specifically for the cartridge; but it’s notable that the .308 Winchester is loaded to slightly higher pressures than the .30-06 Springfield, which aids performance.

Customize, Customize, Customize

No one could ever accuse the AR-10 of being shy when it comes to customization, and with more aftermarket parts available than any other rifle, you can almost endlessly adjust the performance of your AR-10 so that it suits your needs perfectly. The basic areas in which you can upgrade your AR-10 include;

Handguards

The AR-10 by virtue of its caliber is a fairly hefty weapon, and if you can reduce its dead weight by any means possible, then you just make life easier. Swapping out the standard hand guard for a lightweight custom job will certainly go a fair way to reducing that mass.

Precision triggers

Any gun becomes a problem to use if it has a spongy trigger feel, and if you are using your AR-10 for sporting purposes, then crisp is definitely the way to go. There’s a huge range of custom-made precision triggers for the AR, and fitting one of these will lighten up your action.

Pistol grip

If your pistol grip isn’t in the right place for you, it can ruin your whole shooting experience. Enter products like the Hexmag ATG, which allows for some level of adjustment, from almost straight up to a relaxing 33-degrees from perpendicular, which gives the AR the comfortable feel of an assault rifle.

Charging Handles

Specialist equipment like this can give you many different advantages, such as ambidextrous use, longer lengths for an easier pull, and enhanced texturing to stop cold or wet fingers slipping off. This is a simple yet essential win on your AR.

Extended magazines

Made from lightweight polymers with steel banding for strength, there are many magazines available, giving you the ability to charge 5-10, 20, or even a massive 25 rounds. Careful though, the 25-round variety can upset shooting from prone.

Sights and Optics

There is a wide variety of optics available for the AR-Rifle. Customization for usage and/or changing out for adding optics in varying conditions. Infrared, night-vision, distance, automatic, and dial in optics and adaptation of your AR-10 to accept different styles of optics or sights.

Soaking up the Power

Sure, the AR-10 punches a fair-sized round, but even in standard trim it soaks up that recoil pretty well, and if you then start to look at some of the non-standard stocks available, then you can pretty well negate a big chunk of that kick. Like for like, the AR is reckoned to absorb far more recoil than a bolt-action rifle of the same caliber, much of that thanks to its constructional aspects.

So, with the ability to throw a good-sized round with accuracy, low-ish inherent recoil thanks to its mechanism, a structure that soaks up what’s left and the customization features, the AR-10 is hard to resist as a weapon.