Lowers: Armalite vs DPMS ( Which Companies Lowers are compatible with other companies Uppers)

[LilGucci]

I know there are two standards in the AR10/LR308 platform. One is based on the original Armalite AR-10, and the other on the shortened AR-10 DPMS standard.

Which companies are on the Armalite platforms, which ones are on DPMS, and from those two groupings, which ones are interchangeable and not proprietary?

I know Larue offers both styles, but what about LWRCi? LMT? KAC?

Will an LWRCi upper work on a LMT Lower? Will a KAC upper work on a JP Enterprise lower?

I know Sig, Daniel Defense, Wilson Combat, Barret and many of the other well-known brands have proprietary stuff.

Is there a graph/infographic out there that groups together uppers that work with other lowers?

 

[KTAK]

There are actually 2 DPMS patterns... Smaller version is called Gen II My Aero is based on the Gen I pattern....

 

[LilGucci]

There are actually 2 DPMS patterns... Smaller version is called Gen II My Aero is based on the Gen I pattern....

I've heard of GenII Aero lowers but didn't know if it was just specific to Aero's product generation or a newer version of DPMS. That's awesome.

Out of curiosity: Is Noveske's Gen4 products a Gen4 version of the AR15 lower?

 

[KTAK]

I could be wrong but I think all Aero stuff is Gen I DPMS.... not the smaller size Gen II

 

[LilGucci]

I could be wrong but I think all Aero stuff is Gen I DPMS.... not the smaller size Gen II

I think you're right. I think I remember Chris Bartocci on Small Arms Solution mention the generations getting smaller.

 

[DRAM40A1]

JP is DPMS and will not work with KAC.

 

[RyanScott]

KAC is compatible basically with LMT and LaRue receivers. Also Centurion Arms but those aren’t sold complete.
What’s your budget?

 

[LilGucci]

KAC is compatible basically with LMT and LaRue receivers. Also Centurion Arms but those aren’t sold complete.
What’s your budget?

I have a budget set aside to take two LMT Mars H DMR lowers, and, one by one, over the next 2 years, combine them with two uppers:

Mars MLK upper from LMT with a 20" 6.5 Creedmoor barrel, and
an LWRCi 16-inch Repr MKII upper.

I really want these two DMR battle rifles, but I don't have the budget to buy them both outright, or at the same time, which is why buying the correct lowers is important for me. My budget is up to $1500, give or take, for the two lowers. LMT sells stripped lowers for $400 each, which is why I was thinking of choosing them. I don't find any KAC or LWRCi Lowers on their websites, and I once heard that LMT manufacture's the lowers used by KAC. A KAC would be nice but I think I can get two guns for just a little more than the cost of buying just one KAC.

 

[RyanScott]

LWRCI uppers only fit their lowers. In your place I would get two all LMT rifles. How important is the full AMBI lower?

 

[LilGucci]

LWRCI uppers only fit their lowers. In your place I would get two all LMT rifles. How important is the full AMBI lower?

Not important at all actually.

I've heard LWRCi rifles not being as accurate as LMT on these forums. I only wanted to own one because I thought their gas system looked interesting, and it would be my designated 308, while the LMT would be my 6.5 Cr DMR. My other option was the 716 from Sig, but I don't know how easy it is to switch between 308 and 6.5cr on that platform. I want DMR's with extensive testing and preferably military battle-proven, so LWRCi, LMT, KAC were at the top of my list. Not interested in FN or HK products though.

My dream would be to have a multi-caliber platform/system DMR battle rifle that can switch between 308 and 6.5 with only a barrel and BCG change or a quick full upper receiver switch. But having two guns, one in each caliber, is just fine too.


Also, is JP Enterprise, being based on DPMS, a proprietary DPMS-based platform? Can I only switch JP Uppers only using their lower receivers?

 

[LilGucci]

*Shameless self-bump

 

[Mike_in_FL]

My dream would be to have a multi-caliber platform/system DMR battle rifle that can switch between 308 and 6.5

Get in your time machine and go back to 2010, your wish has been fulfilled: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/lmt-308-mws.37004/

It's even been to war and shit, how much more battle rifle could it be?

 

[LilGucci]

Get in your time machine and go back to 2010, your wish has been fulfilled: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/lmt-308-mws.37004/

It's even been to war and shit, how much more battle rifle could it be?

Yeah I'm going with their MWS, going to build a sharp-shooter for slightly more money than buying one outright only because I don't have the funds to build all the dream rifles I'm hoping to build on a yearly basis.

 

[digitalshooter]

Honestly you're better off just getting a matched receiver set from one company than trying to piece an upper and lower together from different companies. It's not like you're building an AR-15 that has a mil-spec pattern to them. Just make sure it's compatible with the standard you want to go with and go from there.

 

[Merle]

Honestly you're better off just getting a matched receiver set from one company than trying to piece an upper and lower together from different companies. It's not like you're building an AR-15 that has a mil-spec pattern to them. Just make sure it's compatible with the standard you want to go with and go from there.

What he said. And just because a lower and upper will fit together doesnt mean it will look right once assembled. Most companies usually make their receiver sets to not only match up dimensionally but also aesthetically. Ive seen people put Mega uppers on Larue lowers and vice versa and it looks like shit. Stick with a matched set from a reputable company.

 

[noobinacan]

going to bump this...anyone know of a billet dpms lr308 based lower that will work with JP upper ?

right now only know of Arrow..
also looks like Quentin Def will work but I could not stand the bulged trigger guard.

any others ?

 

[LRRPF52]

I have never tried to mix and match in the large frame SR-25/AR-10/LR-308 space.

If I have a JP upper, the answer is easy in getting a JP lower.

One of the most overlooked problems with this endeavor is that each company has learned the hard way where they can spec their bolt carrier rail length at, in relation to the RET boss threads.

I’ve seen several cases where even factory receiver sets from new entrants to the market smashed the carrier rails into the RET boss with each shot.

The basic mechanical engineering was not even done on the guns. Companies just worried about the parts fitting together, not the next order of affairs with ME moving parts articulation range, which means their testing was absolute minimal.

In their minds, they thought they covered their bases, but really didn’t even pay the basic entry fees for the game.

It gets worse as a DIY-er with large frames.

 

[r.tenorio671]

...the "DPMS compatible" market/after market" space is much larger than the Armalite AR10 space, something to consider.

...OP, because you have a specific brand/model you desire, I'd recommend you just get it as any attempt to "clone" it with a mashup of various manufacturers parts likely will lead to frustration and buyers regret.