S&W M&P 10 308 Win Unofficial thread

[IanHusaberg]

I wanted to start a thread about the Smith and wesson M&P 10 308. Ever since nutnfancy did his video on this rifle its had my interest. I purchased one this last fall and its a shooter no doubt even with the thin barrel! Thinking about doing some mods. Lancer carbon A1 stock and forehand guard. Heavy buffer? couple of titanium bits and pieces to keep it light. I put a Sig Sauer Tango 4 3-12x42 FFP in a Nightforce unimount on it and boy am I impressed. I plan to start loading up some 185 juggernauts and see if i can get out to a 1000y with it? Would love to hear other users experiences? If you've owned one or shot one please share thoughts and experiences.

IanHusaberg out

 

[plong]

M&P 10 uses a proprietary buffer (lighter than normal, AFAIK)... change at your own risk .

 

[IanHusaberg]

Hey Plong,

Do you have a m&p 10? any other advice?

I have heard that. I'm still in the break in period. 150+ rounds factory ammo. definitely some short stroking/jams with a brass catcher. About to start load development with 185 berger juggernauts. I did know its proprietary buffer. Thanks for mentioning it though. I've heard a heavier buffer helps slow down the bolt cycling a little helps with the jams? we'll see????

 

[plong]

I do have an M&P 10, I like it for what it is: a great entry-level .308 AR. Not sure I'd have purchased one if I'd known pretty-much everything is proprietary, not many upgrade options. I will say I've found mine to be very accurate. I mostly shoot FGMM 168s which it seems to like quite well. I've not experienced the short-stroking and jambs you referenced except with some cheap PPU (Privi) alleged match ammo. I've not shot anything heavier than FGMM 175s.

 

[IanHusaberg]

I was aware of the proprietary parts going into it. I have witnessed the accuracy even with some cheaper ammo, like four holes you could cover with a quarter@100y! I hope to get good results with my reloads. On down the road I go......

 

[knuckleballz]

I bought an m &p 10 before I knew much. I solved the cycling /feeding issues by installing an slr adjustable gas block. Mine was a 1/2 moa shooter in the beginning with factory ammo. Now after about 500 rounds it is opened up to 1moa. Careful cleaning and hand loads helped a little. I would be careful to not get the pencil barrel too hot. I think that I got my barrel to hot and that led to the decline in accuracy. I also put in an ssae trigger, that was a big improvement over the stock trigger.

 

[IanHusaberg]

Thanks for the heads up knucke!!

 

[danish1911]

I bought a M&P 10 in the winter of '14. I shot it but was never impressed by the accuracy and that's when I found out about the proprietary parts. It sat in my safe till this December and took the dive and changed the barrel and BCG to DPMS pattern. I had read it could be done so after it was all together and GO and NO- GO gauge set to verify I now have a more than capable shooter. Still working on loads but have had some less than 1/2 MOA groups. It's nice to know that you can change parts out without major issues.

 

[IanHusaberg]

Hey Danish,

Thanks for your post! It gives me hope that I can change the barrel down the road to a carbon one sometime in the future?

Hey Knuckle,

I'm thinking about doing a trigger swap as well? Are the trigger pins small ones like ar-15 or big pins like most AR-10?

 

[plong]

I bought a M&P 10 in the winter of '14. I shot it but was never impressed by the accuracy and that's when I found out about the proprietary parts. It sat in my safe till this December and took the dive and changed the barrel and BCG to DPMS pattern. I had read it could be done so after it was all together and GO and NO- GO gauge set to verify I now have a more than capable shooter. Still working on loads but have had some less than 1/2 MOA groups. It's nice to know that you can change parts out without major issues.

Very interesting... First successful upgrade I've heard of, standard DPMS profile barrel, extension and BCG all worked without issue or further modification?

 

[danish1911]

No issues what-so-ever with the Criterion barrel and AIM Surplus BCG. Be sure to check the headspace to verify but mine was straight forward and simple.

 

[gump1376]

I just swapped out the pencil barrel for the AR stoner 18'' Heavy contour barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor with a KAK bcg. Works great! after about 40 rounds I'm @ 3/4 MOA.

 

[Edik310]

I just swapped out the pencil barrel for the AR stoner 18'' Heavy contour barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor with a KAK bcg. Works great! after about 40 rounds I'm @ 3/4 MOA.

Do you still have this rifle? I'd like to know if it's still going well. I have an m&p10 with the 18" barrel and I wanted to convert mine as well. Like many others I didnt know everything was proprietary as it was my first rifle.

 

[Edik310]

No issues what-so-ever with the Criterion barrel and AIM Surplus BCG. Be sure to check the headspace to verify but mine was straight forward and simple.

Help I'd like to switch one over as well. Is it still working out for you or dis you run into issues?

 

[Merle]

The only parts proprietary are the BCG and barrel extension. However, the external dimensions of those parts are the same as any other DPMS pattern 308. It seems to me S&W made those few key parts just different enough to prevent the consumer of being able to use aftermarket bolts, carriers, and barrels to work together with their parts. So if you want to do a barrel swap with an after market barrel you have no choice but to change the BCG as well. Other than that it has an Armalite style recoil system and uses DPMS low handguards. It's not as proprietary as everyone on the internet make it seem.

 

[Edik310]

The only parts proprietary are the BCG and barrel extension. However, the external dimensions of those parts are the same as any other DPMS pattern 308. It seems to me S&W made those few key parts just different enough to prevent the consumer of being able to use aftermarket bolts, carriers, and barrels to work together with their parts. So if you want to do a barrel swap with an after market barrel you have no choice but to change the BCG as well. Other than that it has an Armalite style recoil system and uses DPMS low handguards. It's not as proprietary as everyone on the internet make it seem.

So dpms 6.5 barrel and complete dpms bolt carrier and that's it? I want to see what the 6.5 was about that's why I wanted to change it out!

 

[Merle]

So dpms 6.5 barrel and complete dpms bolt carrier and that's it? I want to see what the 6.5 was about that's why I wanted to change it out!

You'll need the gas system parts as well but yes, those are the main parts you will need and they will work in the S&W upper and work without any issues.

 

[Edik310]

You'll need the gas system parts as well but yes, those are the main parts you will need and they will work in the S&W upper and work without any issues.

Thank you I appreciate your help. Long as m&p10 been around I almost cant find anything on the swap. This was my first rifle and I was ignoran to a lot of things originally. I found out about everything when I wanted to swap handguards. I end up going with a diamondhead 13.5".

 

[Bakwa]

I had one several years back. Super accurate for the price point.
It liked heavier ammo for accuracy and feeding reliability. So I shot almost all hot or heavy ammo through it for the duration of the barrel. Unfortunately the barrel only lasted just over 2000rds for me before accuracy really started to drop off. Went from a 3/4-1MOA to a 2 MOA+ rifle fairly quickly.
I traded it off after that. Didn't want to deal with figuring out the proprietary crap.
This was before anyone on the internet really knew what was required to replace the barrel on these things, and S&W wasn't helpful in the least.
If you aren't planning on shooting it much [perhaps just using it as a semi-auto hunting rifle] then I highly recommend one. It can't be beat for the price to performance ratio. However, If you want a shooter for a low price, I'd roll your own or even risk a PSA/Aero/etc...

 

[Lmatt]

I picked up a couple off gunbroker. Bid on 2 thinking I wouldn’t get one and got them both ? Probably should have shot one before modding it, but couldn’t afford to pass up the Black Friday deal on the MI handguard ? Just bought a dimpling tool. So I finally got the SA AGB and MI handguard installed. Still waiting on the charging handle and trying to decide what optic I want to put on it. Hope it shoots because I’m liking how it’s looking so far.

 

[awpk03s]

I will chime in here to add my input as well. Two years ago I re-barreled my MP10. I bought DPMS pattern Criterion barrel, Toolcraft BCG, and had a gas tube made by White Oak.
It worked perfectly. Passed go/no-go headspace fine. Shoots lights out, perfectly reliable.
Lots of skeptics about it, but it works. It’s not as hard as it’s been made out to be.

 

[Merle]

I will chime in here to add my input as well. Two years ago I re-barreled my MP10. I bought DPMS pattern Criterion barrel, Toolcraft BCG, and had a gas tube made by White Oak.
It worked perfectly. Passed go/no-go headspace fine. Shoots lights out, perfectly reliable.
Lots of skeptics about it, but it works. It’s not as hard as it’s been made out to be.

Yep, its basically a DPMS pattern rifle with a low receiver height with an Armalite/KAC/LMT length receiver estension. I have a feeling S&W made the BCG and barrel extension proprietary to prevent Bubbas from mixing parts and blowimg themselves up resulting in law suits for S&W. That's just my speculation though.

 

[Nitolex]

Anyone have one with the 16" barrel? And how do you like it

 

[Xeon64]

I joined just to ask a question on this thread. Yall are saying DPMS style barrel and BCG will work with a M&P10. Is this a DPMS Gen1 or Gen2 barrel and BCG? Also if I do this do I need to change the buffer since the new barrel will most likely be rifle length gas tube not carbine.

 

[Merle]

I joined just to ask a question on this thread. Yall are saying DPMS style barrel and BCG will work with a M&P10. Is this a DPMS Gen1 or Gen2 barrel and BCG? Also if I do this do I need to change the buffer since the new barrel will most likely be rifle length gas tube not carbine.

Gen 1 and no, you will be fine with the buffer it comes with. No need to change to a rifle buffer.

 

[SLG]

Doesn't seem like there is a lot of info on these guns out there. I'm guessing most serious shooters are simply not using them, which is too bad as they seem to perform really well. I do view them more as recce type rifles, rather than true precision rifles, which is probably another reason they aren't widely used at higher levels. I stayed away from them until I saw first hand how well they shot. I have the 16" and 18" and both are right around .75 moa shooters, and neither one has hiccuped with any of the factory ammo I have tried through them. I'm about to put an SLR gas block on the 16" and see if I can suppress it. Also, both still have the factory triggers, which are very usable. I'll probably swap to an SSA soon though and see what happens.

 

[the monk]

I am slightly confused as to why S&W never did anything with it. You would think by this point they would have developed the product line with a new rail and stock like they did with the 6.5. Maybe it just turns into a pig with a good stock and rail? Is it a DPMS pattern or their own?

 

[SLG]

Yeah, IDK why they haven't. AFAIK, they are all DPMS low pattern, and since all AR10's turn into pigs when decked out, who knows why they do what they do. I wish the 6.5 version had a shorter barrel and a carbine buffer tube...

 

[SSGHARMON]

I’ve got the M/P 10 6.5 performance center. I’ve changed out few parts so far. Put a Magpul UBR gen 1 stock, Radian charging handle, hogue grip, NF NXS 3.5-15 Mildot Optic in Warne mount. It’s the most accurate weapon I’ve ever shot. It literally puts all the rounds in the same hole. I’m not a great marksman and it makes it easy. Everyone that has shot it puts rounds in the same hole LOL. 100 yards is the furthest I’ve shot so far. Anyway, I love the thing it’s just kinda heavy.

 

[SSGHARMON]

Here’s couple my targets. Both 5 shot groups at 100 yards.

 

[Edik310]

I’ve got the M/P 10 6.5 performance center. I’ve changed out few parts so far. Put a Magpul UBR gen 1 stock, Radian charging handle, hogue grip, NF NXS 3.5-15 Mildot Optic in Warne mount. It’s the most accurate weapon I’ve ever shot. It literally puts all the rounds in the same hole. I’m not a great marksman and it makes it easy. Everyone that has shot it puts rounds in the same hole LOL. 100 yards is the furthest I’ve shot so far. Anyway, I love the thing it’s just kinda heavy.

Can I have it? Yes or no?

 

[papershredder]

I'll just add to this thread instead of starting another. I bought one of these in Feb. Here's my thoughts and a little review of it so far. It wasn't the AR 10 variant I wanted, but it was the only one available locally at the time. I bought this mainly as a shtf rifle due to the political climate at the time. Right now I'm using it as a test platform for upgrades, furniture, and accessories for when I do start building a large frame AR.







As pictured it has a Vortex GenII Razor 1-6, Apex handguard, Daniel Defense collapsible buttstock, SLR adjustable gas block, SLR combo flash hider/brake/compsensator. Tubb flatwire spring, hogue grip, Surefire Millennium, KAC offset irons, Vicker's sling.

Now for a little of the bad. I've had a couple issues with it. Minor issues, but annoying ones none the less. The original CAR buttstock was not vertical with the rifle and also a little wobbly. With the rifle straight up and down, the buttstock was pointing from 7:00 to 1:00. At least S&W didn't stake the castle nut. The DD stock on it now is a much more snug fit on the receiver extension, almost too snug as it takes some effort to adjust, but I'd rather have it that way than too loose. Brand new, out of the box, first few mags through it were fine. Then it started short stroking. Put on an adjustable gas block. Still had short stroking even when opened up all the way. When installing the gas block the first time, I had checked the gas port size. It was on the lower end of what a mid length gas system should be, so I drilled that out more when trouble shooting this issue again. I didn't have to drill it out by much. I gaged the hole at .072" and opened it up to .076". Then ordered the flatwire spring and put that in. Short stroking seems to no longer be an issue now.

Now I'm on to finding what flavor of NATO ammo it likes best. Below is pics of shot groups from my most recent testing. As other's reviews and opinions have stated, I'm finding the MP10's prefer heavier bullets. Who else makes M118 besides Lake City and Winchester? The good Lake City ammo is getting hard to find and the prices for Winchester M118 is absolutely fucking ridiculous! (Take these shot groupings as you will. After a long break from shooting, I'm still getting my fundamentals re-established. 15rnd shot groups with the exception of the L2A2 which I only had 10rds left and one of those was a misfire. All groups shot at 100yds with the Vortex set on 6x)

 

[sevensix2]

Looks like a dead thread, but I'll post anyways because I really like the M&P10. This gun is pretty heavily modified, but I haven't changed the barrel or BCG. It's got a Magpul PRS stock, MIAD grip, Radian Raptor CH, Geissele SSA-E trigger, MI full length handguard, Magpul MS1 sling, Atlas BT10 bipod, Vortex PST Gen 2 5-25 MRAD on a Vortex Pro mount and currently a Vortex Sparc Solar dot on an offset Vortex mount.
Every type of ammo, including around 2k rounds Tul 150s, has run flawlessly except for a case of ZQI that was under pressured and wouldn't cycle. Lake City M80/M118LR, Federal GMM 168s, Norma Whitetail, Wolf 145s, but my go to round has been PMC X-Tac 147s for anything inside of 400. That stuff absolutely fucks.

 

[Thebiglebowski]

Loving my m&p10, but will look to swap barrel and BCG to accommodate 6.5cm. What’s the best barrel and BCG for AR’s? Also, anyone know where to find additional uppers?

 

[sevensix2]

I just swapped out the pencil barrel for the AR stoner 18'' Heavy contour barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor with a KAK bcg. Works great! after about 40 rounds I'm @ 3/4 MOA.

I'm looking to do this with my 308. Can you please detail what was needed? I can find that stoner heavy barrel and a bcg for pretty cheap online. Will I also need a new gas system? Currently I'm using a Midwest Industries gas block.

 

[Thebiglebowski]

someone sell me their m&p10 upper please .

Edit: Due to comments possibly being confused as posts: This is NOT a want to buy post*, merely a satirical comment.

 

[papershredder]

someone sell me their m&p10 upper.

I know you might be kidding here, but edit your post before it gets construed as a WTB post. Only paying members have that privilege. You probably know uppers aren't sold individually. But MP 10's aren't very expensive either compared to other AR10 platforms. Be patient and keep your eyes open and you'll eventually come across a good used one for cheap.

 

[Thebiglebowski]

I know you might be kidding here, but edit your post before it gets construed as a WTB post. Only paying members have that privilege. You probably know uppers aren't sold individually. But MP 10's aren't very expensive either compared to other AR10 platforms. Be patient and keep your eyes open and you'll eventually come across a good used one for cheap.

It certainly wasn’t a WTB post, it was a comment. Thanks for the heads up, I made sure to edit. Gracias.