The 308 AR (Automatic Rifle) has been around for more than 60 years, and the options for building your 308 AR from the ground up could leave one almost cross-eyed. Here are a few tips to consider when building your own rifle.
Compatibility
There are three major patterns that the 308 AR uses, Knights (SR-25), Armalite (AR10), and DPMS (LR-308). One of the first decisions to make is what pattern will you use because once you pick, you need to stick with it for obvious reasons, and not just end up with a very expensive paperweight.
LR-308/SR-25 is by far the most used patterns for 308 ARs, thus giving an end user such as yourself the biggest pot of options to choose from when you start your build. These two patterns are also very much alike with most parts being interchangeable, with the exception of the receivers.
Buffer Tube
Which buffer and spring should you use in your rifle is going to depend on the tube, gas system length, and gas port size. Dark Hour offers a
buffer kit complete with DHD 7075 T6 Aluminum 13 position 308/A5 buffer tube, 4140 Quick Detach Endplate with Melonite black finish, 4140 alloy Castle Nut with Melonite black finish, Mil-spec Rifle action spring, Mil-spec Buffer retainer, and a Mil-spec H3 Buffer. This all weighs just 12.8 ounces.
Handguard
Choosing the right
handguard is a pretty important part to consider when building your .308 AR. This is the part that will protect your hand from barrel heat, allow the barrel to free float, and be the mount for the majority of the accessories you want to add such as a laser sight, vertical grip, or flashlight. We carry a top-of-the-line magnesium handguard that is lightweight and has a tough ceramic-like coating with superior wear resistance compared to anodizing.
A point to consider is that one of the most common metals used for 308 handguards is aluminum 6061, mostly due to the cost and ease of manufacturing a handguard. But using aluminum 6061 will add about 30% more weight to your AR rifle. Our magnesium handguard is considerably lighter without compromising structural integrity.
There is so much more to consider when building your 308 AR, but if you have questions about Dark Hour parts, feel free to
contact us at any time or call at 541.832.3358.
