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By David Crane
david (at) defensereview (dot) com
August 21, 2015
While we’re on the subject of small-frame lightweight and reliable 7.62mm NATO (7.62x51mm NATO)/.308 Win. tactical AR rifle/carbine/SBR’s (Short Barreled Rifle), we should definitely discuss the new DPMS GII (G2) .308 MSR series rifle/carbines, including our personal favorite variant, the DPMS GII (G2) Recon .308 MSR tactical carbine, which is outfitted with a MIL-STD-1913 “Picatinny” quad rail system, flip-up BUIS (Back-Up Iron Sights), a telescoping/retractable buttstock and a 51-tooth AAC open-prong flash hider/suppressor mount. Unlike the piston-driven Adams Arms AA Small-Frame .308 Patrol Battle Rifle (PBR), the DPMS GII .308 MSR rifle/carbines operate via direct gas impingement (DGI). DefenseReview (DR) first got our hands on a DPMS GII carbine at the Remington 2015 Defense/LE/Tactical New Products Seminar held at Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Arizona in early December 2014, but we got to see it again and learn more about it at SHOT Show 2015, thanks to DPMS Panther Arms representative Dillon Jennings, who was very helpful and informative. By the way, just in case you’re wondering, DPMS stands for Defense Procurement Manufacturing Services, and DPMS is a subsidiary of Remington Arms Company.
Anyway, as you can see in the accompanying photos and video below, the DPMS G2 .308 MSR system is pretty badass. It’s essentially a 7.62mm/.308 tactical AR rifle/carbine in a 5.56mm/.223 AR-15-sized package. In other words, it’s a small-frame .308 AR. In order to maximize reliability and durability, the GII MSR .308 utilizes a reduced-mass forged monolithic BCG (Bolt Carrier Group), a new bolt lug design for significantly more reliable lockup, an improved extractor and elastomer extractor spring, dual ejectors, a steel feed ramp, and enlarged ejection port, and a nice beveled/flared magwell for fast mag changes. According to Jennings, the dual ejector virtually eliminates the chance of failure due to ejector failure, since the gun will still run with one ejector. “It also causes a very reliable ejection process. Two points of contact, instead of one [point of contact], you can set a bucket next to this (GII) and it’s keep catchin’ the brass,” says Jennings.
The GII .308 MSR’s new extractor spring material, actually an “elastomer button with spring-like tendencies” according to Jennings, is apparently made from a proprietary elastomer/polymer material that Remington/DPMS jokingly calls “unobtanium”. It’s essentially “indestructable”, says Jennings.
All of the above innovations considered, Jennings says that the DPMS GII .308 MSR Rifle/Carbine Series is “simply the most impactful launch to happen to AR’s, and .308 MSR’s specifically, since the invention [of the AR-10 in the 1950’s]”.
Since our favorite variant, the DPMS GII Recon .308 MSR tactical AR carbine comes with the AAC flash hider/suppressor mount, it’s ready to go when you want to mount a muzzle can (silencer/sound suppressor).
The other variants are the GII AP4, GII SASS, GII Hunter, GII Bull and GII MOE.
If the DPMS G2 Recon .308 MSR tactical AR carbine works as advertised, it’s a guaranteed winner, especially since the top of the line carbine model is priced at only $1559.00 USD MSRP (but available from dealers like Cabela’s for only $1,499.99, as of this writing). It’s a no-brainer. If it proves to be reliable, accurate and durable at high round count, it’s a VERY nice little 7.62mm tactical AR package, indeed, and deserves to sell like proverbial hot cakes.
Editor’s Note: Major Pandemic has a nice little review of the DPMS GII Recon with some nice tactical AR accesory recommendations/suggestions (like a Midwest Industries MI SSK-KeyMod Series or MI AR15/M16 Gen 2 SS-Series One-Piece 15″ Free-Float Keymod Tactical Handguard/Rail System, an EOTech 518 HWS (Holographic Weapon Sight) combat optic, a Rogers Super-Stoc telescoping/retractable AR buttstock, a PWS CQB 30 Compensator/Muzzle Brake, and a Beachin Tactical Rifle Sling).
Additional Editor’s Note: In case you’re wondering if the Remington/DPMS reprepresentative in the featured image at top (and in the upper-left photo and first photo below) is Layne Staley, lead singer of Alice in Chains, it is NOT. Layne’s dead (unfortunately). Layne would also look much older than that if he were still alive. Pretty uncanny resemblance, though, no? Love that band, by the way. ’90’s Grunge rock was pretty awesome.
Company Contact Info:
DPMS Panther Arms
3312 12th St SE
St. Cloud, MN 56304
Phone:1-800-578-3767
Email Contact Page: https://www.dpmsinc.com/crm.asp?action=contactus
DPMS Website: https://www.dpmsinc.com
DPMS GII .308 MSR Website: http://dpms-gii.com/full.html
Remington Arms Company, LLC
870 Remington Drive
P.O. Box 700
Madison, NC 27025-0700
Phone: 1-800-243-9700
Fax: 1-336-548-7801
Website: http://www.remington.com
Remington Defense
Military, Law Enforcement, & Federal Agency Sales
TEL: 1-336-548-8899
Fax: 1-336-548-8798
Website: http://www.remingtonmilitary.com
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All photo and the first/top video content contained in this article was shot by DefenseReview.com, and is copyrighted. DefenseReview.com owns the copyright on all photo and first/top video content. All DR photos and the first/top video were shot with a Sony Cyber-shot RX100 (DSC-RX100/B) Digital Camera with 20.2 MP (20.2-megapixel) still camera and 1080p HD video camera capability.
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