Recently I purchased a DPMS Oracle .308. I know DPMS gets a bad rap as being cheaply made and the low end of the market, but for $800 you cant go wrong. I was looking at building a AR10 and that cost would have been alot higher, maybe it would have been a better rifle but maybe not. I think for the price the rifle is well worth it. Being an AR platform rifle you can replace and modify it to your own liking quickly and easily and cost effectively. I think with a few mods this rifle will be far better then a build.
First off the hand guard is HUGE. Way too big for my hands and it lacks any type of rail system. I know that this is a entry level DPMS rifle and a person can’t expect a free floating quad rail, but hey, any kind of rail would be nice. The picture I have of it here I already swapped my ar556 hand guard. That is another nice thing about an AR platform rifle even the AR10 can use parts off the AR15! I have purchased and I am waiting on a set of Strike Industries viper hand guards, with M-lok. I can’t wait to try them out. I may swap out to free floating hand guards in the future.
Second thing I dislike about the rifle is the stock. The butt curves inward on the bottom edge. While shooting in a plain shirt this edge digs in and causes discomfort. It is not bad shooting with a jacket on. Also the buffer tube is commercial spec not mil spec, so the stocks I have laying around wont fit. I am going to buy a better stock as soon as possible.
The gas block has a rail on it I assume to mount a BUIS or maybe a sling. The gas block is lower then the receiver rail making a BUIS a questionable install. Also the bolt does not have the serrations for the forward assist which the upper does have, why put the assist on and then leave the bolt carrier without the serrations?
Now for the good parts of the rifle. It cycled flawlessly with both cheap ammo I threw at it and the reloads. The scope I mounted was a cheap one and I still shot 1-2 MOA at fifty yards. Not the best grouping but for a sixteen inch barrel shot from a semi auto I am satisfied. I guess you could buy a longer barrel or maybe a match barrel to improve that grouping but for the purpose I bought it for it will work. All in all I am completely happy with the DPMS Oracle .308.