Panther AR-15?
#1
Panther AR-15?
Hey Guys, I was looking at AR-15's online, and saw the DMPS Panther rifles, and in the 7.62x39 chambering, they appear pretty cheap for the kind of rifle they are, are theserifles any good?Here's a link:
http://www.dpmsinc.com/store/?cat=1738
There's a freakin' huge amount of .223 AR's, here's one:
http://www.dpmsinc.com/store/products/?prod=1066&cat=1716
Here's the available barrel lengths for .223
http://www.dpmsinc.com/store/?cat=1715
(Above where it advertises the pump-rifle, there's the possible barrel lengths.)
Again,myquestion is, are any of these good? I might even want to get one within a 3-year period.They look cool, anyway.
http://www.dpmsinc.com/store/?cat=1738
There's a freakin' huge amount of .223 AR's, here's one:
http://www.dpmsinc.com/store/products/?prod=1066&cat=1716
Here's the available barrel lengths for .223
http://www.dpmsinc.com/store/?cat=1715
(Above where it advertises the pump-rifle, there's the possible barrel lengths.)
Again,myquestion is, are any of these good? I might even want to get one within a 3-year period.They look cool, anyway.
#2
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location:
Posts: 4,553
RE: Panther AR-15?
DPMS make good rifles, and not only because they are manufactured in minnesota. I do not own one, but got feedback on them, among others making AR's they always brought very good feedback. I was and still am interested in their .260 version.
#4
RE: Panther AR-15?
The reason I meantioned the .223 and the 7.62x39 is because I want a gun that can shoot a cheap cartridge, and 7.62x39 is probably the cheapest there is, second to rimfire. From what I hear, .223 stocks are going down, and it's harder to find now, but I think a .223 wouldn't be bad either, but the 7.62x39 has more "ooomph", you know, and I personally have experiance shooting the cartridge with an SKS. Is the ammo accurate, or is the cartridge itself crappy for accurate, plinking, and cheap? Or should I concentrate my interests on .223?
The rest of the cartridge offerings are rather expensive, over $1,000 which is not very much for an AR, but still too high of a price for some, including me, just the price it already has, for the cheapest ones in .223 and 7.62x39, are going to require over a year of saving up, and I'm not sure I have that kind of time, since the dumb bill in the congress is threatening to cut the AR's off the market, but, then again, the VT shootings were a blessing in disguise for us gun owners and the gun lobby, since when ABC and CNN took polls if there should be stricter gun control laws, it showed to the world, that the American people, want to keep their guns, with the War on Terror going on and all, just as people bought moreguns during the Cold War, funny thing is, after VT, handgun sales went up 53% all across America, 'cause people saw that if there's a loophole for insane people to get guns, they want to have some themselves, to protect themselves from other people who can't be trusted with guns, who, may have or may be able to get guns.
Sorry about running off into politics-forum material, just got started. At some point in my life, an AR would be a piece of controversy I would be proud to have in my possesion, but I doubt it'll be anytime soon, as I am still paying off debt for my hunting rifle.
The rest of the cartridge offerings are rather expensive, over $1,000 which is not very much for an AR, but still too high of a price for some, including me, just the price it already has, for the cheapest ones in .223 and 7.62x39, are going to require over a year of saving up, and I'm not sure I have that kind of time, since the dumb bill in the congress is threatening to cut the AR's off the market, but, then again, the VT shootings were a blessing in disguise for us gun owners and the gun lobby, since when ABC and CNN took polls if there should be stricter gun control laws, it showed to the world, that the American people, want to keep their guns, with the War on Terror going on and all, just as people bought moreguns during the Cold War, funny thing is, after VT, handgun sales went up 53% all across America, 'cause people saw that if there's a loophole for insane people to get guns, they want to have some themselves, to protect themselves from other people who can't be trusted with guns, who, may have or may be able to get guns.
Sorry about running off into politics-forum material, just got started. At some point in my life, an AR would be a piece of controversy I would be proud to have in my possesion, but I doubt it'll be anytime soon, as I am still paying off debt for my hunting rifle.
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Hamiltucky, OH
Posts: 485
RE: Panther AR-15?
I bought a DPMS Lo Pro in the Fall of 2002, when some knucklehead was shooting up DC with a Bushmaster. At the time, I figured I should buy one while I still could.
The gun had FTF and FTE issues, and I could never get off more than 4 rounds without some kind of problem. I put it in the closet & didn't do anything with it, since I wasn't really into shooting that much back then (still married.).
Last Summer, I figured I should either "produce a bowel movement" or get off the pot, so I got it back out, & had the same problems. I called DPMS, and they told me to send it in, even though it was well out of warranty. I got it back in 4 days, even over the 4th of July, & it fed beautifully. In fact, it's quite the shooter. Should I ever get going on learning to hunt coyotes, it'll be my go-to gun.
In short, I don't know about the other companies, like Rock River, Armalite, Bushmaster, et. al. I do know, however, that I'm extremely pleased with how the DPMS folks handled my problem. I was actually getting the itch for an AR in .308, and I'd have no problem going with DPMS once again.
Hope this helps,
FC
The gun had FTF and FTE issues, and I could never get off more than 4 rounds without some kind of problem. I put it in the closet & didn't do anything with it, since I wasn't really into shooting that much back then (still married.).
Last Summer, I figured I should either "produce a bowel movement" or get off the pot, so I got it back out, & had the same problems. I called DPMS, and they told me to send it in, even though it was well out of warranty. I got it back in 4 days, even over the 4th of July, & it fed beautifully. In fact, it's quite the shooter. Should I ever get going on learning to hunt coyotes, it'll be my go-to gun.
In short, I don't know about the other companies, like Rock River, Armalite, Bushmaster, et. al. I do know, however, that I'm extremely pleased with how the DPMS folks handled my problem. I was actually getting the itch for an AR in .308, and I'd have no problem going with DPMS once again.
Hope this helps,
FC
#6
RE: Panther AR-15?
but the 7.62x39 has more "ooomph", you know, and I personally have experiance shooting the cartridge with an SKS. Is the ammo accurate, or is the cartridge itself crappy for accurate, plinking, and cheap? Or should I concentrate my interests on .223?
I don't think 7.62x39 ammo is going to be any more readily available than .223- it was very difficult to come by last year and was about 2x the normal price if you could find it.
I would highly reccomend an AR in .223, if you need more oomph, you can get an upper in anything from 6.8 SPC to .458 socom. I'd save the 7.62x39 for the plinkers and noisemakers like the AKM and SKS or for a bolt action if you really are interested in reloading it.
#7
RE: Panther AR-15?
To add: DPMS makes good rifles.
They've been in a highly competitive business for several years and wouldn't be around if they turned out junk at the AR-15 price point. They aren't in the same league as Colt (of course you would be paying ALOT for the prancing pony and a few extra features that other manufacturers generally don't put into their rifles- but most people don't these the features anyhow), but they are every bit as good as Bushmaster, Armalite, and Oly.
They've been in a highly competitive business for several years and wouldn't be around if they turned out junk at the AR-15 price point. They aren't in the same league as Colt (of course you would be paying ALOT for the prancing pony and a few extra features that other manufacturers generally don't put into their rifles- but most people don't these the features anyhow), but they are every bit as good as Bushmaster, Armalite, and Oly.
#8
RE: Panther AR-15?
Chee, thanks Briman, I didn't know that Black Hills ammo can cost as little as $10.00 per 25 cartridges, or $20.00 per 50, that's good, of course, it is remanufactured, but that sounds good.
I was in Sportsman's Warehouse two months ago, and boy is it a crappy place, but one thing that caught my eye was a500 round box of UMC .223 ammo, for $100-$150, I thought, "Hey, that's kinda' affordable, at that rate, but is UMC any good?"
Is UMC ammo any good? Would you consider that price to be good? I have no reason to buy that ammo, though, since I don't have a .223, and none of my family members do.
I was in Sportsman's Warehouse two months ago, and boy is it a crappy place, but one thing that caught my eye was a500 round box of UMC .223 ammo, for $100-$150, I thought, "Hey, that's kinda' affordable, at that rate, but is UMC any good?"
Is UMC ammo any good? Would you consider that price to be good? I have no reason to buy that ammo, though, since I don't have a .223, and none of my family members do.
#9
RE: Panther AR-15?
If I ever got an AR-15, I would probably not get any fancy scopes, just would use the cool sights that AR's come with, but I would have to make sure I got the kind that comes with the standard M16/M4-style sights.
#10
RE: Panther AR-15?
a500 round box of UMC .223 ammo, for $100-$150, I thought, "Hey, that's kinda' affordable, at that rate, but is UMC any good?"