AR10 Compatibilities: Fitting Barrels, Bolts, and BCGs to DPMS Compatible 308/7.62 NATO Rifles

January 31, 2018 by Eben Brown

I just got the whole AR10 Armalite/DPMS barrel compatibility issue all straightened out in my brain and thought I would share what I know about it: Unlike the AR15 guns that all conform to a "milspec" standard, the larger frame "AR10" guns are different and we need to know what works with what. 

To begin with, "AR10" is the name of the 308 gun made by Armalite. It's not correct to refer to DPMS 308s as "AR10". The DPMS guns are actually named LR-308. In spite of this, most people refer to all 308 sized guns as "AR10" regardless of which manufacturer's platform they're compatible with. Ballistic Advantage "AR10" barrels are actually DPMS compatible and they do NOT fit Armalite AR10 guns. On the DPMS front you may hear of "DPMS II". This is a smaller, proprietary 308 gun that DPMS has patented and no one (other than DPMS co.) is allowed to make parts for it. Our EABCO AR10 Accuracy Barrels® and Ballistic Advantage AR10 barrels fit the original DPMS standard. If you want to call it DPMS I to distinguish it from the II, that's fine. But, these barrels WILL NOT fit DPMS II guns. DPMS barrels DO NOT fit Armalite AR10 guns. The reason is that the locking lugs in the barrel extension do not match the Armalite bolt. 

What about changing the bolt? NO you can't. Our DPMS bolt will not fit into an Armalite bolt carrier. Furthermore, a DPMS BCG Bolt Carrier Group will not fit an Armalite gun. So, our bolts and bolt carrier groups are not for Armalite AR10s. The good news is that the original DPMS standard is the most popular by a wide margin... So, our barrels, BCGs, and other accessories will fit most 308 guns by a wide margin. Everything AR10 from EABCO fits the DPMS standard.