 The SPR-Mod1 comes in two new chamberings in 7.62 x 39 and 6.8 SPC with the monolithic rail platform.  The SPR-Mod1 comes in two new chamberings in 7.62 x 39 and 6.8 SPC with the monolithic rail platform.  The 7.62 x 39 Chambering is new for the Armalite Inc. SPR-Mod1 rifle.  The 6.8 SPC is now made the Armalite Inc. SPR-Mod1 rifle.  The new AR-10 comes in the Series A that will take third party magazines.  The new AR-10 comes in the Series A that will take third party magazines.  The new AR-10 comes in the Series A that will take third party magazines. |
By Brian Jensen
This year at SHOT I got a chance to see three new rifles being offered by the parent company of the AR, Armalite Inc. Armalite Inc. was the creator of the AR-10 rifle with with the work of the well known weapon designer Eugene Stoner, and is well known for it’s other AR-style guns and their imported pistols from Turkey, the AR-24. The company holds an enviable reputation for quality firearms that it is now expanding.
2 New Chamberings
First off, due to demand from custumers and distributors, Armalite has now developed two new uppers/rifles. One is in 7.62 x 39, and another in 6.8 SPC. Both come in the SPR-Mod1 model. This is a solid monolithic upper with a mid-length handguard / gas system. Both have a 16-inch free floated barrel.
The inexpensive and potent ammo from the old Soviet Bloc still is an easy shooting round. It’s also an easy fit for the AR platform. Many manufacturers make an upper for the AR in 7.62 x 39, but less make a fully built rifle in the caliber. This year at SHOT, Armalite introduced the latest version of their AR-series SPR-Mod 1. While the AK has a reputation for rugged reputation, the beauty of an AR compared to the stamped steel AK is a winner for me. Much less, the cost of ammo for the 7.62 soviet round is easily affordable.
The system is solid with a single piece upper receiver and rail, and could be a viable alternative for those who want a caliber capable of taking game of the four-legged variety in their AR using this inexpensive ammo. Price point for this gun (MSRP) is $1665.
The next up is chambered in the 6.8 SPC. This cartridge was made to up the ante for US operators in theater over the 5.56 M-16 / M-4 with better terminal ballistics. It’s based after the 270 Winchester projectile in an AR-friendly case. This round has continued to grow in popularity in the AR marketplace with rifles and uppers increasing in numbers.
Now, the APR-Mod 1 comes in this new caliber. The monolithic upper will allow a host of optics or sighting options. Other accessories can attach over the quad rail on the forearm. Again, this caliber will suit hunters well with the more potent round. The MSRP is $1693.00.
Fit and finish on both seemed excellent. Rails and receivers had a nice solid black and looked even overall.
The AR-10 Redone…
The AR-10 has been reworked. The original AR-10 from Armalite used proprietary magazines. This led to frustration for shooters who had to get the Armalite mags, while other makes had non-proprietary magazines.
The new, reworked AR-10 was based upon consumer requests, now accepts third party magazines such as Magpul’s P Mags, Knights Armament, and DPMS. The new rifle uppers will not interchange with the older series AR-10’s. The new, reworked AR-10 will be called the “A Series” while the older version will now be called the “B Series”. The B Series will still be produced.
Expect the A Series to come out this March, as the AR-A10 Super SASS with an MSRP of $3,078. This comes with a 20-inch match barrel with a free floated handguard. It also has Magpul adjustable stock. Also available will be the 16-inch barrel, AR-A10A4 Carbine version with a MSRP of $1557.00.
Option Ronald. I do believe the default WordPress comments product is the best with modifications using CSS for styling as well as a handful of plugins for further functionality.
I like the 7.62x39mm cartridge in a AR platform. The problem is nobody, other than limited production Knight’s make viable AR lower accepting AK magazines. Until a commercially via AK magazine lower is produced, shooter’s have to depend upon crappy magazines. I’ve tried EVERY 7.62x39mm magazine based upon the .223 magazine and they are found lacking, they suck. The same is true of the 5.56x39mm cartridge.
Hey Guy’s, Just picked up a AR 10 in realtree camo, .308 unfired. Wondering if anyone is familiar with this and what its value might be in todays market. I think the upper is 18 inches, can I purchase a longer upper and from who. This old jarhead wants to reach out touch a few things.
It’s my understanding that a 2 to 3 inch group at 100 meters is considered reasonably accurate for the 7.62×39 round. I’ve owned a reworked MAK 90 that did slightly better, and Robinson Armament custom that would shoot 1in inch groups at 100, but unfortunately they became trading fodder when something bright, new and shiny came along, and nothing I’ve seen or shot lately even comes close to shrinking the group size from the standard 2-3 inches. Is there any specific reason that the 7.62×39 cannot be made into a more accurate? Or is that asking to much for a round designed to hit a man sized target at 400 meters or less?
I have AR’s in both 5.45×39 and 7.62×39, There not Armalite but they are both AR15’s It seems most of my accuratcy issuse’s are ammo based. In short when I shoot cheap crappy ammo thats nasty as hell I get crappy accurtcy, On the other hand if I go out and buy Remington, Federal, Fiocchi for my 20″ DPMS 7.62×39 then I get about 1″ groups at 100 yards.
RemMax
Where dose you knowledge of arms come from?
It’s the gun that makes the groups,first.
Them comes the ammo.
If you want a nail driver start with the First cut bores with new tool.Than hand load all your ammo. Because lott # will very in Grains of power and bullet set.
It’s the person behind the weapon first thank you very much! If you can’t shoot and don’t have the fundamentals you will have terrible groups no matter how great and accurate your weapon is! After that it’s barrel and ammo.
SO does anyone know how much the MAGS are for the new AR 10 ??
Why is it that every time someone asks about, or shows some interest in, a piston gun…a DI guy has to take it personally? No one is saying anything is better. I own both, only shoot for fun, and I like both.
I’m happy with all my DI guns as they are except one, and that one isn’t the guns fault as such but rather a flaw of the cheap MilSurp ammo I shoot in it. I have a Alexander Arms .21 Genghis in5.45×39 that is lots of fun to shoot and 5.45 is considerably cheaper than 5.56 but it super nasty stuff to shoot. In the AR platform any time I shoot it I have to make sure I strip it all the way down and clean it re-clean it then lube it and put it back in the safe. Otherwise if I set it down when I get home and wait till morning to clean it the bolt will be frozen in place and cant be opened with the charging handle. Also even though I keep it thouroghly clean it still eat gas rings more than any other AR I have, I have them in several caliber and none of my other upper have ever needed a replacement gas ring. The 5.45 eats them about every 2000 rounds or so and need replacement.
It is for this reason and this reason only that I find it necasary to convert that one upper to use a piston system. Put simply it will run a lot cleaner and keep all that crap out of my carrier group and lower receiver area.
As for my other GI AR’s, I have no intention personaly of changing any of them. No reason to, I still beleve in “If it aint broke dont fix it” and my DI guns aint broke!
Bu hey, I’m all for Choices so I don’t mind if someone wants a piston operated AR!!!
Shoot safe and have fun! 🙂
RemMax
I hope Armalite sells the new P-Mag AR-10 in the standard 20″ barrel configuration too… they only mentioned the Super SASS and 16″ carbine configurations. That is exactly what I’m looking for… and Armalite is the only one that sells a .308 AR with a 20″ barrel that is GI-profile and chrome lined.
About time they got on board with the AR-10 mag issue, that’s why I bought a DPMS. I would have even paid the higher Armalite price-back then, when the economy was good.
Armalite delivers Quality Products and offers GREAT customer Service.
JAMES: Love the line “Maybe his line of “work” also requires a reset button and power ups?” 2 FF
DPMS use to make the 7.62×39 upper in various barrel lengths and styles, which is what DPMS does; they make it to order. But they suspended the manufacture of uppers in this caliber. I don’t know why. I managed to acquire one before they did. I probably got one of the last ones. It was a M4 profile 16 inch upper. They fit on the standard 5.56/.223 lower and takes a 7.62×39 magazine which also fits into the 5.56/.223 lower . C-Products still makes these magazines in 30-round. I would hope this is the same setup. If it is, then it would be worth buying the upper and slapping it on your lower (if they will sell the upper alone) then Rock-and-Roll! There are other manufacturers out there that sell uppers in this caliber, and the list is growing since the demand is there.
6.8 is to expensive & rare unlike 5.56 & 7.62 / 308 unless Your a coyote / deer hunter who doesn’t expend a lot of rounds I would never boy 6.8
762×39 is much cheaper, available in bulk from every country and makes a great deer / varmint / home & personal defense round > (( ask anyone who has ever been shot by this round ))
What magazines does the 7.62×39 version take? Reliable AR-style mags in this caliber have always been an issue.
Rob, you’re spot on! ALL 7.62x39mm AR magazines are fatally flawed.
AR 10 redone, I’m glade that this has happened. the more they make in favor of what customers wants the more they sale, its nice to see more computition and with that lower prices and or at least more choices, same go’es for 6.8spc ammo the more people buy in this cal mabe price of ammo will come down. thanks for the artical, good read. Here in sunny Florida.
DPMS has been producing AP4’s for years what advantage does this firearm bring to the market. A more expensive price tag. No Thanks.
Until 6.8 ammo is in plentiful supply, make that affordable, it will still be an idea not reality.
So I guess your thinking is that if DPMS makes something, nobody else should make it? That would work in Armalite’s favor since they were the first makers of the AR-10 platform back in the 50s and it would have been the US service rifle if not for a string of unfortunate incidents. You better call Kelloggs cereal and tell them that Post was making raisin bran before them so they better stop copying.
Let’s not forget this isn’t that Armalite. This is just a company that bought the rights to the name.
Yea, and Singer sewing machines, and just about every other brand that is 50 years old or more. How many times has Colt been re-purposed, renamed, and bought and sold? Who owns Big Green? Armalite has built more today than the founders ever did in the 50s. Their quality control is really second to none, and that is big deal with the AR platform.
VERY VERY ATTRACTIVE GUN I LIKE VERY MUCH I NEED THIS GUN TELL ME HOW CAN I GET THIS GUN I WANNA THIS GUN AS A GIFT TELL ME HOW CAN I GET I HAVE PROHABITED BORE LICENCE THANKS ALOT
Your local dealer should be able to order one from their normal distributor.
I’m not exactly sure what a “prohabited bore licence” is but if that anything like having a felony then you CAN’T have this rifle! Gift or not!
Easiest way is to ask your local reputable FFL Dealer, they will be able to tell ya right quick.
RemMax
I doesn’t look like it has a forward gas port, so I’m thinking it’s a regular Gas driven rifle. Looks cool though! I wonder how much $$$?
Is this a piston driven system or direct impingement?
This would be a deal breaker if this is a direct impingmente system.
Piston driven is impearative to my line of work.
Other than that I wouldent think twice about purchasing, considering the non-propriatary mags and the larger caliber.
What line of work requires Piston Driven system over DI?
Exactly. It is really just a bunch of semantics, this or that. The article yesterday about the Sig guns was a classic example. Sig has two of the better guns in the world that don’t use the rear buffer tube, and they released a mil-spec AR this year, because all of these guns work great and nearly never fail. It is just a question of what you want.
Maybe his line of “work” also requires a reset button and power ups?
Definitely not piston. You can just look at the gas block and see the piston is absent.
Unless you are dumping non stop three 100 round beta drums will you need to have spent the extra money for a piston system that was invented 30+ years ago by Rino and is having carrier down pressure worth it? If you are military isn’t a cort marshal offense to switch since they are using a gas tube? After three beta mags the gas tube glows red and the barrel smokes been there done that. Colt increased the size of the squad gas tube and the size of the barrel and that still didn’t cut it thats why we use the FN249 Saw with a changable barrel!
PS the mono upper is great for long scopes and lets you add a pvs27 in front for wild hog hunting and it looks and works great
The Germans had the MG42 with an interchangeable barrel-a VERY efficient and fast system, then we copied it in the M60-not so efficient or as fast as the MG42, and now the FN M249. The point is, that ANY machine gun must have an interchangeable barrel. Run a few thousand rounds through a M60 or a SAW and the whole damn gun will turn cherry red and then fail completely. That is the reason for the water jacket on the Browning 1917 and Vickers and Spandau MGs.