SureFire

Bringing Skunkworks Back: Armalite AR-10A2 Carbine Revived by Frank Woods

I felt like doing an XM177 style AR-308 because I’ve never seen one before. So I did. I call this one “XM762-E1.” Since I reused the Blood Diamond carbine configuration as far as attachments go, I also nicknamed it “BD²” (Big Daddy Blood Diamond, Big Dick Blood Diamond, Blood Diamond 2: Judgement Day, whatever.)

– It is an AWB era Armalite AR-10A2 Carbine upper receiver, with a new Armalite AR-10A lower receiver. It is therefore an Armalite AR-10 through and through.

– It feeds from SR25/DPMS spec magazines.

– The upper receiver was internally modified to facilitate that function, by milling out the stabilizer shelves meant to hold the AWB AR-10B era modified M14 magazines in place.

– The upper receiver was rebarreled with a 1/10 twist 16″ barrel, that was hybrid in nature: Armalite “Carbine” style Midlength gas, DPMS spec barrel extension.

– The factory AR-10B BCG was replaced with a DPMS spec compatible BCG, the Brownells BRN-10 Retro BCG.

– It’s not an SBR.

– “Midlength” does not mean “Midlength” in AR-308 land. Midlength means whatever the manufacturer says it is in Midlength gas.

The barrel is 16″, and a slip over faux suppressor with compensator ports was used as the muzzle device, since no .308 version of an XM177 repro style muzzle device exists.

This retained the 16″ barrel accuracy and ballistic performance, taming the .308 recoil with the compensator function, and completed the XM177 moderator look as closely as possible, without a carbine length gas system 12.5″ barrel causing the rifle to beat the shit out of itself.

Furniture was spray painted Aervoe Earth Brown. Grip is a Brownells Retro AR-10 repro they made for the BRN-10.

“I want one!”

1.) Do what I did, track down an Armalite AR-10A2 upper, modify the internals, pair it with a factory Armalite lower, rebarrel/reBCG with a hybrid spec barrel and DPMS spec BCG, drive on.

2.) Maybe try to convince Armalite to revive or do a run of their A2 upper receivers, only compatible with their AR-10A series lowers?

3.) Maybe try to convince someone else like Fulton Armory to reproduce the AR-10A2 style upper receiver and a matching lower, albeit to SR25/DPMS spec?

Doesn’t count if the receivers aren’t angular cut, that curved DPMS stuff is wack.

I’ve written a full article that explains what went into this project in detail. When it’s posted, I’ll share it.

6 Responses to “Bringing Skunkworks Back: Armalite AR-10A2 Carbine Revived by Frank Woods”

  1. Jeff S says:

    Neat!
    /Bender.gif

    While I’ve thrown together a handful of AR-15s, I’ve been scared off going the .308 route. Too many parts, too many variables… Nice work!

  2. Israel Hoffman says:

    This makes my heart happy

  3. Jon, OPT says:

    How much does it weigh?

  4. Alpha2 says:

    Slick. Nice work!

  5. Payce says:

    Man that looks good.

  6. wolly says:

    I’m going to guess around 8.5lbs empty.