DPMS Panther

vallelbg · 01-26-2013, 15:02

Any thoughts or feelings, good or bad concerning this rifle?

WoodenPlank · 01-26-2013, 15:05

While there are plenty of people that are happy with DPMS rifles, they also have a history of having more problems that some of the slightly more expensive brands. They are generally of inferior quality to, say, BCM, Colt, Daniel Defense, S&W, and even PSA.

collim1 · 01-26-2013, 15:06

They bought several of them for our SWAT team several years back. They haven't had any problems from them.

LL6 · 01-26-2013, 15:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by vallelbg

Any thoughts or feelings, good or bad concerning this rifle?

Pop yourself a big bowl of popcorn and grab a drink. Do a search for "DPMS" and be prepared for a lot of reading.

stooxie · 01-26-2013, 16:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by collim1

They bought several of them for our SWAT team several years back. They haven't had any problems from them.

Well, Collim1, your SWAT team is clearly not down with the 411 cuz if they were your DPMS rifles would know to be malfunctioning at the proper rate. They just missed the memo from Colt Industries.

Be prepared for all the operators to tell you that Colt is the only true rifle!

-Stooxie

larson1122 · 01-26-2013, 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by stooxie

Well, Collim1, your SWAT team is clearly not down with the 411 cuz if they were your DPMS rifles would know to be malfunctioning at the proper rate. They just missed the memo from Colt Industries.

Be prepared for all the operators to tell you that Colt is the only true rifle!

-Stooxie

What exactly is the purpose for a post like this? The OP didn't ask to listen to somebody whine about Colt or "operators," he asked about DPMS.

OP, I don't own a DPMS, but from what I have seen they seem to have a higher percentage of problem guns leaving the factory than some of the more reputable companies. Sure, most DPMS owners are probably happy and haven't had problems, but it definitely seems like the risk of getting a problem gun are higher with DPMS.

LL6 · 01-26-2013, 16:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by larson1122

What exactly is the purpose for a post like this? The OP didn't ask to listen to somebody whine about Colt or "operators," he asked about DPMS.

michael_b · 01-26-2013, 16:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by LL6

Pop yourself a big bowl of popcorn and grab a drink. Do a search for "DPMS" and be prepared for a lot of reading.

LMAO.. No kidding

Although OP, my cousins boyfriend had one, put about 50 rounds through it and the hand guards fell apart on his hands. That is my only experience from anyone I know. YMMV.

larson1122 · 01-26-2013, 17:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by LL6

As crazy as it sounds, some people like to ask questions without having their thread turned into the inevitable brand war bickering contest that usually occurs here.

stooxie · 01-26-2013, 18:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by larson1122

OP, I don't own a DPMS, but from what I have seen they seem to have a higher percentage of problem guns leaving the factory than some of the more reputable companies. Sure, most DPMS owners are probably happy and haven't had problems, but it definitely seems like the risk of getting a problem gun are higher with DPMS.

Thank you, that is EXACTLY the point of my post.

-Stooxie

bushhogg · 01-26-2013, 18:37

Stooxie... like your Quote at bottom of post...THANKS

**Cole125** · 01-26-2013, 18:50

DPMS are the some of the worst AR15s on the market, period. Even in this panic buy state, you can do better.

tampashooters · 01-26-2013, 19:59

I have had two, and both have been flawless. Even with the cheap tulammo.

They are a great buy, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. People are brand whores when it comes to AR-15's. It's all about mine is better than yours and mine cost more because I have a prettier logo.

Mine shoots just as well as any others out there.

In a few years when the rotation is complete and Remington rolled out their contract M4's to the military because Colt lost it, you'll see the Colt crowd migrating to Remington and bashing everything else as well. http://militarytimes.com/blogs/gears...ith-remington/

WoodenPlank · 01-26-2013, 20:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by tampashooters

I have had two, and both have been flawless. Even with the cheap tulammo.

They are a great buy, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. People are brand whores when it comes to AR-15's. It's all about mine is better than yours and mine cost more because I have a prettier logo.

Mine shoots just as well as any others out there.

In a few years when the rotation is complete and Remington rolled out their contract M4's to the military because Colt lost it, you'll see the Colt crowd migrating to Remington and bashing everything else as well.

Right, because anyone that says anything bad about DPMS only does so out of blind allegiance to Colt. It couldn't possibly be because they have personally had DPMS parts or rifles fail on them due to poor quality, right?

tampashooters · 01-26-2013, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by WoodenPlank

Right, because anyone that says anything bad about DPMS only does so out of blind allegiance to Colt. It couldn't possibly be because they have personally had DPMS parts or rifles fail on them due to poor quality, right?

Low likelihood that a majority of those folks ever owned a DPMS (Most had "Friends").. But, I can tell you that EVERY brand has it's problems.

WoodenPlank · 01-26-2013, 20:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by tampashooters

Low likelihood that a majority of those folks ever owned a DPMS (Most had "Friends").. But, I can tell you that EVERY brand has it's problems.

Yep, every brand has the occasional screw-up, but some of them have those screw-ups far more often than others. There's a good reason why you hear more stories of problems with Bushmaster, Del-Ton, DPMS, etc. than with Colt, BCM, DD or LMT.

tampashooters · 01-26-2013, 20:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by WoodenPlank

Yep, every brand has the occasional screw-up, but some of them have those screw-ups far more often than others. There's a good reason why you hear more stories of problems with Bushmaster, Del-Ton, DPMS, etc. than with Colt, BCM, DD or LMT.

Keep telling yourself that.....

DrtyHarry · 01-26-2013, 20:27

I have over 1000 rounds in my DPMS SASS (.308)...and it shoots like a dream. One of my better investments. Don't know about the .223 Panther though...

DH

larson1122 · 01-26-2013, 20:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by stooxie

Thank you, that is EXACTLY the point of my post.

-Stooxie

This is not a difficult concept. He asked for thoughts and feelings on DPMS, but for whatever reason you chose to talk about "Colt operators" instead. Believe it or not, people can have opinions about something without currently owning one, and I do not currently own one for the reasons outlined in this thread.

michael_b · 01-26-2013, 20:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by vallelbg

Any thoughts or feelings, good or bad concerning this rifle?

Do a search on here and online- you'll soon discover the brands that show up most frequently as having issues. THAT is how I started my research before I built my AR.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WoodenPlank

Yep, every brand has the occasional screw-up, but some of them have those screw-ups far more often than others. There's a good reason why you hear more stories of problems with Bushmaster, Del-Ton, DPMS, etc. than with Colt, BCM, DD or LMT.

Almost exactly my findings except I'd add Olympic in with Bushmaster, Del-Ton, DPMS, etc.

Makes me appreciate guys like you, Murph, etc. taking time to share your knowledge with us AR noobs.

LA_357SIG · 01-26-2013, 21:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by michael_b

Do a search on here and online- you'll soon discover the brands that show up most frequently as having issues. THAT is how I started my research before I built my AR.

Almost exactly my findings except I'd add Olympic in with Bushmaster, Del-Ton, DPMS, etc.

Makes me appreciate guys like you, Murph, etc. taking time to share your knowledge with us AR noobs.

Knowledge or opinion? No offense, but a lot of the members here that seem to be exhaulted for whatever reason, don't seem to have first hand experience to back up the advice they are praised for. Having a small sample size and "dumping it on the next guy" because they read somewhere that it didn't pass the internet commando litmus test, shouldn't be more valued than what the guy who bought the bastard brand, had a problem and fixed it himself says.

Sent from my ADR6350

tampashooters · 01-26-2013, 21:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by michael_b

Do a search on here and online- you'll soon discover the brands that show up most frequently as having issues. THAT is how I started my research before I built my AR.

Almost exactly my findings except I'd add Olympic in with Bushmaster, Del-Ton, DPMS, etc.

Makes me appreciate guys like you, Murph, etc. taking time to share your knowledge with us AR noobs.

Sadly, they are not sharing any knowledge, and doing a great disservice to noobs. All they are doing is passing along internet chatter, instead of real ownership experience.

Rooster Rugburn · 01-26-2013, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by stooxie

Be prepared for all the operators to tell you that Colt is the only true rifle!

"Operators" or "the other priorities crowd"? Big difference.

I see folks shooting them at the club and they don't have any problems. Oddly enough, I seem to see a lot of people shooting DPMS. Seemingly more than any other brand. I say seemingly because I don't keep a tally.

A local PD uses Bushmaster, and I don't hear of them losing officers to equipment malfunctions.

***tnedator*** · 01-26-2013, 23:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by vallelbg

Any thoughts or feelings, good or bad concerning this rifle?

Check out a lot of forums, including some of the ones more dedicated to ARs and you will find that it's become Vogue to bash DPMS, but you will also find the common theme that virtually every forum warrior that bashes DPMS doesn't actually own one.

On the other hand, the people that post that do, or did, own one, typically have nothing but praise for them.

As I understand it, in the very early days, DPMS had some quality issues, but that was quickly addressed.

The other factor to consider, even if you do read about the occasional real issue, is that DPMS is one of the leading producers of AR-15s sold to retail customers. I think these days either Bushmaster (sold at Wal-mart now) or DPMS is the leading producer of AR's sold to non-government/police customers.

Whether justified or not, DPMS is the brand that people love to hate on the forums. All of us forum folks have seen this many times, with many products. Some products are the "cool" products and others are the goats that always get bashed, but often by people who are just repeating what they saw elsewhere on a forum.

***tnedator*** · 01-26-2013, 23:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by WoodenPlank

Yep, every brand has the occasional screw-up, but some of them have those screw-ups far more often than others. There's a good reason why you hear more stories of problems with Bushmaster, Del-Ton, DPMS, etc. than with Colt, BCM, DD or LMT.

I assume you mean the reasons are that there are FAR more DPMS and Bushmasters sold to non-LEO/Gov customers, and as they are more budget orientated, they are also much more likely to be fed the cheap, crap Russian ammo. Correct?