To make space in his safe the rabbi’s offered me one or both of the above rifles. The top gun is a mint condition DPMS Super SASS .308 with a 18” Bartlein match barrel by GA Precision; equipped with a DPMS Panther Brake, sights and quad rail; Magpul PRS Stock, Geisele 2-stage adjustable trigger. The mint condition rifle below boasts an ArmaLite lower, a 16-inch Noveske barrel, low profile Noveske gas block, Vortex Flash Hider, G6 Noveske quadrail, Noveske folding sights, Vltor stock and pistol grip. Which rifle do you recommend and what do you reckon each one costs, keeping in mind that the DPMS comes with one new Magpul mag while the Noveske-intensive firearm comes with 10 steel factory mags? (Actual retail price of the ballistic showcase revealed by the end of play today.)
I like the stock on the top one better if that helps 🙂 Both rifles look nice though, I don’t think you could really go wrong with either of them, better get both to be on the safe side!
The Noveske name obviously carries with it a lot more cache than the lowly and oft-maligned DPMS, but – assuming they shoot about the same – I like the furniture a lot better on the DPMS.
Lust knows no bounds! Depends on what activity you are planning. Both seem equal. If long range shooting is your goal, I would advise you to choose the 18 inch barrel.
I’m partial to the Noveske, but then I have a friend who knows John Noveske, so I always hear about the amazing quality.
Both very nice rifles. As mentioned above I think it depends on what you want to do with the rifle. The DPMS with the Bartlein barrel should be extremely accurate, if it is I’d take that one. That is because I would want it for precision rifle matches.
However, the Noveske is a great looking rifle as well, if you wanted to shoot heavy metal that might just be your rifle for 3-gun.
I <3 my Noveske. No contest.
Noveske by a mile.
You could have worse problems than making this choice.
Mr. Farago, the mobile version on the iPod touch isn’t working again.
Works just fine on Android! 🙂
It’s odd; I found it to have been borked on my phone running 5.0.1, but not on my itouch running 3.x…
Working on it!
Since “both” is an option, why is there a decision to make? Is your safe short on space as well?
Surely, cost is no object.
The lower cost of DPMS mags is significant if you plan on buying a bunch. I sold my Armalite but liked it. I’d say $1900 for the DPMS and $2300 for the Armalite.
The Noveske, if for no other reason than because my son’s name is Leonidas 🙂 Actually, I’m partial to anything Noveske or Armalite, so that was an easy choice. Then again, if you’re planning on putting a scope on any of these, the DPMS may be a better option… I may be interested in the one you don’t pick though, so keep me in mind 🙂
He’s getting rid of both to make room for something else. So how cool can they be? Now, an experienced checker player, thinking a couple of moves ahead, would be asking, what’s that something else?
18″ > 16″ for .308. But Armalite/Noveske > DPMS/Bartlein
10 AR-10 mags X ~$50 = ~$500
I think Armalite, if for no other reason than they have a good song, although it was about the 18, not the 10.
Time to buy a bigger safe.
Depends on your intended use and the price of each.
If you’re looking for a battle rifle, I would go with the Armalite/Noveske.
If you’re looking for something to take to the range and shoot from a bench or prone, I would purchase the DPMS/Bartlein.
I would echo Esteve on the valuation, $1900 for the DPMS and $2300 for the Armalite.
Add this scope to the DPMS http://swfa.com/SWFA-SS-3-9×42-Tactical-30mm-Riflescope-P50716.aspx and you’ll be having fun in no time for just over $2500, possibly.
@G2 – I find that a 3-9x scope on a tactical rifle is pretty worthless. 3X is too much for CQB shots and 9X tends to be too little for anything “long range”. Personally, I’d go with a 1-4X/red-dot combo for short-medium range shooting, and a 10X mil-dot scope for mid-long range shooting.
If either of them are a penny under 3 large I will be shocked.
Glad to see the AR10 type rifles catching on. It’s ironic that they’re older yet seen as a “New Phenomenon” in recent culture!
Very, very nice rifles but I’m a basic kind of guy. Personally, hand me a FAL and I’ll be nothing but giggles and grins. My heart lies with tried and true (’51/’53) over new and fancy. I have a S&W i-Bolt 30-06 so my hunting base is covered. To me a semi-auto .308 means a battle rifle/Obama second term kind of proposition and as such I’d rather put my time into gaining my utmost proficiency with iron sights in the tradition of Simo Häyhä. No picatinny rails needed.
Out of the two I like the Noveske best. I’d swap the stock pistol grip for a Hogue but other than that I’d be tickled pink and be ordering up some Redding .308 dies and some Hornady A-Max’s.
If the DPMS hasn’t been 100% reworked by GAP, stick with the Noveske if you want a hard use rifle. DPMS manufacturing quality is the pits. GAP makes great guns, but it’s still a polished turd.
If you want a deer gun, then check into the accuracy of either system. Keep in mind the application of the rifle.
Have both (more or less identically-equipped). Noveske is a … Well: it’s Noveske.
DPMS is, even so, a better gun. Both in value and LDPS accuracy. Believe it, or don’t.
P.S.: DPMS “Downside”: ~17 lbs.
Something about both companies are owned by the same corporation so….the difference is the name stenciled….
What ever happened to the outcome of the article?
DPMS. I am a bench rest shooter, having a Barrlein barrel on that rifle is a plus. Just ordered a Bartlein myself for my build.
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