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The forward-assist plunger on the Hunter Series rifles is contained within the large brass deflector. During testing, the rifles ejected empty cases with gusto, and there were no failures to feed or fire.
Milled from a solid billet of 6061-T6 aluminum, the lower receivers of the Hunter series rifles have the same hard-coat anodizing and black Teflon finish as the uppers. The safety switch and magazine-release button are in the standard AR locations. Taking into account the angle at which the pistol grip presents the shooting hand in relation to the lower receiver, the safety lever on the Hunter rifles—and all ARs for that matter—is just as easy for me to engage than the sliding or wing-style safeties on most bolt actions, if not more so. It is not, however, as quiet to operate. The hollow, exposed metal upper and lower receivers of AR-style rifles act as a sounding board to magnify the click.
Each Hunter rifle comes with two magazines: one with a four-round capacity, and the other with a
19-round capacity. For hunting, I much prefer the shorter of the two, and in some states, the lower-capacity magazine may be mandated by game laws. ARs simply feel different than bolt actions or lever guns, and having a long magazine hanging out the belly of the rifle only helps to magnify that difference. The four-round magazine extends just 3⁄4 inch below the bottom edge of the magazine well and makes for a more compact package. It is also less likely to hang up on brush or the edge of a tree stand or a shooting rail.
Realizing that hunters crave a clean, crisp trigger pull on their rifles, DPMS gives each Hunter AR a
JP Enterprises adjustable trigger group. The JP trigger can be adjusted for pull weight, engagement and overtravel. It’s a good thing that the triggers in the Hunter rifles are adjustable, as the pull weights from the factory measured around 6 pounds, or about twice what I prefer for hunting. Luckily, some time spent with the proper tools, spring set and instructions would remedy that situation.
The pistol grip on the LR-243L, LR-260L and LR-308L are the Command Arms Accessories G27 model, although the pre-production LR-260L I received had a Hogue rubber overmolded grip, while the LR-243L and LR-308L sported a standard A2-style grip. The G27 is a textured, rubber grip with finger grooves and palm swells, and should be appreciated by hunters on cold, blustery days in the field. The LR-338L comes with a Hogue rubber overmolded grip that helps pad the hand against the recoil produced by the stouter cartridge.
The A2-style buttstock on the Hunter series rifles is made of black Zytel. Perhaps a carryover from AR tradition, the buttstock ends in a checkered, black polymer buttplate that features a trapdoor. The usefulness of the trapdoor is questionable, seeing as how the the buttstock is skeletonized to reduce weight. I suppose a cleaning rod kit would still fit in the buttstock and may stay there during a hunt, but I wouldn’t want to take the chance of losing it out the side. Nor would I want to deal with it rattling around when I move the rifle. I’d rather see the Hunter rifles equipped with a solid rubber buttpad to help cut down on recoil. I’ll clean my rifle when I get back to camp. 
Big-Game Accuracy
The Hunter series rifles have enough features to appeal to the guy or gal who wants to use an AR for big game, but do they have the accuracy? I spent several days at the range shooting groups from the bench, offhand and in a sitting position to find out. The short answer is yes, but you’ll want to try more than one load or brand of ammunition before taking off on a hunt. In other words, the Hunter ARs probably aren’t much different when it comes to accuracy than the rifle you are currently using for big game.
After mounting a scope on each rifle, I fired five, five-shot groups at 100 yards with three brands of ammunition to complete the formal accuracy test. Like most rifles, each of the Hunter ARs showed a preference for a particular load.
With a Burris Fullfield II 6.5-20x50 mm mounted on the LR-243L, the overall group average for three brands of ammunition was 1.21 inches. The LR-243L was the best-shooting rifle of the bunch, turning in a five, five-shot group average of 1.1 inches with the Winchester Supreme 95-grain Ballistic Silvertip load.
I put a Nikon Monarch 2.5-10x42 mm on the LR260-L and got an overall group average of 1.36 inches. This doesn’t tell the whole story, though, for the Federal Premium Vital-Shok 140-grain Sierra GameKing load produced a five, five-shot group average of 1.16 inches, including one group that measured right at 1 inch. Two more groups would have been close to or better than that mark had it not been for fliers in each case that added 1⁄8 inch or more to the measurement.
The LR308-L liked the Fiocchi Extrema 180-grain Hornady SST load the best. I topped this rifle with a Bushnell Elite 4200 2.5-10x40 mm and shot an average of 1.29 inches for five, five-shot groups with the Fiocchi ammunition. Hornady’s 150-grain Interlock BTSP load wasn’t far behind at 1.39 inches.
The Federal Premium Vital-Shok 185-grain Barnes Triple-Shock X-Bullet load gave the top performance in the LR-338L. With a Bushnell Elite 4200 1.25-4x24 mm aboard, the rifle turned in a five, five-shot group average of 1.4 inches.
The relatively new .338 Federal is just one of the chamberings offered in the DPMS Hunter ARs. Others include .243 Win., .260 Rem. and .308 Win.
Overall, accuracy from the Hunter series rifles was on par with most bolt actions and lever guns intended for hunting when they are shot with factory hunting loads. I do not doubt that some time at the loading bench would result in better accuracy. A longer or heavier barrel may improve accuracy as well, but it would come at the cost of lightweight maneuverability.
Shooting the Hunter rifles offhand was a completely different experience than working a bolt or lever gun in an unsupported position. As you would expect, follow-up shots came much more quickly with the ARs, a product of not having to manually cycle the action and the lower felt recoil. The straight design of the A2-style buttstock and the compensators on the rifles’ muzzles also played a part. Muzzle flip was a much less than with the two bolt actions and the lever gun I shot for comparison. The Hunter rifles recoiled straight back into my shoulder, and I lost little time getting back on target after each shot.
New Fun
So where do the Hunter ARs fit into big-game hunting as we know it? Any place where a hunter wants to try something a little different than the traditional. (Check your game laws first, as some states prohibit hunting big game with semi-automatic rifles.
The LR338-L would be a particularly good choice for up-close hunting in thick brush or timber. I think it would make an excellent gun for black bears. On the other hand, the LR-243L would be right at home on the prairie, when the next shot you take could be at a coyote or an antelope. The LR-260L and LR-308L fall somewhere in between. The fun part is deciding what you want to hunt with an AR, then choosing the appropriate caliber for the job. The DPMS Hunter series gives you plenty of options.
DPMS Panther Hunter Series
Manufacturer: DPMS; (800) 578-3767
www.dpmsinc.com
Models: LR-243L, LR-260L, LR-308L, LR-338L
Action Type: Gas-operated semi-automatic
Calibers: .243 Win., .260 Rem., 308 Win.,
.338 Federal
Magazine Capacity: 4 or 19
Barrel Length: 18 inches
Rifling: Six-groove, 1:10-inch RH twist
(LR-243L, LR-308L); six-groove, 1:9-inch
RH twist (LR-338L); six-groove, 1:71⁄2-inch RH twist (LR-260L)
Receiver: Extruded 6066-T6 aluminum
A3-style upper; milled 6061-T6
aluminum lower
Finish: Mil-spec hard-coat anodized and Teflon coated
Stock: Skeletonized, black Zytel A2-style buttstock with trap door; carbon-fiber fore-end
Overall Length: 39 1/8 inches
Weight: 8 pounds
Sights: None; Picatinny rail integral to upper receiver
Trigger Pull Weight: LR-243L, 5 pounds,
14 ounces; LR-260L, 6 pounds, 1 ounce;
LR-308L, 6 pounds, 3 ounces; LR-338L,
5 pounds, 13 ounces
Accessories: 4-round and 19-round magazine, nylon web sling, cleaning kit
MSRP: $1,499
