Convert DPMS LR .308 to .260 Rem?

[Buano]

Please excuse my ignorance in the AR world. That said,

I have a DPMS Panther LR .308 with a stainless fluted 24" bull barrel that got handed to me after only a handful of shots since the buyer owes me money he doesn't have. I hoped to sell it but haven't seen more than drool on the chins of those who wanted it but didn't have cash. I've never been an AR fan, preferring bolt actions to get the most accuracy while minimizing cary-weight — now I find there's an AR with bolt-action accuracy & I'm tempted. Since it's not selling I've thought of converting it to .260 and lightening it to make it a more practical deer/coyote rifle. Now my questions:

• I understand the conversion to .260 Rem only requires a new barrel. Is that correct?
• I lean towards a 24-25" medium contour premium stainless barrel. Is this my best option?
• Would I be better off with a lighter barrel, with or without a brake?
• How light of a premium barrel can I get away with & still maintain accuracy?
• Are there any special barrel features I should spec out for this rifle?
• What rifling twist is best for hunting weight .260 Rem bullets?
• Who are the best barrel manufacturers for replacement barrels?
• Would it be practical to make it into a .243, 260 Rem, .308, switch-barrel gun?
• What else can I do to lighten this gun to "cary weight"?
• What am I forgetting to ask?

Thanks!

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Yes you need a new barrel thats it! You can go one of two routes. Buy the barrel and do the work your self it will require a small investment in tools. Option two is send it off to one of the AR smiths and have the work done, check out ADCO. I dont know if any of the smiths here do AR work. It is very easy to do like legos

 

[soopadoopa]

I have a Lr 308 that I've shot quite a bit, mostly at 1000 yards. First thing I would do is replace the factory trigger. There are several options, you can get a nice one from $1-200.

As far as the barrel goes, I think you'll find that for weight savings, you're not gonna want to go longer than 20"-22" on a hunting rifle. The hunter profile 20" barrel from DPMS isn't much if at all lighter than my 24" fluted 308 barrel. BUT under the handguard, the barrel is the same diameter as a bull. A brake is not needed. It's a very mild recoiling caliber.

I've looked at Fulton Armory barrels, theirs are 6.5 creedmoor, not 260. Also, Blackhole weaponry has several to choose from.

Hope this answers some questions. I love the LR308. It's definitely a bargain for the price. I just sold my 20" 260 barrel and am in the market for something else.