Armalite AR-10 PRC in .260—Full Review.
The PRC 260 from Armalite delivers a high-end precision rifle in .260 Rem. ready for effective suppressor use.
To learn more, visit
https://armalite.com/shop/ar-10prc-260308/.
My
introduction to the .260 Remington occurred about five years ago during
a hog hunt with my friend from Mike’s Guns in Texas. Meeting up at his
shop prior to the hunt, he let me spend some time with an AR-10 he built
in .260 Remington. Using his rifles in .308 provided a solid
comparison, and the .260 Remington was impressive. Especially when
suppressed, it was softer shooting then some of my 5.56mm ARs. Trimming
the gas a bit made it reliable, quiet, clean, and incredibly accurate.
Testing a bolt rifle of his in the same round a bit later, the accuracy
potential of the round became clear. Using some of his handloads, I
produced several groups in the 0.20 inch range. But therein lay the
problem; the need to reload. Factory match ammunition was all but
non-existent at the time. Black Hills Ammunition loaded some in their
premium line, but that was about it. Since reloading was not in the
cards for me at the time, it was not something I pursued.
The rifle proved to be as capable with a suppressor as it did without, being reliable and accurate.
It
was the introduction of the 6.5 Creedmoor and its surge in popularity
amongst the precision competition crowd that brought the 6.5mm back onto
my radar. Factory ammunition becoming available the 6.5mm all but
eliminated the .308 rifle from my precision rifle inventory. It shoots
flatter, softer, more precisely, and reaches out to much longer range.
With a wide selection of factory match ammunition available for the
Creedmoor it was becoming a favorite of many precision shooters
unwilling or unable to reload. While the .260 Remington remained popular
amongst reloaders and hunters, factory match ammunition remained
scarce. However, the .260 Remington was making huge inroads in the
military, at least at the operational level. Talking to Special
Missions Unit members, they swear by the .260 Remington and have been
requesting rifles for years. While it likely will not make a big splash
on the main stage, at the smaller unit level they are starting to creep
in. All of this combined has finally sparked a surge in precision rifles
and factory match ammunition for the .260 Remington. Cost is still
higher for .260 Match, but there are several commercial loads now
available.
The author topped the 20-inch barrel off with an AWC Thor PSR suppressor.
ARs Chambered in .260 Remington
As
evidenced by my early experience with an AR-10 in .260 Remington, it
can be done. Most early rifles were custom built with a few factory
rifles popping up on occasion. A few seemed to think it was harder to
build an AR-10 in this caliber, but others never seemed to have the same
issues, including Mike Brown of Mike’s Guns, or me. Having assembled a
few over the last couple years they were easier to tune than similar
.308 models in my experience. In an industry chock full of mythology, it
was dismissed in my case. More often than not they are excuses to “not”
do something. It was only a matter of time before demand outstripped
any problems (real or otherwise) limiting rifle availability. Much of
the demand was for an AR-10 that would work suppressed though, and that
is problematic unless tuned solely for suppressed use. What we really
needed was a rifle with a “shortish” barrel that allowed for use
suppressed and unsuppressed without requiring re-tuning. It has been
tried in the past with moderate success but it looks like Armalite has
now taken that idea to a whole new level with the
AR-10 PRC in .260 Rem.
The adjustable gas block sits underneath the hand guard. Note the short rail sections for accessories.
SPECS
- Chambering: .260 Rem.
- Barrel: 20 inches
- OA Length: 41.3 inches
- Weight: 11.4 pounds
- Stock: Magpul PRS
- Sights: None
- Action: DGIS
- Finish: Dark brown Cerakote
- Capacity: Variable
- MSRP: $3,560
Armalite AR-10 PRC 260
Armalite
designed this rifle from the ground up to be a precision semi-automatic
rifle. It’s not just a standard rifle with a precision barrel and
chamber. Along with a match quality 20-inch stainless steel barrel, it
includes a new gas block allowing for reliable transition between
suppressed and unsuppressed fire. Working together with Surgeon Rifles
and AWC Silencers, the AR-10 PRC 260 is a well-integrated purpose-built
rifle designed with some serious thought.
The rifle I received for
testing was a very early production model and the company asked me to
give them feedback on it. It starts with Armalite upper and lower
receivers forged from 7075-T6 aluminum. The upper includes a forward
assist, dust cover, and brass deflector. It houses a coated bolt carrier
group using an AXTS Raptor Ambidextrous Charging handle. The barrel is
20 inches, heavy contour, stainless steel, and includes a Surgeon/AWC
PSR thread-on muzzle break designed for the .260 Remington. It operates
as a standalone break or an AWC Silencers THOR PSR can be added. Using a
1:7 twist rate better stabilizes bullets at distance given the
relatively short barrel length. A proprietary gas block with a two
position lever runs the rifle-length gas system. It is optimized for use
with the PSR suppressor and can be accessed through the 15-inch hand
guard without tools. Short rails sit at the front and back of the hand
guard with a continuous top rail. Slimmer in the middle, it shaves
weight and provides for comfortable hand holds. Threaded holes sit at
the front of each short forward rail for sling stud use.
The rifle features a Cerakote dark brown finish that keeps it very low profile. Note the ambidextrous safety.
Armalite
uses a “B” series lower receiver that accepts SR25-patterned magazines.
It has a Magpul PRS stock attached using a rifle length buffer and
spring. It houses a Timney single stage trigger using an AXTS Talon
ambidextrous safety. The pistol grip is a Magpul MIAD. Sling loops sit
on the right side of the PRS stock but can be moved to the other side if
needed. Production rifles will be shipped with one 10-round PMAG.
Testing
Burris Optics provided a new
XTR
II 5-25x 50mm FFP (First Focal Plane) scope for testing. Utilizing
their SCR Mil Lined reticle provides ample lines for holding elevation
or wind. It was mounted in a Larue Tactical PSR20 mount. Clarity on the
glass is excellent and the reticle is comparable to any simple Mil lined
reticle on the market. The vertical line has 20 mils graduated in half
mil increments below the horizontal line. There are 5 mils above with
the last two graduated in .10 mils. Extending on either side are 10 mils
graduated in .2 of a mile for the first five where another .10 mils
section sits for ranging calculation. The center section is lighted for 3
mils on either side and 6 mils below the center line. Dialed up to 15
power there were 11 mils available for holds with the entire horizontal
line visible. Knobs are tactile with audible clicks at .10 mils per
click and 10 mils per revolution. Numbers are easy to read. The XTR uses
a zero stop that is easily adjusted. Loosen the screws, slip the knobs
to zero and press firmly and re-tighten. Parallax adjustment sits on the
right along with lighted reticle activation. There are 11 settings with
“battery saver” steps in between each setting and a hard “off” setting
at both ends. Scope covers that flip flat against the scope when open
are included.
Burris Optics provided a new XTR II 5-25x 50mm FFP (First Focal Plane) for testing.
Since this rifle was designed to be used both suppressed and unsuppressed, my
AWC Thor PSR
suppressor was used. Designed to meet the original PSR contract it is a
Titanium suppressor designed for multiple calibers up to and including
.338 Lapua Magnum. Threading over the muzzle brake it means no shift in
impact when removed and reinstalled. It’s also very quiet and as rugged
as it gets.
Tuning Your AR
With my
having tested hundreds of ARs over the years, I have found that the vast
majority are over-gassed. It’s required to allow base line customers
the ability to use whatever ammunition they can find (often of very poor
quality) and still have it run. The problem being is that when
precision match ammunition is used, often loaded to higher velocities,
these guns are harsh to shoot. It can also affect accuracy and
reliability. For a weapon designed for “battlefield pickup” drills using
whatever trash ammunition found on the ground that is fine. But
precision ARs, especially those using DI (direct impingement) gas
systems, benefit hugely from tuning. Having tuned dozens in various
calibers, it makes a huge difference. It encompasses matching the gas
delivered to the bolt carrier group with the mass of that group, coupled
with proper spring tension and buffer use. It results in a softer
shooting, cooler running, and more accurate AR. It means you cannot
throw whatever reloaded ammunition you find on the ground in it though
and expect it to work. You will need to stick to quality ammunition with
similar pressure curves.
The rifle came with an AXTS Raptor ambidextrous charging handle.
Adding
a suppressor generally adds to the complexity. Over gassed ARs dump
excess gas into the action and magazine along with your eyes and lungs.
Many will just quit working after a couple of magazines they are so
covered in gunk. Tuning for suppressed use helps a ton, but most won’t
run if you remove the suppressor. There are some adjustable gas blocks
out there that facilitate that, but most clog up, shake loose, or
flat-out break under hard use. The simple solution for some rifles is a
two-position block that is robust and tuned to the rifle’s use. Few pick
up a $3,500.00 AR in .260 Remington for battlefield pickup drills,
making it easier to tune it for match grade ammunition. Given a
collaboration between Armalite, Surgeon, and AWC, they were able to make
this work very well.
Range Testing
I
expected this rifle to be accurate, what most interested me was how the
gas block worked using various bullet weights suppressed and
unsuppressed. I have often abandoned testing .308-based ARs with a
suppressor since they just don’t always work, no matter the suppressor. A
bit to my surprise, this rifle worked well, very well in fact!
Starting with some Nexus 136 Grain Lapua, it was fired without the
suppressor. Loud, as expected, recoil pretty well mitigated, significant
dust signature and brass was ejected smoothly at four o’clock. Moving
the lever over and attaching the PSR, the exercise was repeated with the
same results. Excess gas was minimal, brass ejection was in the same
place, only this time no muzzle blast. First round push was minimal and
it was softer to shoot than a couple of recent 5.56mm rifles tested. The
same process was repeated using Federal Gold Medal Match 143 grain SMK,
Gorilla 123 Grain SMK and Nosler 120 Grain Ballistic tip yielding the
same results. Using controlled fire, the brass ejection was consistent
with no failures to eject or return to battery. Rapid fire strings (five
rounds rapid fire) using the suppressor saw ejection walking forward to
about two o’clock but remaining reliable.
The Nexus load did extremely well, turning in groups as tight as .60 of an inch.
The Nosler load also did quite well, with a tightest group of .64 inches.
Accuracy
was as good as it gets with an AR-10, at least for me. My best groups
came from the Nexus 136 Grain Lapua at .60 inches. Nosler’s 120 Grain
Ballistic Tip was only slightly larger. Every rifle tested so far has
grouped the Nosler either the tightest or a very close second. Groups
were all under an inch, most between .60 and .75 inches. Since grouping
at 100 yards does not always mean it will hold at range, the PRC was
tested out to 1,000 yards on steel. Using data from the Kestrel, five
rounds of the Nexus 136 Grain Lapua were loaded up and fired at 1,000
yards just after dawn, so no wind, perfect conditions. Target is
12-inches wide by 16-inches tall. All five hit home with a group about
the size of my hand ( a tad under 8 inches) measured through the scope.
Groups shrunk to fist-sized at 500 yards. All of this was completed
using the suppressor, mostly because it was such a pleasure to shoot
suppressed. Timney’s trigger was crisp and there were no light primer
strikes. My guess is the 1:7 twist is a strong contributor to accuracy
at range. There are some strong advocates for faster twist barrels on
long range cartridges when they are shortened, and it seems to work
here.
The stock that came on the test rifle was a Magpul PRS unit.
Other Considerations
The
contour on this barrel is about as big as you can get and still get it
to fit under a hand guard. Accuracy is the result, along with minimal
recoil, but its no lightweight. Listed weight is 11.4 pounds, unloaded,
with no scope. The barrel tapers so most of the weight is back towards
the receiver, but it’s about the same weight as most precision bolt
rifles. Remove the suppressor and it’s pretty handy. Most of my personal
builds in 6.5mm use a 20-inch barrel and it’s the best compromise.
Adding the suppressor does not make it unwieldy, but it does add about 7
inches after attachment of the PSR brake. Attaching the suppressor
shifted the point of impact 3 inches low. Removing it returned to zero
every time.
The PRC 260 rifle really held its own under testing by the author. It is expensive, but it really delivers.
Final Thoughts
Armalite
built this rifle to be strong, accurate, reliable, and repeatable. They
did an excellent job; not sure it has been done any better outside a
straight-up custom build. There were no failures to function using
PMAGS, DPMS and my Larue Tactical magazines. It’s billed as a precision
rifle that “offers consistency in suppressed and unsuppressed
configurations,” and that it does. I have tested custom rifles with
similar consistency, but nowhere near as simple, nor likely as robust.
To learn more, visit
https://armalite.com/shop/ar-10prc-260308/.
