MSR 10 Hunter 308 review

Half of a review. I just picked it up today and haven’t shot it yet. So, this is just my initial impression.

Pros

• Lightweight. 7.8 pound empty (verified on a scale).
• Slim Mlok rail is nice.
• BCG is very slick feeling (a flat gray color though and I can’t easily get the stains off from when it was test fired).
• Bolt has dual ejectors.
• Trigger feels great.
• The firing pin is spring loaded (I don’t care about that but I hear it’s a good thing and it shouldn’t leave primer strikes when chambering a round).
• Fairly well balanced. (At least until my suppressor gets out of jail).
• Upper and Lower fit together nicely with no slop.
• The stock had a sling QD point built in. But see Con list.
• Adjustable gas block (but no info on how many settings it has. The instructions just say it should eject brass and 3-4 o’clock and if one experiences issues make a ¼ turn or one click adjustment at a time).

Cons See pictures

• The stock has rubber “flashing”.
• The pin that holds in the part to adjust the stock sticks out way too far.
• The castle nut isn’t staked properly (someone hit it with a punch the wrong way).
• There is marring on the endplate and one other small spot (I’m going to beat it up anyway and I don’t care, but it should be mentioned).
• The grip looks like it doesn’t fit properly.
• I can push the safety selector and you can hear an audible click. The right side of the safety can be pushed out about 1/8 of an inch and it clicks. (other than that it functions normally and is smooth. The click isn’t from putting it on safe or fire).
• I am confused on how to disassemble the bolt. The firing pin retaining pin looks like it screws out instead of it being like a normal AR15. The cam pin is always in the position that you take it out of a normal AR. So if I unscrew the retaining pin, will the cam pin be able to fall out?
• No QD endplate and the rail doesn’t have a QD sling attachment point built in either. So there’s one spot (I like single point slings) but I don’t think it would work the best in the middle of the stock.

The BCG is proprietary and it seems well made. It’s one piece so there is no gas key for them to stake the wrong direction. There’s a small tube for the gas tube to fit in and make it function and it’s only held in place by a small pin. It’s not like it should go anywhere so I’m not too worried.

Maybe I missed it, but what brand rail is it (so if i remove it or want to check to see if it properly torqued down I can know how much torque to put on it)? How adjustable is the gas block? Commercial or mil spec buffer tube (I can visually check but they should say). Will any AR grip work and fit better? There needs to be more information about the rifle readily available.

Overall, I like the way the rifle looks and feels. There seems to be some QC issues. Like the flashing from the rubber buttstock (blackhack), the grip not appearing to fit properly (Blackhawk), the marring, and the improperly staked castle nut. I’ll probably put a QD endplate on it and eventually change the stock and grip. That will get rid of a lot of my complaints.


I need to make time to go to a range and shoot it. I have a good feeling I’m going to really like it. Some may think I am being too harsh, but c'mon with some of the small stuff.

Also, I am on my laptop so don’t make fun of the way I edited the pictures. I can't post the pictures. Can I email a mod so they can post the pictures for me?

I got to shoot about 50 rounds the other day. It shoots very well. It's a little over gassed with the way the adjustable gas block came from the factory. It's easily a sub moa rifle that had absolutely no issues with the few rounds I put through it.

Thanks for the review. I'm not seeing pics though they would be nice.
I'm pretty sure my 1st gen LR308 has that funky looking pin on the bcg as well. Maybe it's an SR25 design thing, mine just pushes out.

As far as hunting with an AR I know a lot of guys do it but I've tried and they just aren't suited to my style of hunting. Not just the Savage ARs but any of them.
All the protrusions like the grip and mag (even with a 4 round mag) get in the way and seem to snag and catch or be in the way on my surroundings. Especially when trying to get set for a shot when I want to be concentrating on my sight picture I just dont want the bother of wondering why I cant slide the rifle forward or back a little only to find out the mag or grip is against something. That coupled with the round fore end that's not really conducive to propping up for a shot off the objects around me (trees, rocks, shooting rails etc.) are a couple of the negatives I've encountered. The way the sights have to sit up so high on an AR because of the buffer tube is another drawback. There is no drop at the comb and when combined with the mag and grip it gives an AR a super tall profile that's hard to use out a box blind window without canting the rifle to the side and when in the woods you very well may be looking right over the top of that limb that's right in front of your barrel or even the ground if lying prone. I'm not trying to be a downer just trying to put a couple of things out there I've encountered trying to use an AR in the field. I mainly hunt hardwood bottoms and green fields in the south so maybe they are better suited for another area of the country, maybe I'm just an old guy that's been using standard hunting rifles too long and got set in my ways, or maybe their is a better tool for my style of hunting in my part of the country. Sure am fond of my 116 in 30-06 with a a 3-9x leupold if that says anything :) wound up relegating my LR308 to range toy status :)

Hopefully you wont run into any of these issues with your style of hunting.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by big honkin jeep

Thanks for the review. I'm not seeing pics though they would be nice.
I'm pretty sure my 1st gen LR308 has that funky looking pin on the bcg as well. Maybe it's an SR25 design thing, mine just pushes out. it does just push out like a regular retaining pin.

As far as hunting with an AR I know a lot of guys do it but I've tried and they just aren't suited to my style of hunting. Not just the Savage ARs but any of them.
All the protrusions like the grip and mag (even with a 4 round mag) get in the way and seem to snag and catch or be in the way on my surroundings. Especially when trying to get set for a shot when I want to be concentrating on my sight picture I just dont want the bother of wondering why I cant slide the rifle forward or back a little only to find out the mag or grip is against something. That coupled with the round fore end that's not really conducive to propping up for a shot off the objects around me (trees, rocks, shooting rails etc.) are a couple of the negatives I've encountered. The way the sights have to sit up so high on an AR because of the buffer tube is another drawback. There is no drop at the comb and when combined with the mag and grip it gives an AR a super tall profile that's hard to use out a box blind window without canting the rifle to the side and when in the woods you very well may be looking right over the top of that limb that's right in front of your barrel or even the ground if lying prone. I'm not trying to be a downer just trying to put a couple of things out there I've encountered trying to use an AR in the field. I mainly hunt hardwood bottoms and green fields in the south so maybe they are better suited for another area of the country, maybe I'm just an old guy that's been using standard hunting rifles too long and got set in my ways, or maybe their is a better tool for my style of hunting in my part of the country. Sure am fond of my 116 in 30-06 with a a 3-9x leupold if that says anything :) wound up relegating my LR308 to range toy status :)

Hopefully you wont run into any of these issues with your style of hunting.

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I can email pictures to someone who can post them.

Well this is my first Savage and I was one of the first to get the MSR 10 when it first launched but have been so busy that I haven't had a chance to fire it other then 2 rounds (my new scope failed and ended early the range day for the MSR). Anyways, the other day I noticed the barrel had some movement in respect to the handguard when installing my suppressor mount and decided to investigate. I found that the barrel nut was only hand tight and able to loosen it with my fingers. I did not see any tool marks on the nut.

I searched and did find another person posting about this issue.

For those out there with a MSR 10 just keep any eye out for play and if your shots start going everywhere. Just like the introduction of a new model of car there is always a risk with first production runs.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....0a6ffa653f.jpg

Anybody else have issues with the bolt release button being extremely difficult to depress? Not a huge issue, I'm assuming it just needs to be broken in (only had mine at the range once so far). Just curious if anyone else had that problem.

Also, any news on aftermarket dust covers? My only complaint with this gun so far is the plastic dust cover. It is a bit longer than other AR10 covers, so no replacements available that I know of.

I recently purchased the MSR Long Range in 308. I have not shot it yet but look forward to it. Are there anyone out there that have put several round down range yet? If so, what ammo is working good with the long range?

Who do you add pics?