Just ordered a g2 243

204 AR

Well-known member
Tax time, I couldn't resist. I've been jonesing for one of these since I handled a g2 in a gun store a few years back. It seems like the 243's weren't available for the longest time. Anyway, I didn't think $1112 seemed too bad considering it comes with a 2 stage trigger, decent stock and grip and carbon fiber float tube and threaded barrel.

The real kicker is that if I like it I can order a few replacement barrels from cdnn for $80 each and be set for life lol.

I really needed it lol!
 
87 vmax. I hope it works out, I'm reading somewhat mixed reviews of the 308 but there really isn't much out there to read. And almost nothing about the 243. Usually when cdnn gets a bunch of parts or rifles listed cheap it means they're out of production it seems.

But they are selling, because in the last 2 days both Buds Guns and Cheaper than Dirt sold out of them.
 
That gun was on my list for awhile, but it's taken forever for the 243's to show up with any availability. Is it basically the same weight as an AR-15? The sheer mass of the usual AR-10 doesn't appeal to me.
 
I hadn't heard they were going out of business but I guess it makes sense. I'm glad I jumped on it when I did, but I hope it runs and shoots without too much trouble.
 
DPMS and Bushmaster are OOB and no more Remington branded AR's. Freedom Group/ Cerberus is done with them, I heard Tapco also and maybe AAC on the chopping block.
 
I've wanted one for a long time as well. Please keep us posted. Think you got a good deal and bet you'll like it!
 
I just bought one as well, haven't fired it yet. I am not a big fan of the glued on carbon fiber hand-guard, replacing it has become quite an adventure. Looking forward shooting it as I have a couple of buddies that have them and they are pretty impressive. Remington ie: Freedom group is a typical corporation, trimming out the fat I guess.
 
I'd like to hear about that hand-guard, as I was trying to research removal as well. What I can tell, it is threaded on, and has a lock nut and they used red loc-tite. So with enough heat it will come off supposedly.

What are you using for a receiver block?
 
So here is what I have come to find out about the G2. Everyone that has them seems to like them, that's the good part.
The bad part, well it's actually the parts, these guns have some specific parts that are a bit unique.

Handguard- the carbon fiber hand guard is epoxied on, it looks like they use rock-set, in fact they used that on the gas block set screws as well. I used a heat gun to warm it up enough to get it off. Unfortunately the barrel nut is unique to the handguard and won't work with anything else. I just ordered a midwest industries hand-guard, it comes with the G2 specific barrel nut so when it shows up I'll see if it works.
 
I made my own, I am a cabinet maker/woodworker by trade so I just milled up some hard maple to fit.

On another note, the midwest industries hand-guard showed up. Fits perfect, light weight, and is super slim.
 
I checked those out, they do look fantastic. Actually, I don't mind the carbon fiber, and as long as the first barrel is threaded, and accurate, I won't need to change it for a while. But I'm thinking of snagging whatever I can for these rifles now as I'm sure stuff will dry up soon. It's a shame a good design couldn't take off better than it has.

Good job on the block, sounds like what I'll have to do.
 
Thanks for the heads up on CDnn, I will pick up a couple of barrels just to have in case. The one quirky thing I noticed was unless you can get enough purchase on the lock ring, the handguard will need to be removed from the barrel nut in order to get the barrel nut off.
I get that DPMS was really trying to keep the weight down with the carbon fiber hand guard, the midwest industries unit weighs only 0.1oz more, and has a much more user friendly design.
 
Zcustom,

Rockset is supposed to be impervious to heat. It does not like water.

Also, most barrel nuts are unique to "that type" of hand-guard.
 
Well ctd cancelled my order due to lack of inventory. But I got an email that buds got them back in, although 60 bucks higher but I got one ordered from them. Hopefully they have a better idea what they have in stock.
 
Bad news but followed by some good news anyways, at least you will still get one!
 
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And it showed up today at my dealer, got it home and cleaned up. After cleaning the bore I checked it out with the bore cam, the throat is good and concentric, rifling looks good, no bad reamer marks or other bad signs in the bore. I threw one of my Meopta 4.5-14x on it from another upper and got it bore sighted, which took very little adjustment, also a good sign. My Harvester suppressor threaded on without any trouble. The threads are a little loose compared to a lot of my other barrels but I don't think it will be an issue.

I had about 25 rounds loaded with 58 vmax and Varget from my last 243 maybe 7 years ago, and the first round hit my 12" gong at 200 yards. I had some splashes on there that need painted so couldn't really tell at first but got it figured out and fine tuned enough to hit my 4" gong at 200, in a 20 mph wind it looked like about 1.5" group at the biggest, so it's looking like it will shoot without any trouble.

Function was 100%, with a pmag, I don't know which generation it is. First round was single loaded and had lock back so loaded 3 from then on and perfect loading, extraction etc. Ejected rounds bounce off the house wall pretty hard and landed about 2 oclock so definitely plenty of gas with the suppressor, but no marks from the ejectors or extractors. Recoil was virtually non-existent, noticeably lighter than my 243 wssm with 87's. I expect they will be pretty close when I get some 87's loaded up in this one.

Weight wise it is so close to my ar15's with 22" standard profile barrels I don't think you could tell them apart. The buffer spring is noticeably "stiffer" than an ar15. The trigger isn't too bad IMO, about like a RRA 2 stage which it basically copies. The safety is ambidextrous, which is a first for me so we'll see how I like that.

I will check some speeds when I get to wring it out on a decent day, I know 20" isn't optimum for a 243 but it should be respectable.

All in all, I can't believe these aren't/weren't hugely popular. It's so much nicer than the full size 308 AR there's no comparison. For what you get $1200 is a bargain IMO. The only downside to a 243 AR is barrel life IMO, but with cdnn selling replacements cheap that's no longer a concern.
 
Great review and thanks! I'm not surprised, you probably just cost me $1,200 haha. Good luck going forward, love to know what you get for speeds. It would give me a ballpark on what to expect out of the 58 gr superformance and 70 gr dogtown factory stuff.
 
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