Aero Precision M5 .308
- Category
- Battle Rifle
- Barrel
- 406 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.86 kg
- Introduced
- 2014
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Aero Precision M5 is the company's large-frame AR-10 / .308 platform, the big-bore counterpart to its popular AR-15-pattern M4E1. Built around forged 7075-T6 aluminum upper and lower receivers, the M5 is a direct-impingement, gas-operated rifle most commonly offered as a 16-inch carbine with a mid-length gas system and a low-profile adjustable gas block. Barrels are typically 4150 CMV steel (stainless options exist) with a 1:10 twist and 5/8x24 threaded muzzle. The M5 uses Aero's free-float handguard (ATLAS/R-ONE family) with M-LOK slots and a continuous Picatinny top rail, and feeds from SR-25 / DPMS-pattern .308 magazines. Like the M4E1, the M5 is sold as complete rifles, complete uppers, and component receiver sets, and is a favorite foundation for budget-conscious AR-10 builds.
Aero Precision began as an aerospace machining company in 1994 before moving into firearms. The M5 brought Aero's value-driven, in-house-machined approach to the AR-10 market, giving builders an affordable large-frame receiver set that became a default budget AR-10 foundation.
16-inch carbine weight approximately 8.5 lb (about 3,856 g) depending on handguard and barrel profile; complete rifles range roughly 8.5-11 lb across configurations. 1:10 twist, 5/8x24 muzzle threads. Also offered in 18- and 20-inch barrels and in 6.5 Creedmoor. The M5 uses DPMS/SR-25 high-pattern magazines. MSRP for complete rifles around $1,000-$1,400 depending on configuration.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Aero Precision
- Category
- Battle Rifle
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2014
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 406 mm
- Overall length
- 889 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.86 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated direct impingement
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 20
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum alloy
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Hard anodized
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 780 m/s
- Effective range
- 800 m
- Maximum range
- 4700 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Mid length gas system
Adjustable gas block
Free floating handguard
M lok rail
Picatinny rail
Flat top receiver
Rotating bolt
Threaded barrel
Qpq coating
Sr25 magazine compatible
Atlas handguard
Forward assist
Dust cover
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 107 battle rifles | 3.86 kg | 4.30 kg | Lighter than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 107 battle rifles | 889 mm | 1025 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 110 battle rifles | 406 mm | 457 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 110 battle rifles | 20 | 20 | Holds more rounds than about 60% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Aero Precision M5 .308
How much does the Aero Precision M5 .308 weigh?
The Aero Precision M5 .308 weighs 3.86 kg (8.50 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Aero Precision M5 .308?
The Aero Precision M5 .308 is chambered in .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor.
How many rounds does the Aero Precision M5 .308 hold?
The Aero Precision M5 .308 holds 20 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Aero Precision M5 .308?
The Aero Precision M5 .308 is 889 mm (35.0 in) long overall, with a 406 mm (16.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Aero Precision M5 .308?
The Aero Precision M5 .308 is made by Aero Precision (United States). It was designed by Aero Precision.
When was the Aero Precision M5 .308 introduced?
The Aero Precision M5 .308 was introduced in 2014.
How does the Aero Precision M5 .308 operate?
The Aero Precision M5 .308 uses a gas operated direct impingement action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/aero-precision-m5' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "aero-precision-m5", "name": "Aero Precision M5 .308", "manufacturer": { "id": "aero-precision", "name": "Aero Precision", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1994, "website": "https://www.aeroprecisionusa.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:38", "version": "a73983bdb6e8fdf2660fe8212be79b61cfa9189d0c69a22bce1f4fa5fa977a56" }, "category": { "id": "battle-rifle", "name": "Battle Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in full-power cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2014, "barrel_length_mm": 406, "weight_empty_g": 3856, "action_type": "gas_operated_direct_impingement"}