AR-15 Pistons: Pros & Cons

[opsspec1991]

AR-15 Pistons: Pros & Cons

By: Patrick Sweeney

Should one go with an AR-15 piston or direct impingement (DI) system?

The big drawback to the Direct Impingement (DI) system is the gas blown back into the receiver. It does, however, have several manifest advantages, advantages you should not discard simply because all your buddies say you should.

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AR-15 Pistons: Pros & Cons

 

[Ghost Rider]

I will stay with the direct impingement (DI) system. There are to many potential problems associated with a gas piston set up.

 

[Swinokur]

A solution in search of a problem IMO

 

[JCliff]

Good article. I stayed with the DI system mostly because that's what I "grew up on," and was most familiar (and therefore comfortable) with. I have found it to be highly reliable, even in adverse operating conditions. To me, the added cost and complexity of the piston system was not worth it. I'm not averse to trying something new, but here I did not discern an increase in performance or reliability with this system.

 

[Swinokur]

The situation would be improved if they all used standard parts.

They don't

 

[gunnerbob]

I'll keep my AKs, thanks though.

 

[beachbum17]

Pros: longer periods of shooting without cleaning and more reliability

Cons: extra weight, each manufactors parts are unique to them and not interchangeable, they can cause carrier tilt and wear on the lower over time.

Until parts are universal I would say DI, but companies like POF and huldra are well respected

 

[longslide10]

With todays technology I think gas piston could be the way to go. Here is a video on Huldra's system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM3oMlphZiw