like pockets...that will never last.
like pockets...that will never last.
DI served its purpose and still has application with sporting shooters & law enforcement...but for military situations, I'd feel better if our troops had quality piston guns once they have been standardized and properly tested, then battle tested. Saying something good about piston as a design doesn't automatically mean any and all DI guns are crap...there are some very nice and very reliable ones but as a design spec, it is still inferior/out-dated due to the gas being piped into the action. And remember, we are not talking about 2500 dollar Daniel Defense or others...we are talking a cheap insurance policy so he can get one before they are no longer available. My argument is, spend double and get something you will be glad you have later. I'd say the same if he was set on a DI rifle...get a better one or plan to tweak your entry-level one if you want to be able to stake your life on it if you have to.
Piston has not been "standardized yet" but it has been very well proven in the AK47/74's; the Sig 556 has an AK-style bolt. The military is waiting for one of the piston designs to become the standard (such as Betamax vs. VHS) before they commit on a larger scale. In the mean time, why wouldn't a corporation try to reach as many markets as it can and make money? DI guns cheaper to make and higher volume sales. I'm not really bashing DI as much as I am trying to point out some things that many AR owners and shoppers do not know...it is a 1950's design that was crammed into a carbine later and then sold in 500 dollar guns that require more maintenance and would be less reliable in a real SHTF situation...I could say plenty of good things too...but since DI is more prevalent, I know there are plenty of fans to prop it up already and I am concentrating on the newer designs and why they are "better".
But look at the Sig 550, the FN FAL, the H&K line of military rifles including the HK416, the Israeli Galil, Tavor, etc...other countries all use pistons...the reason we don't is due to stubborness, politics, and cost...our soldiers deserve better...leave the 500 dollar carbines to jam on Joe Sixpack when the SHTF...
James Holmes AR jammed due to a feed jam from the 100rd drum he was using. Had nothing to do with cleaning or carbine length DI gas system.
Wow. Such passion for piston! Did you get bullied by DI ARs in school?
I won't say that ground up piston designs aren't (or at least can't) be better in terms of reliability; however, the AR designed by Stoner does NOT lend itself to piston retrofit packages. Hence, if you are going to use an AR platform rifle, use the original DI design. If you want a "piston", get a gun designed as such from the ground up.
What I still find interesting, is that for all the "piston or die" shouting, the AR IS a piston gun. The piston is contained within the bolt carrier group.
I sure wish the military would have replaced the 15 with the AR18...then everyone would be happy.
Not even... still 5.56, so there'd still be plenty of people bashing it as a Barbie gun.
True...I just been loving me some 18 here lately
I see some of the 1990s-era gun shop rumors about how unreliable the AR is are still alive and well.
If you want to see a direct impingement rifle, look at a Hakim. It has a gas tube that goes straight into the front of the bolt carrier. Gas directly impinges on the carrier to push it back to unlock the tilting bolt. The AR is a bit more complicated. Gas goes to a piston inside the carrier that unlocks the action.
I will say one thing for the "forward piston" or "op-rod" guns... they definitely play much nicer with suppressors than a "piston-in-carrier" design like the AR. These guns have their place for users who do heavy suppressed shooting. There is a lot of cut corner, commercial-grade junk to watch out for in the op-rod rifle market as well though.
As far as the mil spec goes, there are rifles that meet it, and rifles that exceed it... either of these should be trustworthy for serious use. Then there are rifles that fall short of it. These are your $500 ARs.
If you want to see a direct impingement rifle, look at a Hakim. It has a gas tube that goes straight into the front of the bolt carrier. Gas directly impinges on the carrier to push it back to unlock the tilting bolt. The AR is a bit more complicated. Gas goes to a piston inside the carrier that unlocks the action.
I will say one thing for the "forward piston" or "op-rod" guns... they definitely play much nicer with suppressors than a "piston-in-carrier" design like the AR. These guns have their place for users who do heavy suppressed shooting. There is a lot of cut corner, commercial-grade junk to watch out for in the op-rod rifle market as well though.
As far as the mil spec goes, there are rifles that meet it, and rifles that exceed it... either of these should be trustworthy for serious use. Then there are rifles that fall short of it. These are your $500 ARs.
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I mostly agree with what you said except the first part of course...re-read my post and see I also said I could say nice things about DI...Just because I think a "ground up" piston gun has the potential to be more reliable and lower maintenance for our soldiers (and minute men), doesn't mean I think YOU are wrong to choose what you like...piston being reliable doesn't mean all DI guns are crap. But if I am generally comparing them, my post gives my opinion quite well I think.
I've considered building for awhile and I even have 2 or 3 lowers laying around. If you are dead set on building then you at least need to buy yourself stripped lowers now because that would be the registered/regulated part of the gun. They can be had for as little as about $45 and you can stock up on as many as you want.
Personally I just kind of decided to buy a Colt with magpul furniture that can be found for around $850 and call it a day. I'm not handy at ALL, so I'm not going to keep telling myself I can build something.
Personally I just kind of decided to buy a Colt with magpul furniture that can be found for around $850 and call it a day. I'm not handy at ALL, so I'm not going to keep telling myself I can build something.
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