A R Rifles Gas or Piston?

[Chevydude]

Need to start building information for a AR purchase. I'd like to start off with the right foot forward.

[The Lance]

What do you plan on doing with it? How much money do you want to spend.

They both have their pros and cons.
PISTON = cleaner, smoother but heavier.
DI = Cheaper, perfected over the years, ie mid length, lighter, but dirtier. Easier to replace parts though.

I can't decide that for you. I have one of each and they are both great. I always lean towards the DI because I pieced everything on it together, and it's more tricked out for the use of home defense or tacticool operating.

However I like my piston more for using my slide fire stock because it's better performing when ran harder

Do you plan on buying a factory gun or building one?
If you're building one start off with a lower and decide after that's put together.

[t140]

Piston 10" and shorter barrels. Gas any longer than that.

There's only three benefits to piston. 1 less gas in the face. 2 cleaner internals. 3 can shoot most immediately after taking them out of water.

Gas has less felt recoil, is lighter and rarely uses proprietary parts.

[yonse]

Agreed on what Lance said. I think we need more information on what the intended use is, how much you are hoping to spend, how many rounds you plan on firing between cleaning, and whether or not additional weight will be a factor.

[JustPlainT]

I would recommend DI over piston for almost every application, the exception being 10" barrels or shorter.

[Snowgun]

Last thing, for extreme accuracy, DI is better than piston. JP of JP Rifles cant get a piston to shoot as accurately as his Gas rifles. This is as the bleeding edge of accuracy though, less than 1 moa.

[jshuberg]

Last thing, for extreme accuracy, DI is better than piston. JP of JP Rifles cant get a piston to shoot as accurately as his Gas rifles. This is as the bleeding edge of accuracy though, less than 1 moa.

While I think this statement is correct in general, there are exceptions. Many people that are reporting slightly above .5 MOA with an LWRC REPR. I would imagine the REPR would shoot better than this without the piston, but you can get a very accurate rifle with a piston.

On the negative size - piston systems aren't standardized, so replacement parts have to come from the original manufacturer. They add weight, are are a reciprocating mass above the barrel, and add complexity and potentially additional failure points. They also cost more.

On the positive side - piston systems run *much* cleaner (a wipedown with a rag is all that's needed). The regulated gas valve will allow for proper cycling of the weapon with a a variety of ammo on shorter barrels (DI Short barrels are much more finicky and ammo dependent). A selectable gas valve can be switched off, switched for extreme fouling, or for the addition of a suppressor (where legal).

IMHO, unless you are running a short barrel, or in an environment where extreme fouling and minimal lube present problems, or simple hate cleaning rifles - DI would be a better choice.

[goalie]

If I were to buy a piston rifle, it would be a rifle designed from the ground-up to be one, not "modified' from a DI system to be a piston system.

YMMV

[Chevydude]

I would buy a factory build as I don't have the knowledge to build one.
What kind of money should I expect to spend? I want Quallity.I would
Just use it at the Sand pit maybe sending 200 rounds down range
each outing.I can appreciate a good Rifle. Down the road I might like to put a custom
AR together. Thanks guys keep the info. coming.

[Tronster]

I debated DI or piston. I hate cleaning DI guns, so I went piston. The Huldra (made by Adams Arms) has been %100 reliable, accuracy has been good, and cleaning is easy; just wipe down the bcg and minimal carbon cleaning in the piston which pops out in 5 seconds.

People whine about the balance of piston guns, but really the only weight difference up front is the piston rod, which is only a few ounces. In a 16" gun it balances great; I could see a 20" piston gun being front heavy.

[FJ540]

So you don't think the added torque of the piston, the larger gas block, and the rod add anything to the feel?

[Hmac]

So you don't think the added torque of the piston, the larger gas block, and the rod add anything to the feel?

I own all DI guns, but I've shot Huldras on a few occasions. They're a fine rifle, but I can't tell any difference in handling nor in shooting. I put several rounds through a Huldra Evo at my last trip to the range last weekend. I thought it had more felt recoil than my rifle and had more muzzle deviation, but I was comparing it directly to my SBR with compensator, so not a fair comparison. IMHO, that Evo handle and shoots about the same as my Light Recce. I don't doubt gas piston guns have some advantages over DI, but I don't think those advantages are in the handling and shooting department.

[Tronster]

So you don't think the added torque of the piston, the larger gas block, and the rod add anything to the feel?

The one piece op rod is not heavy at all. It's a short stroke system (cycles about 1/2 inch) so once the bcg is in motion the rest of the eject and reload cycle is just like a DI gun with no added mass in the bcg. I've shot both DI and GP and it's not a significant difference in recoil. It's a 5.56 we're talking about, not some magnum hunting caliber. An AK recoils much more than this and people shoot those just fine.

If you want absolute tackdriver accuracy, then get a DI gun. If you want good accuracy with quick easy maintenance get a GP gun. I hate scrubbing carbon, so I chose GP. There's no wrong choice here.

[grousemaster]

If you can't, or refuse to clean your guns, get a piston. That's the only reason I can think of....

[173rdABN]

Over my many years of experience with both guns, at home and over seas, I'd still stick with a DI. Only reason I would get a piston is to run suppressed and be able to adjust the gas setting. And you can still get DI guns with adjustable gas blocks. Just not as convenient when on the move.

That being said, MN... no cans. I'd get a DI.