Piston vs DI Dilemma: The AR-15 Gas Choice
Direct gas impingement AR-15s suck. Wait a minute, maybe that’s piston driven AR-15s suck. Now that I have your attention I’ll say they’re both good and each has its own pluses and minuses that need your consideration. Long proven in many battles, the DI (direct impingement) M4/M16/AR-15 series are very reliable if maintained and lubricated properly. If it were not so it never would have lasted this long in US military service and many of the “it’s broke, its needs replacing now” arguments …
shaokem said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
I went with a LMT Defender piston. The foreguard is a bit shorter than that on the Ruger SR556. Also the gas block isn’t as large as the Ruger SR556. nice vid btw! 5 Stizzars!
kai199191 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
your video was sooooooooo slow to download on my mac for some reason
Prowler1 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
Educative vid..
5/5
gullette777 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS COINCIDENCES.. haha I’m building an M-4 and was debating on weather to have a titanium nitrite bolt carrier with a gas piston or DI… i always wanted you to give your opinion since i know a lot of your friends have piston guns. Big fan of yours here in Texas nutnfancy, your a house hold name in a lot of gun shops.
Thanks , Adam
Otacon237 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
I think the shorter barrels have the gas block closer to the receiver. Like if you notice the M4, the gas block on that is much farther back than the standard M16. I’m assuming the shorter length of the tube and the fact that the gas block is closer causes the overgassing.
There are aftermarket gas regulators you can buy though, I believe Noveske makes one.
warnerd14 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
Also you have to remember gas piston systems in ARs break bolts after a couple thousand rounds (after market install) and a few thousand round in new gas piston guns (Ruger, LWRC, HK416)
MrShadowShooter said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
Awesome table top review Nutn, answered a lot of questions I had about piston guns. On the subject of the M-4’s reliability overseas, my issue M-4 ran just fine as long as I kept it clean. I was in the Army for 11 years and I had complete faith in my M-4 as long as I did my part. Take care my friend…
FighterAceee94 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
carrying alot of weight is ridiculous?
are you saying SAS is ridiculous based on how they operate?
Spanky00Cheeks said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
~11:00
wouldnt a shorter barrel cause “undergasing” instead of overgasing? If you lower the barrel length without bringing the gas port up the barrel.
eldogg4life said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
F U Nutn!!! This is B.S.
Just kidding!!!
Great vid as always!!!!
smartbomb33 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
What a great video.
ceounicom said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
Great addition nutn’
Ocyris4 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
I built a semi-auto m16A1 using a complete military A1 upper and furniture, Talk about swing weight it’s a dream.
Nefarious79 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
Woot! an AR video
skinsup84 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
and if your useing wolf or brown bear dont lube the shit out of the bolt. it will jam like crazy!!
veritasfiles said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
Very informative! Information I didn’t know! Thanks for taking the time.
johnnyr55556 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
keep it lubricated dudes
snipurs said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
Awesome video, One thing about the Piston you can also change the gas for specific use for Silencers.
One question what mags were those rock’in, shot in the dark mag pull?
taotaoislatano said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
you r the man nutnfancy!! this video answered so many of my questions. im gettin ready to shop for some black rifles and this vid narrowed the margin a whole lot. im glad there’s someone out there that can do the foot work and help me sift through all the confusion and break through the hype! Long live TNP!!!
Sheva005 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
this really has nothing to do with this video, but does anyone (or nutnfancy himself) know how he controls his breathing or know anything at all about how he’e breathing when he shoots in this run n gun with the AR?
dsarti1 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
Piston gun in its infancy??? My M1A is a piston gun
skinsup84 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
man unless your goin to run 5000+ rounds though it, the piston is a waste of money, if you are goin to use it for hunting and everynow and then 100 to 200 rounds at a time at the range, di is the way to go, just clean it and it will be good. now if i was at war and full auto was in use ill take the piston.
dp665 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
on the weight issue the opsrey defense conversion does not have the gas regulator block so you save on weight. but in my opion the reliability is negliable. what most people dont realize is yes a piston gun keeps heat away from the bolt carrier which makes that part more reliable. however, heats and fouls up the piston alot and if your piston gets so fouled up it fails then your whole gun fails. so either way neither is ultra reliable. great video very informative.
KimberTactical45 said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
Thats pretty awesome, i cant wait i am about $1000 short…. as long as no un-forseen expenses come up… is that mre look more like coyote brown or OD in real life? hard to tell in the pics… I had planned on getting the MRE also, blends in better than all black.
300wsman said,
October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 am
Yes that is one of the main reasons why I chose the LWRC as well. Great minds think alike Im planning on getting a aimpoint ml3 as well, haha. I have not had any issues with the rifle, I have fired roughly 600 rnds through it. The one complaint I have is that when u fire the rifle around 100 rnds the top rail lossens u a bit, nothing u wud notice unless u checked, but that may be loose bcuz i only tightened it by hand. Best investment I made, purchasing the LWRC M6A2. Mine is in MRE BTW.