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Originally Posted by Old Dog New Trick
Pcfixer - I've got a Sig Arms 556 SWAT model rifle. It has a user maintainable gas system with both a low cyclic rate and high cyclic rate (similar to the SAW.) The LE/MIL version - select fire has ability to clear (clean) itself in the high cyclic rate (sadly doesn't do the same in semi-only version) if it begins to run slow or malfunction ('course you'd have to be able to fire full-auto to create the heat to self-clean.) The rifle is part AR part AK in design. When it is stripped down to the basics it's about 2.3-pounds heavier than an M4A1 (some of that is the gas piston system some the folding stock (a nice feature BTW) some stamped metal over cast aluminum, it is also slower to point from low ready due to forward weight.
The thing that scares me about a gas piston system is water and freezing conditions. If that piston gets frozen in the tube you've got a one shot rife.
I like it, it's very accurate (16" barrel) but the weight is an issue for me especially with attachments it gets close to 10-12 pounds of modern tacticool rifle. Good for an LE officer not so good for day in day out carry. I think that it's slow to point and the heavier weight makes me like the lighter M4 with or without things like a PEQ or light forward mounted.
As I said earlier, I have no complaints with the (then circa 12 years ago) M4A1 I was issued. I have seen and fired some very modern variants of the AK47 but can't say with absolute certainty they are not without issues of reliability that would not be found in sloppy old "reliable" military versions of the same.
ETA: I don't know why I posted all that, I guess just wanted say, there are trade offs and neither IMHO are more reliable than the other. It's certainly easier to clean or not need to clean the BCG in a piston operated system, but now you need to clean the piston from the same carbon or it sticks.
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AR lowers (and uppers) should be forged 6061 aluminum T-6 tempered, IIRC, not cast.
TR
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De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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