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Firearms Legal Protection

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  1. #1
    MGO Member
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    AR piston conversion

    Hi -

    I was looking to convert my AR to being piston operated at some point. I just prefer a cleaner running gun. Brownells has some conversion kits on their site and was thinking of going that route. Anyone here have experience with such things?

    For reference:
    https://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...kits/index.htm

  2. #2
    I am a Forum User
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    Oct 2009
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    Rochester Hills,Mi.
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    Not a conversion,, but after reading some info on the difference between D.I. guns & piston AR's, I started looking around.
    Found a new Adams Arms (piston) AR..complete rifle, on sale for not much more than a piston upper assembly.
    Bought it, & can state with some certainty that Pistol driven AR's keep the chamber MUCH cleaner than DI versions..

    that's been my experience..
    an issue with the Adams Arms piston system is the fired gasses are vented thru the hand guard.
    I'd mounted a new Vortex scope to my new Adams AR ,.. thought it was a bad scope,(foggy optic) only to discover that
    gasses that vented thru the handguard were coating the front lens of the scope! I carefully cleaned the lens,
    then used some aluminum duct tape to plug the topside vent holes, so all gasses were vented to the holes beneath the hand guard..
    problem solved.

  3. #3
    MGO Member
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    Was that maybe an early version of theirs? In their current version it looks like the op rod comes over the gas tube to vent the gasses forward. Superlative arms looks like their op rod sits inside the gas block venting back toward the shooter.

    https://www.adamsarms.net/piston-kit-standard-block




    https://www.wingtactical.com/firearm...onversion-kit/

  4. #4
    MGO Member
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    Also I believe there's only standard barrel nuts on the AR's I have. Is there something I need to look for specifically on the barrel nuts I've got to see if they would work with the pistons?

  5. #5
    MGO Member Moleman-'s Avatar
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    I have a couple older CMMG units that are similar to the AA unit above only with a standard piston and beefier. They do run cleaner, and perhaps If they were lighter like the superlative arms kit above and didn't limit handguard choices I'd think more highly of them. Haven't noticed any increase of reliability but I also don't run thousands of rounds between cleaning either. Here's one on a 44x1.6" upper.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #6
    MGO Member
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    I don't run thousands of rounds either, I just don't find the DI guns that fun to clean up - which makes me not feel like shooting them nearly as much as my bolt guns. Ultimately not a bad thing since I tend to go through 3x (or more) the amount of ammo using a semi-auto. Just that much more fun. I guess it's a self regulating thing.

    I keep hearing about the hand guard issue. I took apart my M&P and I can see what you mean now. I'll have to take a look at the hand guard on my other upper and see if that one might be able to use it.

    That's not a bad setup you have there. 'Asthetically' it might go well with the a2 stocks that I prefer.

  7. #7
    I am a Forum User
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    ..."Was that maybe an early version of theirs? ?

    It may be.. how would you define an early version ? (vs late ?)
    I've had the rifle for more than a few years, probably less than 10.
    Had the rifle several yrs. before shooting it..had to get a mount, scope, etc.. already had a couple of AR's
    & until the past 3-4 yrs..shot rifles infrequently, as I spent most my time shooting handguns..

    a few yrs. ago, decided I'd better start spending some time with my rifles, while I still can.. getting older every year.

  8. #8
    MGO Member
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    I have a early version of the top kit you have pictured . It works as advertised. While i only shoot a hundred or so rounds at the range at a time there is very little carbon build up and wipes right off . The only problem i had was the original drive rod was a two piece design which started to loosen up ,Adams Arms replaced it with their one piece version and its been fine. The hardest part of the installation is getting the pins out of the old front sight.

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