Piston questions

[patriot234]

Ok here it is... my question is this. I would like to know if it is worth it to think about a piston system for my AR15? If so is there any uppers that are not flip up? Can I even change my upper and trade it for a piston one??? Is it even worth it? Will is mess with my lower and will I be able to save money by buying it stripped and adding the bolt from this one? Any furtherance of my questions with answers and statements are welcome!!!!

[Robb Jensen]

As the very wise excellent instructor LAV (Larry Vickers) has said about piston guns.
Pistons are excellent for these applications or any combination there of:

ARs that are full auto
ARs that are short barreled rifles (meaning barrels under 16")
ARs using suppressors

If your AR doesn't fall into one or better yet more than one of the above categories then very likely you don't need a piston gun. Piston guns are not created equal. Piston guns vary quite a bit as far as durability and quality and all piston guns quite proprietary for many of their parts. Direct impingement makes much more sense for the vast majority of AR owners because most of the parts are compatible with other brands (i.e. a LMT bolt carrier will work in a Colt rifle which will work in a Charles Daly, etc).

I hear a lot of people tell me that ARs are hard to clean. These people are doing it wrong. ARs don't need to be 'white glove' Drill Instructor/field day inspection clean. They only need to be reasonably clean however they do need to be very well oiled. Wet and dirty works, dry and dirty does not. Wet and clean works, dry and clean doesn't work for more than about 100 rounds.

Cleaning an AR takes me about 10min.

[Logic]

As the very wise excellent instructor LAV (Larry Vickers) has said about piston guns.
Pistons are excellent for these applications or any combination there of:

ARs that are full auto
ARs that are short barreled rifles (meaning barrels under 16")
ARs using suppressors

If your AR doesn't fall into one or better yet more than one of the above categories then very likely you don't need a piston gun. Piston guns are not created equal. Piston guns vary quite a bit as far as durability and quality and all piston guns quite proprietary for many of their parts. Direct impingement makes much more sense for the vast majority of AR owners because most of the parts are compatible with other brands (i.e. a LMT bolt carrier will work in a Colt rifle which will work in a Charles Daly, etc).

I hear a lot of people tell me that ARs are hard to clean. These people are doing it wrong. ARs don't need to be 'white glove' Drill Instructor/field day inspection clean. They only need to be reasonably clean however they do need to be very well oiled. Wet and dirty works, dry and dirty does not. Wet and clean works, dry and clean doesn't work for more than about 100 rounds.

Cleaning an AR takes me about 10min.

Very good advice if I might say so. I have been tossing back and forth as to whether or not to convert to a piston system, but the above observation has settled me down. Thanks.