glock10mmman
05-03-10, 22:09
Hey folks!
As promised here is the 4th part of the ARS Gas Piston Kit review. This review will be on the 5.45x39 round with the same Piston Kit. If you missed the first, second and third part of the review, here are the links: ARS Review #1 (http://www.ar15armory.com/forums/ARS-Gas-Piston-Kit-review-t77743.html) ARS Review #2 (http://www.ar15armory.com/forums/ARS-Gas-Piston-Kit-review-t78122.html) ARS Review #3 (http://www.ar15armory.com/forums/ARS-Gas-Piston-Kit-Review-t78644.html)
I only had 120 rounds on me to test the upper with. It was the Russian 53 grain steel cased stuff. Very Very dirty ammo, but cheap. It needs to be noted again that shooting this caliber will require you to replace your hammer spring with an extra power hammer spring. The hard primers of the this type of ammo will not work with standard two stage or match hammer/trigger combos. I was using a stock DPMS LPK and it would not set the primers off. Spring is a simple change out and can be purchased for around 2-3 dollars.
The 5.45x39 is coming around as a player in the “black rifle” scene. Ammo is very cheap, something around 150 dollars for 1000 rounds, and less recoil that the 5.56. It was really fun to shoot and with it becoming a player in the market, Carl with Black Hole Weaponry wanted me to test this kit out to see how it ran.
Changing out the system from the 7.63x39 to the 5.45x39 again was very easy. I did this in the field with only the following tools. Muzzle break wrench and an allen wrench. Disassembly and reassembly took about 5 minutes to complete with most of the time spent ensuring that the gas block was properly aligned. Break wrench was used of course to remove the muzzle break to allow the gas block to be taken off and put back on and allen wrench was used to remove the three screws that secure the gas block. The entire system, still being attached to the gas block, was taken out and put back together with ease making this a complete universal kit. I had a stripped barrel attached to an A4 upper to speed things along this time as well. The only thing that was changed from the 7.62x39 was the gas regulator insert. The kit comes with 3 of them for various rounds and calibers. I used the smaller diameter insert for the 5.45x39, same one as the 5.56. A small allen wrench was used for this too.
As with the previous three reviews I started out loading one round at a time into the magazine, loading from an open bolt and firing to see if the bolt would lock. 10 rounds, loaded from an open bolt and fired locking the bolt back each time. I did two 30 round “bump fire” magazine dumps with no problems and the bolt locked both times. I fired the gun upside down, sideways and double and triple taps without a problem. All 120 rounds down range without a hitch. 1420 rounds down range so far with this kit. 1420 flawless rounds.
I have no problem putting my name or staking my reputation on a product after I have a chance to test it and it works like I want it too, but I am very careful when I say that I would trust my life with a product. After all the testing I have done, and the 10,000 round torture and water test that Carl has done, I will go on record saying that I will trust my life and defending my family’s life with this kit on a proper made barrel and upper set. The simplicity of this kit is beyond me. Smooth operating and ease with this kit should be the marketing point of it.
There are several gas piston kits out there that have different designs. Some people prefer lower profile and others prefer the larger blocks like the ARS. I have talked with Carl on many occasions about this kit regarding the size. He has always had some very insightful words for it I asked him to write them up to include them in this review. Here they are
When I set out to design a mechanical device I must decide what is the most important to me.
The end result is always easy, the hard part is the decisions or under what criteria must I use.
Examples like: size, shape, weight, assembly, disassembly, the devil is always in the details, because for every decision you make you loose something some where else.
On my piston kit I had to choose between its size or its multi caliber function as the most important feature. I could have made the system fit under common hand guards a sleek look or I could have it larger and make it serve many different calibers and barrel types with out modification. I choose its function as being the most important. Note that the gas block size is not any larger (bulkier) than a common multi-rail gas block for a DI system. Folks who choose size as being more important have had to use shims, clamps, and adaption’s for different barrel contours and system changes for different calibers and list goes on.
Another critical choice is what will I accept for the term kit?
Is drilling out the gas port, drilling pin slots in the barrel acceptable, what tools should be needed for installation?
This answer can be seen in the various kits on the market, what parts and changes have they added to make it work.
How far from the original idea of a bolt on, no modifications needed up grade “kit” did they end up?
How broad of a scope do I make the upgrade?
Does the fix include correcting flaws in the current system to be upgraded or do I just accept the flaws as part of the base rifle, “a half asses approach”
By looking at the final product you can see and understand the decisions the inventors made and what limitations they have placed on themselves as a result.
It is never about who’s the best idea is, it is a matter of the choices ( priorities) they have made and if you agree with the choices and limitations and are willing to live them.
carl
blackhole weaponry
To wrap this review up, I had a lot of fun testing this out. This was the first gas piston test that I was asked to do and hope that its not the last. I’ve been wanting to try one for awhile now, but now after testing the ARS kit, extensively, I am asking myself why did I wait so long. If you decide you want to go the piston route, you wont be upset. Just the ease and lack of detailed cleaning that comes from it, it worth the time it will save you. To Carl and the folks at ARS, I want to thank you folks for the opportunity to evaluate and test this kit. Good day!
As promised here is the 4th part of the ARS Gas Piston Kit review. This review will be on the 5.45x39 round with the same Piston Kit. If you missed the first, second and third part of the review, here are the links: ARS Review #1 (http://www.ar15armory.com/forums/ARS-Gas-Piston-Kit-review-t77743.html) ARS Review #2 (http://www.ar15armory.com/forums/ARS-Gas-Piston-Kit-review-t78122.html) ARS Review #3 (http://www.ar15armory.com/forums/ARS-Gas-Piston-Kit-Review-t78644.html)
I only had 120 rounds on me to test the upper with. It was the Russian 53 grain steel cased stuff. Very Very dirty ammo, but cheap. It needs to be noted again that shooting this caliber will require you to replace your hammer spring with an extra power hammer spring. The hard primers of the this type of ammo will not work with standard two stage or match hammer/trigger combos. I was using a stock DPMS LPK and it would not set the primers off. Spring is a simple change out and can be purchased for around 2-3 dollars.
The 5.45x39 is coming around as a player in the “black rifle” scene. Ammo is very cheap, something around 150 dollars for 1000 rounds, and less recoil that the 5.56. It was really fun to shoot and with it becoming a player in the market, Carl with Black Hole Weaponry wanted me to test this kit out to see how it ran.
Changing out the system from the 7.63x39 to the 5.45x39 again was very easy. I did this in the field with only the following tools. Muzzle break wrench and an allen wrench. Disassembly and reassembly took about 5 minutes to complete with most of the time spent ensuring that the gas block was properly aligned. Break wrench was used of course to remove the muzzle break to allow the gas block to be taken off and put back on and allen wrench was used to remove the three screws that secure the gas block. The entire system, still being attached to the gas block, was taken out and put back together with ease making this a complete universal kit. I had a stripped barrel attached to an A4 upper to speed things along this time as well. The only thing that was changed from the 7.62x39 was the gas regulator insert. The kit comes with 3 of them for various rounds and calibers. I used the smaller diameter insert for the 5.45x39, same one as the 5.56. A small allen wrench was used for this too.
As with the previous three reviews I started out loading one round at a time into the magazine, loading from an open bolt and firing to see if the bolt would lock. 10 rounds, loaded from an open bolt and fired locking the bolt back each time. I did two 30 round “bump fire” magazine dumps with no problems and the bolt locked both times. I fired the gun upside down, sideways and double and triple taps without a problem. All 120 rounds down range without a hitch. 1420 rounds down range so far with this kit. 1420 flawless rounds.
I have no problem putting my name or staking my reputation on a product after I have a chance to test it and it works like I want it too, but I am very careful when I say that I would trust my life with a product. After all the testing I have done, and the 10,000 round torture and water test that Carl has done, I will go on record saying that I will trust my life and defending my family’s life with this kit on a proper made barrel and upper set. The simplicity of this kit is beyond me. Smooth operating and ease with this kit should be the marketing point of it.
There are several gas piston kits out there that have different designs. Some people prefer lower profile and others prefer the larger blocks like the ARS. I have talked with Carl on many occasions about this kit regarding the size. He has always had some very insightful words for it I asked him to write them up to include them in this review. Here they are
When I set out to design a mechanical device I must decide what is the most important to me.
The end result is always easy, the hard part is the decisions or under what criteria must I use.
Examples like: size, shape, weight, assembly, disassembly, the devil is always in the details, because for every decision you make you loose something some where else.
On my piston kit I had to choose between its size or its multi caliber function as the most important feature. I could have made the system fit under common hand guards a sleek look or I could have it larger and make it serve many different calibers and barrel types with out modification. I choose its function as being the most important. Note that the gas block size is not any larger (bulkier) than a common multi-rail gas block for a DI system. Folks who choose size as being more important have had to use shims, clamps, and adaption’s for different barrel contours and system changes for different calibers and list goes on.
Another critical choice is what will I accept for the term kit?
Is drilling out the gas port, drilling pin slots in the barrel acceptable, what tools should be needed for installation?
This answer can be seen in the various kits on the market, what parts and changes have they added to make it work.
How far from the original idea of a bolt on, no modifications needed up grade “kit” did they end up?
How broad of a scope do I make the upgrade?
Does the fix include correcting flaws in the current system to be upgraded or do I just accept the flaws as part of the base rifle, “a half asses approach”
By looking at the final product you can see and understand the decisions the inventors made and what limitations they have placed on themselves as a result.
It is never about who’s the best idea is, it is a matter of the choices ( priorities) they have made and if you agree with the choices and limitations and are willing to live them.
carl
blackhole weaponry
To wrap this review up, I had a lot of fun testing this out. This was the first gas piston test that I was asked to do and hope that its not the last. I’ve been wanting to try one for awhile now, but now after testing the ARS kit, extensively, I am asking myself why did I wait so long. If you decide you want to go the piston route, you wont be upset. Just the ease and lack of detailed cleaning that comes from it, it worth the time it will save you. To Carl and the folks at ARS, I want to thank you folks for the opportunity to evaluate and test this kit. Good day!