Show me the money. I have several PIGB (non-AR) type rifles and they require just as much maintenance as an AR and sometimes more. All require lube. One advantage to the AR is that since I'm keeping it's piston lubed, it's easier to clean away to carbon build up. With the FAL, there is a constant problem with the gas plug becoming very difficult to remove because of the build up of dry fouling.
PIGB rifles run no cleaner, nor do they run cooler than an AR with it's piston located in the BCG. Fouling and heat generated by the cartridge on firing remains the same no matter what rifle they are fired in. What's different is where the fouling gets dumped. Whether a rifle has it's piston in the BCG or in the gas block, heat is about the same. One major difference is the piston of a PIGB design is exposed to much more heat and has less surface area to deal with it.
Uppers that show an improvement in reliability during heavy firing schedules all have one thing in common, whether it's PIGB or PIBCG- they have greater barrel mass between the chamber and gas block
Bookmarks