What do you guys think of the Ruger SR556 (or other piston AR's) for 3 gun?

Piston AR's are just like DI AR's. You get what you pay for. There are very good high quality Piston guns and poor ones. If you choose a quality piston gun it will be outstanding....just like a quality DI gun. Most civilian shooters will not see the benefits of a quality Piston AR outside of reduced cleaning time. But for those able who need a Piston AR they do have their advantages over the DI guns. There is also the price factor.....if you can afford a quality piston AR they are worth it.

Rich
 
yohann160 said:
Or, some of us have been using DI AR's professionally for years and even decades now and know better than to fall for a marketing ploy like piston AR's. Adding unnecessary parts to a design that works already is not an upgrade.
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I use one professionally as well

BUT the op asked about a particular platform and a particular rifle not on opinion why he should go the opposite way he just suggested and wanted info about.

- I'm interested in a diesel powered car, tell me all you know about them.
- Nah you don't want diesel, come let me show you these gasoline burning models, that's what you want if you ask me.
 
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yohann160 said:
Or, some of us have been using DI AR's professionally for years and even decades now and know better than to fall for a marketing ploy like piston AR's. Adding unnecessary parts to a design that works already is not an upgrade.
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And some of us have used both professionally, he asked about piston ARs and I gave him my $0.02. Personally, I don't give a damn about Piston/DI. If it's what I've got and it meets the operational requirements I'm down with it. I also own a DD Mk18 Mod1 clone and currently run it more often than the PWS.

-S.
 
Just get a DI. Cheaper to buy and support, lighter, more aftermarket options.
As for cleaning, piston may theoretically be easier to clean, but disassembly of a piston gun is usually more involved than on DI. Also, even DI AR's really do not need to be cleaned nearly as often as people think, due to internet folklore and indoctrination of military inspections. A DI gun just needs a bit of lube, which takes way less time than cleaning. It will run just fine even when absolutely filthy.
 
They're front heavy, and have a bit different recoil pulse. Hard to describe, but it's got a slight side to side "Shake" at the muzzle, unlike the straight back di ar.
It's a nuance, but I have to work a little harder to combine speed and accuracy than I do with most di ar's. The same applies to most piston guns for me.
 
I have the Ruger SR556FB and a couple di AR's. I only take mine to the range for some target shooting and plinking (100 yards). Also only shoot cheap ammo (haven't shot steel cased though). No problems at all. My biggest care is cleaning my rifles after I'm done. No problem there either. It would be a different story if I wanted to use the SR556 in competition due to the weight but it doesn't matter when shooting off a bench. The quad rails are fixed but I don't Barbie up my guns anyway. Buy what you like. The price point is high with the Ruger but if you can afford it then go for it. Personally, I like variety and won't pick one gas system over the other.
 
The fact that most people who trash piston AR's in this thread have never owned one is telling. The whole DI vs. Piston argument was settled a long time ago:

US Army Ranger Capt. Nate Self, whose M4 jammed into uselessness during a 2002 firefight after their MH-47 Chinook was shot down in Afghanistan’s Shah-i-kot Mountains, offers another case. He won a Silver Star that day – with another soldier’s gun – and his comments in the Army Times article appear to agree that there is a problem with the current M4 design and specifications.

SOCOM appears to agree as well. While US Special Operations Command is moving ahead on their own SCAR rifle program with FN Herstal, they’re also significant users of the M4 Carbine’s SOPMOD version. By the time Capt. Self was fighting of al-Qaeda/Taliban enemies in Afghanistan with a broken weapon, Dellta Force had already turned to Heckler & Koch for a fix that would preserve the M4 but remove its problems. One of which is heat build-up and gas from its operating mechanism that dries out some lubricants, and helps open the way for sand damage.

In response, H&K replaced Colt’s “gas-tube” system with a short-stroke piston system that eliminates carbon blow-back into the chamber, and also reduces the heat problem created by the super-hot gases used to cycle the M4. Other changes were made to the magazine, barrel, etc. The final product was an M4 with a new upper receiver and magazine, plus H&K’s 4-rail system of standard “Picatinny Rails” on the top, bottom, and both sides for easy addition of anything a Special Operator might require.

In exhaustive tests with the help of Delta Force, the upgraded weapon was subjected to mud and dust without maintenance, and fired day after day. Despite this treatment, the rifle showed problems in only 1 of 15,000 rounds – fully 3 times the reliability shown by the M4 in US Army studies. The H&K 416 was declared ready in 2004.
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http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-usas-m4-carbine-controversy-03289/

Now it is true that the average civilian user shooting a semi-automatic AR with 5-10 round magazines will not benefit much from the added reliability of the piston design. However, to say that the piston AR is a "solution looking for a problem" or a "marketing gimmick" is ridiculous. The development of the piston AR was driven by military demand. Clearly, enough people were having problems with the original design.
 
GR0M said:
I use one professionally as well

BUT the op asked about a particular platform and a particular rifle not on opinion why he should go the opposite way he just suggested and wanted info about.

- I'm interested in a diesel powered car, tell me all you know about them.
- Nah you don't want diesel, come let me show you these gasoline burning models, that's what you want if you ask me.
Click to expand...


What do you guys think of the Ruger SR556 (or other piston AR's) for 3 gun?
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I said I think the piston guns are marketing ploys. That is what I think of Ruger SR556 (and other piston AR's) for 3 gun and everything else.
 
Piston guns aren't the best choice for 3 gun competition because of their weight. A DI gun is a better option if you want to be competitive. However, if you're drawn to them just 'cause, or don't care about winning, just having fun, then go for it! Best of luck with the new bangstick! :)
 
yohann160 said:
I said I think the piston guns are marketing ploys. That is what I think of Ruger SR556 (and other piston AR's) for 3 gun and everything else.
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You mean the norweigian 416s that overall are spanking the c8 sfw on service life and hard use under adverse conditions? OR M27s being used as both squad auto and dmr rifles? Or more and more sf units including alpha gru units dropping their "ubiquitous" aks for 416s?

I may not need a di gun least of all for 3 gun matches, but well at least one of them definitely has their uses.
 
r34skyline said:
You mean the norweigian 416s that overall are spanking the c8 sfw on service life and hard use under adverse conditions? OR M27s being used as both squad auto and dmr rifles? Or more and more sf units including alpha gru units dropping their "ubiquitous" aks for 416s?

I may not need a di gun least of all for 3 gun matches, but well at least one of them definitely has their uses.
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My current C7 was originally built in 1988. 416's have been out since 2004, is it? I see your point.
 
r34skyline said:
You mean the norweigian 416s that overall are spanking the c8 sfw on service life and hard use under adverse conditions? OR M27s being used as both squad auto and dmr rifles? Or more and more sf units including alpha gru units dropping their "ubiquitous" aks for 416s?

I may not need a di gun least of all for 3 gun matches, but well at least one of them definitely has their uses.
Click to expand...

Here we go again.
Last I heard Norwegian SF is still clinging to their C8s (as of last summer) because the use of M855A1 type ammo is prohibited in their 416s due to accelerated wear and breakage.
 
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