In a piston gun, a metal rod pushes against the bolt carrier, driven by a piston located just behind the barrel gas port. This piston design keeps the rifle cleaner and more reliable by not dumping all the gas into the upper receiver.

1 day ago · The piston-driven AR-15 offers an alternative to the more common direct impingement (DI) system for cycling the action. Instead of routing hot, dirty gas directly into the bolt carrier group (BCG), a piston system uses a short-stroke or long-stroke piston to drive the BCG, resulting in a cooler and cleaner operating system.

Apr 7, 2021 · At the end of the day, direct impingement, piston, and blowback systems all come with their own pros and cons. Which one you choose will depend entirely on the purpose, budget, and how much time you want to spend cleaning your rifle.

Oct 7, 2020 · If you own a gas piston AR, for example, you can install a piston-driven upper receiver – and both direct impingement and piston-driven systems work independently of the lower receiver, allowing you to switch between the two mechanisms.

Depending on your shooting requirements, environment, preferred level of maintenance, and financial constraints, you may choose a piston-driven or direct impingement system. The argument between direct impingement and piston-driven AR-15 systems ultimately comes down to …

May 2, 2024 · Piston-driven systems offer several benefits over traditional direct impingement operating systems. In this article, we will be discussing some of the best piston-driven AR-15 brands available in the market.

Jun 17, 2024 · The piston-driven gas system is an alternative to the traditional direct impingement gas system used in AR-15 rifles. While both systems serve the same purpose of cycling the firearm’s action, the piston-driven gas system offers several distinct advantages.

May 17, 2022 · Generally speaking, gas piston weapons fall into one of two categories: long-stroke and short-stroke. We’ll break down the differences between these systems below. Long-stroke gas piston from an AKM. Gas pushes on the piston (from the right) to cycle the bolt (the lower part on the left). (Photo Courtesy of Zeos386sx)

Find the similarities and differences between the direct impingement and gas piston operating systems and the technical details on how each operates.

Feb 13, 2023 · If you're drawn to gas piston AR-15s but don't want to purchase a separate upper, you might consider a piston-driven AR system. This is a relatively newer semi-automatic innovation that's growing increasingly popular with firearm …