Every time I look at an LMT piston gun I look at the weight and don't even bother going any further. Piston guns don't have to be so damn heavy. LWRC, LMT, Sig... Forget it. PWS makes nice, light, balanced rifles, as does Adams Arms. POF and PWS 308 rifles aren't super light but they're tolerable. I just don't know why a guy wants a 7.5 to 8.5 lb carbine before you start adding optics, mags, etc.

I know, I know, don't be a pussy. Preaching to the choir. I hunt with a 12+ lb 308 AR. And no, I don't sit in a tree stand or wait by the truck. I get my fat ass into the bush and go looking for deer.

i was think the heavy barrel profile on some piston uppers was to mitigate the vertical stringing. if thats even real. i recall a guy that had a LWRC m6 stretch with a thinner profile and he complained about accuracy. i've never had an LWRC shoot poorly but they are always boat anchors too.

I ran an Adam's Arms EVO Ultralight with pencil barrel for a year or so as my primary 3-gun stick.  It was a solid MOA rifle with no accuracy issues.

Glad to hear that, I just picked up an ultralight evo.

Evo Ultra Lite Hell Yeah:

My build with an AA setup typically goes under .75" with 69gr SMKs in front of Varget.  I really haven't tried building a ladder, it may be better than that but I'm plenty happy with it; that's 4.5" at 600yds, the effective range of the 5.56.  If I go further the Remmy 700 in 270WSM will reach out and touch 'em at near twice that.

I agree my piston is pretty accurate and another reason for Pistons other than for SBRs and suppressors is less oil needed

Someone told me today that they are working on retrofitting a standard Ar15 with HK'so piston system.

Sounds interesting. Can't wait to see it.

I agree, I also run an AA carbine. I have nothing against DI guns but cleaning the AA is an absolute breeze. Other than an initial issue that they fixed while a waited it has been absolutely failure feel.
I'm more of a 1911 and CZ pistol guy but if I decide to pick up another AR I could still go either way, will make that decision when and if the time comes.

After what I heard about LWRC and what they did I won't buy from them again.

What are you referring to? I know that there have been different iterations of the company over the years.

Piston are here to stay. I saw the light after I purchase my LWRC. Just recently added a PWS upper to my collection. I am down to 1 DI gun now and don't even shoot it anymore. I only have it because it is a lightweight. There is so many piston manufacters now. As technology gets better and pistion guns get lighter I beileve we may see a shift away from DI in the AR platform.

Marines. That's about it. Aso they rewrote what the SAW is and how it's functions in the plt. To the Marines the squad automatic weapon is no longer a belt fed light machine gun. Rather a Automatic rifle. And is used as a rifle man would use his rifle. Till things get close, then it's time to use the happy switch and lay the hate. Wear the saw is limited to automatic fire only. And theven m27 will have a  longer service life. Where you can switch uppers and lowers  out once they get wornout.

Where because the receiver on a M249 saw is stamped folded and welded. Once the rails are shot, the whole receiver is done. IMHO the m27 is a better platform that the saw.

What's this mean for the future?

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/08/30/breaking-next-french-infantry-rifle-german-heckler-koch-reportedly-wins-french-aif-rifle-competition/

Can you explain more by what they did?

Ummmm.........no

From what I was told from some people that keep tabs on the industry:

1) Quality control dropped

2) The people that made the company great from 2009-2014 got cut loose. Darren, AJ, Jesse, all fired and replaced. (Darren and AJ moved on to create what is now known as Kinetic Development Group)

"Whoever LWRC brought in to replace them, I don't know, but I was hearing from two dealers that they had to send a lot more shit back to the factory for fixing & repair because a lot of guns were out of spec" (Quote from the conversation we were having.)

4) They fucked over two longtime loyal dealers of theirs who brought in a lot of business. Dicked over Modern Outfitters and Leif.

Running a Black Rifle Arms upper in 6.8 SPCII.  Only 100 rounds through it so far, but seems solid.  I like how they took care of the carrier tilt issue, and I like how they set up their gas block adjustment in the CAPS system.  They also have low profile piston uppers for extra long rail lovers.  BRA can either sell you a completed upper with their barrel in 5.56, 7.62x39, and 300 BO, or they can build you one from your own barrel, upper receiver, bolt, and muzzle device in the previous calibers plus 6.8 SPC and 6.5 Grendel.

The problem is that there is no standard, so the parts are not interchangeable. This will keep the DI systems around for a VERY long time. Maybe, someday there will be a champion in this VHS-Betamax conflict. But I kind of doubt it. The pistons may be on the rise, but they are far from having significant market penetration.

-shooter

Aside from the significant market penetration that is currently occurring.

Let me throw in some data scroll down to user list does not include local PD and SWAT for HK 416 users
And also there are other makers such as LWRC and FERFRANS to name two that have military or government contracts for piston guns.

Special Ops using HK 416

The future is already here! ..in the form of Superlative Arms new piston system.
Advantages over any other piston system:
1) By far the lightest. Even AA is not close. SA weighs a mere TWO ounces more. You can recoup that weight gan by running a lighter compensator and/or running a low mass bolt carrier. The Voodoo/AA Low mass carrier will work with the SA system with mods to the SA op rod. Spare op rods are cheap, BTW

2) Even LESS gas in face due to patented off gassing port

3) Significantly (audibly) quieter suppressor operation.

4) 30+ position adjustments. Even AA does not allow careful, precise tuning. Before SA, there was NO piston system that allowed precise gas tuning.

5) HUGE value. The cost of a kit can be found for as little as $261. IF you are doing a build that is only about $130 MORE than a comparable DI system with an adjustable gas block

I am not picky when I clean my AR. I rarely even touch the bore until I get a 2k+ round count. But I DO like a clean, CARBON FREE bcg.
My cleaning time (the next day) after a typical 250round session is an EASY hour of scraping etc for a DI gun.
Cleaning time for 250 rounds for a PISTON gun....FIVE minutes...but only IF I decide I might want to clean it!   Usually the clear gun oil on the BCG is just starting to turn a little brown.

YES, my DI guns all have the best NiBx coatings. No, they BARELY help in the bolt tail section. Scraping is exactly the same as a phosphated version. And my beautiful WMD NiBx coating discolors horribly and needs polishing all the time. Screw NiBx. I like a really slick nitrided finish better.
Give me a good NITRIDED BCG in a piston gun any time.

MORE Michael Bell video. Realize that SYRAC version is made by SA FOR Syrac and is identical in every way...except it does not have the patented off gassing port.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNYK_8oFcss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy5XLr3igaU

Looks like a cool system. But too complicated. Who wants to mess with 30 different adjustments ?

It's not as complicated as it sounds. You'd simply tune the gas setting to the ammo that you plan to shoot and only adjust it if you put a can on or switch to a more aggressive ammo type. It also helps towards reliability as you can open up the gas setting, as your rifle gets dirty, to ensure reliable feeding.

You wouldn't ever be bouncing to each setting, on a given range session, save to tune it the first time.

It's no different than tuning a DI gas system.  You start off at the bottom and slowly work your way up until the bolt locks back on the last round reliably, then you add a tiny bit more gas and lock it in.

 
Very valid point.

The M27 almost completely replaced the M249 as the squad automatic weapon. It was not meant to be issued to every person... though there was some talk about it.

It looks like the French adoption news is officially true. That's 100,000+ HK416's to replace the FAMAS.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

I have the same problem with the civilian offering of the HK416 that I do with the PWS long stroke system, the price.  The design and functionality is excellent.  But HK thinks you suck, and they hate you.

Becoming non-technical