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AR-15 Pistol Pigtail Gas Tube

RareBear

Member

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 1025

EE: 100% (3)

OH, USA

Posted: 1/27/2026 12:34:36 AM EDT

Brownells has these on sale

do they really work?

HDSledge

Knuckle dragging boomer rube, patriot, Navy vet.

Joined: Nov 2013

Posts: 5159

EE: 0% (0)

USA

Posted: 1/27/2026 1:04:21 AM EDT

[#1]

What is the advantage?

My own view is that left-wing positions largely come about from resentment, I agree with Nietzsche, a resentment about the surrounding social order. They have privileges, I don't. Or, I have them and I can't live up to them. Roger Scruton

Moondog

Member

Joined: Jan 2002

Posts: 11007

EE: 100% (1)

MI, USA

Posted: 1/27/2026 8:40:30 AM EDT

[#2]

Quote History

Originally Posted By HDSledge:
What is the advantage?

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I assume it increases dwell time, affecting recoil impulse. It's like putting a mid-length gas system on a carbine length barrel.

November5

Member

Joined: Oct 2008

Posts: 37731

EE: 100% (39)

MD, USA

Posted: 1/27/2026 8:59:10 AM EDT

[#3]

No, they don't. You'd be better off with an adjustable gas block.

Make_Mine_Moxie

The cost of treason isn't paid in Dollars.

Joined: Sep 2012

Posts: 7479

EE: 100% (3)

USA

Posted: 1/27/2026 9:40:31 AM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Originally Posted By Moondog:

I assume it increases dwell time, affecting recoil impulse. It's like putting a mid-length gas system on a carbine length barrel.

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The gas port is still at the same distance, however - a pigtail gives a longer distance for the same volume of gas at the same PSI to travel to the gas key. It doesn't change dwell time, as I understand it.

KentuckyMarksman

Member

Joined: Sep 2016

Posts: 2591

EE: 100% (93)

KY, USA

Posted: 1/27/2026 10:11:43 AM EDT

[#5]

I could see this lessening recoil a bit because of the longer tube giving more space for gasses. Dwell time would be the same though. I’d honestly just use a standard tube, and would consider an adjustable gas block instead.

Nobody69s

Joined: Nov 2014

Posts: 9155

EE: 100% (555)

USA

Posted: 1/27/2026 10:25:18 AM EDT

[#6]

I thought @Amphibian has experimented with these at some point.

wideglidejoe

Joined: Nov 2012

Posts: 2093

EE: 0% (0)

OK, USA

Posted: 1/27/2026 11:37:02 AM EDT

[#7]

Try a H3 buffer first, if that’s not enough, go to adj gas block, IMO and experience.

j3_

Member

Joined: Feb 2001

Posts: 18835

EE: 100% (70)

USA

Posted: 1/27/2026 12:32:43 PM EDT

[Last Edit: j3_][Edited] [#8]

They do what they were made to do I thought. I bought one years ago when they first came out but only tried it once. I always thought it would benefit from an offset stiffener leg bridging the coils.
For the dwell time question/answer

Quick Tip: What Is AR-15 "Dwell Time"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4VeOgSQiDI

amphibian

Joined: Apr 2001

Posts: 7269

EE: 100% (21)

FL, USA

Posted: 1/27/2026 6:15:48 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Originally Posted By Nobody69s:
I thought @Amphibian has experimented with these at some point.

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Yeah...those pigtails suck. When they get too hot, the coils collapse on themselves. This results in the end going into the carrier moving forward and no longer goes inside the gas tube. I had this happen as well as had one break. Another one of my buddies had his collapse and reached out to the vendor and the vendor told him, 'you exceeded the milspec RoF' - warranty denied! LOL.

I prefer a fat gas tube AND and adjustable gas block or fat gas tube and reduced port as I have documented on my site here: https://c3junkie.com/?page_id=1403

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AR-15 Pistol Pigtail Gas Tube

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AR-15 Pistol Pigtail Gas Tube