Anyone broken one down?

I have a build I want to do but it would require changing the upper receiver out and PWS will not install their "system" on a customer provided upper recevier so to do it will void the warranty...

I want to know what I'm looking at before I start ordering parts/digging in?

I've read that the barrel nut is proprietary, so I will need a special wrench or will make one.  Also read they use locktite on the barrel nut.

Finally, the bolt carrier will need to be changed, I know they stake their keys, thats easy enough to get around.

Anything else I need to know.  Anyone have pics/videos of the dissasembly?

Sorry, I don’t have much info for you but I’m curious as to what you’re planning. A new upper, obviously. Is that all you’re swapping out?  I would think the gas tube hole would need enlarged if you’re using the same gas system. You mention the BCG needing to be swapped out. Are you planning to use a different BCG and just re-stake the piston system onto a new BCG?

Same here...

I have a PWS and I would think the PWS upper is very different with the long stroke gas system...

As far as taking mine apart, I have tried to remove the handguard with the tool provided and no luck, the screws are very tight and I do not want to risk any damage

I have a couple of the Mk114 rails from PWSs recent 3/$10 blowout on their site.
The top rail is slightly taller than your standard milspec upper when mounted to a barrel nut of the appropriate diameter. Something to consider.

Obviously the gas tube hole would need to be made significantly larger on the new upper to pass the piston.

Little info for what I am brainstorming...

I want to marry the pws long stroke piston system to my PSA KS47 upper/lower.

It would need the ks47upper thats wide enough for the ak mag and includes mag overinsertion stops.

Also needs the ks47 bolt carrier that is cut for relief for the ak mag feed lips.

As stated, would need to drill out the gas port on hole on the front of the upper, ill check the rail height.

End result is ar controls, ak mags, 7.62x39 glory, and the pws long stroke gas piston.


I guess I just need to nut up and put some heat on it ans start taking it apart....  was hoping someone else had already so I'd know what to expect...

@captainbarred did this project go anywhere?

I re-read this thread again and looking to see what the status is....The PWS is a very unique system and I just dont shoot mine much at all, I need to change that....

Someone, i assume him just posted the video last week and today the KS build in the PWS owners group.  With PWS barrel,BCG, piston. They had 185 bucks into machine work to get to work. Pretty dope idea.

Is that a facebook group? I'd like to see it. That would have been exactly what I'd been looking for for a 7.62x39 rifle. With the ammo ban I'm not really interested in it now, but would still like to see it.

Yes sir the PWS owners group. He has video of him shooting and then did a posted today, where talks about machine work done. I assume its the OP of this thread.

Thanks. I've all but sworn off Facebook, but I'll have a look

That’s my gun you’re referring to. Yes, it can be done. I have no clue how to attach a picture, but I have a functional long stroke AR that runs off AK pattern mags.

Who did the machine work?

Can you talk about it a little bit here?  I'd rather not go to cuckbook.

No problem. Dirt Road Precision out of Oklahoma did the work. Initially I sent the upper to PWS for disassembly to be “cerakoted”. They took it down and shipped the parts back to me. Dirt Road made their own tools for PWS uppers so you can avoid this step.

The goal was to use as little parts from palmetto as possible, but to incorporate their generational changes. On my setup, the only parts from palmetto is the receivers. They drilled out the hole in the upper for the piston to get through, machined out the bottom of carrier to clear the mag feed lips, and even got the bolt clearance to not drag on the feed lips. The only thing they didn’t do was the feed ramp mod. All they had to test fire was a pmag, I run circle 10 mags. It runs perfectly with pmags but not my mags. They currently have my 7” upper and are working on converting it also, but this time with feed ramp work. I sent them a circle 10 for test firing. They changed me $185 for the work and overall I’m satisfied, once we get it running with the circle 10 mags I’ll really be pumped.

https://youtube.com/shorts/vmdDkUnRY1E?feature=share

Dirt Road got my 7” PWS Diablo converted and working with circle 10 mags.

They have the tools and knowledge to make this conversion happen.

Awesome, I loved your build. I wanted to save 200 bucks buy taking off my barrel having it cut down and recrowned by a local long range smith. Took one look at that piston nut and barrel nut and they said nope. Ended off sending to PWS for it. They sent me 2 day fedex label included in the price of the barrel swap.

Good to know if I want to make I similar build their a workaround :)