Any of you guys use these & have an opinion??

the std gas rings are cheap and work as designed

I agree.....no problem with std gas rings...IF you align them properly and check them during your cleaning of the assembly.  As long as not damaged and no two gas ring slots line up you are good to go.

IF you align them properly and check them during your cleaning of the assembly.

 Common misconception.  As soon as you insert the bolt back into the carrier the rings are compressed and the gap disappears.  As the weapon is fired, the rings move all over the place.  Try lining up the gaps in your rings, reassemble and run through a few mags.  I'll be willing to bet you don't have problems.  Yes, I have too much free time and I've done it.  There's nothing wrong with the one-piece McFarland rings, but they really aren't a necessity.  I will admit to having installed one in a weapon of mine after I wore out a set of standard rings.

Quoted: IF you align them properly and check them during your cleaning of the assembly.  Common misconception.  As soon as you insert the bolt back into the carrier the rings are compressed and the gap disappears.  As the weapon is fired, the rings move all over the place.  Try lining up the gaps in your rings, reassemble and run through a few mags.  I'll be willing to bet you don't have problems.  Yes, I have too much free time and I've done it.  There's nothing wrong with the one-piece McFarland rings, but they really aren't a necessity.  I will admit to having installed one in a weapon of mine after I wore out a set of standard rings.

If that is the case then ever weapons course and certification I attended for over 21 years in military is teaching it wrong...because without a doubt there are a few things they pound into your head.  1)  cotter pin can only go in one way and must be below surface of carrier  2) Must scrape carbon off bolt  and clean gas tube on carrier 3) make sure the slots in gas rings are not aligned or you may not get complete cycle with gas leaking  4) make damn sure the charging handle is all teh way forward and snapped into place before firing or you might tear your cheek open when it cycles.

Now tell me what other lies I was fed for all those years?

Brock, he's right. Take off all but one gas ring and go shoot. I bet it works. I don't think the Colt guys would be teaching that in the armorer course unless it were true.

Perhaps the military has carried on the tradition since the early failures of the rifle. I remember getting that line of bull when I was in as well, but that doesn't make it true, just perpetuated.

yep....that is why I am asking...what other traditions and urban legends are still being taught that are no longer valid.  Maybe it was to teach attention to detail and make sure the troop was breaking down their weapon and checking it out...LOL

Oh well...I will still misalign mine on purpose...old habits die harder than myth....LMAO

Quoted: Now tell me what other lies I was fed for all those years?

?That Area 51 is NOT a UFO research site run by the gubment.

I had always bought into the doctrine of aligning the rings, it made sense at the time.  In the last couple Colt M16/AR-15 armorer classes it was explained to me.  I often doubt what I'm told until I try it for myself, so I tried lining up the rings and it still worked.  But guess what, I still stagger them after cleaning.  It's just habit and it can't hurt anything.  

yep, i always wondered about it but did not want to risk checking it on the range qualifying or in the field under fire....so I figured it definately wont hurt to turn them so why test fate?! LOL

I am going to do it with my own when she arrives just to thumb my nose at the first weapons instructor that made me lay in pea gravel in the rain because I thought I shot well enough and did not want to do what he told me...LOL