I already have a RRA carbine that I really like.  I'm looking to get something a little different and was thinking about a Sig 556.  Then I thought about looking into one of the piston driven AR's because I really like the AR platform.  I haven't been too thrilled with what I hear from some 556 owners but others say they are completely happy.  Also, it seems like quite a bit has to be done to a base model 556 just to get it where most shooters want it.  But like I said, I feel the need for something a little different.

I think the real question should be Piston or Bushmaster ACR (Magpul Masada)

Quoted: I think the real question should be Piston or Bushmaster ACR (Magpul Masada)

I think the real, real question should be piston, ACR or SCAR........

I have 5 AR's and a Sig 556 as well...


I love them all, but especially my Sig.  It has had no failures, is accurate, clean, and ugly as hell... I took it shooting today, in the hurricane...

If that helps.

I Love my Sig 556.  I have 3 AR's  (Colt, Rock River and (Yuck) a Bushmaster.)  I love to shoot my 556 over the AR Platform.  It just seems more solid.  I had not problems sighting it in, however the standard SIG sight sucks.

I am a Sig guy tho, but I love the 556.

I have two Sig 556's and several AR's. As some wierdo I talked to on the phone the other day said, its very much a "peaches to billy goat" comparison.

While I fully support op-rod technology, I find myself to be very "anti gas-piston" AR.
Like H&K's roller locking system, the AR's DI system isn't perfect in every technical way, but you can't argue with its performance. Sure its dirty/hot, but its also simple/accurate/reliable. A civilian running a semi-auto, non suppressed, non SBR will never have a "need" for a gas-piston AR IMO.Whatever gains you might make in terms of cleanliness are offset by price and dubious long-term performance. The performance and logevity of DI AR's is well known, the same isn't true of gas-piston conversions. For a non suppressed, non SBR semi-auto there is no appreciable performance gain with a gas-piston. Some advertise "simplified maitnance". While this may be true, its at the expense of a more complex operating system... These peoples add campaigns have been so successful people really think AR's jam when they are dirty.

Buy a good quality AR that uses quality components and keep it lubed up and you will have one of the most reliable/proven 5.56 weapons availible.

With that being said, I really like my Sig 556's. However, I have yet to find a rifle with better controls/ergonomics than the AR carbine. Reliability and accuracy are excellent. Personally, I think the Sig 556 is better than your average Bushmaster/DPMS/Armalite/whatever AR carbine and the rough eqivalent to the higher end carbines such as Colt/LMT/Noveske. I certainly won't say its "better" but for a civilian rifle, its probably similar/comperable....

To me, a serious fighting rifle will always probably be an AR carbine of some stripe. The Sig 556 is a cool gun that I really like and would comfortably use if I didn't have a Colt/LMT/KAC.

All in all, the Sig 556 is an excellent choice for a gas-piston 5.56 carbine. Probably more so than a converted AR...

Quoted: IWhatever gains you might make in terms of cleanliness are offset by price and dubious long-term performance. The performance and logevity of DI AR's is well known, the same isn't true of gas-piston conversions.

Perhaps it is not known for the retrofit pistons but like the 556, the LWRC and POF have been put through high round count durability tests that far exceed what is normally expected for a DI AR.

My observations..
I hve 3 LWRCI guns on T&E, and have 41,000 rds through them.
The company has been reorganized and is now heavily funded and in the process of becoming ISO 9001 cert.

I have seen very few POF guns. I was not impressed.

I was less impressed when at class a student told me that when talking with a POF emplyoee about attending my class, said employee told the student that i use POF gun.

That is not true.

I have sen a few sigs in class. They are the best AK i have fired.

However, i would be hard pressed to take one over a standard M4 under any circumstances.

Quoted: What you want out of the gun should drive your decision on what to get. If you plant to possibly take classes or do A LOT of shooting with the gun, I would suggest the AR. I go to a lot of classes, this year more than ever. Most folks (certainly not all though) who bring non-AR platforms to class wind up ditching what they brought in favor for the AR after the first day, and sometimes before the first dya is over! I was just at a class last weekend and two guys showed with Sig 556's. Both had troubles with the gun from the get go (Im talking sighting in here). The guns got squared away, but the one guy ditched the 556 after the first day in favor of the lighter, less bulky AR platform with its more convenient contols. The second guy shot the Sig all the way through the class. I have a number of AR's and, like you, I am interested in things that are a little different. I bought a LWRC M6A2 piston upper. I have been very happy with it. I've scrubbed the chamber once after someone shot Wolf through it, and cleaned the piston area once when I first got it (bought it used). Aside from that I have never cleaned it, and it has been shot A LOT. I ususally shoot it with a silencer which makes it even dirtier. When it gets too dry I give it some lube and it keep chugging. I could suggest one of these uppers/guns to anyone. Backorder on LWRC has been long lately, but it seems like product will be shipping pretty good good very soon. Anyway, just my opinion. Here's someone else shooting my LWRC at a Magpul Dynamics class last weekend. farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/2816434044_c6151e1fc2_b.jpg You can see how dirty the ejection port area and lower portion of the EoTech are getting

gorgeous gun. post more pics

Quoted: My observations.. I hve 3 LWRCI guns on T&E, and have 41,000 rds through them. The company has been reorganized and is now heavily funded and in the process of becoming ISO 9001 cert. I have seen very few POF guns. I was not impressed. I was less impressed when at class a student told me that when talking with a POF emplyoee about attending my class, said employee told the student that i use POF gun. That is not true. I have sen a few sigs in class. They are the best AK i have fired. However, i would be hard pressed to take one over a standard M4 under any circumstances.

Got to love that!

Mike