About Piston Driven Rifles
Table of Contents
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy are going to go over piston driven rifles today. These types of firearms are popular among a variety of shooters and come in many shapes and sizes. Our goal with this blog post is to provide a brief overview of these types of firearms while delving into things such as their traits, features, and more. Without further ado, let’s talk about piston driven rifles.
What Does Piston Driven Mean?
Like the name suggests, the operation of these firearms is dependent upon a piston driven mechanism. These pistons are typically found in the form of short stroke and long stroke gas piston designs. During the firing cycle, a port in the bore allows gasses to travel into a gas block or cylinder. From there, the gasses will engage with a piston and push it rearward. With most piston systems, the piston travels rearward and eventually engages with the bolt carrier group, pushing it back. Certain long stroke gas piston systems like the AK and similar designs, feature pistons attached to the bolt carrier group themselves.
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Cleaner than Other Systems
When compared to other semi-automatic systems such as direct impingement mechanisms, piston driven firearms tend to be cleaner than their counterparts. Granted, ammunition is going to be dirty no matter what firearm it is used in. The large factor which makes piston driven systems run cleaner than direct impingement firearms is where fouling and carbon is deposited. With direct impingement firearms, gasses and fouling are sent into the action of the firearm. This deposits carbon and fouling in the action and chamber, making the area dirtier and dirtier as firing continues. With piston systems, this most of this fouling is relocated to the piston system towards the muzzle end of the firearm. Some gasses are also bled off by piston designs, allowing excess gas to be expelled from the firearm during operation.
Potentially Easier to Tune and Adjust
Generally, piston driven firearms are easier to tune and adjust than their traditional counterparts. Many piston driven firearms feature multiple gas settings which the user can select when using the rifle. These types of settings typically range from standard, adverse condition, suppressed use, and “off” positions. Some piston systems may feature additional settings from these or simply have a varied number of settings without a particular denotation. This adjustment is usually accomplished at the piston itself, typically by twisting a knob or dial.
Good For Suppressor Use
Piston firearms are generally going to be well-suited for use with suppressors. As mentioned earlier, the fact that piston systems generally run cleaner and are easier to clean and adjust are conducive to suppressor use. The presence of potential suppressor settings allows an end user to easily select a gas setting which will ensure reliable function and proper gassing. Excessive gas can lead to damage and excessive wear on important parts and components. The addition of a suppressor introduces more backpressure and gasses redirected into the action of a firearm. An appropriate gas setting or dedicated suppressor setting will allow and end user to ensure a proper amount of gas is utilized with a suppressor.
Less Picky with Ammo
Generally speaking, piston driven systems will be less picky and finicky with
ammunition than other autoloading mechanisms. By comparison, direct impingement systems may have issues cycling lightly loaded
ammunition. Due to variances and tolerances in manufacturing, one may occasionally encounter underpowered
ammo. The added impulse yielded by a piston driven system will aid in reliable cycling and function, especially with some examples of underpowered
ammunition. The direct nature of pistons ensures that more force is directed rearwards towards the bolt than direct impingement examples. Granted, some instances of underpowered
ammunition may be too weak to effectively cycle the piston mechanism. Overall, piston driven systems are generally going to be less picky with
ammunition and are capable of reliably working with a wide range of
ammo.
Who Makes Piston Driven Rifles?
Currently, piston driven rifles are produced by a number of companies. These offerings include AR style rifles produced by companies such as LMT, LWRC, VKTR Industries, and Ruger to name a few. Beyond AR style rifles, piston driven examples such as AKs, Steyr AUGs, FN SCARs, and CZ Brens to name a few. At this point in time, one will be able to find a wide range of piston driven firearms on the market. Additionally, one can also acquire piston driven uppers for use with ARs, allowing an end user to piece together a piston AR of their own. Piston driven AR uppers can easily be acquired from PWS, VKTR Industries, Adams Arms, and more. Simply put, one will be able to get their hands on a piston driven rifle if they truly want to, whether built or bought.
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Are Piston Driven Rifles Expensive?
Generally speaking, piston driven rifles will demand a bit of a premium when compared to contemporary rifles. This is mainly due to the fact that there are often proprietary manufacturing processes and specifications which differ from standard practices. With ARs, piston driven option differ vastly from established milspec standards and practices. The unique, non-AR piston driven offerings are also going to be a bit pricy and proprietary in nature. Simply put, piston driven systems, as specialty offerings, will generally hold a premium price tag over more standard, traditional offerings.
Conclusion
All in all, piston driven firearms continue to be popular among a wide variety of shooters today. Many shooters are pulled to these types of firearms due to their reliability, unique nature, and versatility. Regardless of whether or not you run a piston AR or another piston design like an AUG, you will inevitably need
ammunition. We here at True Shot Ammo have a wide variety of
ammo for sale well-suited for use in piston rifles.
5.56x45mm NATO ammo,
7.62x39 ammunition, and
.308 Winchester ammo are among popular types of
ammo we sell for use with piston rifles and rifles in general. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options.
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