Hey all, this is my first real post been lurking for a while. I now have the funds for my first AR and went to the gun shop today to buy one but was quickly perplexed.
I have been researching for a WHILE now and thought i had the one i was going to get the PWS MK114 i know the whole piston vs DI thing but after some REALLY good reviews it seems to be a well built rifle but the whole 1550$ price tag is what getting me but thats not whats baffling its the fact they had a DI riffle for ab out 500$ less but it was kinda a custom thing with a spikes lower and PWS barrel with DD modular float 12’’ with no sights and i think a DD LPK… So we figured out the door with one of these rifles it would of made it just under 300$ with sights on the DI…
So to make it clear is the 300$ increase for what i have been reading to be a little better rifle better? now i know thats a 1000 rounds ammo but seeings how this is my first i want to make it a good one and if things dont get better my only one…
Evidently “lurking” does not include “reading”. There’s no way you could have even glanced over this Form for a year and a half and not come out realizing “pistons” gun are not recommended.
But…go ahead and buy that PWS, it is worth every penny…just please report back to us at a later date how it worked out for you…
I know several people who’ve bought into the PWS koolaid and they say it’s actually a nice design. I’ve fired one on a couple occasions and the long-stroke system really does cut back on the violent operating system that is the piston AR. If you absolutely have to have a piston AR I think PWS is about the best you can find that isn’t $4,000 and only on the black market (i.e. H&K 416.)
I really dont want this to be a battle… I did mention another rifle as well … if you think that there is something in that price range that would suffice then please tell me im seeing a lot out there but everyone has pros and cons on all of them well except for the $2000+ ones like i said this is will be my first ar so when i walk in to a gun shop im at there mercy really…
The standard AR already has a piston. It’s part of and centerline with the bolt. What you’re paying over $500 for is to change from a centerline piston integrated with the bolt to an offset bolt relocated to the gas block. That will move some of the carbon deposits from firing from the action to the gas block
Maybe you should spend some time in the New to Firearms subforum. There are plenty of threads in there that should help to educate you and assist you with making a good purchase. I would avoid either of the two choices you listed as a first AR.
The gas piston vs. DI debate has been beaten to death on this board. My personal recommendation is to skip the gas piston, get a Colt 6920, and save yourself $500+ dollars and some potential headaches in the process. You can use the extra money for ammo or an optic. If your local dealer doesn’t have the Colt order one from G&R Tactical and have it shipped to your local FFL. Grant is an active member of this board and a really solid guy to do business with. Plus he has about the lowest price I’ve seen for the Colt.
Of course you should know you should buy a colt from Grant! You damn goofball! Hell, why you wanna go wasterin all yer damn money on one of them there damn finicky piston guns whens you can git yerself a fine damned DI rifle. It’s what the military uses, it’s what you should have.
Since you are new to the AR family, I would advise you to buy a quality DI gun (Colt, DD, BCM, etc) which will run you UNDER $1k, spend the extra coin on training, a Red Dot Sight and ammo.
THEN, after you know something, start looking at parts that fit your needs and customize from there.
Many of us have bought just about every piece of kit for the AR and then are right back simple FF tubes (with few to no rails on them) or just plastic handguards (like the Magpul MOE line). Food for thought.
Nice… so would the colt be your guys goto rifle if lets say the zombie attacks or the world falls in to great disrepair…im kidding but you know what i mean …
How do they handle cheap steel ammo i know you shouldn’t but it is cheap and i can a lot more trigger time with it…?
I typically shoot Hornady Training (steel cased) and it runs just fine. With that said, don’t buy a BMW and put the cheapest tires and gas you can find in it.
Nice thanks grant for taking the time to answer my questions i guess its back to the drawing boards ill do some more looking around and stick with the DI…
I really want a rifle that will eat anything i put in it … I understand the BMW analogy but if im out in the middle of no where i would like to know that i can put anything in it and still run well and get home with no determent ill effects…
