Pig Tail Gas Tubes

AR/M4 AR Technical Discussion
1

I read the thread by K.L. Davis entitled “After you pull the trigger”

** Which may I add is one of the best threads I had ever read and learned from on the net !!

I was looking for feedback on Pig tail gas tubes and peoples experiences or test complete with them. From what I read, I really like the idea.

I had a chance to talk to and hang out with 2 guys last summer who spoke of them, and they held them in pretty high regards.

I was looking into pricing on them and the few I found were over $130… is this about right for these ?

Any thoughts ??!?!?!?

2

avoid them

3

Pigtails are, in my estimation, a band-aid fix… largely treating the symptom not the cause.

However, they are in theory a pretty clever idea, but I am not a fan of the ones that are on the market – the biggest reason being that they are a coil and subject to changing size and shape as they get hot. You know that gas tube alignment is a pretty picky thing with some guns.

Yes, there is one that is anchored on both ends and is actually a pretty slick little piece – my big problem is that for the close to the cost of one, you can replace the barrel with a mid length gas system :confused:

4

The PRI fatboy has all the advantages and none of the drwbacks of the pigtail. Plus it’s cheaper.

5

I am even less of a fan of the expansion chamber designs…

I had the chance to see one that was cut open after several thousand rounds and it had carboned up pretty good inside – point of concern, an expansion chamber will carbon up.

Not long after that, I saw a weapon that had stopped working – It had a small piece of carbon blocking the gas port between the bolt key and the bolt carrier.

That gun also had an expansion chamber gas tube.

To be totaly fare, I can not blame the expansion chamber tube, but I certainly can suspect that the tiny little piece of carbon could have originated from the chamber. Also, it was only once and I have not seen it again since… but I do know for sure that a tiny little piece of junk did turn the gun into a single shot, and it was not something that is a quick fix.

Bottom line… for me, if my life depends on the weapon, I would prefer to eliminate the possible problem. And again, it is treating the symptom, not the problem.

6

I’ve run a PRI Fatboy on a 11.5 and 14.5 Colt (suppressed) guns. They work for the intended purpose – but I do agree that a midlength gas system in much prefered – I did not know about the expansion chamber carbon depositing – but I guess that is basic science when you think of it - thx for that.

7

Bottom line… for me, if my life depends on the weapon, I would prefer to eliminate the possible problem. And again, it is treating the symptom, not the problem

KL, how do you solve the problem in the Commando length guns? Piston systems?

8

Anyone have experience with ArmsTech’s gas trap system?