Gas piston upper? - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

eyesopened · 02-14-2008, 11:02 AM

So if I have a fully assembled lower, how involved is swapping to a gas piston upper? Is like putting a normal direct impingement upper on?

I'm new to the AR field (read: I don't have one) and I was weighing my options. The Gas Piston uppers are out of my price range at the moment. I figure the cheapest way to get an AR is to buy the Lower Receiver, parts kit, grip/stock, etc and then get an assembled upper and put them together. For the first upper, I thought of getting just a DI upper and if it's easy to sway, then get a gas piston upper down the road. Is it as simple as popping a few pins and then putting the new gas piston upper on?

BB2 · 02-14-2008, 11:09 AM

A pre-assembled upper should just fit on. I say should because I've heard some low-end lowers don't have all the pins in the correct places. Otherwise you shouldn't have any issue.

I have a DPMS AP4-your basic M4gery, and I've been toying with the possibility of swapping to a piston. My problem is that a pre-assembled upper costs more than my rifle new. A conversion kit costs about $400. I may end up going that route.

eyesopened · 02-14-2008, 11:16 AM

I figure if the lower is a high quality "mil-spec" then they should match up.

yeah those uppers are pretty costly. I figure once the gas piston uppers are more common, then the prices will drop and I can go that route. For now, I'll settle for a DI setup.

03RangerXLT · 02-14-2008, 11:45 AM

I am in the process of doing a piston shorty for my S&W reciever. Just sent off the form 1 today. Once its approved, a CMMG 10.3" upper with an Ares Defense piston retro-fit kit will go on it.

Polymerhead · 02-14-2008, 12:39 PM

A buddy just bought a POF upper. It's nice but the price is about what the new series of AR-type weapons (Masada, SCAR) should cost - $1300 or so!

Jmanwit · 02-14-2008, 12:56 PM

The only companies that I know of are POF and LWRC. What are some other reputable gas piston companies? I would do the conversion, but LWRC costs about 750 for the conversion.

**PackerfanXD** · 02-14-2008, 01:00 PM

Bushmaster makes a piston upper as well. I'd go with LWRC. They're piston system is better than the rest imho.

Jmanwit · 02-14-2008, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PackerfanXD

Bushmaster makes a piston upper as well. I'd go with LWRC. They're piston system is better than the rest imho.

How's your's so far, Packer?

**PackerfanXD** · 02-14-2008, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmanwit

How's your's so far, Packer?

So far, so good!

02-14-2008, 11:02 AM	#1
eyesopened XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 466	Gas piston upper? So if I have a fully assembled lower, how involved is swapping to a gas piston upper? Is like putting a normal direct impingement upper on? I'm new to the AR field (read: I don't have one) and I was weighing my options. The Gas Piston uppers are out of my price range at the moment. I figure the cheapest way to get an AR is to buy the Lower Receiver, parts kit, grip/stock, etc and then get an assembled upper and put them together. For the first upper, I thought of getting just a DI upper and if it's easy to sway, then get a gas piston upper down the road. Is it as simple as popping a few pins and then putting the new gas piston upper on?

02-14-2008, 11:45 AM	#4
03RangerXLT XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Atlanta area, Georgia Posts: 2,210	I am in the process of doing a piston shorty for my S&W reciever. Just sent off the form 1 today. Once its approved, a CMMG 10.3" upper with an Ares Defense piston retro-fit kit will go on it. __________________ -John WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!

02-14-2008, 12:39 PM	#5
Polymerhead XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: MO, USA Posts: 1,402	A buddy just bought a POF upper. It's nice but the price is about what the new series of AR-type weapons (Masada, SCAR) should cost - $1300 or so! __________________ No alarms and no surprises, please.

02-14-2008, 12:56 PM	#6
Jmanwit XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Southern Kalifornia Posts: 1,293	The only companies that I know of are POF and LWRC. What are some other reputable gas piston companies? I would do the conversion, but LWRC costs about 750 for the conversion. __________________ Everyone else hase one... http://jmanwit.blogspot.com/ *God Doesn't Let The Angels Die...* Springfield Armory Xtreme Duty .45 ACP The .45 ACP - 230 grains of freedom! Remington 870 Security 12 gauge M1 Garand "The single greatest battle implement ever devised by man" - A great American CMMG M4gery

02-14-2008, 01:00 PM	#7
PackerfanXD XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ground zero of the invasion Posts: 7,052 Blog Entries: 1	Bushmaster makes a piston upper as well. I'd go with LWRC. They're piston system is better than the rest imho. __________________ The wealthiest nation in the world with the mightiest army man has ever assembled could not stop them. http://www.break.com/usercontent/200...00-358890.html PALIN/McCAIN '08 An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject. -Author unknown.

02-14-2008, 11:09 AM	#2
BB2 XDTalk Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 37	A pre-assembled upper should just fit on. I say should because I've heard some low-end lowers don't have all the pins in the correct places. Otherwise you shouldn't have any issue. I have a DPMS AP4-your basic M4gery, and I've been toying with the possibility of swapping to a piston. My problem is that a pre-assembled upper costs more than my rifle new. A conversion kit costs about $400. I may end up going that route.

02-14-2008, 11:16 AM	#3
eyesopened XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 466	I figure if the lower is a high quality "mil-spec" then they should match up. yeah those uppers are pretty costly. I figure once the gas piston uppers are more common, then the prices will drop and I can go that route. For now, I'll settle for a DI setup.

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