Quote:
Originally Posted by HardDrive
Not to put too fine a point on it, but if the piston design is so superior, why isn't someone simply making them from the factory that way? Since you are using a standard AR-15 receiver, you could still call it an AR-15......maybe the AK-15? :P
I don't understand why the piston would need to contact the carrier at an angle. Could you just build the front mount slightly higher and make it align perfectly?
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I don't think it'd be possible to use a standard AR15 upper receiver and carrier without changing how the force is transfered to the carrier. If you change the carrier, you then have to change the receiver.
Everything works in a nice coaxial arrangement in the DI AR, so unless a design comes along that imparts equal force on opposite sides of the carrier without degrading the equality of the force over time, there'll always be some drawback. The system/kit might then cost too much since it'll require more changes to the receiver and carrier.
If I had to design a new action system based on the design of an AR and a piston, I would make the carrier ride on rails that run the length of the upper receiver. Since there is little gas that makes it into the receiver in a piston design to foul things up, a nice tight rail at the 9 and 3 o'clock position with some high temp grease would run nice and smooth and prevent tilting in the buffer tube. Maybe steel rails attached to the sides of the standard forged aluminum receiver and simply machine two slots in the carrier to mate to the rail.
The ejection port and forward assist would be in the way at 3 o'clock, but I'd get rid of the forward assist and make room for the rail on that side up to the ejection port, integrating a deflector.
Edit: if you are familiar with the smooth side 9mm upper receiver, you can machine a slot on the receiver at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions along the length of the receiver. A steel insert (with rails) can them be screwed onto the receiver with the rails protruding into the receiver's carrier bore. A carrier without the notches for the forward assist can then be machined with slots at the 9 and 3 o'clock to ride on the steel rail inserts.