Pick a modern 5.56 Piston gun (arguing encouraged) - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Pick a modern 5.56 Piston gun (arguing encouraged) (Page 1 of 4)

Posted: 2/17/2023 6:09:46 PM EST

If I were in the market for a 5.56 piston gun, what should it be? I’m interested in hearing all nuanced arguments ranging from technical discussions to CoC name calling. Whatever I get will be an SBR, but feel free to discuss your preferred barrel length and insult the parental lineage of anyone whose opinion differs. Here’s the list I’ve been considering so far:

Sig MCX

Robinson Armament XCR

FN SCAR 16

CZ Bren 2

B&T APC223

Brownells BRN-180

PSA JAKL

Something else?

Posted: 2/17/2023 6:11:28 PM EST

[#1]

XCR…Mormon goodness

Posted: 2/17/2023 6:19:24 PM EST

[#2]

BRN-180

Posted: 2/17/2023 6:19:37 PM EST

[#3]

LWRC

Posted: 2/17/2023 6:22:00 PM EST

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:
XCR…Mormon goodness

View Quote

By a mile. Seriously underrated rifles.

Posted: 2/17/2023 6:23:59 PM EST

[#5]

PWS Mk118

Posted: 2/17/2023 6:24:47 PM EST

[#6]

XCR. Little heavy, but great rifle.

Bren 2 Carbine is lighter, but hates WWB M193.....

XCR wins.

Posted: 2/17/2023 6:25:14 PM EST

[#7]

LWRC

Posted: 2/17/2023 6:28:25 PM EST

[#8]

I love my PWS Mk116

But if you have B&T money, then that. If you don't have B&T money and you don't want just another AR, BREN 2.

IMO:
-I don't trust SIG, they have a history of randomly dropping or changing designs and not supporting the one you already own.
-The BRN180 is interesting, but doesn't trip my trigger. I had a Wolf T91 upper, and while it was neat it was nothing to write home about.
-Same with the JAKL.
-SCAR16 is hilariously overrated.
-BREN 2 is seriously underrated
-B&T is hilariously expensive, but it's a logically designed ecosystem of firearms.
-I don't trust Robinson Arms as far as I can throw them, especially after they randomly decided to fuck over C96 owners.

ETA2: the logical benefits of piston guns apply even more so to Bullpups. Join the dark side, Tavors are awesome.

Posted: 2/17/2023 6:53:13 PM EST

[#9]

I’d buy whatever Springfield is calling the VHS2 if they hadn’t uglied it up with their dumbass logos everywhere.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:01:31 PM EST

[#10]

The Wolf A1/T91 is interesting. It's had long term military usage.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:02:23 PM EST

[#11]

Doesn't matter to me as long as it uses STANAG magazines.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:08:54 PM EST

[#12]

XCR or PWS, long stroke like a kalashnikov.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:18:54 PM EST

[#13]

Other options

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:20:34 PM EST

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Other options

https://i.imgur.com/DAA7cNk.jpg

View Quote

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:21:53 PM EST

[#15]

How are the Adams Arms rifles?

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:22:19 PM EST

[#16]

I chose the XCR. I don't know whether they are decent or not but I always wanted one

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:24:55 PM EST

[#17]

I have a PWS MK114 and a Barrett REC-7. I'm happy with both.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:25:20 PM EST

[#18]

MCX LT by a mile. My Gen 2 MCX is pretty awesome and they seem to have addressed a lot of things that could have been done better. I’ll keep my DIs overall, but if I had to go a different route that’s the route I’d go.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:25:49 PM EST

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
How are the Adams Arms rifles?

View Quote

This is what I would like to know. I only know they are short stroke but I don’t know much about longevity/reliability.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:27:30 PM EST

[#20]

I have a SCAR 17 and a few Sigs, the new Sigs are pretty sweet. The SCAR is great but the piston Sigs feels like a natural evolution of the design.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:29:08 PM EST

[#21]

VHS-2S

Taiwanese T91

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:29:32 PM EST

[#22]

I LOVE my CZ scorpion. It’s an absolute tack driver. I only use the factory irons too. It. Is. Awesome. If the Bren 2 is just an upchambered version, I wouldn’t even hesitate and get it.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:35:24 PM EST

[#23]

Attached File

Attached File

I voted xcr, I like the ace too. The Kel-Tec RDB if you want the best bullpup.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:41:12 PM EST

[#24]

Sig 550/551.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:43:57 PM EST

[#25]

Primary weapons system.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:45:03 PM EST

[#26]

MCX by a mile.

That being said….

Quote History

Quoted:
The Wolf A1/T91 is interesting. It's had long term military usage.

View Quote

I really do like my 12.5” Wolf A1.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:45:35 PM EST

[#27]

That 5.56 AK that Robski (AK Operators Union) has been using?

If I had to take one piston 5.56 I'd take the Sig.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:47:55 PM EST

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
I have a PWS MK114 and a Barrett REC-7. I'm happy with both.

View Quote

PWS is good stuff.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:55:11 PM EST

[#29]

I’d take any of them, literally. MCX for sure.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:56:30 PM EST

[#30]

I'd probably get the XCR, as much as it pains me to say that...

Why?

It's already been around longer than any variant of the Sig MCX; Sig's gone through 3 generations and already dropped support for at least one of them; I expect the 2nd gen will be dropped at any time

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:57:43 PM EST

[#31]

AUG ?

I handled one recently seemed like a good way to go especially if you are in and out of a vehicle a lot.

Will get a chance to shoot it soon so looking forward to that.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:59:49 PM EST

[#32]

Mcx spear LT.

Posted: 2/17/2023 7:59:55 PM EST

[#33]

Attached File

Rock River Arms PDS

Posted: 2/17/2023 8:01:11 PM EST

[#34]

Quote History

Quoted:
I love my PWS Mk116

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/129976/F88B5B86-FD8D-42C4-98F9-00A21188A564-808261.jpg

But if you have B&T money, then that. If you don't have B&T money and you don't want just another AR, BREN 2.

IMO:
-I don't trust SIG, they have a history of randomly dropping or changing designs and not supporting the one you already own.
-The BRN180 is interesting, but doesn't trip my trigger. I had a Wolf T91 upper, and while it was neat it was nothing to write home about.
-Same with the JAKL.
-SCAR16 is hilariously overrated.
-BREN 2 is seriously underrated
-B&T is hilariously expensive, but it's a logically designed ecosystem of firearms.
-I don't trust Robinson Arms as far as I can throw them, especially after they randomly decided to fuck over C96 owners.

ETA2: the logical benefits of piston guns apply even more so to Bullpups. Join the dark side, Tavors are awesome.

View Quote

B&T has made some great stuff but I’ve heard several reports of broken bolts and rusting carriers…

Posted: 2/17/2023 8:01:18 PM EST

[#35]

Bren 2. Stock options. European master race.

Posted: 2/17/2023 8:02:18 PM EST

[#36]

Quote History

Quoted:
How are the Adams Arms rifles?

View Quote

Reliable, but nothing special. You want a long stroke gun for the recoil.

Posted: 2/17/2023 8:08:27 PM EST

[#37]

Quote History

Quoted:
I'd probably get the XCR, as much as it pains me to say that...

Why?

It's already been around longer than any variant of the Sig MCX; Sig's gone through 3 generations and already dropped support for at least one of them; I expect the 2nd gen will be dropped at any time

View Quote

The XCR is the only Modular Piston Driven Rifle that lived up to the promise that the Masada, SCAR etc.

Posted: 2/17/2023 8:09:27 PM EST

[#38]

MCX. Of the guns on that list, it’s the one with the (comparatively) largest aftermarket, as well as having a plethora of factory options. Parts are reasonably priced (once again, comparatively) and usually not too hard to find. A lot of people poo poo on Sig, but it’s likely the only one with a rather wide usage pool in professional circles, which translates to better product improvement and problem areas being found fairly quickly.

I still have an irrational thing for the SCAR platform, but it hasn’t evolved in nearly a decade, the aftermarket is rather meh, and FN has jacked up pricing on replacement parts to absurd levels. Quite frankly, I’m not even sure why FN still manufactures it. Doesn’t seem to have found the .gov contract success they likely wanted (outside of the “H” variant), and with how old it is, the guys who are using those guns professionally have likely already replaced it or will do so in the near future. FN has also released a few new designs that clearly aren’t derived from the SCAR that could likely fit into any role someone would be looking at a SCAR for.

I think it’s just a matter of time til they retire the entire line, especially if Sig gets behind a “large frame” .308 sized cartridge compatible MCX variant and starts peddling it for .gov contracts. The XM5 is a step in that direction, but it looks to feature things that are more geared towards the new high pressure 6.8 cartridge. If they roll into that with a less specialized feature set that’ll work with standard .308/6.5C loads, they could likely cut costs and swallow up a large portion of that market.

Just my $0.02

Posted: 2/17/2023 8:13:22 PM EST

[#39]

I just picked up MCX Spear LT factory SBR. Well, Form 4 sent in anyway. Hope I chose wisely. I'll know in a year.

Posted: 2/17/2023 8:13:58 PM EST

[#40]

I have two, a PWS MK114 and a LMT MRP MARS and both are great, the PWS has the minimal recoil

Posted: 2/17/2023 8:14:07 PM EST

[#41]

LWRC

Posted: 2/17/2023 8:18:23 PM EST

[#42]

I voted Other, in favor of my Tommybuilt HK SL-8/G36 conversion. The Cadillac of piston guns, in my humble estimation.

Posted: 2/17/2023 8:24:34 PM EST

[#43]

Quote History

Quoted:
I voted Other, in favor of my Tommybuilt HK SL-8/G36 conversion. The Cadillac of piston guns, in my humble estimation.

View Quote

Isn’t the G36 pretty well known for receiver to barrel fitment issues with its plastic trunnion? It’s been a while since I paid attention to that whole saga and I never really saw what the end result was, so genuinely curious.

Posted: 2/17/2023 8:25:05 PM EST

[#44]

Aug/Acr/Daewoo/m96 master race checking in. I'd go with the bren 2 of those choices. Screw Robinson. Have scar 17. Mcx has momentum, but you know, sig.