Spiral or 'pig-tail' gas tube...

[molonlabetn]

I know what they are, and understand the concept... My questions are:

1. What are the draw-backs? Are they even worth it?

2. Do they really make a CAR d-i gas system function/feel like it has a rifle-length tube?

3. Would I be better off with a mid-length straight-tube setup?

Here's where I'm going with this. The next project is going to use a 14.5" barrel (with perm-FH), and I don't want it to short-stroke using an extra-power Wolff buffer spring (which I would be afraid of if using a mid-length gas system close to the muzzle), but I also don't want to wear out my bolt quickly, or it misfeed due to high carrier-speeds... I'm going for reliability with minimal need for tweaking. I'm only concerned with semi-auto operation.

I just wonder if i'd be opening up a can of worms (or wasting money) by going that route.

[Donnie]

If you are going with a carbine gas setup, I would leave it stock and try it out before I did any modifications to it. My AR has the short carbine gas tube and factory buffer spring and it runs like a champ. You might try the heavier spring with it first, but I don't think that I would run a pigtail gas tube and a heavier spring from the start.

[Guest drewi]

If you're not getting an SBR, why use a 14.5" barrel instead of a 16" barrel?

All you're doing is costing yourself velocity without shortening the rifle.

[Guest Shay VanVlymen]

A 16" midlength rifle from a quality manufacturer is going to be reliable. I think you are needlessly complicating things when you start changing buffer weights, barrel lengths and gas systems for no good reason.

[slowsure]

molonlabetn,

I would skip the "Pig Tail". I havent used one, but I have never heard of one of these things "fixing" a problem.

My .02

[molonlabetn]

A 16" midlength rifle from a quality manufacturer is going to be reliable. I think you are needlessly complicating things when you start changing buffer weights, barrel lengths and gas systems for no good reason.

That was my initial thought... But since the person who suggested this (I thought) ought to know, I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt. Thanks!

The purpose in going with a 14.5" + perm FH is, since the minimum barrel length is 16.0", I want the barrel to be the absolute minimum length. More of a 'because I can' thing, than anything else... I already have 16" + FH M4gery (with a traditional gas & buffer setup), and it has no problems. I wouldn't expect 1.5" barrel difference to matter that much, especially when 'real' M4s run just fine (albeit at a high cyclic rate). I believe that the purpose of the advice given to me about this, was to try to reduce the speed of the bolt and the felt recoil.

Ehhh. From the way it sounds, I'd be better off leaving 'good enough' alone...