POF-USA predator AR upper

[neoncowboy]

I have been considering the purchase of a carbine and have naturally been looking at AR-15 types.

The trainers I have worked with suggested the Bushmaster M4A3 and it looks like a pretty solid platform.

Then I read this:
http://www.madogre.com/Interviews/Hate_the_AR15.htm

...and I'm not so sure.

This AFTER reading Col. Cooper's rather unflattering asessment of the 5.56mm cartridge in an anti-personnel role.

Tonight at a range/shop I saw a Bushmaster M4 with the POF-USA Predator upper on it. What a concept!
http://www.pof-usa.com/P-416/P-416upper.htm

It seems to eliminate a lot of problems inherent to the design by re-working the gas system incorporating a piston.

Does anyone have one? Have any of you put enough rounds through one to make a reliability comparison with the standard AR? I'd like to learn more about this thing before I write off the whole platform and go for an M-14.

 

[Preacherman]

I agree with George Hill (Mad Ogre - he's a moderator here, too) about the AR15. However, the price they want for that gas-piston upper is obscene! You could buy two Kel-Tec SU16's or Ruger Mini-14's and have some change left over out of that sum. Not economically viable, I'm afraid, even if it does address one of the AR's major shortcomings.

 

[neoncowboy]

Well...yeah...

But that's like saying I could buy 2 Kimbers for the price of a Ed Brown.

You're right though...for that kind of money I should just get a SOCOM 16 and be done with it.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

AR-15s have been running like Timex watches for 35 years.

Shoot one, buy one, & enjoy it.

If i was being HALO dropped from a stealth bomber into borg territory,
i might want a high speed, low drag piston uber upper.

Last time i checked, i spend most of my daze at 55mph.

 

[Beren]

http://ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=21&t=277752

Colt 6920 for $1250. You can find them for another $100 or so lower if you look around.

If you don't want to "pony up" for the Colt, I recommend:

Stag Arms M4 Lower 1/2 - with 6 Position Stock $215.00ea (eaglefirearms.net)

+

either:

(Eagle Firearms) Complete upper receiver assy with bolt/carrier and charging handle $439.00

or:

LMT M4 Upper 16" Receiver is Priced at: $615 (with Chrome Lined bolt carrier group and charging handle) (Bravocompanyusa.com)

You'll still need a rear sight or carry handle with that, I think, to make it complete. Add another $120. Magazines. Another $30 for two mags.

You could also buy used parts from the EE on AR15.com.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

It is also worth remembering that everything in life has tradeoffs. Problems that have plagued gas-piston AR15s in the past include bolt bounce, overfunction, carrier-key shear, pressure sensitivity, bent rods, additional wear on aluminium receiver, and increased mass.

I think the POF has been more successful than most gas-piston ARs in overcoming these problems, though you'll still get receiver rail that is raised up above a normal AR (to solve wear/space issues). This will mean that the irons that can normally be attached to an AR15 rail will all be off. You'll also get some extra weight with the POF upper and the handguards will run hotter; but I had one go through a class with me recently and after it went through the normal new gun blues, it settled down and ran reliably.

There is also the much hyped Leitner-Wise gas piston system that claims it can be applied to existing AR15s, is weight neutral (weighs the same as the gas tube) and has 40k+ rounds without cleaning or malfunction on test samples. It is basically a modernized SVT-40 short-stroke piston system. However, Leitner-Wise doesn't have the production capacity to meet civilian demand and there are very few of these on the market at the moment. The few who do have them seem pretty pleased though. I think the conversion runs $595 and a new complete rifle with this system is in the $1200 range similar to the POF. About the only complaint I've heard regarding this system is that the handguard gets hotter because it vents excess gas there.