Brownells – AR-15/M16 Gas Piston Conversion Kit Installation

COOL,I need someone to put that kit on my AR.

Red? 😳

Does the front sight base have to be the free float tube that comes with the kit, or can I use an A2 front sight base on this?

Может я чёт. не правильно понял, но по моему, на сколько я вижу, он вставил другой затвор. А точнее изменился "Bolt carrer key". Это место в затворе в которое и приходится основной удар газа. А может просто видео обрезанное!!! Ат ШАЙТАНЫ, обмануть пытались…

What if you are using a different Hand Guard like a Yankee Hill?

The 8 people who disliked this video, couldn't figure out how to do it.

When I heard the words "gas piston" I formed an image of the bolt connected to a piston like the Kalashnikov. It is more a gas impingement system where a piston strikes a metal pin slamming the bolt rearward like the SKS. Both the Kalashnikov and SKS have sizable lateral exposed ports on their piston tubes venting excess gases away. The AR pictured above seems to enclose those vents inside the hand guard.

For the AR15 the claimed advantage of the piston is that the "rifle runs cooler" and "is cleaner." If some of the gases that previously entered the upper receiver are now released in the enclosed hand guard, the enclosed GI style hand guard will get hotter. Even a railed hand guard will get very hot as those gases directly contact the hand guard. Free floating PERHAPS slightly less since some heat is not conducted from the barrel, but heat is transferred by convection, conduction, and radiation. The temperature difference gas blowback vs. piston should be easy to test with a thermometer comparable rifles, ammo, and barrel type. The real advantage appears to be the burned powder might collect in the narrow piston tube.

Every machine design has advantages and disadvantages. It seems like this late piston addition is a way of working around the heat and fragile gas tube that is too thin to be exposed like the Russian rifles are. Oddly, a 16" S&W MP15 weighs 6.1 pounds vs. the AK74's 6.8 pounds. The front heavy AK's beefed up the barrel trunnion and gas system at the expense of the receiver, while the AR beefed up the receiver, while skimping on the gas system. The result .7 pounds of difference. Oh, well.

Yeah just lightly tap out those pins on the FSB and off it goes, right.. Thank god for video editing. People watching, take your guns to a gunsmith to get this done if you're looking up a video you've already lost. Learn from hands on experience, this will only cause you to tear something up and spend even more on repairs.

I bought a sig 516 stripped upper. and after I bought it I realised the sig 516 is a piston gas system. my question is can I use the stripped 516 upper to build a direct impingement rifle? Or is the upper receiver different?

Soooo, all this does is move your carbon collector to the gas block instead of the bolt.

Do you have to change the bolt carrier or can you use the one you origanaly bought

is the "gas block" that comes with this kit low profile? will the original rail/handguard still fit?

Red Loctite is used because of the heat from the barrel. There is some high heat blue loctite However; its basically the same as the red locktite.

Look carefully, bolt carrier doesn't have gas key. It looks like one of my Adams Arms bolt carrier group for gas piston group.
CMMG should identify what kind of bolt carrier group for this gas piston conversion project. Not the one with DI system.
Can't fool me.
I'd like to know.

1st think I said was, "Why on earth Red Locktite?"  Blue, in case you ever need to remove, change, adjust, etc.. I really don't see a need to use red.

+Brownells, Inc.  What's the difference between this kit and Stag Arms or Adams Arms?  What is the material and finish of the CMMG kit?  Why isn't the kit include a BCG bolt head and other parts if someone wants to install it on their rifle as opposed to having to remove parts from a different bolt (which I don't have because I'm looking to install it as a AR build kit.)  Why isn't the CMMG kit more available at places like Cheaper Than Dirt or Gunbroker?  Thanks!

Why on earth red loctite?  Why not use anti-cease compound for gas block bolts and torque them. Parts can be removed in the future update.

A better method to align gas block and upper receiver, I use laser chamber sight tool. This is a guarantee the alignment between gas block and upper receiver. Adjust gas block (left or right) if needed. From here, the adjustment of the front site post can be done too.  

I hope this help.

Cause if you dont make sure its level it may not work as well its just to make sure every thing lines up as it should

I love watching Brownells tutorials. I could watch these guys boil water and be entertained and informed.

i have a easier plan…get a ak-74…..see…sooooo fast

How much is this kit?

edit, nevermind i see the kit comes with a new carrier

when you removed the bolt carrier group, your key was a standard long key…but when you finished installing the piston and reinstalled the bolt carrier group, your gas key was completely different…why?

calculator watch = like a boss.

Awesome tut! Thank you very much!

Hi see that other gas piston sstem require a ss bush to be installed in the upper receiver why in cmmg is not required ?

a dumb question here. what does this kit do?

May be a dumb question, but why were those rings removed from the bolt?

Heat is up with a 1500 watt electric heat gun and it will usually come apart and not damage any parts. The trick is to heat it BEFORE you get too heavy on the fasteners and damage them. Once you get it too hot to lay your hand on, that is about right to soften the Loctite enough to break the fastener loose.

ok now im curious about the loctite…ive seen blue and green and red but whats it all mean? ive heard blue is kinda permanent but never got a straight answer and was told red and green are permanent. Could you please tell me what is what…also what would be best for firearms like say for installing new sights on a pistol. Thanks

what do you do for carrier tilt?

can this be done while still maintaining a more "traditional" A2 look?

I guess I can't do this since my muzzle break is not removable.

ooooooooooo….. ok thanks ^.^

why isn't the front sight post reattached?

Adams Arms ftw

there is a "low strength" red loctite

Have a question if anyone can answer. I just received my cmmg kit the other day and after watching this video, he checks for "play" when sliding the piston. How easy is the piston suppose to move? My spring is so tight you can't move it with ease. So I removed the plug and spring to check if it's catching and nothing. Is it suppose to be that tight? And my gas block does not have the cmmg logo? Did brownell send my a knock off bunk piston kit?

Red locktite? YOull never get that thing off. I'd go blue.

Alright so I've already got all the tools to do this. But by the time I've bought a new bolt carrier, the gas rod system, and a new front sight I think I might as well have just bought a new upper.

If you're up for it and confident in your skills, give it a whirl….for beginner's or intermediate's, I think this is better left for a gunsmith. If you already own every tool listed, chances are you'll be able to do it no problem!! Personally, outside a punch set, mult-function wrench, and cleaning supplies, I don't have any of that other stuff!