The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Even the commercial/sporting sector is getting in on the short stroke piston. Remington make the SR556 series that uses a gas piston in preference to DI.

Sim G wrote:As you said Mark, there's nothing new. The concept of piston driven AR's, the mating of Stoner's rotary locking bolt with a short stroke gas piston, was done in the late 60's early 70's. Remember the AR180/18, known then as the "poor man's M16"? Well that's exactly what it was, a piston driven AR. Even our very much maligned SA80 is a variation on that theme....

There's a lot of talk on the origins of rifles in this rather long thread-

http://www.arrse.co.uk/community/thread ... re.201163/

Aren't things like picatinny rails licensed from ARMS?

Sim G wrote: The concept of piston driven AR's, the mating of Stoner's rotary locking bolt with a short stroke gas piston, was done in the late 60's early 70's.

On the other side the Russians were using short-stroke gas systems in 1938 with the SVT-38, then the SVT-40 and 1943 with the SKS, albeit with a tilting bolt.The Dragunov mated a short-stoke gas system with a rotary locking bolt in 1963.One thing to note is the Dragunov gas system shouldn't be confused with an AK system as the AK is a long-stroke with the gas piston attached to the bolt carrier.

HALODIN wrote:Aren't things like picatinny rails licensed from ARMS?

No, 1001 companies make them. And thankfully too, if ARMS owned them they'd cost twice as much as they do!

Are you sure? Perhaps they already cost twice as much as they could... In other industries, when someone invents a standard it's licensed.

Specific innovations would be but then patents expire. What is inventive about the AR-15 and even was it registered? Trademarks etc can last longer but you have to show specific and original design aspects.

I don't read my own signature!

HALODIN wrote:Are you sure? Perhaps they already cost twice as much as they could... In other industries, when someone invents a standard it's licensed.

Some info here but obviously the warnings about believing whats written on the internet come into play;

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/ar ... 18737.html

Thanks for the info, I'll digest it later when I have a bit more time.

Cheers!