This has absolutely nothing to do with a fad, or meaningless cult following, with no basis in mechanical superiority. The direct gas impingement system is, and always has been, the Achilles Heel of the AR platform. Carbon fouling causes jams. With cheap ammo, and cheap powder, this happens rapidly. Sometimes, even within 100 rounds.
This is why you NEVER get carbon fouling issues and stovepipe jams in AK variants, as they utilize indirect gas impingement systems. I have a Armalite AR180B (5.56) that has twin impingement rods and it has never jammed, no matter how many rounds i run through it, in succession.
The gas piston conversion is exactly what the AR platform has needed, since it's introduction. Ever wondered why there's no need for a forward assist, on an AK? Now you know. The last thing you want to do, is blow a bunch of dirt and garbage into a tight-tolerance system of lubricated, moving parts.
It's like running the exhaust, from your car's engine, back through the cylinders. Wouldn't take long for that thing to seize up and quit running. That's what happens with direct gas systems. Gas and carbon should be expelled outside the system, where they belong.
So, everyone can have their opinion, but if you're betting your life on the reliability of your weapon to function flawlessly, when it counts....then get rid of your direct gas system and upgrade to
