Okay since I started this thread I thought I’d follow up on what I’ve found out over the weekend including the websites you guys mentioned above.
First my decision is to get a Colt LE6920 and keep it DI. I would strongly prefer one with Magpul furniture because I want to support Magpul in every possible way as they were one of the first (bigger brands) to stand up for our collective rights when the gun grabbers came a-knockin’. Also the Colt M4 carbine is probably one of the most combed over, tested, hated, loved, praised, maligned, and refined rifles in the world given the amount of scrutiny and use it has seen over the past decades. There’s something to be said of a mature design.
Second, the piston systems by Adams Arms seem to be well made IF you buy either an upper or complete rifle with a piston from Adams Arms. The trouble seems to be when people try to retrofit a DI gun and turn it into a piston gun. From what I’ve read the retrofit clamps the gas block, yet the manufactured piston upper gas block is pinned. Also the placement of the piston is critical and from watching a few Youtube videos it has become somewhat clear to me that people who have a hard time walking and chewing gum at the same time, have no qualms whatsoever “gunsmithing” their AR and suddenly they aren’t reliable anymore. In those cases, it’s always the equipment to blame, never the guy who assembled the rifle (sarcasm). The retrofits are probably okay, but require a lot of attention to detail, skill, and perhaps should not be a “do it yourself” for most people. Common complaints on the retrofits were reliability and carrier tilt. Also I’ve seen some documentation that recommends you change to a heavy buffer for increased reliability, yet I wonder how many who make the conversion actually do since in many of the threads it’s never specifically mentioned.
BTW for those of you who are looking for a SHTF rifle for "the bitter end", all piston systems are proprietary, hard to find parts for outside of the manufacturer as the only source, and just like DI guns, do wear with use. A Colt DI? Can find parts dang near anywhere, are cheaper, and so you can stock up. Of course when the "bitter end" bitter end comes I'm selling my guns at a premium and moving somewhere tropical. I'll watch the fireworks from a beach (kidding).
As a company, I have seen several testimonies as to how well Adams Arms take care of their customers (once you can get them on the phone that is) up to and including replacing arms because of finish flake after the rifle was fired. CMMG and Stag also make reliable piston guns, but neither are as simple in design or operation as the Adams Arms. If I were ever to get a piston, from what I’ve read it would be an Adams Arms complete upper, middy.
Pistons do lead to cleaner chambers and reportedly allow for plenty of steel cased ammo shooting. The jury is out as to whether shooting Wolf from a DI gun is a good idea or not. Some people say “sure” some people say “never, never”.
I also found that a second to Colt (in my list) would be Spikes, though some people swear up and down that Spikes has a better fit and finish. Most seem to concur that Spikes has better customer service.
Nobody seems to have much on the Del-Ton Extreme Duty which is a shame. That said from what I’ve read, Del-Ton in general seems to be pretty much on par with Stag and CMMG. PSA for the money is a better option overall, besides the Extreme Duty Del-Ton is fetching WAY more money than it’s worth on gunbroker IMHO. If it were $800 or $900, that’s one thing, but they are in the $1,100 - $1,200 ballpark, which puts them into Colt territory price wise.
Thanks again for all of the opinions.
