Re: POF vs Sig556
Well, Basically any piston driven rifle works via a piston being driven by gas pressure behind the exiting projectile which generally, for timing reasons, happens forward of the receiver. The gas exits the barrel thru a small hole, into a chamber, pressurizes the chamber and that pressure moves the piston. The piston mechanically forces the bolt backward. A spring pushes the bolt forward, stripping the next round from the magazine and into the chamber...
So... Functionally, they work the same. However, the design is completely different.
In the Sig, the piston and rod are all one unit and I believe they are fastened to the bolt carrier (but can be removed from the bolt carrier). Someone correct me if I'm wrong. The spring that pushes the bolt forward is located around the piston rod. The Sig was designed from the ground up to be a Piston Gun.
POF makes a "modified" AR type of rifle. The Piston System replaces the Direct Impingement system normally found on an AR type rifle. The piston, piston rod and bolt carrier are seperate parts. The piston pushes a seperate rod that is driven through the upper receiver and impacts the Carrier-key portion on top of the Bolt Carrier Group. That's what drives the BCG backward. The buffer and spring in the buffer tube which is in the buttstock are what drives the BCG forward and strips the next round from the magazine and chambers it.
Clear as mud... Right?
FWIW, I prefer POF over Sig.