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The only advantage to DI is a slight saving in weight and recoil, IMO.
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And potentially better accuracy given that there are fewer moving parts, particularly fewer moving parts impinging on the barrel.
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Don't forget that you're comparing apples and oranges, in that the M14 is cycling full-size rifle rounds with a much heavier action than the AR platform.
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Direct Gas Impingement has been around a lot longer than the .223 round.
The Swedish Ljungman (1942 design) was DI and chambered in 6.5x55 Swedish.
The Egyptian Hakim was DI, a variant of the Ljungman, chambered in 8mm Mauser.
And, last but not least, the DI, AR-10 was chambered in .308 and was developed before the AR-15.
The point is that there is absolutely nothing about the DI system that keeps it from performing well with "full-size rifle rounds".
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You can start with a DI and upgrade to piston with a conversion.
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If you want a piston system, buy a system that comes directly from the factory as a piston system. The conversions can work very well, or they can be problematic depending on a number of variables, since the energy is transfered to the bolt in very different ways in the two systems.