What happens when the gas inlet to the piston gets clogged?
Well obviously you clean it. This design is supposed to minimize the parts that are exposed to gas fouling.
“What happens when the gas inlet to the piston gets clogged?”
Highly unlikely. Never heard of such happening.
Is the gas inlet to the gas tube on an impingement rifle known for clogging? No?
How mnay millions of rounds were fired through the M-1 and M-14 without gas system issues?
That said, I did have a M-1 issued to me at ITR that has a worn out gas piston, making it a single shot. God knows how many rounds that poor rifle had seen to get that worn.