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Thread: Gas Piston Conversion of AR15 Middy Carbine

  1. #1
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Thumbs up Gas Piston Conversion of AR15 Middy Carbine

    I finished this rifle up in December 2013, so about 7 months ago. I'd function checked it but never put it on paper formally to see what it could do. This rifle is equipped with the Osprey gas piston conversion system. It uses the stock gas block / front sight tower by simply replacing the gas tube with what is the piston chamber.


    Here is a benched group, distance 25 yards. Ammo was M193 ball type ammo. The barrel is a 1 in 9 from Del-Ton and it is chrome lined.


    Here is the same ammo and rifle offhand grouped at the same 25 yard distance.



    What the system looks like, image borrowed from Osprey's web site. You get the following; gas cylinder, gas piston, push rod, linkage to secure the pushrod to the piston, a bushing to guide the push rod as it passes through the hole in the upper receiver and a dedicated bolt carrier that has the gas key removed. The push rod shoves on the hump on top of the carrier.

    All in all it works very well. It did increase the felt recoil on this little light barreled carbine. As such I ordered a Heavy Carbine buffer and that has tamed the recoil impulse to be milder than when it was direct impingement. I'd recommend this system if you are interested in an EASY and effective conversion to a rifle.
    Last edited by Schuetzenman; 07-12-2014 at 12:52 PM.

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    Senior Member Adog's Avatar

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    That is pretty darn cool, I've never seen one like that.

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    Administrator imanaknut's Avatar

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    Very interesting set up and not bad results.

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    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Yes, the results surprised me. I put it on paper and before as impingement it shot more like the offhand group with the same ammo. So, oddly enough in this case it seems to have improved the accuracy of the weapon.

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    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adog View Post
    That is pretty darn cool, I've never seen one like that.
    http://www.gaspiston.com/ is the link to the Osprey Defense home web page. I purchased this system from Midway USA for just under $290 bucks. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/957...ProductFinding currently I see they are about $329 at Midway USA so Brownell's is the deal at the moment.
    The same systems are also available from Brownell's. http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts...prod31987.aspx

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    Senior Member Helen Keller's Avatar

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    i have one of the early bushmaster setups in my 11" gun.
    with the heavy buffer, recoil is very light.



    A lot less heat and not nearly as much crud .
    PRAISE KEK
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    Senior Member Silentkilla01's Avatar

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    SHUETZ, does it come with the hand gaurds to fit the system or will it allow standard?
    What's up my nigga's

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    Team GunsNet Silver 07/2012 NewbieAKguy's Avatar

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    Very nice S-man. I'd like to get one one of these days after reading your good reviews on it and even MAC's on YouTube. Here are his reviews if anyone is interested.

    "The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them. ... Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever."--Thomas Jefferson

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    Team GunsNet Silver 07/2012 NewbieAKguy's Avatar

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    I didn't know you can't put 2 vids in one post. Here's his snow test.

    "The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them. ... Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever."--Thomas Jefferson

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    Senior Member ready's Avatar

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    My buddy has the same system and is very pleased.

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    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Silentkilla01 View Post
    SHUETZ, does it come with the hand gaurds to fit the system or will it allow standard?
    It comes with the set of handguards you see on my rifle. Some other handguards can be used. For a free float rail you have to go with Olympics or possibly the Samson Evolution FF handguards like on my AR pistol. Due to that flattened kidney bean shaped piston and cylinder you need a full round inside diameter FF handguard. Many FF handguard systems like Daniel Defense's Omega rails and other brands have a square channel for the gas tube to channel in. Those handguards will work with something like Adams Arms or the CMMG gas systems.

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    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Helen Keller View Post
    i have one of the early bushmaster setups in my 11" gun.
    with the heavy buffer, recoil is very light.



    A lot less heat and not nearly as much crud .
    Yep, this is the big attraction for me on Piston conversion systems.

  13. #13
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by NewbieAKguy View Post
    I didn't know you can't put 2 vids in one post. Here's his snow test.
    That's impressive, but I'm not surprised it worked. I picked the Osprey because of a recommendation made by a buddy of mine that is an SOT license holder. He builds full autos of all types as well as more mundane semis. I asked him if he had any experience with the gas piston systems on the market like Adams, CMMG or this Osprey. His reply was that he'd built using all of them and that for him the Osprey was the one he liked the best. He talked about the easy installation and how it was trouble free in operation. Now remember he is building full auto M16's using these systems and the Osprey can handle the sustained full auto fire. That's a much harsher set of conditions than what us typical civilians can put on these weapons firing in semiauto. (Unless you're bumpfiring the crap out of it).

    I like the Osprey enough I'm seriously thinking of getting one for my AR pistol that I just finished and my 20" Colt HBAR rifle. The only thing holding me back is cash flow.
    Last edited by Schuetzenman; 07-12-2014 at 12:50 PM.

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    Senior Member Partisan1983's Avatar

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    That's pretty neat Scheutz. I will have to look into getting one
    Here's to pussy and gunpowder. One to live for, the other to die by.....Goddamn though, I do love the smell of 'em both !!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Schuetzenman View Post
    I like the Osprey enough I'm seriously thinking of getting one for my AR pistol that I just finished and my 20" Colt HBAR rifle. The only thing holding me back is cash flow.
    Sorry to be the messenger of bad news but the Osprey piston conversion won't fit under the Sampson evolution hand guard unless they have a new smaller unit ... it's close but it won't go.

    I've had an Osprey for several years. At first I had it on a 16" carbine, then decided to put it on my 11.5" Colt M16 upper but I couldn't get the (cylinder? cup that the piston fits into) part that goes that goes into the gas block out so I just used another sight base I had and switched the carbine back to a gas tube. When I got the Colt apart I discovered it had a smaller diameter barrel and the gas block from the carbine was too big ... After dinking around with it for over an hour and still couldn't get the cylinder off the gas block so I set it on the shelf and put the Colt back together and later put it on my BOHICA AR pistol.

    Anyway, as I said earlier, you had inspired me to build a new AR pistol and the first hand guard I got was too small for the JP Thermal Dissipator so I ended up getting the Sampson hand-guard like yours and unfortunately the Samson is too small for the Osprey ... so again, the Osprey went back to the BOHICA pistol but this time with a MagPul upgrade, but even with the MagPul hand-guard, the heat shield had to be relived to accommodate the Osprey.

    So, to sum it all up, the first hand-guard that wouldn't work for the pistol you inspired me to build ended up going on the previously mentioned carbine:


    The BOHICA pistol that still has the Osprey piston conversion and now some new furniture and an arm brace as well:


    And the new pistol you inspired ... Some of the parts I already had and already bought the receiver, BCG & barrel so I was too far in to to stop; it looks like this;


    Although I'm pretty happy with the way things turned out, if my wife says anything, and she probably will because she was outside pulling weeds while I was playing ... I mean working on these ...
    ... anyway, while it wasn't your fault that one thing led to another, I'm still blaming you!

  16. #16
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Blame me, hell why not I always get blamed for everything. BTW is that a 10.5" barrel on the new build? That bipod sure makes it look like a rifle. Looks good btw.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Schuetzenman View Post
    Blame me, hell why not I always get blamed for everything. BTW is that a 10.5" barrel on the new build? That bipod sure makes it look like a rifle. Looks good btw.


    The new barrel is a 12.5 its OAL is 30.5" ... so its more like a rifle than a pistol the old one is a 10.5

  18. #18
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    BTW, how or what is making that Red color on the Samson handguard?

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    It's the JP Enterprise Thermal Dissipator ... It just barely clears the Samson, but I did have to shorten it a bit because the barrel diameter can only be .65" or .75"
    http://www.jprifles.com/1.4.5_hs.php

  20. #20
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by kimberkid View Post
    It's the JP Enterprise Thermal Dissipator ... It just barely clears the Samson, but I did have to shorten it a bit because the barrel diameter can only be .65" or .75"
    http://www.jprifles.com/1.4.5_hs.php
    Hummm ... I was unaware of this product. Thanks for the link!

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