I looked through the piston threads (thoroughly). I did not really find any actual input as to whether or not Arfcom has come to an opinion as regards Osprey piston products being good or bad. Has there been any change in opinion. Has anyone used their kit? Any range reports out there.
Seem to be very simple and easy to install. All input from actual users will be appreciated, and I thank you in advance for your help.

I noticed in the most recent AR15.com newsletter it said the ARFCOM store is now selling them.

Easy install......doesnt work with 300 blk very well

Think that is the same thing Bushmaster was selling under their name. From what I remember reading it works but watch for increased carrier tilt. There was one other piston kit that used a one-piece carrier with oprod attached to it. It was touted as reducing carrier tilt by locking the oprod and carrier together. I think that one may have been made by Aers Defense maybe...

http://www.aresdefense.com/?page_id=148

Its a great system, very light weight and zero issues.  They were purchased by another company months ago and nothing seems to have changed.

I LOVE the concept of Osprey's system. It's simple, durable, FAR less parts than many piston kits, retains the standard front sight, and is VERY easy to install. However... I'm not aware of any piston system that is easy to UNinstall, as they use a bushing that gets hammered into the receiver gas tube hole (how would you get that back out to revert back??). The other two issues are 1) product support. Who is Osprey now? Are they contactable? Can you get CS from them? How long will they be around? And 2) cost. Their system is simple, has no front sight block in the kit (just a piston system and carrier) yet costs more than MUCH more elaborate systems (such as AA or CMMG). With much more elaborate, adjustable, and as durable systems coming on the market, Osprey needs to reconfigure it's price point if it is going to survive (most people have never even heard of Osprey, and less and less coverage about them happens as time goes by).
They're market is basically suited for those who want a SIMPLE drop in and go system (no adjustability, stock handguards, etc). With that they will expect a LOW price to go along with such a simple system. This isn't the case right now, and I think this is a HUGE factor for it's non popularity.
The ones who DO have it seem to love it. I'd love to try one myself, but not until they price it accordingly (which is why I run AA's right now). Not that there's a huge difference in price, but you're getting WAY more for LESS $ with an AA than the Osprey offers.

A few things I noticed about the Osprey system as compared to the AA.

The Osprey has a fixed front site base ,if its a little canted it throws of the op rod movement causing binding if bad enough. The AA will do the same thing but since its bolted on it can be adjusted straight.


The Osprey using the fixed front site has no for and aft adjustment to provide the proper clearance gap needed so the op rod doesn't slam into the front gas regulator housing. If everything is to proper specs your fine. I have seen a few post's in the past where Osprey had to make a custom length rod to compensate for out of spec conditions on the rifle.

Who knows how often this would happen and  these problems  can be corrected by using a clamp on gas block but you might as well use the AA system then.

As with anything, design, marketing and customer service will weed out the competitors and I think AA is doing that with the conversion kits. Their problem now is the big gun companies getting into the piston game.

On this i gotta say if you are using an out of spec part, something is gonna fail sooner or later. You cant blame that on a piston kit for a receiver not being built right. Canted FSB, again if it wasnt assembled properly you cant blame the kit for not working. Also it doesnt need a FSB to function, i have mine on a low pro pinned gas block tucked under a handguard and it works just fine. Havent had a problem(yet).

Yes you can blame the kit when comparing it to a kit that  can compensate for out of spec or improperly installed factory parts.

An AA system does not "compensate" for an out of spec FSB because it REPLACES it, altogether, with their own. Assuring an "in spec" gas block is not the intention, it's required (as it's proprietary and necessary for their kit to function). All piston kits rely on your AR using "in spec" parts, I'm not aware of any that are "adjustable" to correct anything otherwise.

Thanks for all of your input! I guess I will stay stock for now. I just ran (yesterday)  200 rounds each of 5.56 and 7.62x39 through a new AR put together, and a very clean AK that has been in the safe for awhile. All things considered they both looked ok. Ran a Bore Snake and some Gun Scrubber and compressed air through both of them, wiped them down and back in the safe they went. I'll save the money to spend on ammo.Again, thanks for all of your insight. 44

It does compensate for it BY replacing it . The current argument doesn't really  matter the Osprey system is fading from favor .

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compensate

to provide something good as a balance against something bad or undesirable : to make up for some defect or weakness. :

I was considering buying an Osprey piston kit until I looked at the price.  

5% off arfcom store this weekend

It's being a "bolt on" gas block has NOTHING to do with it being "adjustable", it has to do with it being "user friendly" to install. In fact, if you purchase a complete AA upper, it does not have a clamp on gas block, it has a pinned on gas block. I see what you are saying, being that it COULD be adjusted, but that's not it's intent. If your rifle is out of spec, NONE of the kits are designed for it. There is a "mil spec" for a reason, and the kits are designed to fit rifles within them.

Finally got my AR-15 running.

Osprey 416 Gas piston system.
Some details are too boring, pertinent details are:

20" barrel
Adjustable gas block

Some smithing was required because:

wanted a free float tube
I waned an adjustable gas block
I wanted as much of the piston system in the tube as possible

Found a carbon fiber large diameter free float tube.

The smithing required was a great learning experience. I found out about non-standard gas blocks and port alignment. The chosen gas block works as I wanted but required some changes in the dimpling for the set screws on the bottom of the barrel and the decision whether to dimple the port on the barrel or the gas block. Ultimately I dimpled the barrel since I had already dimpled the bottom. It should still function with a standard gas block if I ever sell it (not likely). The adjustable gas block would have functioned as the manufacturer intended if I had used a direct impingement system but because the Osprey 416 is a short stroke system, clearance of the piston to vent is important. The block chosen needed to be closer to the breech by about .150 and butt against the barrel to fit the Osprey. Once the dimpling was done the only other smithing adventure was to cut a channel in the barrel nut. for the joiner sleeve on the op rod. Job done.

I like the Osprey.
If you use there hand guard, installation is a diddle.
I would buy another in a heart beat.

Oh, I dislike direct impingement so none of my platforms is ever going to be setup that way.
I will post pictures in the pictures section.
BTW: I'm in CA land and one of the reasons for the free float tube was to eliminate the possibility of having a 'feature'. My rifle is 'featureless' so I can have a proper magazine release.

I may use something different next time for the sake of using something different.

Just got my CMT upper/lower with 18" Wylde White Oak barrel w/Osprey kit from NRA convention( $219 cash) back from ADCO.  Looks like the shit!!!! Can't wait to shoot it this weekend.

 




 

I have 28 in service on our Sheriff's Dept rifles.  16" patrol rifles and 11.5" SWAT rifles.  They run flawlessly!  Osprey was purchased by one of the original designers.  Customer service is much better now.

I have the 416, I dig it. I like the fact that it took less than 5 min to install and it offers the option to change out the gas block at anytime. It also is a low profile design that fits under some of the minimalist freefloat handguards. I put the Apex Machine Gator Grip on mine, pretty effin sweet.

I have had one on my set up and have about 2k rounds without any issues. Its not picky when it comes between any of the .223 cheap rounds (TulAmmo) up to the normal Mil-Spec 5.56. It has run it all including sub-sonic .223 (77gr and 55gr). Personally I like the fact that I don't have to adjust the system when it comes to different rounds.

I do have a CMMG .22 lr setup that operates flawlessly. Since it was a older kit, pre-pistion uppers, I had to modify the .22 bolt carrier to clear the protruding end of the piston rod....but nothing to do with the OPS-416 kit. I shoot super and sub-sonic .22 all day long. Unlike other brands....you have to turn off the gas system, this one is so simple because not only can't you adjust anything....it doesn't need it.

In my opinion, its a bit pricey, however you get what you pay for, right?.....I bought my used for a little over $200 but after the ease of installation and seeing how it performs my next build WILL contain the 416 kit. Not to mention like others posted, its totally reversible with no permanent mods to your gun.

As a side note, I live in the tidewater area of Virginia (Where Arc/Osprey Defense is now headquartered) and the Izzy (CEO) is extremely pleasant to deal with. He has tons of experience within the AR community (Engineer @ Bushmaster for 22+ years). He was actually concerned about how his product was performing in my gun (and issues with .22 conversion, described above) and was glad to hear that I got it working fine despite the issue not being from his product. He also curious to see how it performed with my suppressor and wanted any feedback I could offer.

I have owned a Sig 516, 2 AA uppers, and my parts franken AR with a OPs 416 NiB. The OPs is the only one I still own. The WROL EOW next Assault Weapons permanent ban scenario that I always plan on deals entirely with the idea of logistics and parts availability. The OPs 416 system is simple, robust, completely reliable, and reversible. No springs attached. Think about that. No springs. I highly reccomend spending the 20 bucks on a POF roller cam pin. If you don't want to spring for a NiB kit, at least get the Cam Pin and maybe spring for a Nib bolt. This sucker runs cleannnnnnnnnnn. It eats all ammo with ease. The handguard situation and price are the biggest draw backs. I have used both the AB Arms plastic HG and now a MI17P (expensive Xmas gift). I may switch to a MOE HG to lighten the load. The metal HG weighs a pound. Another note: the Apex Machine Gator Grip looks sick. They have 14inch rails on clearence for 165 bucks right now. Get yourself that barrel, the ops, that rail, and don't look back.

I installed one on a Bushy Carbon 15 many moons ago.  I ran it like a raped ape and it always begged for more.  I don't have the rifle anymore as my younger brother has it now, and he's running it like a raped ape.  If AA continues to shit on me, then I'm gonna ditch their rifles and start over, building my own using the Osprey Defense.  It's a great platform to go an extended amount of time with little to no maintenance and if it ever broke, it can be swapped back with little effort.