Osprey Defense makes big claim
Issuing pressing a press release is one thing but actually selling to the Army or Marines is another! The press release, dated 15 December 2009, infers that their product can deliver 10,000 mean rounds between failure (emphasis added)...
SARASOTA, Fla., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The 40-year-old problems of the M16 / AR15 / M4 rifle are now a thing of the past. In testing Osprey Defense, LLC has been able to install their OPS-416 system in under 4 minutes followed by firing more than 10,000 rounds without cleaning through an ordinary M16 rifle without failure. This is unprecedented from any firearm and even more amazing considering it requires no modification of the original gun.
Osprey Defense, LLC, www.GasPiston.com, a Florida based Limited Liability Company, has spent the last 3 years dedicated to developing a robust yet deceptively simple solution to the problem plaguing US Military's standard rifle platform. The M16 has historically been a less than reliable platform due to the deposits of hot gasses, carbon and debris in the critical operating areas of the rifle which cause malfunctions.
The Osprey Defense OPS-416 family of user installable gas-piston conversion systems is the solution to this problem. The company demonstrates it extensively on their website where you can watch demonstrations of the system being blasted with high-pressure sand which is enough to cut concrete, yet the rifle still runs. In another demonstration they buried a rifle using a 17-ton excavator, ground it into the earth, then dug it out caked with dirt, and the rifle still ran.
After millions of rounds of testing and an aggressive law enforcement agency and military Test and Evaluation program, the system is being made available today via their website and dealer/distributor network. New dealer opportunities are still available according to the company.
[ Many thanks to Morten for sending me the press release ]
Is BATF going to go after anyone who buys this system because of the bolt, calling it a “Machine gun part?”
Love these “torture tests”… for my next product, I’m gonna bury it in chocolate mousse and have a school of midgets do the river dance on top of it.
The biggest problem I have with M16/AR15 piston systems (original design or retrofit) is that you have to use the standard two-piece handguards. I prefer the free-float tubes/rails. Or have they solved that problem already?
Osprey makes a nice kit, but like most gas piston setups they have compatibility issues with free float handguards. While their kit is low profile and will easily fit under most tubes, any handguard that uses a replacement barrel nut (like the Yankee Hill ones, for example) will interfere with the travel of the piston.
The company themselves recommend the Midwest Industries gas piston compatible free float handguard, and to my knowledge a couple of other major manufacturers like Daniel Defense have a piston-compatible rail system as well.
In my opinion this is one of the better piston kits on the market.
Those are some bold claims indeed. Not that I’m a cyncial man, but video tape evidence isn’t really evidence in my eyes.
Still, you have to admire their marketing ‘man parts’ for making such audacious boasts about their products. It’s certainly caught my eye, especially as I thought an Osprey was a helicopter that liked to crash alot.
As usual, I’ll wait for a more independent source to verify their claims.
Is it just me or does Ospray seem to want us to think they were first to come up with a piston upper conversion kit?
Anyone know what an LWRC or POF is rated at for failure without cleaning?
Hmm… how long till H&K sues for calling it something-416?
I dont see the military buying these upgrades in the press release. But they could be testing some as a cheap up grade to M-4A2 requirments set last month by the Army. The Military dosnt use Free Floating handguards and use quad rail forarmsthat are same internalk specs as standerd plastic M-16 and M-4 plastic handguards. So this system will still work any way even with a Knights Armament handguards. And there alot of units who use plastic hand guards too. Especillay in the USAF, Navy, and Coast Guard.
I think this system too can be added to M-4 that have a mil spec front sight. So conversions are easier and cheaper than buying 416s and have tons of GI carry handels which now are useless.
@Carl – wow, I think your website would get a lot of hits.
They have showed part of their tests in an ar15.com thread. The thread can be found on the AR Piston section of the forum. There is a guy who is representing Osprey there and he really answers all the questions made.
Actually what I found most incredible of this piston system is that it’s valveless and self-regulating. It requires no adjustment when used with a supressor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egf8M9vIE4M
There was an argument over Osprey Defense marketing on AR15.com few months back. Someone pointed to vuurwapenblog which the owner is also a member of AR15.com.
Good Read.
Piston Education:
http://vuurwapenblog.com/2009/10/21/the-failed-promise-of-the-piston-ar-15-conversion/
On Osprey Defense marketing:
http://vuurwapenblog.com/2009/10/22/osprey-defense-scuba-test-questionable-methods/
http://vuurwapenblog.com/2009/10/29/osprey-defense-a-new-level-of-something/
BTW, is anybody having problems to access ar15.com?