gas piston retrofit kit

[KEVWYO]

Bushmaster is now offering (in May anyways) a gas piston retrofit kit. How hard do you think this would be to install? Better handled by a gunsmith or Bushmaster?

Bushmaster - Parts & Accessories - Upper Receiver/Barrel Assemblies

[ARin]

probably better handled by bushmaster....more likely that they will honor any warrantee if installed by them also.

as for me, my upper is getting shipping to primaryweapons.com (PWS) tomorrow for their piston retrofit.

[Dhunter55]

Me likes this one for $299.

They're now taking orders from civilian customers.

Gaspiston.com Home of Osprey Defense AR15 M16 Gas Piston Conversion kit

[eyesopened]

Originally Posted by Dhunter55

Me likes this one for $299.

They're now taking orders from civilian customers.

Gaspiston.com Home of Osprey Defense AR15 M16 Gas Piston Conversion kit

It's wierd why they initially limited to LE and Military. It's not like the conversion increases the lethality of the AR platform. Never mind, just read some stuff on their site, and they say they only sold to LE/Military initially to get the product out to the folks who need it most.

[Krackels]

I've looked at the kits. I find it hard to justify a $400 add on part to convert your rifle to gas-piston operation.

I'd be more likely to shell out the bucks to buy a gas-piston upper w/ bcg.

[Liquid Rhino]

Originally Posted by Krackels

I find it hard to justify a $400 add on part to convert your rifle to gas-piston operation.

Well stated Krackels. I'm not into gas piston conversions either. They seem to be all the tacticool rage now. Sure it's a little cleaner, but wouldn't you still try and clean your rifle after every shoot anyway? And for $400 you have an extra moving part to further mess with accuracy. No thanks... On the flipside, lots of folks are talkin' wonders about the PWS kit that ARin mentioned...

IMHO, If you were to buy a factory rifle that specifically wasn't designed for DI, such as a Sig, FN or ACR that's a different story altogether... plus you'd have ANOTHER rifle to play with (when's that a bad thing? )

[KEVWYO]

Originally Posted by Liquid Rhino

Well stated Krackels. I'm not into gas piston conversions either. They seem to be all the tacticool rage now. Sure it's a little cleaner, but wouldn't you still try and clean your rifle after every shoot anyway? And for $400 you have an extra moving part to further mess with accuracy. No thanks... On the flipside, lots of folks are talkin' wonders about the PWS kit that ARin mentioned...

IMHO, If you were to buy a factory rifle that specifically wasn't designed for DI, such as a Sig, FN or ACR that's a different story altogether... plus you'd have ANOTHER rifle to play with (when's that a bad thing? )

I think the conversions are "all the tacticool rage" now because HK showed it was not only a good idea in terms of improving reliability, increasing the life of the weapon, and in reducing the amount of carbon fouling. I don't know about you guys but cleaning an AR used to be fun but now I consider it more like shaving .... when I first had the weapon I cleaned it every chance I could now I do it only because I have to. If the gas piston makes cleaning considerably easier or even lets a guy shoot a bunch more before he has to clean the weapon ... well I am one guy who says RIGHT ON!!!

Somebody educate me if I am too far off base here but is there really that big of a diference between retro fitting a piston kit versus when the manufacturer is putting the weapon together? I seriously doubt it.

An email back from Bushmaster today said their kit is $399 and that includes installing it. Based on what I could read on the PWS that may be the case as well.

By the way, not to beat my chest too much but when this whole topic of gas piston versus the gas impingement system starting making the gun forum boards several years ago I was one who said this will be "the thing" in the AR world. Despite the fact that elite units like the SEAL's were asking for them many said it would pass. Now here these piston systems are being offered up to us civi's and I am lovin' it! Now before I get flammed too much I will admit that for the military outside of the elite type units to get piston operated weapons will take a good long time. But mark my words they will be standard at some point down the line.

[Dhunter55]

Originally Posted by Krackels

I've looked at the kits. I find it hard to justify a $400 add on part to convert your rifle to gas-piston operation.

I'd be more likely to shell out the bucks to buy a gas-piston upper w/ bcg.

I'd consider it an "upgrade" rather than just an "add-on." I'm not made of money so in comparing the cost of a new gas piston upper to upgraded parts for an existing AR, to achieve similar results, I'll opt for the upgrade @ $299. Each to his own I suppose.

[ARin]

Originally Posted by Liquid Rhino

I'm not into gas piston conversions either. They seem to be all the tacticool rage now. Sure it's a little cleaner, but wouldn't you still try and clean your rifle after every shoot anyway?

tacticool has nothing to do with it, and those of you that believe piston conversions or piston ARs in general are nothing but "tacticool" must not understand a thing about them.

I am a left handed shooter, shooting a 10.5 inch SBR, suppressed. This means my face is shotgunned with hot gas and particles....If i even pulled the trigger ONCE without protective glasses, im pretty sure i would be blind in my right eye.

[Liquid Rhino]

Originally Posted by KEVWYO

...If the gas piston makes cleaning considerably easier or even lets a guy shoot a bunch more before he has to clean the weapon ... well I am one guy who says RIGHT ON!!!

Somebody educate me if I am too far off base here but is there really that big of a diference between retro fitting a piston kit versus when the manufacturer is putting the weapon together? I seriously doubt it...

... But mark my words they will be standard at some point down the line.

You're right KEVWYO, I would agree that a retrofit isn't really much of a difference on an already modular platform. I was trying to point out that value wise, it might make more sense financially to purchase it while 'building another rifle from parts' or buying a complete rifle that already has a gas piston system, but I'm in no way against them & am always happy to hear I got less to clean. Hell, I have an ACR on order... Perhaps my wording came across wrong.

Gas Pistons may very well just be the standard in the near future - and that's a good thing for everyone.

Originally Posted by ARin

I am a left handed shooter, shooting a 10.5 inch SBR, suppressed. This means my face is shotgunned with hot gas and particles....If i even pulled the trigger ONCE without protective glasses, im pretty sure i would be blind in my right eye.

I'm a lefty, too. Believe me ARin, I can clearly see the benefits of the Piston system & am not trying to downplay them at all, perhaps my writing comes across that way (it's hard to exude proper 'tone' in typing). I was just posting my opinion in my case of the 'real-world' value I'd get for the $400 based on my shooting habits - in that sense it would only serve to make my AR 'cooler', but not in practice or legitimate need.

I know for a fact I don't have anywhere near respectable experience you have with AR's, based on your various and informative posts here as well m4carbine & arfcom, I'm still much of a newbie when it comes to this - it's simply my personal opinion.

I've only shot my AR on a few occasions without any protective gear; I can't say it's pleasant, but I'd say it depends on the person when it comes to 'blinding' based on many factors (postion relational to body, dominant eye, AR build, etc..) The shorty build would definately add to the blast, for sure. In your case a gas piston would certainly make more sense because of the suppressor and it's ability to easily handle different cycling pressures effectively, plus it would certainly help keeping your shorty's kick in check.