Bushmaster gas piston retrofit conversion kit???

[texasfrog]

Anyone out there have any experience bushmaster's gas piston retrofit conversion kit?

Im looking for some first hand evaluations if you have them.

[Robb Jensen]

The Bushmaster is an ARES kit (same company who makes the Shrike). I had one on a 11.5" upper and it lasted less than 600 rounds on full-auto. It does appear that it's changed slightly with Bushmaster. Their kit includes a brace which takes some of the load off of the spigot (which should help it out a lot).

On the system I had the vibration cause the gas tube roll pin to walk out. Then the spigot moved during firing and bent the op rod.

[texasfrog]

Thanks for the info man!
So now that they added the brace, would you recommend one?
Was the 600 rounds u shot all in one sitting??
My wep won't be full auto due to me living in liberal shithole CA so Im sure that will change things a bit as far as the life of the kit

[Seth Harness]

I also have one, it works quite well after a few personally engineered up-grades.

[texasfrog]

Seth,
Did you have to modify or did you choose to modify yours?

[Robb Jensen]

Thanks for the info man!
So now that they added the brace, would you recommend one?
Was the 600 rounds u shot all in one sitting??
My wep won't be full auto due to me living in liberal shithole CA so Im sure that will change things a bit as far as the life of the kit

I haven't shot one with a brace but looking at it, it's an improvement. Yes the 600 rounds was one sitting. ARES fixed the kit and I later traded it off. I installed it on a guys upper and tapped the gas block roll pin hole with a 4-40 set screw and tapped the spigot as well and it's holding up for him well. For the same $400 I consider the PWS (www.primaryweapons.com) a much better system as long as the gas block is pinned.

[Seth Harness]

Seth,
Did you have to modify or did you choose to modify yours?

Both,

I got tired of replacing gas tube roll pins so I made a bracket to sit on top of the bobbed FSB to back the spigot to take the punishment. I also didnt like the way the spring (surrounding the op-rod) sat against the barrel nut so I made an op-rod bushing to back that spring also.

...The carrier tilt issue was fixed with a custom part that is going through the patent process right now.

I couldnt have lived with the issues nor would have the gun. Its hard to have something in my possesion that I know can be better and not fix it. Im sure gotm4 will tell you the same. :D

[texasfrog]

Gotm4 & Seth,
Thanks for the info, I'm having one sent out from BM to T&E, and I'm gonna get the PWS setup as well. It's worth a try...

Mike

[Seth Harness]

Gotm4 & Seth,
Thanks for the info, I'm having one sent out from BM to T&E, and I'm gonna get the PWS setup as well. It's worth a try...

Mike

Cool, good luck, keep us posted.

[ST911]

Both,I got tired of replacing gas tube roll pins so I made a bracket to sit on top of the bobbed FSB to back the spigot to take the punishment. I also didnt like the way the spring (surrounding the op-rod) sat against the barrel nut so I made an op-rod bushing to back that spring also. ...The carrier tilt issue was fixed with a custom part that is going through the patent process right now. I couldnt have lived with the issues nor would have the gun. Its hard to have something in my possesion that I know can be better and not fix it. Im sure gotm4 will tell you the same. :D

I've like to learn more about your mods. Take some pics and start a new thread?

[Seth Harness]

I've like to learn more about your mods. Take some pics and start a new thread?

There were threads on some of the mods but I lost my pics from photobucket and the other I couldnt post for legal reasons (to protect my part). Ill post threads in do time.

Sorry texasfrog, back on topic.

[texasfrog]

No worries bro, now I'd like to see those pics, it sparked my interest!