Ah so like with the Hawk it’s a transfer port with too much volume that robs the Osprey of power…
Trackers are popular in Scandinavia aren’t they? Why is that?
Ah so like with the Hawk it’s a transfer port with too much volume that robs the Osprey of power…
Trackers are popular in Scandinavia aren’t they? Why is that?
Its pretty much as Evert has said. Just think of it as a Sidelever Hawk Mk3. It is a relationship like the Mercury is to the Airsporter. I'm pretty sure that the piston can be swapped over.
If they had fitted the guns with a Vulcan sized cylinder instead of a Hawk sized one I'm sure they would have been more popular.
I bought a Viscount that somebody had cut the barrel on off here years ago. It is still here waiting for someone to collect it again. When they tried it before they couldn't get a scope to stay on it because they were using wrong profile mounts, so when they tightened the screws the mounts were lifting out of the grooves. I tried it with decent mounts and then just an old Bsa scope and that didn't move either.
A female friend of mine (Sadly dead now) used to like shooting with an Osprey, which used to tickle me as she was only 4 ft 10
Regarding some exported Ospreys, I was told they got the power down by drilling the piston head a bit to create more lost volume.
Cooler than Mace Windu with a FRO, walking into Members Only and saying "Bitches, be cool"
Evert has summed up the main differences very well. All I’d add is the later Trackers were fitted with Webley’s spring guide (instead of a rubber washer at the back of the spring) and a few other subtle differences, such as the cocking link fulcrum pin was changed from riveted ends to a top hat pin with a tiny circlip. The machined profile of the back block was also different on the Tracker.
The Ospreys were very slammy and low powered mostly due to those bronze composite piston rings, that wore down and ceased to create an air seal. As has been mentioned a Tracker Piston will fit which opens up options for fitting various parachute seals.
Cheers
Greg
I bought an Osprey with a broken barrel, There was no radius where the barrel was turned down for the threading, It was dropped and snapped!
Luckily I had a scrap Tracker action and unscrewed the short barrel and fitted thet one so I called it an Ospracker!!
The threaded broken barrel stub..
I bought the factory cammo'd Tracker from a mate, The sear had let go and snapped back sharpish, He ended up wanting it back as it was his first ever air rifle!!
I can't actually recall how the Osprey fired with the short barrel, I think I sold it last year at Melbourne so I can't actually try it to see!
John
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A most interesting thread, I too have often wondered about details of the Osprey / Tracker - Viscount evolution. I have an early Tracker in US-import "Barnett Spitfire" guise. Quirky for sure, but the elegant styling, compact size, sturdy build, and superb finish are compelling. I even find the trigger just fine for a sporting rifle.
This 1991 "Airgun World" article focused on the Tracker in Sweden. Apparently the fixed barrel, operational analogies with cartridge rifles, and not being German were additional selling points!
Last edited by MDriskill; 14-12-2023 at 12:39 PM.
I have a mint Osprey that I like having because when I first saw one Ratting down the dump it went off like zebedee and in those days I thought that was power !! anyway I like having it in my collection even though I probably will never shoot it
Though the Airsporter MK4 onwards and Mercury pistons are interchangeable, the Hawk2/3 Pistons and Osprey Pistons aren't, Guy.
The Hawk has a cocking lever slot in line with the piston sear cutout, the Osprey has the cocking lever slot at 90 degrees to the piston sear to accommodate the sidelever layout.
Yes, it's been said that Webley drilled a void into the front of the Osprey and Hawk Pistons to lower their power for the German market.Originally Posted by ggggr
All the best Mick
Cooler than Mace Windu with a FRO, walking into Members Only and saying "Bitches, be cool"
Ospreys can be fettled to shoot very well, like so many things British it's a collection of missed opportunies. Personally I love the heavy barrel, it was one of the Osprey's best features and I really don't like the Tracker. With the short barrel and pseudo silencer it's a sales exercise designed to appeal to young boys. (IMO)
Buying an older one with the tapered tap can be risky - if it has worn out of lateral alignment it takes a lot of skill to fit a new one. Vertical alignment is controlled by the plastic lever and is much easier to address. If the pellets are clipping it won't shoot worth a damn, and it's the principal cause of inaccuracy in any of these models. Shooting a pellet into a rolled up towel and inspecting it with a magnifier will quickly show if clipping is occurring.
i loved my tracker back in the day
Drilled out piston heads were used for the Osprey Supertarget with a longer weaker mainspring and ''lighter'' trigger spring; to reduce power and associated recoil. Not sure if it went below 6ft/lbs but if it went to Germany it would need proof marking. I worked there when the Osprey was introduced, also the Supertarget version; I don't recall proof marked ones, but they were exported for sure. Be interesting for our German or European members to look for examples.