Had a chance to get out and try the new buffer...I did not really notice much of a change in recoil,..not that there is much anyway..but the ejected cartridges landed in a neat pile at 4 oclock....definetely worth it ...
Heavy carbine buffers, ..worth it ?
- Thread starter SA85M1
- Start date
Moparman1303
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
H2 Buffer FTW!
You may not "need" to change your buffer but it's nice to fine tune your rifle. If you can slow down the bolt and the rifle remains reliable then you are reducing wear and tear on the rifle as well since the bolt carrier and buffer won't be slamming into the back of the buffer tube as hard.
Just be sure to try it with all types of ammo you may shoot before you go and sell off your standard carbine buffer.
I have a Spikes heavy buffer and an Enidine hydraulic buffer and even though it's a little weird when you use the charge handle to lock the bolt back or cycle it by hand the hydraulic buffer has made my 12 inch 223 AR shoot like a 22LR. It's so smooth now. The Spikes heavy buffer also makes the rifle feel a little softer and smoother. Neither was needed since the rifle worked perfectly with the standard buffer but it is nicer to shoot now.
Same goes for swapping out your semi auto bolt carrier for the heavier full auto carrier. Might not be needed on most rifles but it will smooth it out a little. Just keep in mind that all the little bit of weight here and there can start adding up fast and the lighter your rifle is the nicer it is to shoot when you are running around shooting freehand (if you do 3-gun). Sometimes finding a stiffer buffer spring can do the same thing without the weight penalty.
Just be sure to try it with all types of ammo you may shoot before you go and sell off your standard carbine buffer.
I have a Spikes heavy buffer and an Enidine hydraulic buffer and even though it's a little weird when you use the charge handle to lock the bolt back or cycle it by hand the hydraulic buffer has made my 12 inch 223 AR shoot like a 22LR. It's so smooth now. The Spikes heavy buffer also makes the rifle feel a little softer and smoother. Neither was needed since the rifle worked perfectly with the standard buffer but it is nicer to shoot now.
Same goes for swapping out your semi auto bolt carrier for the heavier full auto carrier. Might not be needed on most rifles but it will smooth it out a little. Just keep in mind that all the little bit of weight here and there can start adding up fast and the lighter your rifle is the nicer it is to shoot when you are running around shooting freehand (if you do 3-gun). Sometimes finding a stiffer buffer spring can do the same thing without the weight penalty.
When it comes to buffers, carrier weight and gas system length isn't there an ideal setup for everything and it isn't just an easy drop in fix like "hey put in an H2 and it will be better no matter what".
I'm under the impression that there is somewhat of a perfect mix and this is where one must hit the books and do the research when it comes to upgrading these parts from stock.
You could technically just take a 20" rifle and chop and barrel/gas system down to a 10" and it will run but it wouldn't be ideal and you may run into over gassing/bolt bounce issues among other things.
I don't think it's black and white like some here are saying. There is ideal weights of buffers & carriers for X barrel length and Y gas system. The purpose the rifle is to be used for and the reliability you want out of it all come into play. That 20" rifle with a rifle buffer and chopped to 10" gas system/barrel might run fine on semi-auto but jam the second it goes full-auto.
While the latter isn't a concern, if you want a "milspec" reliable rifle these are all things you need to look into. I'm no expert but I don't think you can just drop in heavier buffers and expect things to be "better".
So many angles to this, over gas and your blowing excessive crud into the receiver along with wearing down parts faster, not enough and you won't have reliability. Dwell time, gas port size, etc are all things one must look at.
I'm under the impression that there is somewhat of a perfect mix and this is where one must hit the books and do the research when it comes to upgrading these parts from stock.
You could technically just take a 20" rifle and chop and barrel/gas system down to a 10" and it will run but it wouldn't be ideal and you may run into over gassing/bolt bounce issues among other things.
I don't think it's black and white like some here are saying. There is ideal weights of buffers & carriers for X barrel length and Y gas system. The purpose the rifle is to be used for and the reliability you want out of it all come into play. That 20" rifle with a rifle buffer and chopped to 10" gas system/barrel might run fine on semi-auto but jam the second it goes full-auto.
While the latter isn't a concern, if you want a "milspec" reliable rifle these are all things you need to look into. I'm no expert but I don't think you can just drop in heavier buffers and expect things to be "better".
So many angles to this, over gas and your blowing excessive crud into the receiver along with wearing down parts faster, not enough and you won't have reliability. Dwell time, gas port size, etc are all things one must look at.
Exactly.
There is an optimum setup for every barrel length and gas system length combination in relation to recoil spring strength, buffer weight and bolt weight. Most will function but most can be improved upon.
This is why most guys who are kinda new to AR's who buy a 16-20 inch rifle then decide they want a 10 inch end up having issues, they only changed the barrel and gas system and didn't properly balance the system.
The times you can drop in a heavier buffer and see improvements is when the system was out of balance in the first place.
In my case with my 12 inch PWS installing the heavier buffer I may have seen an improvement with the ammo I am using but if I swap to a lighter load I may see a decrease in reliability that would have cycled fine with the original buffer.
Many factors to consider, it's not just a case of dropping in a heavy buffer and all of a sudden having a smoother cycling rifle.
All to say that's when you really need to put in the work to building an AR. If you wanna make a rock solid reliable 10" gun , you need to look up all sorts of data and reviews for parts that apparently address whatever issue it is you're trying to remedy. This is where most guys eff up.
Sometimes it's best to stick to tried and true standards and the config they were put out from the factory with.
Sometimes it's best to stick to tried and true standards and the config they were put out from the factory with.
