AR buffers, springs, tubes

[Grizzlypeg]

Assuming you use the matching set of buffer, spring and tube, does it matter whether you put it on a carbine or a rifle? Is there any relationship between the buffer/spring/tube combo and gas system length? Or bolt weight?

 

[chemo]

It depends on your stock (carbine stocks vs rifle stocks)

then there are rifle buffer and spring vs carbine buffer and spring

 

[Boomer74]

Assuming you use the matching set of buffer/spring/tube, does it matter whether you put it on a carbine or a rifle?

Is there any relationship between the buffer/spring/tube combo and gas system length? Or bolt weight?

The answers to your questions revolve around what length of barrel you want/have, and what type of stock you have/want...

* IIRC, you might have problems running a rifle buffer/spring in a carbine stock. But I'm positive someone will correct me, even if I'm not wrong...

 

[Grizzlypeg]

* IIRC, you can use a carbine length buffer/spring/tube/& stock on a rifle-length gas system, but you might have problems running a rifle buffer-kit & stock on a carbine gas-system.
But I'm positive someone will correct me, even if I'm not wrong...

That's the part I'm curious about, whether the buffer "system" is in some way matched to the gas system, or whether its simply a compact vs full length receiver extension to accomodate various stocks.

I have some spart stocks / buffers and I would like to swap them around, so long as it doesn't cause any harm or malfunction to put the carbine stock on my rifle or vice versa (using the appropriate guts for the receiver extension of course).

 

[popcan]

Sort of related,

who sells tubes, castle nuts, end plates, springs etc if you need to start from scratch?

 

[DARKSTANG]

It depends on your stock (carbine stocks vs rifle stocks)

then there are rifle buffer and spring vs carbine buffer and spring

That pretty much sums it up. Lots of guys have put carbine stocks on the full sized AR's. As they have also gone the other way too. Looks funny, but none the less its been done and done alot.

 

[barsik]

it is a balancing act between the cartridge,chamber,leade,location of gas port,size of gas port,locking/unlocking of bolt and bolt carrier,weight of buffer, and strength of recoil spring.under ideal conditions the bolt comes back only far enough to toss an empty and strip off a fresh cartridge,then lock up in battery.the polymer tip on the buffer softens the shock at the end of travel inside the receiver extension if other variables have exceeded spring strength and buffer weight.also add in to the equation shorter barrels have the gas port closer to the bolt carrier.the cartridge has less time to shrink back after expanding during combustion before being extracted.moral of story is to use heavy as possible buffer/spring combination while keeping reliability at 100%.longer cycle time is easier on rifle components.

 

[Grizzlypeg]

Thanks. I wanted to try an adjustable carbine stock I have on my rifle length AR. I would of course swap the whole receiver extension, buffer / spring stock over.