When to Use a Heavy Buffer...

[josh2600]

not worried about recoil at all, just proper cycling which i will find out once everything is assembled.

Yea, my bad. Your op didn't really sink in. Since you were asking about heavier buffers, I just assumed you were looking for recoil reduction.

 

[JCV]

Yea, my bad. Your op didn't really sink in. Since you were asking about heavier buffers, I just assumed you were looking for recoil reduction.

I don't really know much about them. I always assumed they were used for proper cycling with different length gas systems. Didn't know they were recoil reducers as well.

 

[ColdDayInHell]

Here's your simple guideline:

1) Rifle does not reliably chamber the next round or even fails to extract the previous round -> lower the buffer weight

2) Rifle does reliably chamber round -> try next higher buffer weight

The main reason to change a buffer to a heavier one on a rifle that does currently chamber the next round is to reduce the felt recoil and make follow up shots smoother.

Not locking back (bolt open) on an empty mag can sometimes be related to a buffer that is too light, but the gun would still reliably chamber the next round everytime.

Whatever you do, test it with multiple types of ammo. As in any kind you would normally buy. Just because it works nice with AE XM193 doesn't mean it will necessarily work with Tulammo 55gr. I like my rifles to run any ammo so I make sure I don't go too heavy.

Pretty much, this. Usually heavier buffers you can't go wrong with IME, but try this method first.

 

[xtry51]

We've seen plenty of oversized gas ports here on NES, so it doesn't hurt to spend a couple bucks and see if it makes a big difference.

I've personally shot someone else's rifle that had an oversized gas port and a standard buffer. The sound and feel of the BCG/buffer slamming backwards was horrendous.

 

[Supermoto]

We've seen plenty of oversized gas ports here on NES, so it doesn't hurt to spend a couple bucks and see if it makes a big difference.

I've personally shot someone else's rifle that had an oversized gas port and a standard buffer. The sound and feel of the BCG/buffer slamming backwards was horrendous.

And on the other end I have shots gun with buffer that were too heavy, causing the gun to dip when the bcg slammed home. Its all about tuning the gun. One of my rifles has a .6oz buffer

 

[ColdDayInHell]

And on the other end I have shots gun with buffer that were too heavy, causing the gun to dip when the bcg slammed home. Its all about tuning the gun. One of my rifles has a .6oz buffer

JFC.

 

[Smokewagon]

I would add to much of the good advice above about using the heaviest buffer you can that will allow for reliability while dirty.

A gun that runs a heavy buffer perfectly in the first hundred rounds may crap out on you after 500 rounds with no cleaning.

 

[tysdad115]

Great info in this thread. Thank you. Here's a question, my wifes AR, 20" rifle length with rifle buffer shoots and cycles fine but every case hits the shell deflector so hard it dents them substantially just below the neck. Will trying a heavier buffer slow the bolt down enough to not damage the brass?

 

[Smokewagon]

Great info in this thread. Thank you. Here's a question, my wifes AR, 20" rifle length with rifle buffer shoots and cycles fine but every case hits the shell deflector so hard it dents them substantially just below the neck. Will trying a heavier buffer slow the bolt down enough to not damage the brass?

It could, yes.

 

[xtry51]

Great info in this thread. Thank you. Here's a question, my wifes AR, 20" rifle length with rifle buffer shoots and cycles fine but every case hits the shell deflector so hard it dents them substantially just below the neck. Will trying a heavier buffer slow the bolt down enough to not damage the brass?

It might, but frankly the dents don't matter even for reloading. The case will fire form out.

 

[wolfenkraft]

What rifle do you have? Most modern 16" black rifles use a carbine length tube. The rifle length tube is almost exclusively used on 18 & 20" rifles.

I would start with the buffer, I seriously doubt you need to change the tube or use a spacer.


EDIT: Just re-read the op & you contradict yourself. Either it's carbine or rifle but not both.

I built my lower, it's a spikes tactical 16" carbine upper. I put a full a2 rifle stock on for MA AWB compliance.

 

[wolfenkraft]

We've seen plenty of oversized gas ports here on NES, so it doesn't hurt to spend a couple bucks and see if it makes a big difference.

I've personally shot someone else's rifle that had an oversized gas port and a standard buffer. The sound and feel of the BCG/buffer slamming backwards was horrendous.

Yeah the feeling of the buffer/BCG hitting the back is pretty jarring. So, what's the best option here?

 

[tysdad115]

It might, but frankly the dents don't matter even for reloading. The case will fire form out.

Thanks, that was my concern.

 

[xtry51]

Thanks, that was my concern.

I've reloaded some ugly cases. You'll get neck cracks well before a deflector dent will cause a failure.

I've also fire formed cases myself like .270 into Ackley Improved. The change is substantial and the brass is fine. I bet Dean Crawford has done some pretty ridiculous fire forming. Maybe I can dig up a pic the .270s I did before and after somewhere.

 

[5months]

I built my lower, it's a spikes tactical 16" carbine upper. I put a full a2 rifle stock on for MA AWB compliance.

Also running an a2 rifle buffer&tube on a 16" though mine is mid length gas. So far so good, though I haven't done the 500 rounds dirty test yet.

 

[wolfenkraft]

Also running an a2 rifle buffer&tube on a 16" though mine is mid length gas. So far so good, though I haven't done the 500 rounds dirty test yet.

I meant to get a mid length and ordered the wrong one.