It seems like Spikes T2 is the item I am looking for, but I'm a cheapskate so maybe a plane H2 buffer will do (if there are any that don't cost as much as he T2). Kinda wondering if changing the buffer spring might be something to try too.

Before any Internet commandos get their panties in a bunch, I know I don't need to do this. All my lowers work just fine. I'm building an extra lower, and I figure I may as well use it to try out something different.

I guess my biggest question is what is the least expensive route to find a buffer and spring that will give me some alternative to the standard stuff? I'm looking to spend $30 or less.

KAK AR15 CONFIGURABLE BUFFER KIT



CONFIGURE AND TUNE YOUR BUFFER FOR YOU SPECIFIC NEEDS

USING DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF THE SUPPLIED PARTS

A = ALUM
S= STEEL
T = TUNGSTEN

A     A     A     1.7     OZ
S     A     A     2.2     OZ
A     S     S     2.6     OZ
S     S     S     3.0     OZ
T     A     A     3.0     OZ
T     S     S     3.8     OZ
A     T     T     4.3     OZ
S     T     T     4.7     OZ
T     T     T     5.6     OZ

Tactical Springs/SprinCo
"WHITE Spring" STANDARD
“BLUE Spring” ENHANCED
“RED Spring” EXTRA Power
"ORANGE Spring" The ONLY specifically engineered EXTRA POWER Buffer Spring for .308
"GREEN Spring" In addition to use in 5.56 Fixed Stock Rifles

While I am tempted by the KAK buffer I think I want to stick with a plain H2, or possibly T2, to save money. I would've already bought one if the shipping wasn't so much. So I need a nudge in the right direction.

You can buy just about any type of buffer from US sellers on ebay, most of them are with free shipping.

An H3, and a standard carbine buffer can be disassembled and reconfigured into an H1, and an H2 buffer. This allows you to try different weights with little expense. Similar to the KAK kit above,  only without the aluminum weights.

eBay is a joke now so I avoid them. It looks like they have banned the term "ar15" and the search results are very few and almost certainly Chinese junk. I hope they go out of business.

Spikes T2 mentioned is powdered tungsten.  It has solved every problem I needed solved.  Last time Optics planet ran a sale, I bought two just to have a spare hanging on my hook.  I don't remember where I put the other one..................I need to go look.

Well I don't know I have purchased quite a bit of vintage AR and M16 gear off there in the last couple of years, like stocks, triangle handguards, sights and such and I have been able to search for stuff with no problem, they have not banned the term ar15, but many sellers are no longer listing their stuff as just ar15 stuff, they have become more specific in how they list stuff.

I just bought another Ballistic Advantage barrel off there tonight for less than a hundred bucks and have picked up two used Colt marked barrels in the last 3 months off ebay with no problem at all, in fact I just checked for "Spikes Buffer" and it returned a couple buffer tubes, a Spikes wrench and a couple of Spikes buffer springs.

The stuff is still on there, you just have to know how to look for it.  As far as going out of business, that ain't going to happen.

Just checked and searched for ar15 and it returned over 5000 items.  So the term AR15 has not been banned.

I have carbine H1 H2 STT2 and 9mm buffers and various Sprinco springs.

What are you looking to do?

I stumbled upon a good deal on this, $39.95 with free shipping. If anyone else is interested it's at https://apocarmory.com and you get $10 off with discount code "buffer".

Watch out! I bought a POS buffer off eBay advertised as H2, the rubber snubber on the end was soft enough that my gas key was hitting the rear of the lower. Never again!

Due diligence and common sense are important skills to possess.

Okay so I got the buffer kit which is nice. Once again I'm having roll pin issues. Roll pins and I don't get along, at least not new ones. I have the proper hammer and punches, but can't get the damn thing started. Is there any other way to pin these in? I think I'm just gonna drill the holes a bit bigger.

Todd a lot of us have told you how to install these, stop fighting it, change the end taper with a needle file and put a bit of lubricant on it...  It is not difficult.

Fine! I've ordered some vice grips and a file set. I hates roll pins.

Todd,

I found out a long time ago, swimming up river is a hell a lot harder that swimming down river!

Talk about "different"...

If you really want to get into the tuned OS game to see what they can do, you're talking adjustable gas, lightweight BC, flat wire springs, AND lighter buffers. Done right you can tune muzzle rise down to almost zero and still retain acceptable reliability. It's not for the cheap or the faint of heart. And there's plenty of people here who will tell you that it will cause your stick to explode and give you erectile dysfunction.  

I'm loving mine. I can stitch targets with full power rounds like I was holding a 10/22.  Walk on the wild side.