The other day while cleaning the outside of my rifle I noticed that I could hear something moving inside of it.  And after 1/2 an hour of inspection I came to the conclusion that it was the buffer in my buttstock.  Lumpy told me it was probably the weights inside, that they had more than likely come "loose".  What does this mean?  And, is there any way to fix this?  Or am I stuck with it/have to replace it?  Thanks for the help guys.

They are supposed to be "loose" I can always hear the slight click of the weights inside a buffer if I remove it and shake it.  Or is it REALLY loud and was not this way before?

Yeah they move a bit then stop.  The thing is, I do not remember it before.    [:\]  

Like I said I just got the rifle and just now noticed it.  And it is not that loud, per say.  So you [b]know[/b] they are supposed to be "loose" in the buffer?  Thanks.

Yeah, take it out and shake it.

It should move back and forth.

Dude, I didnt say they [b]came[/b] loose, I just said that Ive noticed some of the different manufacturers have more rattle than others. LOL.

Sorry if I gave you that impression.  Thats why I said all my buffers make that noise to one degree or another.  I dont know if its variations in the size of the weights or what, but they all do it to some degree or another.  Thats why I didnt suggest a fix.  

Ive actually seen cheap aftermarket buffers with steel shot inside, sometimes held together by what looks like epoxy.  

LoL.  [:)]  

Sorry Lumpy...I have no idea why I typed "came loose" in my original post.  I realize that you did not say that.  I just related it wrong in the post I guess.  

But, if the rattle in the buffer is normal like you all say it is then I am ok with it.  I was just confudsed as to why my new AR rattled when I had only shot like 40 rounds out of it.  I was worried.  [:)]  I figured I had inadvertantly broken something.  

Thanks Lumpy for the help, and thanks to all who posted.    

Thats what I get for trying to think at 4am....

LoL.  Yeah, I know the feeling unfortunately.  Although I never really knew the feeling till college......

Has anyone every [i]disected[/i] a buffer?  I am interested on what one looks like inside.  No, I don't have one to take apart myself or I would have already done it.  Information like the mass of the floating weigh, free play of said floating weight, etc?  Thanks!

whisper

I have disected a buffer out of the same curiosity "Bushmaster A2" there are about 5 or so smoth rock hard wights in there "from what i can remember"[):)] but any how i noticed the rattle as well i think different manufacturers have different  substances in them i think i recall hearing about plastic weights probably Teflon...not sure...

So were the weights cylinders and all in a row or something different?  What is the actual purpose of the weights?  Do they have any function in semi other than to provide extra mass to slow down the carrier?  Why are they floating?  In auto, they "dead blow" when the bolt and carrier go into battery right?  To prevent carrier bounce?

Thanks!

I'll claim not to have the exact knowledge on the why and repeat what my coworker that went to Colt's armorer school just told me:

[b]the buffer has moving counterweights inside to keep the bolt carrier from bouncing back after it slams into battery[/b]

Makes sense....

Yep, sounds like a "dead blow" function to me!  So if you go really anal about everything, a person *could* make a buffer that was tuned with both mass and stroke to run into the front inside of the buffer at or slightly after the bolt locked to make the carrier just plain [i]stop[/i].  No sort of rebound or anything.  Of course, this would also be dependent on the ammo, because that would [s]change carrier speed[/s].  Carrier speed relating to this would just be controlled by the spring mostly, unless bounce from the back of the buffer tube comes into play.

 A person could also play with the weights to try and create harmonic cyclic rate, where the recoil back was equaled by the recoil forward into battery.  It would be something that would be relatively inexpensive to play around with.