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Posted: 2/16/2007 5:19:28 AM EDT
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Is the buffer supposed to rattle? My unmodified factory buffer rattles and it drives me nuts. The weights slide a little bit inside the buffer body, and when all else is quiet it causes the whole gun to gong a little when you tip it. I'm not talking about while shooting. Two, how do you know if you have the right buffer weight? Using the same lower (so the same buffer) I have a similar failure to feed with certain loads with a 6.8 upper and the factory .223 upper. Everything seems fine but the bolt doesn't pick up a new round. It's not the magazines, since they're different for the two calibers and they all do it anyway. Thanks! |
| Speaking of buffers, I noticed after my last range trip that the face of the buffer in my Bushmaster carbine shows battering marks from the buffer retaining pin. This was the first time firing it with the new M4 stock. Maybe it's just a soft buffer, because the back edges of the bolt carrier scratches it when closing the receiver. It's like a line of small pits, curving because of slight buffer rotation. Anybody seen this before? |
Not only do they all rattle, they have to rattle to work. The sliding weights are the whole concept behind the dead blow buffer.
The first thing you need to tell us is what receiver extension you are running. There is only one standard rifle system buffer. There are several carbine system buffers, and they should pretty much all function in any semi-auto. Some may be slightly less reliable than others, and some may allow more felt recoil than others, but they should all work 90+% of the time. |
It has been seen on these pages before. It is not a good thing. The buffer should never touch the buffer retaining pin when the rifle is assembled. The usual cause is a poorly machined receiver, so that the buffer retaining pin sits too far back. But if your rifle was fine with a fixed stock, and now has contact with the buffer face when using a collapsible stock, then I am at a loss as to what may have caused it. |
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'The buffer should never touch the buffer retaining pin when the rifle is assembled.' Had not thought about it like that, but that's right. And guess what? Taking a good look as the upper is closed, the buffer is visibly pushed back away from the pin. I'm left with the conclusion that the marks are from the bolt carrier. I pulled out the old M16A1 stock and buffer I was using before and looked at the buffer face. It has similar marks but full-circle. Now I'm thinking I need to de-burr the rear of the carrier. I don't see or feel anything on it but something's there. Thanks for helping me figure it out! |
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Thanks BattleRife. It's a rifle extension with an A2 buttstock. As to working 90% of the time, it always works except for two factory loads that don't feed at all, one in 6.8 and one in .223. Maybe it has nothing to do with the buffer, but the problem is the same with two different complete upper assemblies, and I was hoping to pin it on the rattle that I already don't like. It's not a big thing but then there's this forum of vast knowledge right at my fingertips... What about an Enidine hydraulic buffer? It would solve the rattle peeve but I'm not interested if it's going to afftect reliability. I actually bought one and tried it, but I had to use the forward assist several times after I installed it. I did that toward the end of the shoot when the rifle was dirtier, so maybe it's not fair to blame the buffer. It just seems like a solid weight would ram the bolt home harder. (My rifle is semiauto-only.) |
| if you're worried about the pin dings checkout Midways usa they have a m16 clinic recoil buffer pad or whatever it's called it goes on the buffer face. I have 1 I'll give you for $1+ postage cost. I discovered it won't work on stadard buffers as it makes them 1/4 to long and charging handle won't pull back far enuff to use/engage the bolt catch... so I guess it's for Car stocks with short buffer only. |
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