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Posted: 6/13/2008 9:01:14 AM EDT
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I've seen alot of folks recommend a heavy carbine buffer, especially to address cycling problems associated with short barrels or suppressors. Are there any disadvantages to a heavy buffer? Will it accelerate wear? Could it actually cause cycling problems? ETA: So I'm thinking I'll probably get an H3 buffer through Bravo Company but I gotta know - Is there any compelling reason that I can't just drive out the roll pin on a standard carbine buffer and drop in some fishing weights or tire weights in place of one or more steel weights? |
I run a 9mm buffer (the heaviest) in my carbine and it has been wonderful. No ill effects whatsoever and it never short-strokes even on Wolf or .223 loads with light bullets (50 gr). A heavy buffer in a rifle with a carbine length gas system is almost always money well spent. I think I paid about $24 for mine from PK. Never looked back!  ETA- I wasn't having any reliability issues prior to getting the buffer, but only wanted to make the rifle run smoother and cleaner. The 9mm buffer accomplished both with no loss of reliability.
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Yes, it can induce short stroking in an undergasses rifle with weak ammo. It can also cause a large INCREASE in recoil when used in certain piston systems. In my LWRC it has the opposite effect on recoil as it does in a DI rifle... a large INCREASE in recoil vs a H buffer, H2, or Enidine, all of which are lighter. No, it will not accelerate wear, it might reduce wear. You will never notice anything though either way. Yes, it can cause short stroking if the rifle is undergassed or is running to stiff a recoil spring with underpowered ammo (like Wolf 55 grain FMJ). |
| Here is one way that I look at running teh 9mm buffer. It is about the same weight as the standard rifle buffer. So it is closer to the weight the original design calls for. If you are running a carbine you have higher gas pressure to begin with so why not run a buffer that is closer to original weight? |
That is the very same exact thing I was thinking. Well put. A wise man told me it wasn't necessary to run a standard buffer in a carbine. But, I can't see why something closer to the original would be bad, when there is actually MORE gas pressure than the rifle. |
| Thanks for the answers, guys. I think I'll go with the 9mm buffer. In case it matters, the rifle it's going on is a RRA with 16" barrel and SureFire FA556AR. SureFire says their can shouldn't affect function at all but it did cause problems on another RRA rifle with 16" tube that I had it on first. The rifle (extractor) was probably borderline to start with. It was extracting rounds okay but failing to eject them and still stripping a new round from the mag. This is with wolf and with M855 fired after the wolf but not with the M855 fired before the wolf. All one range session. |
| I've recently learned that the Enidine is the best of all worlds when it comes to buffers with & without a can attached to the end of the pipe with my 16>10.3's. I'm sure this is the case as well with other similar buffer types. I have no use for my carbine-9mm buffers anymore. |
The Enidine is the one with interchangeable weights, right? Is there any reason I wouldn't want the heaviest buffer? I usually just use M855, the only reason I put wolf through it was that my friend had some that day. |
They are made in carbine & rifle length for 5.56 & .308 now. Actually, if you have a carbine buffer & it works then no reason to change. I prefer the Enidine now because I bought one to test it in my SBR's with a can. Very nice results & I'm not going back to the standard buffer after shooting with one. Do what works for you but I have no need for standards buffers anymore. |
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The 9mm Buffer was one of the best 25dollar part I added to my 14.5 M4 Besides a Aimpoint I could tell right offf the bat, Big difference in FELT recoil !!!! My Barrel dont JUMP off my range bag like my Back Up M4 14.5 with H buffer HEAVY BUFFER HEAVY BULLETS 75/77gr OTM Like to try MGI BUFFER they are ahead of the times |
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