Whos the authority on these?  Should I avoid any specific supplier?  I know better than to buy no-name parts from the gun show.

Quoted: Whos the authority on these?  Should I avoid any specific supplier?  I know better than to buy no-name parts from the gun show.

Depends on the application. For a 14.5" or 16" carbine, I would recommend an H-Buffer. Only two manufacturers that I know of for them would be Colt or LMT. Both are of equal quality. The LMT generally sells for ~ $20. The Colt goes for ~ $30-$40 +. You do the math. Send Jason at JTAC Supply an e-mail for the LMT buffer.

For mid-Length and rifle length weapons. I wouldn't worry about it. Same thing with the spring regardless of barrel length. I've never heard anybody having any issue relating to the buffer spring so for those cases I would say order some RRA components from some place like ADCO. Good parts at a fair price.

I ran into one carbine where the gas port was too large, and there were some ejection problems (due to timing) that were solved by replacing the spring with the stronger Wolff Extra Power spring.  

But I have 6 carbines that run just fine with the stock springs.  I usually buy springs from Armalite, good quality and $2.50 a pop works for me.

Avoid the black plastic bb filled buffers.  I have seen some problems cured by swapping out for regular metal buffers.

Quoted: For mid-Length and rifle length weapons. I wouldn't worry about it. Same thing with the spring regardless of barrel length.

 Are you referring to having a spares?  How many rounds are springs good for?

Quoted: Quoted: For mid-Length and rifle length weapons. I wouldn't worry about it. Same thing with the spring regardless of barrel length.  Are you referring to having a spares?  How many rounds are springs good for?

No I was just saying that generally speaking with those types of weapons (mid-length and rifle length), nothing special (buffer or buffer spring wise) is generally required. Those parts from any reputable source should be fine.

As to how long do they last? Good question, I don't hear about those parts wearing out or breaking very often (matter of fact ever but I haven't been around AR nearly as long as a lot of other guys on this site) so I would worry about it too much. (again assuming you don't get some cheap plastic stuff from some unknown source)

cgv, Thanks.

Why is it called an H buffer?  Is there a different kind?  Is the only difference between CAR and full length the length of the spring?

The H Buffer is much heavier than the regular carbine buffer.  Used to slow cyclic rate for the 9mm AR's, but is also found by some to improve performance of 5.56 carbines, too.

CAR buffers (and H buffer) are shorter than the rifle buffer.  CAR springs are shorter, too.

Quoted: cgv, Thanks. Why is it called an H buffer?  Is there a different kind?  Is the only difference between CAR and full length the length of the spring?

No problem. H Buffer simply means "H"eavy Buffer. I started to type something out then figured it might be better to search out some threads that could probably explain it better than I could. here you go...

www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/buffers/

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=197354&page=2

Between these two threads (and the links within them) you should be able to learn everything you ever wanted to know about buffers and then some!

cgv, thanks again.  IIRC my RRA 6pos stock came with a buffer marked "H".