Wear on buffer face

AR-15 » Troubleshooting

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Posted: 8/12/2005 3:47:34 PM EDT

I've read the FAQ and threads on buffer wear, but this one has me baffled. This buffer is from a brand new from the factory Colt LE6520 that has ~400 round through it. It is NOT the buffer retainer that's doing this, and there are no burrs or rough spots on the back of the carrier.

Only things I can think of are:

- Bottom rear edges of the Colt half-circle carrier are digging into the buffer when it rides back and forth and the face is not perfectly vertical or normal with respect to the BC

and/or

- Receiver or buffer tube are slightly out of spec and therefore not aligned with BC's travel.

Any ideas?

Posted: 8/12/2005 3:53:53 PM EDT

[#1]

I have a couple of full stock type buffers that are worn like that but both have high round counts through them. Maybe finish maybe metal treatment maybe gun justs cycles 100% and takes a little more of a beating because of it.

Posted: 8/12/2005 3:56:55 PM EDT

[#2]

I should add that the gun has been 100% functional. This is really a neurotic cosmetic issue to me - I'm used to nice slick actions on my Colt carbines and no buffer face wear.

Maybe swap in a full circle carrier?

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:04:23 PM EDT

[#3]

I'd make sure something is not holding the buffer back from the carrier first, like the buffer detent or what have you.

The buffer should be in constant contact with the carrier. When you close the upper you should see the carrier push the buffer back slightly.

When they aren't held together good they bounce apart.

Also, make sure the back of the carrier face is smooth.

Danny

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:59:07 PM EDT

[#4]

Carrier pushes the buffer back just slightly of off the retainer, as it should, and makes good contact when the upper is reassembled onto the lower. So no issues with that.

Posted: 8/13/2005 1:43:54 AM EDT

[#5]

looks like a rough carrrier to me but you say there is no burr. that leaves the LRE being at an angle to the bolt carrier's travel.

Posted: 8/13/2005 9:05:08 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
looks like a rough carrrier to me but you say there is no burr. that leaves the LRE being at an angle to the bolt carrier's travel.

That's what I'm afraid of. Any way to diagnose this easily, and fix it short of sending the gun back?

Posted: 8/13/2005 11:14:30 AM EDT

[#7]

Maybe just a product of the half circle carrier. There is a lot of movement possible on the carrier and buffer of any AR. I have a Hesse lower that the tube comes out on an obvious angle but it does not bind or wear the buffer like that. Maybe the back end of the carrier has no burrs but it could be it is not flat.

Posted: 8/13/2005 3:01:16 PM EDT

[#8]

I'm probably going to swap in a Colt M16 carrier anyway. Maybe that will help.

Thanks all for the replies.

Posted: 8/15/2005 3:53:39 AM EDT

[#9]

for the record, wear on the face of the buffer is not merely cosmetic, we've already had one guy who posted pictures of his very worn buffer AFTER it spit the weights into his carrier.

if buffer face wear was normal the Army would have a gage or a check for it. None exists.

Posted: 8/15/2005 6:52:21 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
for the record, wear on the face of the buffer is not merely cosmetic, we've already had one guy who posted pictures of his very worn buffer AFTER it spit the weights into his carrier.

if buffer face wear was normal the Army would have a gage or a check for it. None exists.

I think I'd probably notice if it had THAT much wear, before the weights dumped out.

It does concern me, though, that it looks like that after only a few hundred rounds. It does look (just eyeballing it and looking at how the GG&G agency sling mount sits on the LRE) like the LRE is a little bit cockeyed upward (toward 12'o'clock).

I'm going to run a Colt M16 carrier in it, which was my plan from the beginning for other reasons - do you think that will help keep the surfaces mated better?

Do you think this is the lower itself, or the LRE, that's off?

Posted: 8/15/2005 7:02:15 AM EDT

[#11]

Both of my Colt's buffers look like that. Well, let me correct myself, they look like that now after I replaced the one rifles plastic buffer with an aluminum one. The plastic buffer cracked!

I believe this is from Colt shaving off the back of the bolt carrier. My Bushmaster, with the full circle bolt carrier does not have this wear.

Posted: 8/15/2005 7:05:28 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

I believe this is from Colt shaving off the back of the bolt carrier. My Bushmaster, with the full circle bolt carrier does not have this wear.

And that's why I'm wondering if it's that pinko liberal half-circle carrier that's doing it. My old Colt - with a full circle carrier - had a virtually spotless buffer. You'd hardly even know it had been fired.

Goddamn non-sear-tripping piece of crap...

Posted: 8/15/2005 7:23:51 AM EDT

[#13]

Colt used or is using a plastic buffer? First picture of one I have seen. Nasty.

Posted: 8/15/2005 7:38:13 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Colt used or is using a plastic buffer? First picture of one I have seen. Nasty.

They did put those in commercial (non-LE, non-military) guns for short time, along with plastic buttstock doors, as a cost-saving measure, back when they were scared about losing market share to other companies. Fortunately they stopped doing this. I guess they finally realized that at least SOME people were paying $950 for a Colt instead of $800 for a [insert second tier brand] so they WOULDN'T get cheesy parts.

Posted: 8/15/2005 11:53:25 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Quoted:

I believe this is from Colt shaving off the back of the bolt carrier. My Bushmaster, with the full circle bolt carrier does not have this wear.

And that's why I'm wondering if it's that pinko liberal half-circle carrier that's doing it. My old Colt - with a full circle carrier - had a virtually spotless buffer. You'd hardly even know it had been fired.

Goddamn non-sear-tripping piece of crap...

I think it is the damn 1/2 circle carrier, as my 89 does this but my full circles do not. I changed out the carrier finally to a 16 one and it seems to have stopped completely. I'd imagine the carrier tries to rock as it is not balanced digging the cut ends into the buffer.

Posted: 8/16/2005 2:01:58 AM EDT

[#16]

I'd take a buffing wheel to the rear of the bolt carrier before I pronounced it burr free. If you're going to put in an M16 carrier skip that tho.

A little Prussian blue might tell the tale, Paint it, then cycle the bolt a couple of times. Check for wear.

Posted: 8/16/2005 4:34:40 AM EDT

[#17]

All my buffers have some wear to the mating surface, I just chalk it up as normal wear. A little bit of Tetra grease on the buffer face helps out. Routine maintenance and cleaning after the range should alert me if the wear is increasing or becoming abnormal, as in removing metal.

Posted: 8/16/2005 7:09:14 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
I'd take a buffing wheel to the rear of the bolt carrier before I pronounced it burr free. If you're going to put in an M16 carrier skip that tho.

A little Prussian blue might tell the tale, Paint it, then cycle the bolt a couple of times. Check for wear.

I did a relatively light buff with the dremel and some jeweler's polish, just on the bottom/rear edges of the carrier, when I first noticed the buffer wear starting. Doesn't look like that helped.

I should have the 16 carrier the end of the week ... but of course, I'll have to check that for burrs as well.

QUIB- I avoid using grease in my guns, and especially ARs. It attracts too much crud and turns into a grinding paste.

Posted: 8/16/2005 8:39:08 PM EDT

[#19]

easy fix my freind....ge a recoil buffer from buffer tech...mine did the same..then once installe..voilla

Posted: 8/16/2005 10:06:45 PM EDT

[#20]

yes let's shorten the buffer's throw and add a part to the system. that's a great fix.

Posted: 8/17/2005 5:09:03 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
QUIB- I avoid using grease in my guns, and especially ARs. It attracts too much crud and turns into a grinding paste.

Are you familiar with Tetra Grease?

I simply wipe a thin barrier film of grease on the face of the buffer. It’s not like I’m packing the entire buffer tube with axel grease!

Just a suggestion!

Tetra® Gun Grease

Posted: 8/17/2005 7:04:47 AM EDT

[#22]

Yes, I'm familiar with Tetra's entire product line.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Wear on buffer face

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