I recently saw someone mention the trouble a shock buff can cause. I'll have to claim ignorance here, it's the first I recall hearing (or reading) that they can cause a problem.

I ran one on my Combat Commander for years (also ran a heavy Wolf spring). But I'd done lots more to it by the time I sold it.

Now that I've got the two Springers, and am contemplating my next 1911, it occurrs to do some "little things" to help out the two I have. The shock buff was one of them. So, before I start ordering more parts (like a tool steel slide stop, already have the extractors) I need to be edumacated on the + and - of the shock buff.

Gentleman, the street is yours~! (too many movies lately )

Thanks in advance,
T Bone (Detroit).

GOOD:
They pad the frame and slide and supposedly help prevent battering or cracking.
This is good on a range gun.

BAD:
They often begin to expand and disintegrate and the pieces can cause stoppages.
The extra thickness between the slide and frame impact areas can cause the slide stop to not function properly.

My take.  Can't hurt on a range toy but NOT on a defense gun.  Just one more thing to go wrong.

I've never seen any evidence or studies that buffers actually increase the service life of a pistol.
The 1911 has worked quite nicely for almost 100 years without any buffers, and I see no verifiable benefit, but HAVE seen stoppages or other problems caused by buffers.

Quoted: GOOD: They pad the frame and slide and supposedly help prevent battering or cracking. This is good on a range gun. BAD: They often begin to expand and disintegrate and the pieces can cause stoppages. The extra thickness between the slide and frame impact areas can cause the slide stop to not function properly. My take.  Can't hurt on a range toy but NOT on a defense gun.  Just one more thing to go wrong. I've never seen any evidence or studies that buffers actually increase the service life of a pistol. The 1911 has worked quite nicely for almost 100 years without any buffers, and I see no verifiable benefit, but HAVE seen stoppages or other problems caused by buffers.

Well said.

Range work/practice = OK
Carry/Defense & Match = Leave out

ETA: However in well over 50,000 rounds of strictly target practice using a variety of 1911s and shooting no more than 1000 rounds in any given session I have never experienced a problem with a Wilson Shok-Buff.

I used them religiously in my Springfields with never a problem.
In my Kimber, they lock up the gun tight, cant even get the thing to cycle.
So, I dont use them anymore.

I have never experienced a problem with a Wilson Shok-Buff.

I agree....I have used the Wilson Combat ones for years, and thousands of rounds, with no problems what-so-ever.

Quoted: I have never experienced a problem with a Wilson Shok-Buff. I agree....I have used the Wilson Combat ones for years, and thousands of rounds, with no problems what-so-ever.

I have never had a problem without any problems so ever...And I haven't battered any of my guns into oblivion...


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my cqb chewed one up on the range and caused problems, took it out. No problems.

on my ed brown, it had one in, and I could not properly chamber a round using the "sling shot" method because the shock buff would keep the slide stop engaged on the slide. ANNOYING. Took it out, no problems..

I have been using buffs for a while with no problems. Not all shok buffs are the same, some are softer than others and don't hold up well as others have described. The ones I have been using are the ones made by CP and they are tough. Now experimenting with aluminum buffs and they feel pretty good.

They are relatively cheap, so if you don't like them then it won't hurt much if you toss them. I like the feel of buffs on recoil.

I use the CP buffs at the range and then take them off for carry. They've function at the range without any problems. It takes about 5-10 rounds to slightly soften/form them and then you are good to go..Stan

I've used 'em...well, not the Wilson one, but the other buffer out there, that Tapco sells? Can't remember the name of it...

Anyway, it works fine! HOWEVER, there is a caveat: If you decide you want to use one, you should not use a NEW one, or one that's had more than a thousand rounds, in a carry gun.

New ones are too stiff, and will inhibit function for the first 100 or so rounds.

After about a thousand rounds, they start getting raggety. They become more a liability.

Think of 'em as a very high maintaince/replace often part, like o-rings on a space shuttle, and they _should_ be fine.

However, remember what happened with a faulty o-ring on the Challenger...

Personally, considering the loads I'm considering shooting and carrying for self-defence (DoubleTap...hot stuff), I'd need a buffer for range, and probably could use one, for carry.

IANAL, YMMV, proceed at your own risk, take this free advice for what you paid for it, etc

Well, I purchased some Shok Buffs from Brownells and the first one, that I installed just tore up this past weekend at the range. Worked good, noticed less force into the palm of my right hand/wrist, although it seemed to produce more muzzle flip. Just my observations. Now I have only put maybe 500 rnds through it since installation. So I would say try them out to see if they work for you, but replace often.

used them everyday on our MEUSOC 1911's but made sure to change them out every 500-1000 rds or so.  we could always tell they were getting bad becasue the gun would start failing to go into battey...but nothing a simple class 3 malfunction hit to the rear couldnt fix.