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Posted: 2/22/2015 12:20:02 PM EDT
| I'm not asking what a heavy buffers offer in advantages. I have a BCM 16" middy not surpressed with a BCM BCG. I have a carbine buffer I got with the lower build kit. I have a spikes st-t2 in one of the builds I'm doing for my father in law. I tried it in mine with the weakest ammo I shoot. 55 grain american eagle 223. Shooting it I thought to myself that the "recoil" differences are negligible. Will me continuing to run a carbine buffer in this hurt me in the long run? IE premature wear or breakage. Because I know a carbine buffer will most likely never give me problems feeding 55gr and 62gr. Just the whole don't fix it if it ain't broke saying comes to mind. Also with the carbine it ejects at my 5 o clock and with the t2 it is at my 3 o clock if that means anything. |
| Since you are running a mid-length 16" barrel, a standard carbine buffer will suffice quite nicely. I have a 14.5" mid-length that runs a standard buffer and it works quite well. I also have a 16" mid-length that I have a H buffer in. I may end up going to a standard buffer on it. It is a little heavier than what is needed, but I would not know that unless I had tried it. |
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Since you are running a mid-length 16" barrel, a standard carbine buffer will suffice quite nicely. I have a 14.5" mid-length that runs a standard buffer and it works quite well. I also have a 16" mid-length that I have a H buffer in. I may end up going to a standard buffer on it. It is a little heavier than what is needed, but I would not know that unless I had tried it. Shooting the ST-T2 which I guess is in between h1 and h2. I felt as if the recoil was more "sharp" but faster return to target. I was swapping out the buffer and spring between the two after a few shots of each. I wanted one of these buffers for it before I actually used it. Now I put my carbine buffer back in. And I'm leaving it there. Maybe I'll try an H buffer one day |
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Heavier buffers and stronger springs can reduce the cyclic rate.
My take is slower cyclic rates extend the service life of various components. I don’t know of any studies that show how much service life is increased, however the military has gone to heavier buffers in the M4A1. |
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This is totally personal experience, and not scientific or systematically broken down to root cause, but here goes.
I have a BCM midlength 16 in barrel in my rifle with a WMD BCG. It also has a standard carbine buffer, which I got in a build kit. I ran into an issue early on where the bolt catch wouldn't engage on the last round in the magazine. The rifle had <300 rounds through it, plus I was shooting PMC, which is known to be under pressured ammo. It didn't do it on Federal 193, 855, or 223 55gr. After a while, the bolt catch did begin to engage, so it could have been one of many variables, probably partially "break-in" and mostly the ammo, but I like it when my rifle can fire all ammo, even the low pressure stuff. 
For that reason, I'll always run a standard buffer in that rifle. It if was to cause premature wear, I expect it to be after quite a few thousands of rounds. I'll just replace parts, at that rate. I would suggest running some ammo known for lower pressures before making a decision to go to a heavier buffer, or run the rounds with the heavier buffer, if you're like me and want it to eat anything. |
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Shooting the ST-T2 which I guess is in between h1 and h2. I felt as if the recoil was more "sharp" but faster return to target. I was swapping out the buffer and spring between the two after a few shots of each. I wanted one of these buffers for it before I actually used it. Now I put my carbine buffer back in. And I'm leaving it there. Maybe I'll try an H buffer one day Quoted:
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Since you are running a mid-length 16" barrel, a standard carbine buffer will suffice quite nicely. I have a 14.5" mid-length that runs a standard buffer and it works quite well. I also have a 16" mid-length that I have a H buffer in. I may end up going to a standard buffer on it. It is a little heavier than what is needed, but I would not know that unless I had tried it. Shooting the ST-T2 which I guess is in between h1 and h2. I felt as if the recoil was more "sharp" but faster return to target. I was swapping out the buffer and spring between the two after a few shots of each. I wanted one of these buffers for it before I actually used it. Now I put my carbine buffer back in. And I'm leaving it there. Maybe I'll try an H buffer one day FYI From: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/159492/colt-h2-heavy-buffer-ar-15-carbine and Spike’s website. H Buffer = 3.8 oz ST-T1 = 3.00 oz. Actual weight can vary between 2.9 oz and 3.1 oz. ST-T2 = 4.05 oz. Actual weight can vary between 4.0 oz and 4.2 oz H2 Buffer = 4.6 oz H3 Buffer = 5.4 oz ST-T3 = 5.40 oz. Actual weight…..not specified on website |
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If the spikes buffer allows you to cycle the weakest ammo and eject it at 3 o'clock, i would use that buffer or possibly even go heavier and try a H2, depending on what ammo you feed it most
it doesn't have to be broke in order to make changes that allow your gun to run better. the buffer is not for mitigating recoil, so that really shouldn't be the determining factor for keeping it or not. |
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reliability is the reason to run an H2. A little more force to close a dirty BCG and chamber a round. With suppressors there can be slight benefits in terms of increased dwell time with heavier buffers and reducing ejection port offgassing. Usually with suppressors an H3 or heavier is a noticeable difference from car.
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I actually never thought of the heavier buffers aid in dirty BCG. I just didn't want to give my rifle short stroking issues. Now with my precious XM855 impossible to find. I gotta start looking at different ammo. It ran good with the T2 buffer and spring. I guess I'm dumb I thought the main reason for heavy buffers was for recoil.
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I'm running a BCM "H" buffer in my BCM 14.5" M4 carbine upper. It runs 100% with any ammo that I choose.
I've also run the same "H" buffer in my BM 11.5" upper. It also runs 100% with any ammo that I choose. I've tried an "H2" buffer in each with no apparent difference. I went back to the "H" buffer. Neither is suppressed. I've never tried the standard carbine buffer with either upper. On the BCM web site I think the "H" buffer is recommended for the M4 carbine and the "H2" for the M4A1. |
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I actually never thought of the heavier buffers aid in dirty BCG. I just didn't want to give my rifle short stroking issues. Now with my precious XM855 impossible to find. I gotta start looking at different ammo. It ran good with the T2 buffer and spring. I guess I'm dumb I thought the main reason for heavy buffers was for recoil. The buffers do slow cyclic rate and that can result in a smoother recoil impulse. there is an ideal cyclic rof for ars. It is ~750-900rpm. If your rifle is outside that, a buffer swap can put it inside the nominal range. |
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Would a standard spring work with an H buffer? Or would it be ideal to get a different spring? For a mid that's not over gassed a standard spring is probably fine, but if you need a heavier buffer then a slightly stronger spring will also help to accomplish the same thing, which is, delay bolt unlocking and slow cyclic rate to increase reliability. Extra power springs(Wolff XP, Sprinco red, Tubbs(can be cut for custom strength)) are rated as only an additional 10% stronger than a standard one. the strongest I think you would need to go is "enhanced" power Sprinco Blue, which also holds it spring tension/length longer than a standard one(but is more prone to corrosion). A heavier buffer apparently does not aid in helping an excessively fouled rifle function as well as a lighter one, the reasoning is, the heavier buffer already slows the action down, the extra resistance caused by fouling slows it even more, the extra speed helps more than the extra mass to get the bolt closed. this is according to an article written by Mike Panone about his testing and extensive experiences, and it makes sense to me. google it and read it before you refute his claims/findings. |
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I have a 16 middy and i plan to get blue spring and palce i found has 3.5oz tungsten buffer . THOUGHTS? who makes the mid? all mids don't come with the same port size. regardless, 3.5 oz buffer(which is the equivalent of a H buffer, which is 3.7oz) and a sprinco blue should be suitable for most all middies. |
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who makes the mid? all mids don't come with the same port size. regardless, 3.5 oz buffer(which is the equivalent of a H buffer, which is 3.7oz) and a sprinco blue should be suitable for most all middies. Quoted:
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I have a 16 middy and i plan to get blue spring and palce i found has 3.5oz tungsten buffer . THOUGHTS? who makes the mid? all mids don't come with the same port size. regardless, 3.5 oz buffer(which is the equivalent of a H buffer, which is 3.7oz) and a sprinco blue should be suitable for most all middies. It was built by ironworks I have the specs I believe. Try find them. I just want make sure carbine 3.0 wasnt to light so figure the 3.5 was next lightest I could find. I shoot mostly just the 55g ball ammo. I'm new to ar game how can I tell if the 3.5 will be too much or if 3.0 is better? What to look for when shooting? |
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It was built by ironworks I have the specs I believe. Try find them. I just want make sure carbine 3.0 wasnt to light so figure the 3.5 was next lightest I could find. I shoot mostly just the 55g ball ammo. I'm new to ar game how can I tell if the 3.5 will be too much or if 3.0 is better? What to look for when shooting? Quoted:
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Quoted:
I have a 16 middy and i plan to get blue spring and palce i found has 3.5oz tungsten buffer . THOUGHTS? who makes the mid? all mids don't come with the same port size. regardless, 3.5 oz buffer(which is the equivalent of a H buffer, which is 3.7oz) and a sprinco blue should be suitable for most all middies. It was built by ironworks I have the specs I believe. Try find them. I just want make sure carbine 3.0 wasnt to light so figure the 3.5 was next lightest I could find. I shoot mostly just the 55g ball ammo. I'm new to ar game how can I tell if the 3.5 will be too much or if 3.0 is better? What to look for when shooting? well, obviously, the first thing is, will it cycle ammo. after that, a simple way tell if your gun is cycling to fast or slow is ejection pattern. the sweet spot is around 3:30. a fast cycling gun will spit brass forward(1;00), which a heavier buffer can help remedy, and slow one will eject to 5:00, then maybe less mass is needed. |
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