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Posted: 4/2/2008 6:54:11 PM EDT
| Was cleaning my 20" AR today and noticed around the buffer-face there is a ring. It is VERY near the outside edge of the buffer face. The ring is maybe 1mm across and appears to have been caused by impacts from the back of the carrier. I have fired 400 rounds of 5.56 through the rifle so far. The ring is mainly just visible in the right light and barely drags on a fingernail when you run it across it. I checked a couple of the Colt's in the closet and they do not have this little ring. Is it just luck of the draw, some do, some don't? |
+1 Could be a burr on the bottom/rear of the carrier where the recess is milled for the buffer retainer. Or........the carrier is not pushing the buffer back off the retainer when the weapon is closed, which in turn lets the buffer hit the retainer during firing. This will cause chatter marks around the exterior edge of the buffer face. |
It looks like the chatter-marks, but it is pushing the buffer back off the pin, checked that one already. It is a full-circle carrier with the cutout for the detent. I detected no burrs when I ran my finger around it though. Odd. And just when I was thinking this was the norm 
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Well, if it passed both probable causes above, put a light coat of oil on the face of the buffer before the range and just keep an eye on it. Did you get your new bolt yet and get that issue resolved? |
Yep, new bolt arrived and fixed the issue. I am just curious about the mark, I see a silver ring around the BC base that looks like it may correspond to the one on my buffer face, maybe it is just grit/carbon/whatnot on the back of the BCG during extended firing sessions hitting the buffer-face. It sounds like others have it as well. Does anyone have a pic of theirs so I can say "yep, that is what it looks like"? |
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Yep, that is maybe a LITTLE more than mine shows. But yes, identical location, mine is more "even" though (the circle's edges are more "perfect" I guess). Am I G2G, or will this get worse/cause an issue later on? Normal? (I have 400 rounds or so of 5.56 through mine so-far) Thanks QUIB! (Knew I could count on your for an excellent illustration!) |
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Nope not yet. That's why I don't worry about it. Below is a pic of two of my “high round-count” standard carbine buffers. Swapped out with “H” buffers in the carbines they belonged to, I still consider them serviceable and keep them as spares. 
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How many rounds is that? (yes, whatever you say it will be more than I can afford )Awesome, I shall sleep well tonight :) All my issues (just one) were/are solved and the rifle shoots like a dream. Here is a link to my comprehensive review of it in case you did not see it already (you asked about the bolt, so I assume you did not). My XR-15A2 review |
I would say they have at least 2x that in them after reviewing your pix again. They may not be pretty, but I didn't see that any real amount of material is missing. |
IMO the buffer is one of the most "care-free" parts on an AR15 as far as breakage and replacement. Never ever heard of one going bad through use even at the end of rifle service life. |
Well, I’ve said it before....... I do not own “safe queens”. Rifles that get shot will show wear. 
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But if I apply wax can I keep them showroom?  Heh, appears my rifle is normal, that was my only concern, and it has been put to rest, thanks guys! |
I consider them “expendable” items, and don’t feel bad in the least when the day comes that I think a buffer is unserviceable and requires replacement. These two buffers pictured above would still be installed in their respective carbines if I hadn’t swapped them out for “H” buffers. |
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