Best wt for an AR buffer ?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Shriner

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
2,205
Reaction score
95
Location
Broken Arrow
My 4 ar15's has 3 oz -+ buffers (5.56 ,300blk,22lr,223 rifle)16 " barrels for carbine ,20" for the rifle and they all run fine with factory or reloads . My Ar 10 has a 4 oz - + buffer 16 " barrel carbine and it has a very firm recoil off a lead sled(25lb weight) with horadry steel match 147gr ,a lesser firm recoil with 150gr /39.8gr imr 4895 off a bag, but double feeds and fte's with the reloads( about 200 rd down the tube on the 308 ). the question is should I go to a heavyer buffer H3,H4( 5 oz+, 6.4oz) on the 308 or wait till I have more rounds down the tube first and would a H2 ,H3 on the 556 and 300 blk help improve recoil with them ??
 

uncle money bags

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
5,386
Reaction score
42
Location
OKC
For carbine length buffer systems, run the heaviest buffer that will reliably cycle your ammunition and lock back on an empty magazine. Same is true for proprietary length systems like the Vltor A5.
I would swap out tungsten pellets to save some money instead of buying more buffers.
A quick test is to load a magazine with a few rounds to check cycling. If everything is gtg, load mags with single rounds and check for lock back. You shouldnt need to do the lock back test more than 5 or ten times. Add weight and repeat the test until the weapon fails to feed or lock back, then back off one tungsten weight in favor of a steel weight and you are golden.
 

ASP785

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
May 16, 2010
Messages
1,622
Reaction score
4
Location
Collinsville
I have had 3 DPMS 308's, all of them were over gassed. I put a 10oz heavy buffer in each of them to get them to cycle properly. Even with that there's too much gas in my G2. I shoot 168 or 175 exclusively. In these guns, bullet weight seems to make a much bigger difference than in an AR15. If I were you I'd buy an orange spring from Sprinco and try it out first. Unfortunately this is a trial and error process so you may still need a heavier buffer. 308 buffers are shorter than standard carbine buffers so swapping weights is your best bet.

http://www.sprinco.com/tactical.html
 

uncle money bags

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
5,386
Reaction score
42
Location
OKC
Shriner-
the Vltor A5 system is a proprietary buffer system that consists of a receiver extension, buffer and rifle length spring. The receiver extension is little longer than the carbine length tube and the buffer is in between carbine and rifle length. The combination of longer spring, tube and heavier buffer allows the use of a collapsible stock while maintaining rifle length reliability. Basically it is a way to slow down the cyclic rate and reduce bolt bounce. I consider it very worthwhile on a short barrel gun, if it is over gassed. It may have minimal impact on a longer gun. Honestly, it is probably overkill unless you have a really over gassed longer barreled rifle, and I wouldn't consider it unless you don't get any satisfaction using the method above.
Having said that, it does make a difference in felt recoil over a carbine length receiver extension system.
 
Last edited:

Fredkrueger100

Dream Master
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Aug 16, 2012
Messages
7,867
Reaction score
6,168
Location
Shawnee, OK
I had put a spikes t2 tungsten buffer in my dpms ar. It was carbine length and a 16" barrel. It didn't do a ton but I could definitely tell a difference. And it cycled fine. I am probably going to put one on my Anderson I just got.
 

uncle money bags

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
5,386
Reaction score
42
Location
OKC
The easiest way to get the tungsten weights is to remove them from an H, H2, or H3 buffer. They will have 1,2 and 3 tungsten weights respectively.
Drift out the roll pin that secures the rubber stopper on the buffer and remove the stopper. The tungsten weights will be noticeably heavier than the steel weights. Carbine buffers have 3 steel weights.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom