I’ve been running my AR pistols (all with 11.5-12.5” barrels) with carbine buffers, and zero problems. Other than shooting softer, is there a reason to start fiddling around with other buffers? Again, I’ve had no reliability issues whatsoever, so if ain’t broke...
I also make it a point to shoot 5.56 (not .223) and generally avoid cheap ammo if that matters.
I skimmed the SBR/pistol thread and didn’t see this addressed directly.
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If it's working for you, no signs of premature wear in the rifle, and you're changing springs on an appropriate schedule, it certainly isn't necessary to swap out the buffer, especially if you're not shooting suppressed or planning to.
That said, most dedicated AR shooters are at least running H and often H2, which is food for thought because they tend to know what they're doing -- I'm not aware of anyone running a carbine buffer at 16" or shorter.
Hain’t we got all the fools in town on our side? And ain’t that a big enough majority in any town?
Not an expert, but I'd say potential parts longevity.
I run heavier in my 10.5 but that doesn't necessarily mean you should.
Someone more educated than me about it should be along.
The operation and cycling of an AR is a balance of gas port size, ammo selection, and the buffer and spring. I would only run a carbine buffer if my gun was under gassed and wouldn't reliably cycle and lock back after the last round with common ammo when using a H buffer.
I run the heaviest buffer I can while maintaining 100% reliability with several ammo types, along with shooting in the cold weather. Most shorties will run all the way up to a H3 buffer with 5.56 loads, and some will still run with the H3 and cheap ammo like Tula, depending on the size of the gas port. Barrels that are a little more conservatively gassed will do better with an H2.
I'm not recoil sensitive in the least, but my nephew's PSA 10.5" build kit he bought was downright violent with the supplied carbine buffer and cheap spring. The KAK Shockwave blade didn't do it any favors in the comfort department either. I talked him into the A5 system and a SBA3 brace and that tamed it down nicely.
My 6933 with the A5H2 buffer and VLTOR spring runs like a scalded cat with just about any ammo, and shoots softer than many 16" guns. Very little red dot movement shot to shot.
TL;DR version: My vote is buy an H, H2, and maybe even H3 buffer and see for yourself. Or don't listen to me at all and just fuckin send it. #yolo
No.Originally Posted by Darth_Uno
"Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer
That's my thinking. If everyone who knows more than me does it, I should probably find out why.
Exactly. I don't want to be the "works for me" guy. Hence, this thread.
Heavy buffers in AR15s generally came about because of over-gassing.
If you're not suffering from your rifle being overgassed, you don't need a heavier buffer. I would actually be kind of concerned about an 11.5-12.5" shooting 5.56 with a Carbine buffer that still ejects consistently at 5 O'Clock and doesn't rip caseheads out.....but if it works, it works. If I had that rifle, I'd probably start playing around with heavier buffers just to see how it reacts, and pin-gauge the gas port to see if it's actually undersized (suspecting a cut down 14.5"-16" barrel with .0625" gas port not opened up)....but that's all academic for curiosity's sake. If the rifle is working fine, it's working fine.
ETA: If you come across some common .223 and it short strokes with an H buffer, I would put money that you've got a barrel that was cut-down from 14.5-16" without having the gas port opened up (or done so without good QA, or purposely limited like a Sionics RGP barrel), which is why you're shooting 5.56 with a carbine buffer and it's working fine. If it doesn't change function at all, you've just got a unicorn, enjoy it and drive on.
Last edited by TGS; 07-14-2020 at 04:15 PM.
"Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer
Both uppers are 100% factory. One is 11.5" BCM ELW barrel, other is Larue 12.5" Ultimate upper (Stealth barrel). Ejection on both is closer to 3:00 but brass appears fine. Although I didn't look too close.
I can't speak to the LaRue upper, but up until a month or two ago I had a BCM 11.5" ELW. I ran it with the A5H2 buffer and it ran very well and was quite smooth. The gas port was .073".
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