AR buffer weight and barrel length

[cj0e]

So, over in this thread I've posted pics of the current build I'm working on.

 

It's a Sabre Defense 20" upper w/ rifle length gas system, mated to a lower with an adjustable stock.The combination balances well, and allows me to get comfortable on the rifle... but should I expect the combo to function?

 

I've got a standard  carbine weight buffer installed right now (still waiting on BCG - a Nitrided M16 carrier from AIM), and will test it soon. Will the lower weight buffer tear things up? Should I get an H3 buffer? Or mod one of my carbine buffers and install some tungsten weights?

 

I've googled around, and some say it will, don't worry, others say just run an adjustable gas block, and others say run a VLTOR A5 setup. What's the verdict?

[KKing]

Honestly, and this won't be helpful....but just shoot it. There's no way to know from my experience. You can't really compare your gun to anyone else's. We might can tell you what it "should" do, but I'd be hesitant to give you any for sure advice. Too many variables between gas port size, carrier weight, so on and so forth. You won't do any damage by testing it with the carbine buffer Edited January 16, 2014 by KKing

[cj0e]

Roger. That was my main worry, if I could mess something up with too light a buffer. Hopefully my BCG gets in this week and I can hit the range over the weekend. Otherwise, it's February.

[whitewolf001]

Actually it should be the other way around, the carbine length gas systems are harder on the overall system than a rifle length as more higher pressure gas is getting into the receiver. The smaller carbine buffers actually weigh more than the rifle ones, I believe but I could be wrong but it seems to me with a system that is producing MORE pressure, thus throwing the BCG back harder, you'd want a buffer that was heavier to slow it down faster.

Edited January 16, 2014 by whitewolf001

[Dolomite_supafly]

You are not going to hurt anything by shooting it with the buffer.

 

As far as getting the heavy weight buffer I would not waste the money on it. Adding a heavy buffer only fixes the symptoms and doesn't address the real problem most AR's have. Most AR's made these days are overgassed. The factorys do it for two reasons, first is so the gun will cycle with the low powered foreign ammo and second is because they use the same gas port spec for a 14.5" barrel on a 16" barrel. The heavier buffer was the branchild of manufacturers who made guns with the ports too large.

 

If you want to truly have a gun that is running correctly you need to make sure the gas port is the correct size. And if it is too big, from the factory, you need an adjustable gas block and not a heavier buffer. A heavier buffer does not prevent the bolt from unlocking early. It does not prevent too much gas from making it into the bolt carrier. A heavy buffer doesn't prevent more crud from getting in the upper and it especially doesn't prevent gasses from hitting the shooter's face when shooting suppressed.

 

With a rfile length gas system the gas pressures are not as much of an issue as with carbine length gas systems. A properly gassed rifle length gas system literally feels like a 22. You can ask several people here who have shot my properly gassed 5 pound AR and they will tell you it doesn't recoil at all or at least not enough to notice.

[R_Bert]

Wish Syrac would produce their larger diameter block.

[TrickyNicky]

You are not going to hurt anything by shooting it with the buffer.
 
As far as getting the heavy weight buffer I would not waste the money on it. Adding a heavy buffer only fixes the symptoms and doesn't address the real problem most AR's have. Most AR's made these days are overgassed. The factorys do it for two reasons, first is so the gun will cycle with the low powered foreign ammo and second is because they use the same gas port spec for a 14.5" barrel on a 16" barrel. The heavier buffer was the branchild of manufacturers who made guns with the ports too large.
 
If you want to truly have a gun that is running correctly you need to make sure the gas port is the correct size. And if it is too big, from the factory, you need an adjustable gas block and not a heavier buffer. A heavier buffer does not prevent the bolt from unlocking early. It does not prevent too much gas from making it into the bolt carrier. A heavy buffer doesn't prevent more crud from getting in the upper and it especially doesn't prevent gasses from hitting the shooter's face when shooting suppressed.
 
With a rfile length gas system the gas pressures are not as much of an issue as with carbine length gas systems. A properly gassed rifle length gas system literally feels like a 22. You can ask several people here who have shot my properly gassed 5 pound AR and they will tell you it doesn't recoil at all or at least not enough to notice.

Do you actually go through and type that every time, or do you copy and paste it? :D

[cj0e]

Well, I'd be game for checking the gas port diameter, but I don't have a set of pin gauges. I'll just watch for signs of it being overgassed when I finally get to the range. Hopefully it isn't, as I'd like to keep the standard FSB. Thanks for the insight!

[cj0e]

Do you actually go through and type that every time, or do you copy and paste it? :D

 

I'm pretty sure he's got it copypasted, I expected Dolomite to show up saying it, but I didn't want to hear what I knew I needed to hear.