Is a bent buffer spring a big deal?

[musicman]

Sos I wanted to put some nicer bits in a couple builds I'm workingon and have heard good things about the enhanced polished JP springs buffer springs.  I ordered a couple from JoeBobOutfitters along with some other parts.  I expected to get about a foot long box in the mail with my parts enclosed.  Nope.  Everything showed up in the smalles size USPS Flatrate box.  You know the one like 6-7" tall.  The buffer springs were not compressed and put in the box, rather coiled around like spaghetti.  When I pulled them out they mostly straightened out, but here is a picture taken an hour after I set them out:

I understand that once installed in the buffer tube the springs will be compressed and forced into a straight tube, but I gotta be honest, this bugs me.  Is there any reason I should be bugged about this, or is this completely normal and not a big deal?  I'm a bit miffed because I feel like I paid 5x the price of a regular spring because I wanted something premium and more quiet... can't imagine a bent spring will cause less noise scraping around inside a buffer tube.  :/

 

I look forward to your advise or chastisement.  :-D

 

[xtriggerman]

That one on the left looks fine but the other one was bent badly on one of the coils from the looks of it. Even if you specifically reverse bend the affected coil, it will always tend to have that over bend week spot right there and return to a slight bend there after shooting. I would send that picture to JP Ent. and see what they say. Its still a usable spring of course but chances are it will never be somewhat straight again like the other one. JMO

[nightrunner]

I would let that go if it was a budget build using standard parts and that was a standard spring, maybe.

 

Buy I'm very particular about my stuff and no way I would let that go being a JP. Heck, it would drive me crazy just knowing it's like that in there.

[peejman]

I'd request an RMA.  As you said, you didn't pay extra for bent springs. 

[musicman]

8 hours ago, xtriggerman said:

I would send that picture to JP Ent. and see what they say. Its still a usable spring of course but chances are it will never be somewhat straight again like the other one. JMO

Great idea, thanks!  I just sent off that pic to JP for their advice.  :-)

[musicman]

8 hours ago, nightrunner said:

But I'm very particular about my stuff and no way I would let that go being a JP. Heck, it would drive me crazy just knowing it's like that in there.

Yea.  And this is the first time I've spent a little more on fancier bits because I want something nicer.  My previous builds have pretty much been milspec budget stuff with the exception of triggers, rails, and a lil magpul magic.  This time I'm picking specific safety selectors, mag release, forward assist, blah blah blah.  It's no 11 Trillion dollar Noveske build, but it's something I'm excited about.

Edited August 18, 2016 by musicman

[musicman]

16 minutes ago, peejman said:

I'd request an RMA.  As you said, you didn't pay extra for bent springs. 

I'm leaning towards that.  I'm going to give JP a couple days to respond just to see what they say, but I'm pretty disappointed in the situation as of now.

[rugerla1]

I agree with nightrunner, I wouldn't be able to stand knowing that was in the buffer tube like that. Could it run flawless? I guess anything is possible, but I can just imagine the rubbing the spring would do on the inside of the buffer tube. Who knows, maybe one day you need it to run perfect and the weak spot gives, not good. I'd like to hope JP would say return it. And I think the packer should have chosen a different packing box for sure. My .02.

[Omega]

I look at it like this, if it concerns me enough to ask, then it's enough to request another.  You may want to mention how they were packaged, I'm sure if they continue doing it that way it will keep being an issue.

[musicman]

Wow! Lightning fast response from JP!

Here's my message:

And within the hour, his response:

 

While I appreciate the fast response, I am still a little fuzzy with the "pretty sure they will straighten themselves out" statement.  If he didn't say "pretty sure" I would just put it to bed.  

BUT... the fact that the manager of JP springs said he would personally use them... maybe I should just hush and go on.  I'll ponder for a bit and discuss with a gun buddy at work, and keep reading what you guys share.  Thanks!

[Oh Shoot]

Well, if it were a Marlin 60 spring, it would likely fail.

But an AR spring -- if it works, it works, and will keep working.

- OS

[mikegideon]

If it's bent, and I had time to wait, I would get a replacement. Falls into the "why not" category.

[bud]

.

 

Edited September 13, 2016 by bud

[xtriggerman]

The red flag for me is the "they" will part. There is a huge difference in "they".  Take it from a guy who has a few rolls of piano wire and a lathe spring winding jig. The RMA for the one is the right thing to do since its not a run a the mill unit. Personally I would have mentioned the distributor since USPS boxes are free, there is no excuse for twisting a spring to that extent. That way JP could have had the opportunity to mention that he would contact the distributor about how this could have happened to his product, making a more concerning response to you. So much for my Monday night Q B'ing!  Good luck on a new "straight" spring.

[peejman]

It's simply a case of poor packaging. Someone in shipping needs to be advised as to why those pressboard tubes are on the shelf. 

A bent spring has been irreparably damaged. It can't be fixed. Buffer springs probably aren't stressed high enough for it to matter, but still....

[musicman]

I called JoeBob and spoke to Joseph. Not exactly the model example of a customer service rep, but whatevs.  (I maybe a tough critic, having been in customer facing roles pretty much all but a couple years of my working life) and he requested a picture of what I was talking about, which I sent.  He said "we send thousands a day and none have ever taken a set."  Mk.  He also requested a pic of the packing slip so they can see who packed it.  I will send that when I get home.

Edited August 18, 2016 by musicman

[musicman]

Here's what I sent to JoeBob:

Hello,

I called and spoke to Joseph a couple minutes ago about the JP springs I received yesterday, and he requested I send a picture of what I was talking about.  I have attached it.  When I get home I will also take a picture of the packing slip and packer's initials as requested.

I understand that these bends, especially the rifle spring, may not be dramatic in nature.  However, I am a little bummed about oredering a premium product designed to reduce buffer noise arriving like this.  I have to imagine that a spring now predisposed to this shape is more apt to rub and scrape inside a buffer tube more than a straight spring.  Thanks for you consideration, and I'll follow up with the picture of the packing slip later tonight.

Thanks!

[mikegideon]

7 minutes ago, peejman said:

It's simply a case of poor packaging. Someone in shipping needs to be advised as to why those pressboard tubes are on the shelf. 

A bent spring has been irreparably damaged. It can't be fixed. Buffer springs probably aren't stressed high enough for it to matter, but still....

The bent part is weakened, and closer to breaking than the rest of the spring. And, there may be some binding on the buffer as well. May not be enough to cause any malfunctions, but...

[MacGyver]

Were it mine, I'd probably take it out of the package and see how much of the bend is caused by the plastic/label being chewed up.  They shouldn't take a set from being in a box unless they're actually damaged (a bend/kink you can actually see.)  I expect if you take it out of the plastic, they'll straighten out fine.

[musicman]

Maybe so.  I didn't take them out because I didn't want it to look like I did anything to them after arrival.  When I first opened the package, I did bend them in the reverse direction, and they went right back to this position again. I kinda doubt it's the loose paper or flimsy plastic sleeve, though. 

[musicman]

Evening update: JoeBob emailed me back that they are sending out a replacement.  +1 for JoeBob.

New snafu: I just realized they sent me a carbine buffer kit when I ordered an A2 buffer kit!  I was so caught up in the bent springs that I didn't even notice that yesterday!  I only had a couple free minutes when I got home and opened the box yesterday.  I knew the spring in the buffer was fine, as it was compressed inside the tube for the entire ride to my house.  I didn't even unwrap it from the foam paper to realize it was wrong until a few minutes ago.  I sent another email to JoeBob, I'm sure they'll respond in the morning.  I feel like a dope for not checking that yesterday. :/

[mikegideon]

JoeBob is a great vendor. They have always done me right.

[musicman]

3 minutes ago, mikegideon said:

JoeBob is a great vendor. They have always done me right.

Yea, I think this was my 5th or 6th (and funny enough, the smallest) order with them.  They've been good so far, and I understand stuff happens.  In my job I have to deal with 5 or 6 things exactly like this every day, just in medical supplies instead of gun parts.  This hasn't tarnished their good rep in my book.

[DaveTN]

10 hours ago, musicman said:

Evening update: JoeBob emailed me back that they are sending out a replacement.  +1 for JoeBob.

That’s exactly what should have happened; good for them.

Isn’t their owner or one of their people a poster here?

[Wingshooter]

I would have wanted a replacement as well. I like getting what I pay for and not something damaged. Glad to hear they're making it right.