The internet says carbine buffers are 3.0 oz. I took mine out, it’s plastic, rattles, and weighs in at 1.7 oz. The rifle is a DPMS 16" A2 from about 1990, anyone know what the scoop is? Stiffer spring maybe? Should I concern myself? Gun runs fine.
It’s called typical DPMS trash. Throw it away and get a heavier one. If you have a DPMS carbine I recommend around H2.
So even though the gun functions fine, I should just start throwing parts in the garbage can? How is DPMS still in business? All I hear is they make garbage, but mine seems to be fine as it nears a quarter century old.
You asked and I told you. I could care less what you do with it. DPMS is still in business just like the other faux M4 companies. People with no knowledge of the platform buy their stuff.
You’d be wise to listen to Iraqgunz. Do you really want a buffer that light in your rifle? Maybe it functions but think how hard the action is slamming back when it doesn’t have to happen.
A quality buffer is cheap, and many of us have replaced the original with a heavier H or H2. Almost no one would want a 1.7oz buffer. Since your carrier probably is shaved down and at least 0.5 oz lighter than recommended I think that’s why IG recommended the H2. Anyway, good advice that should be heeded.
BTW, in a quality buffer it’s normal to hear/feel the weights shifting back and forth. I don’t know if that’s what you’re describing though.
Yeah, and some people smoke cigarettes from age 14 to age 101. Others die at 39 from lung cancer.
If you’re looking for an honest answer to your question, you’ve come to the right place. If you’re gonna buck an honest and informed answer from an extremely well qualified and experienced contributor (IraqGunz)…well, you just won’t last very long here.
I won’t last very long here? Like I’m gonna get voted off the forum or something? Either way, as you can see by my lack of signature claiming all my certifications and licenses and such, I’m no gunsmith. I asked a question as to why mine might be different than what I’d heard online. For all I knew, all carbine buffers are 1.7 oz and the 3 oz buffers are abnormal. Instead of an answer to my question, I get the typical AR-15 forum answer of “You’re dumb, your rifle sucks, start throwing stuff in the garbage or we’ll oust you”. I joined this forum because based on searches I’ve done, there’s less of this crap on here than on the “other” forum I recently stopped using. Now all I need to complete the experience is the old “you have to have Vltor/Magpul/BCM/EOTech/Aimpoint/ACOG/Etc or your life is in danger” speech. Just looking for some answers guys. If I wanted to be told I suck, I’ll call my baby’s mom.
Even though you say your carbine is running just fine, the fact is, your buffer is not the correct one. How old your carbine is isn’t as important as how many rounds have gone through it. What is fine now won’t be fine later. You can go to G&R Tactical and get the recommended buffer for only $25. Also get a new carbine action spring for $5 if your present one doesn’t fall between 10 1/16" and 11 1/4". Just get one anyway since it’s good to have a spare. Now isn’t $30.00 worth spending to protect your investment?
That’s what I’m talking about, knowledge, not orders. So if I understand this right, when the bolt comes back under recoil, the buffer and spring soak that energy up, and with the light buffer it strikes the receiver extension tube, which in turn would stress the lower? Why would DPMS do this, other than to gaurantee function at the cost of longetivity (sp?)? I don’t mind spending some dough to make sure things are right, just gotta know what exactly I’m doing before I do it. Why the H2 recomendation? From what I understand, there’s carbine, H, H2, and H3 as well as this oddball 1.7 oz and Spikes has all their own weights. Rainier recommended an H in the SPR I’m building, so I figured a carbine with a short gas tube would need to go lighter, or maybe I’m completely missing something about the gas system.
Why DPMS makes the plastic buffer:
- Because it’s cheaper to make molded plastic vs. machining aluminum.
- People who buy the cheaper ARs are also likely to shoot the cheapest-weakest-shit ammo available. Same reason why their gas ports in the barrels are much larger than mil-spec.
A carbine length gas system needs a buffer as heavy as the gun will reliably allow…hence Iraqgunz recommendation of the H2.
I may be off base here, but if his rifle is running with a 1.7oz buffer, what would going to a H2 do?
A buffer isn’t a stand alone part. Its a part of a system, that must run in balance.
I would also expect his rifle has an AR15, not an M16 bolt carrier in it. Who knows what size the gas port is and the spec of the spring.
To the OP, if I were you, I would leave the DPMS as it is unless you are trying to solve a specific problem.
It may be a much more expensive option, but don’t start swapping out parts. Understand that the DPMS is less than ideal as a system, and not less than ideal just because of one part. There is MUCH more to a AR-15 than the weight of the buffer. Even if you change out the buffer, you probably have a barrel that is less than ideal, and a BCG of questionable material and quality, FCG parts made from lesser materials etc.
Save your money and buy a quality factory assembled rifle that you can be confident that it is built to spec from quality parts.
Lower tier manufacturers turn out buttloads of low end rifles because the VAST majority of shooters maybe go to a range once a year to fill a target with 50 rounds of ammunition and declare their rifle is dead nuts reliable.
Which brings me to my final point, what are your needs for an AR15 pattern rifle?
Is this a Preban gun? If so, sell it to someone in a ban state and you should be able to afford a Colt/BCM/etc.
Nope guns runs fine go shoot it. Not sure why you’re asking such a stupid question.
Obviously you feel that something is wrong. Then mouth off when you get a honest answer.
Go shoot the gun OP. Quit wasting peoples time.
You are obviously a “drama queen” because I did not call you dumb, nor did I say you would be ousted. I gave you a clear and concise answer. If you want me to expound on it, it’s because I am fairly certain that even an older DPMS will have a fairly large port and probably wil cycle even with an H or H2.
You could also use the SEARCH button at top and do your own reading about buffers. There is a ton of info already collected and posted for you.
Unfortunately, the trend I see among many new members is that they wake up in the morning and want their coffee and 30 second breakfast sandwich already prepared. They don’t see the need to search or do research because they’ll just simply ask.
We are also seeing a large influx of members who are panicking at the thought of another 4 years of Obama and they are buying AR’s of any type to beat the rush.
You can search ONLINE and find many different answers about this or that. When it comes to real knowledge without the cookie sprinkled bullshit we like to think that M4Carbine.net is the place to go.
Or you can go to TOS and sort through a shit load of replies and pages and hopefuly get a good answer after you sort fact from fiction.
I’m actually in the process of building an AR from scratch, which is why I’m coming up with these questions about the one I already have. My plans for the DPMS are to replace the upper and lower reciever, upgrade the controls and trigger a bit, and put a quality CQB optic on it. Since I’m going to be using the stock barrel and gas tube, that’s where my curiousity as to what buffer to use came into play, because the old buffer is probably going away with the lower. The one I’m building from scratch will be using a Rainier/Wilson barrel, and they’ve recommended a carbine spring and H buffer. I’m just trying to learn what works and why it works. If i just wanted something that worked without me knowing how and why, then I’d just buy a complete rifle as the other gentleman suggested.
Yes, and already in the works, thanks for the suggestion though
I did search, and didn’t find any mention of a 1.7 oz buffer anywhere on the internet. I also panicked 4 years ago and stuffed my safe with seriously overpriced guns and ammunition, won’t be making that mistake again. Just because I’m a new member here, don’t assume I’m new to the internet. Searching for my answers avoids all this crap that’s occuring, but I didn’t find the answer I needed, so I asked. Had I kept my mouth shut after the first set of answers, I’d still know dick about how gas and buffer systems work, and I’d end up doing trial and error, which I could have done just fine on my own. By continuing to ask questions, now I’m able to actually learn about what it is I’m working on, which was my goal all the time, and I believe it’s even the reason that internet forums exist, for the exchange of knowledge.
If you’re set on reusing the stock DPMS barrel, I would make the effort to measure the gas port and probably hit the chamber with a reamer to make sure it’s to spec. Also worth it to check the headspace with the bolt you’re going to run with it.
If you know the size of the gas port, you’d be in a much better posistion to determine what buffer to run.
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DJ,
Would you mind saying how many would you have through your DPMS with a 1.7oz buffer?
Thanks
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