Anybody ever swap out some of the steel weights for tungsten in a rifle buffer? I have an 18" white oak rifle length barrel with a fixed A1 that I’m trying to make shoot as soft my 10.5 LMT with an A5H4
I am going to do that very thing with my A5 this weekend.
I think you can buy a heavy rifle buffer. I can not remember were I saw them. Google it, it will come up.
So I just weighed four Vltor buffers using a food scale so its probably not the most accurate but it’s what I have to use.
A5H1 - 4.55oz
A5H2 - 5.47oz
A5H3 - 6.31oz
A5H4 - 7.16oz
I broke down another A5H2 and removed both tungsten weights and replaced two of the steel weights in the rifle buffer.
Rifle buffer with all steel weights and aluminum spacer - 5.18oz
Rifle buffer with 2 tungsten and 3 steel weights and aluminum spacer- 6.87oz
I will probably not be able to get out to function test this until next week
Yes, you can beef up the rifle buffer and there’s enough room for 7 weights.
The aluminum spacer can be replaced with two steel weights, producing around 6.15oz without resorting to tungsten.
Probably the best configuration is the “R6S” version with 6 steel weights and a biasing spring, weighing in at 5.65oz.
I replaced the aluminum spacer with two steel weights for a buddy. He is running an FNH cold hammer forged stainless barrel, 20" with rifle gas.
Runs like a champ and is noticeably smoother than the std rifle buffer. Also helps keep his brass in better condition.
Interesting? What spring is this? Unless I’m thinking wrong for some reason, the A5 type spring would have excessive free space for this setup?
When modifying my buddy’s rifle buffer, I had to add a few (2 IIRC) rubber spacers to get the same free space as the A5 buffer. I just didn’t add the spring or drilled delrin tip.
The distance I’m talking about one weights worth. Seems shy a weight?
The AR10 rifle buffer and H6 buffer both have 6 weights and around zero free space.
The stock Rifle buffer has around .115" of free space.
A rifle buffer loaded with 7 weights and disks will have only .045" of free space.
The CAR buffer has around .130" of free space, so about the same as the stock rifle buffer.
The A5 has around 50% more free space and a biasing spring to control the weights.
The R6S uses a custom follower and spring and with a combined free length of around 1" and a compressed length of .515".
The stacked length of the spring is a little shorter than the follower, so the follower bottoms out first and protects the spring.
A standard weight and disk is .685" long, so the R6S follower and spring is shorter than 1 weight while compressed, allowing a bit more travel.
The R6S has free space, preload and overall weight (5.65 oz ) that is very similar to the A5H2, using 6 steel weights and a biasing spring with follower in the 7th position.
Ok, got it, the R6S uses a spring and follower in place of a weight. Makes sense now. Any pictures of those to share by any chance?
BTW, Clint, I did send you that email you wanted.
Id like to see this too. My middy with A2 stock is nice, but smoother is better. Will these heavier buffer work with a midlength gas system? Thanks
In general, yes.
But asking about the Midlength has system without mentioning barrel length or gas port size is not asking the right question.
A better question is “would a normally gassed upper work with a heavier spring biased buffer?”
A5H1 - 4.55oz
A5H2 - 5.47oz
A5H3 - 6.31oz
A5H4 - 7.16oz
A2 with 5 steel weights and aluminum spacer - 5.18oz
A2 with 2 tungsten and 3 steel weights and aluminum spacer- 6.87oz
These include the last weight rubber end and spring from an A5 buffer
A2 with 7 steel weights (aluminum spacer removed) - 6.14oz
A2 with 6 steel weights and 1 tungsten weight (aluminum spacer removed) - 6.98
Where would I get a correct biasing spring?
I’m using the spring from an A5 buffer with the last weight and rubber end that are countersunk for the spring.
I hate to have to cannibalize an A5 to get one.
Yes, the other minor issue with that combo is the limited free space available unless a disk or two is removed.
I believe that generous free space is helpful in softening the impact on full recoil.
I also believe a large number of rubber disks is helpful in dampening out the vibration and bolt bounce on return to battery.
One of the advantages of the rifle buffer is internal space for 7 weights vs the 3 or 4 weights in the other options, so tungsten weights and low profile springs are generally not required to get into an optimal configuration.
I could remove the Aluminum spacer.
I have used one of these versitile easily inserted into the back of the BCG units for quite a while now with very good results. The big plus is the fact that you get three different total weight potentials, first the sleeve only, then the sleeve and steel weight and last the sleeve and tungsten weight.
Just a thought worth considering relative to the heavier rifle reciprocating mass.