[Commissar Gribb]

I asked this in my last thread but it kinda got buried in the middle of the topic.

Is it safe to shoot an AR15 without the buffer tube installed? I recently got a kit that did not have one.

[Jeff White]

NO!

How would you hold the stock on the rifle? The fixed stock attaches to the buffer tube with a screw. The buffer tube is an integral part of the collapsible stock.

Where would the bolt carrier group recoil to? What would retain the buffer spring?

Are you really thinking of just holding the weapon up like a pistol with no buffer tube or stock and firing it?

Jeff

[Jeff White]

I just looked at the pic in your other thread. How did you attach the stock without a buffer tube?

Jeff

[Commissar Gribb]

i mean the metal part that goes in the tube.

the little metal tube with the rubber thing.

http://www.northridgeinc.com/ar15-11.htm

this thing

[RevDisk]

i mean the metal part that goes in the tube.

the little metal tube with the rubber thing.

http://www.northridgeinc.com/ar15-11.htm

this thing

Recoil buffer assembly.

I have heard of some kits that just use a spring, not a complete recoil buffer assembly. (The metal tube thingie you are describing.) Obviously follow all directions included with the kit you buy. Read through the manual provided. If no manual or instructions were included with whatever package you bought, well... that's bad. Real bad.

Most gun companies have a copy of the weapon manual on their websites. Check out your manufacturer's website and make sure you correctly installed the kit.

[Commissar Gribb]

I used the US Army TO which details reassembly of an M16A2- and I thought I'd never use that book ;)

there weren't any instructions that came with it. very cheap setup.

here's there site

www.stagarms.com

[RevDisk]

I used the US Army TO which details reassembly of an M16A2- and I thought I'd never use that book

there weren't any instructions that came with it. very cheap setup.

TM. ;)

Ouch. None on the website either. That's plain irresponsible. Any company that manufactures a weapon should provide at a minimum a safety manual on the product.

Careful about using the A2 TM for assembling your AR-15. Most parts are similiar, but the fire control group is different. (Obviously, as your rifle does not have three round burst.)

The M16A2 TM is a good reference book for your weapon, but keep in mind your rifle IS a different rifle. There are also most likely to be other small differences.

[Commissar Gribb]

I assembled the rifle and performed a functional test on the fire control parts and it checked out. The mag catch, bolt catch, trigger, safety all worked correctly. I chambered a round and it extracted flawlessly though I didn't fire it as I didnt have time to go out to the range.

I like to think I've been intimate enough with my bushmaster to understand how the rifle works, but if you guys say I should wait on the buffer, I'll do that. no point in taking a chance and ruining a perfectly good rifle.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Wait on the buffer. The buffer is a necessary part of the system. The buffer serves to both delay the unlocking of the bolt until pressures have dropped to a certain level and to help ensure smooth and reliable cycling.

However, if you decide you just can't wait, please share the results of the experiment with us here so we can learn what happens when you fire it without a buffer.

[Fred Fuller]

DUDE,

WAIT FOR THE BUFFER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(....get some help on this assembly project while you're at it- you're gonna hurt yourself- online help may be fine for puters but it won't cut it for rifles, someone who knows their way around an AR needs to look at your work on this one before you shoot it..... please....)

lpl/nc (shudder)

[AZ Jeff]

Firing without the buffer will do the following:
1. drive the bolt carrier further rearward than intended, SMASHING the carrier key into the back of the upper reciever, and splitting the charging handle
2. force the coils of the recoil spring to bottom out on each other, resulting in breakage of teh spring, jamming of the spring inside the receiver extension, and/or cracking of the receiver extension.

These are all "bad things". DO NOT fire the weapon without a buffer installed, unless you want these things to happen.

[Commissar Gribb]

thanks guys!

turns out, the company that sold it to me left the buffer assy out because they were out of stock :banghead:

I'm getting one tonight.