[beefiness]

just got a rifle length recoil buffer from midway. took it out of the package and it rattles around on the inside. i know my carbine one doesn't rattle. it isn't supposed to do this is it?

[highorder]

Yes.

The weights inside the buffers are supposed to rattle. I've never seen one that doesn't.

[rcmodel]

The whole purpose of the buffer is to prevent bolt bounce when the carrier runs into the barrel extension and rebounds, partially unlocking the bolt.

The AR buffer actually acts very much like a dead-blow hammer.
As the bolt carrier flys foreword and the bolt locks, it wants to tend to bounce back open.
(Steel against steel acts just like the Q-ball hitting the 8-ball)

Anyway, just as the bolt tries to bounce back open, the sliding weight in the buffer
gets there late and counteracts it.

The timing on the carbine is different and the solid weight has the same effect on it.

rc

[beefiness]

it's just that the rattle is LOUD