Has anyone actually shot a 1911 pistol before and after installing a shock buffer?
Why, yes! Yes I have! Off and on over the course of about 30 years, after I saw my first one.
Here's what I've found.
They do soften slide to frame impact. If that's really a concern, then use'em if you wish. I don't advise having one in a serious purpose pistol, however.
Some guns will run just fine with a buffer in place, and some won't. Some will allow a slingshot from slidelock reload...and some won't. All my 5-inch guns will. The ones that don't like buffs give no clue as to why. They just go into spastic fits when one is installed...and return to perfect behavior when they're removed. Most of my 5-inch guns do fine with buffs installed. Sometimes I run'em with buffs...but most of the time, I don't.
There's way too much concern over the frames. The real destructive stresses occur in the slide. The slide and barrel assembly is the gun. The frame is really no more than a gun mount. When the US Army adopted the 1911, orders were placed for a couple dozen slides, along with other repair/replacement parts, for every complete gun delivered. That was repeated for the WW2 contracts. There was a reason for it. That being that the frame will outlast the slide about 10:1 or better.
Are shock buffs necessary? No. Do they "save" the frame, as advertised? Not really.
Do they make people feel better? Yep...and that's probably their greatest advantage. They lead people to believe that they're sparing their gun an early death.
The age-old question begs to be asked:
"What's it
for?"
Too often, the answer is:
"Why...to sell, of course!"