Replaced AR stock & recoil seems harder...suggestions?

[Harold Mayo]

I replaced my A2 stock with an A1 with no problem (removal of spacer and replacement of stock with A1). It was still too long, so I replaced the A1 stock with a RRA entry stock & DPMS 1" spacer, giving me a perfect LOP.

I replaced everything that I needed to (put in the internal spacer, replaced recoil spring and buffer, replaced buffer tube) but I think that something might be wrong. The AR SEEMS to be recoiling harder than it did previously. As a matter of fact, I put about 80 rounds through it today and it seemed like it started recoiling harder somewhere in the middle of the 80 rounds. I thought that it might be my imagination but I don't really think that it is. Any suggestions?

 

[Steve Smith]

Well, the buffer IS banging into the end of its tube with a lot more force than it would with the A2 stock, where it might not even reach the end. Perhaps the rubber end disentigrated?

 

[Harold Mayo]

I've been told at ar15.com that it might just be the lighter buffer. Don't know. I'm gonna take it apart again and look at the buffer and see if anything is wrong with it.

 

[nemesis]

There isn't a lot of recoil with a .22 but the shorter cycling length may mean that the buffer is bottoming out with a lot more force. Why not replace the buffer spring with a new Carbine buffer spring?

 

[Variable1]

The shorter stocks do seem to recoil harder. I believe part of it is the reduced mass of the stock. The RRA entry is very lightweight from being mostly hollow.

I use a "SULLY" stock with a KAC 1" extension on my carbine and did not notice much of an increase in recoil. The "SULLY" is about the same length as the RRA, but is solid polymer and considerably heavier.

 

[Harold Mayo]

The buffer and spring were both replaced with the buffer and spring that came with the short stock.

 

[Redlg155]

What screw did you use for the buttstock?

I've got the exact same setup, 1" DPMS spacer + RRA entry stock. If I remember correctly the DPMS spacer included 2 screws. One long and one a bit shorter. I used the short screw to make sure it didn't protrude into the buffer tube. I also had to add a couple of flat washers so that I my spacer didn't rattle and added a standard A2 buttplate.

If believe that A1 buttstock screws are shorter than the A2 as well.

You will feel a bit more recoil from the CAR length tube when compared to the standard tube, but it shouldn't be much.


Good Shooting
Red

 

[Engineer]

The A1 stock does take a shorter buttstock screw than the one that comes with the A2 stock (I've never seen an RRA entry stock up close, so I don't know what buffer/tube/screw combo it uses). If you did use the longer screw, the buffer might be banging into the screw with the A1 stock (and possibly with the RRA entry stock as well). Just a thought...

 

[AK103K]

Using an A2 stock screw with an A1 stock can cause reliabilty issues also. It will seem like it works, but it wont work 100%. You'll have some feeding problems.

 

[Kharn]

Steve Smith & Nemesis:
The A1 and A2 stocks use the same buffer, spring and tube, but the A2 stock has the spacer in it that the A1 does not (along with the different screw lengths to account for the spacer). There's no difference in cycling length or force due to the different stock (not including the weight difference of the stocks lowering the recoil).

Kharn

 

[Harold Mayo]

OK...here goes:

1" spacer is to increase LOP. There is a 1" spacer that fits between the buttstock and the lower and there is an internal spacer that fits on the back of the recoil buffer. These items, along with a couple of screws, come with in the DPMS spacer package.

The RRA stock came with stock, recoil spring, shorter buffer, and short buffer tube.

Everything from both of these packages was used with the exception of one screw which is a long one and is intended for use with an A2 stock if you use the spacer to make the LOP even longer.

SO...

There are BOTH internal and external spacers. The extra long screw is for use with the A2 stock. The long screw is being used. The rear of the buffer is clean and has not impacted the screw. The bolt comes all the way to the rear, as far as I can tell. There are no problems with the bolt locking back on the last round or short-stroking.