Buffer question

[grogetr]

I bought a rifle length 20" 5.56 upper from PSA that I want to put together a lower for. I have a lower with a 16" mid that is a standard PSA mill spec buffer. I put the 20" upper on it and it seemed to work fine. Should I just get another one of these or is there a different set up that would work better? I use it for target practice but want it for coyote hunting mainly. I guess I"m looking for as little recoil and muzzle rise for follow up shots if needed. Thanks, black friday is getting close and want to be ready with what is needed. Any suggestions on suppliers would be great also.

 

[Varminterror]

What buffer weight do you actually have in your PSA lower? If it's a standard Carbine weight buffer, then you would likely be pleased by changing to a heavier H2 buffer. This will slow down the action and reduce the recoil impulse considerably. I run H2 buffers in all of my non-race AR's, especially my hunting rifles, or those with larger than 223/5.56 cartridges.

 

[rodinal220]

Depends on what type of stock you want to run. If you are going to run a rifle stock/extension you run a rifle buffer. If you are going to run a carbine stock/extension with a 20" barrel all you need is a standard carbine buffer. Here is a link with everything you need to know about buffers from a RKI.

 

[bfoosh006]

I am assuming your 16" lower has a carbine stock....

Swapping over to a Vltor A5 buffer / system will allow you to use very heavy buffer... I run some VERY heavy buffers in a lot of my AR's , along with a tubs Flatwire recoil spring.

H0, 3.8 oz
H1, 4.56oz
H2, 5.33oz
H3, 6.08oz
H4, 6.83


And consider a muzzle brake.... the proper one will help a lot in staying on target.

 

[HankC]

5.56 carbine standard buffer typically has 3.0 Oz. 3.8 Oz is 308 AR carbine or H1 AR15 buffer. H2 would be around 4.7 Oz.
http://thearguys.com/ar-facts/difference-ar-15-buffers/

 

[grampajack]

I would go a little heavier, but I don't know if a heavier buffer alone will give you the recoil reduction you're looking for. I think a lot of the increased comfort with rifle buffers is due to the compression rate you get with rifle length recoil springs.

 

[grampajack]

I would go a little heavier, but I don't know if a heavier buffer alone will give you the recoil reduction you're looking for. I think a lot of the increased comfort with rifle buffers is due to the compression rate you get with rifle length recoil springs.

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

If you are going to run a rifle stock/extension you run a rifle buffer.

Not for me.

Heavier rifle length buffers were not available - AFAIK - when I bought a short barrel upper for my OEM M16A1.
I wanted to slow the short barrel down a bit, as it was rather fast with the standard rifle buffer.

Having not found a carbine style butt stock I cared for, I turned down a piece of 'delrin' in a lathe and cut it to length so
that it slid freely inside the bolt return spring with tapered ends.
Delrin was cut to correct length so that the OAL, when combined with an H2 carbine buffer, was the same as the original rifle buffer.
Necessary to keep the length the same to keep the bolt carrier from impacting the rear ring of the receiver during recoil.

It been working for years.
Just saying - more than one way to find a solution.

JT

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

May end up using the gun on this computer.
Every time it 'makes changes' for my benefit, things go south.

 

[DMK]

I bought a rifle length 20" 5.56 upper from PSA that I want to put together a lower for. I have a lower with a 16" mid that is a standard PSA mill spec buffer....

If I was going to put a 20" rifle on a carbine stocked lower, I'd run a 9mm or an H3 buffer to keep it about the same weight as a rifle buffer.

 

[grogetr]

Thanks for the info. I am going to use a adjustable stock. The video above said there could be an issue in cold weather if you have to heavy of a buffer so don't want to get into that when hunting. I might just go with the H buffer and call it good, it's not like a .223 recoils to hard anyway

 

[DMK]

TThe video above said there could be an issue in cold weather if you have to heavy of a buffer so don't want to get into that when hunting. I might just go with the H buffer and call it good, it's not like a .223 recoils to hard anyway

Chris Bartocci was talking about carbine length gas systems in that video.

The 20" rifle gas system was designed to use a 5.2oz buffer. That's what every rifle using a fixed A1 or A2 stock comes with and nobody ever has any issues with it.

Testing your choice in sub 10 degree weather isn't a bad idea no matter what you do though.