Some years ago (many) I took one of my 1911s...a Colt Combat Commander to a well known pistolsmith for a performance/reliability tune. Not that it really needed it. As part of the job, he installed a shock buffer system with little replaceable plastic buffers that, I guess, are supposed to reduce the shock to the frame of the gun during firing. It is still in there. Is it necessary? Should I re-install the original parts? This gun gets very little use.

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'Merica!

These were all the rage in the 90s, but like so many other gun 'fads', the whole thing was overblown, IMHO. I haven't used a buffer in decades and haven't had any resultant issues.

I’d replace it with original 1911 parts.

Lots of gadgets have been sold for 1911’s that add nothing to the original design. This sounds like another such gadget.

The 1911 shock buffs were very popular among IPSC competition shooters that really REALLY shot a lot of rounds. I personally went through over 500 rounds each week on the average and even more right before a sanctioned shoot. My guns lasted much longer using the shock buffs. Those little rubber gizmos were selling for less than a buck per pack in the 1980's.

Wilson Combat still sells them for next to nuthin.

Shok-Buff« Recoil Buffers | 1911-https://shopwilsoncombat.com/

I've used these off and on for years, but I don't know that they serve a useful purpose. Sounds good on paper, but like grip adapters, bobbed hammers, and much other gadgetry of questionable worth, they probably do little or no harm.

I know that many people don’t think the buffers are useful, but I have been using them for about 50 years without any trouble. I use the Wilson buffers now (made of some sort of blue plastic/rubber) and can’t remember the brand I used before, but they were black in color. As to fears that the buffers will fall apart and “jam” the firearm, that has never happened to me. I especially like to use them in older (pre WWII) 1911s with non-hardened slides. Don’t know if they are the reason, but I have never had one of the old slides crack while using them.

So very true. My brother-in-law, a collector of anything/everything, recently bought at auction a lovely 1912-production commercial 1911. As with all his guns, he insisted on shooting it, and he invited me along. Now, I would HAVE to change out the sights, but with that mod (and new springs, just because) I'd carry that gun every day. Things like a modest beavertail grip safety can help some folks in the comfort department, but most other add-on stuff is just gilding the lily, at best. At worst, they're a waste of money, and some can compromise the reliability of your gun.

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Pisgah

I went through a time in the 70's and 80's when they were the thing so I used them. I still have a couple of Wilson's somewhere. In reference to the above post, I was going to mention that if they get really worn out, they can start coming apart and could come apart and cause issues. they should be inspected and changed out when they start looking worn and flattened out. There is nothing wrong with them. They work just fine.

I was told back in the day.. they could be useful for competition / range guns... but not for carry guns... much better off tuning recoil spring to specific load you use for carry...
this was by C&S after having Barsto barrel put in my late father's Combat Commander having sheared off the lug off the Colt barrel after decades of shooting..

On the rubber ones they can swell and slow the slide. Nylon is better if you use them. I have some that the recoil buffer length is adjustable for fine tuning.

Back in 80’s-90’s used the Wilsons in 2 1911s that got shot a lot, seemed to help prevent hammering. The buffers did get squished pretty bad so had to change them often. Old armorer friend said if John Browning didn’t put it in the 1911, its not needed.

I have one in my 70 Series Gold Cup. From what I remember, they were not recommended for the shorter Commander type guns.

Like cstrode, I shot over 500 rounds a week for years when shooting IPSC. I too, had the plastic/rubber bumpers in my pistols. Did they save wear on the pistols? Probably as I went through quite a few of them over time. Just wish that there had been a bumper for my hand! The arthritis in my right thumb and hand tells me about every round I ever shot!!

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I use them, they serve a real purpose and keep the slide from battering the frame or the op rod from battering then recvr or gas block in my ruger minis but they don’t last forever and need to be replaced every so often depending on the power of your loads, recoil springs and your round count. Also have a buffer in my 1927A1 Thompson recvr. My uncle once showed me a 1911 magazine that he had used for many years and the front wasn’t smooth anymore as it was dimpled from those 7 hardball rounds slamming into it over and over.

I had them in a 1911 that I hand built. It seemed to be a good idea when I was doing a good deal of IPSC shooting. A couple of years ago l set up a Colt stainless series 80 for 45 Super and dropped a buffer in along with the other mods. They are probably an OK idea as long as you replace them before they begin to break up.

I have used them for about 20 years and still use them on both of my 1911’s.

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Live long and prosper

I used them in one of my 1911's for awhile then figured they were a waste of time and haven't used them since. All 1911 are designed to run without them. NO factory 1911's come with them. And NO ONE. Me or anyone else used them in 10mm 1911's and 10mm's are a lot rougher on 1911's than 45 acp. One thing users fail to mention is that installed shok-buff will sometimes not allow the slide to fully come to the rear resulting in a jam or the slide failing to pick up another round from the magazine.

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S&W Accumulator

A while back I spent a few years as the general manager of a small shop that specialized in 1911's. The owner suggested use of shock buffer type products only in 1911's that were being shot with hot bowling pin type loads; I concur. I removed more than a few 'buffs from guns that were in shreds and causing malfunctions. I would never suggest use of a 'buff in a duty or self defense 1911. If you do use a 'buff regularly check them for condition each time pistol is cleaned. Toss when in less than like new condition.

I used to use them, then I noticed one day that my favorite 1911 was jamming...after taking it apart, I found pieces of the little neoprene device all over the pistol...so they all came out. I never noticed that they did any good anyhow.

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USAF AMMO!

Has anyone ever seen or used this type of buffer? I pulled this out of a Union Switch and Signal 1911a1.

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I’ve got one in my 1911 parts box. Aftermarket spring plunger recoil spring guide. Adds another spring to the recoil system when the recoil spring collapses all the way. I don’t know where I got mine but it doesn’t really do anything. I do like full length guide rods and flat recoil springs in my 1911s.

Recoil reducers and shock buffers were all the rage back in the 80's and 90's when I was competing in USPSA matches. The rubber shock buffers require frequent replacement, reduce the amount the slide can travel during recoil, and have the potential to tie up a pistol. I would not use them in a defensive pistol. I would use them in old 1911's, those made before WW II, and they may have a benefit in 1911's chambered in 10mm Auto.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Buick, That's a forerunner of the shock buff. It was invented by Irv Stone of Bar Sto, but the originals were all stainless like other Bar Sto ideas. They haven't been around for a long time. The one you have is not a Bar Sto but is some sort of a copy.

Some years ago I picked up a used Colt Combat Government Model that had a lot of rounds through it. Apparently the recoil spring had never been changed and the recoil spring guide peened the frame to the point it now requires a nylon shock buffer to restore normal slide travel.

I have one or two. One is in a Clark heavy slide 38 special.

I tried them many years ago. Never again.

After less than 200 rounds, the shock buff split jamming the gun.

It’s a gimmick that is not needed just like FLGR. Use the correct recoil spring and replace it when necessary.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I've used the dual and triple spring 1911 systems. Was involved in the design of one in fact. They are eclipsed by quality chrome silicon conventional springs, of the proper weight rate for the load being run. When they are two full coils shorter than new it's time to replace with a new quality one.

Got so many springs of different lengths in my spares it is not funny. Years ago we cut spring down to match different loads. Not even sure what the proper length is anymore.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

You may be able to find a spring chart somewhere. Proper one for a given gun (say a 5" Gov't) is a certain number of coils, to a certain length and of a specific wire diameter. You can determine the poundage rating of a given spring with that data. That's assuming your springs in your spares collection are new. There are a couple nifty spring tester gadgets out there too; somewhat uncommon though.

As for 1911 springs, I've also had so many at times I didn't know what was what. I solved that problem some years ago by using a 16 lb. spring for all loads in all guns without mishap, but my guns are all standard ones with 5" barrels.

Unless you plan on modifying your 1911 to shoot a more powerful cartridge like .45 Super or .460 Rowland, then there's no tangible reason to have a shock buffer in your 1911.

As long as it's properly maintained, the 1911 will outlast you and generations to come shooting Standard Pressure .45 ACP.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

Like others, I used them back in the 1980s-1990s when competing in USPSA and shooting 500+ rds of .45ACP a week.
I was never sure whether they "helped" or not. They would split after a while and need to be replaced, but I cleaned my pistol often and kept a close check on them.

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John

I think the best buffer I used during my competition days was the CP Tuff Buff buffer. Those buffers were made from some sort of nylon and lasted a lot longer than the common black rubber buffers sold by just about everyone. They were also more expensive than anyone else's, but given their durability, the long term cost was probably the same if not better.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

I had one of those in one of my guns years ago. Never really noticed a difference. Left it in the pistol when I sold it. Didn't miss it at all. Not military, aftermarket I do believe.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I don’t object to a shock buffer in a full sized 1911, as it has enough excess slide over run that it won’t affect reliability and it can allow a standard weight spring in cases where a heavier spring would otherwise be needed - with the downsides that come with a heavier spring.

That however is not the case with a commander or officer sized frame. In a commander a shock buffer will shorten the slide over run to the point where it can start to cause reliability issues, and in an officer frame 1911 it reduces the slide over run to basically nothing.

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Proper selection of the recoil spring, and replacement when they wear out, are far more important to being with, and a shock buffer should be considered only after those factors are addressed.

It’s important to remember there is no free lunch. It’s popular to install an extra strength recoil spring, but unless you are shooting truly heavy +P loads it’s going to do more harm than good. When it is not needed to prevent the slide from battering the frame in recoil, there is no benefit to it. Worse, that heavier weight spring will increase the velocity of the slide then it goes back into battery and that will also batter the frame, and do it in an area that was never designed for a heavier spring.

You want a spring that is just heavy enough to prevent the slide from rebounding off the frame (which is caused by excessive slide velocity in recoil and also results in excessive slide velocity going back into battery). That rebound will produce a sharper metallic feel to the recoil. If you have that, you either need a new recoil spring or a stronger one (and try the new one first, they can wear out in as little as 800 rounds).

That metallic impact with excessive recoil velocity and a standard weight spring is where the shock buffers originally came into play. The shock buffer prevented the rebound and battering without putting excessive stress on the locking system when the slide comes back into battery.

If the shock buffer wasn’t enough with the standard weight spring it became evident when you got that metallic feel again in 100 or so rounds when the slide quickly ate it’s way through the shock buffer. If the buffer is getting torn up, then you need to go a pound or two higher on the spring weight.

In short, while they are not as prevalent as they used to be, they are still a potential benefit on a full length 1911 and are a good second step (after replacing the original spring with a new factory weight spring) before going to a heavier recoil spring, which should only be done if you are still getting slide rebound.

This just ain't the truth at all!

I've worn out quite few 1911 guns of various manufacture. Not to mention lots of pepper poppers and Chapman Hi-Rides. No gun will withstand decades of 30,000 rounds per year. And no, I do not shoot high-power loads. My mags were filled with 200 grain SWC lead with just enough Unique to qualify for major.

If you don't know what this means, it means you don't realize what half a century of IPSC will do to the hardest of steel.

Before the M1911A1's were retired some were found to be cracking in the frames. Had friends working NDI at the Metal Shop and the armorers were bringing all the M1911A1on station over for magnafluxing. The cracked one were cut up and their parts put in the spares bins.

When they were officially retired the Navy & Marine M1911A1's were sent to NSWC Crane, Ind. There they had hired 50 extra gunsmiths to check and rebuild all the pistols. Those that failed were destroyed. The pistols that passed testing were reparked & rebuilt and stored in deep storage "War Stores".


Shot IPSC for quite a while. Usually rebuilt my pistol at least every two years. Sometimes more often. Tightened slides replaced springs, and sometimes the barrels (usually they last longer due to me shooting cast lead all the time). I shot 185 grain cast SWC's with 3.5 grains of Bullseye. Still have a Chapman Hi-Ride.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I understand the concerns about reliability. Many years ago I bought a half dozen of the Brand X black buffers at a gun show for a few bucks. And then I found a couple of them had crumbled into pieces in guns that were in storage for a few years and not been shot. The remainder of the unused ones crumbled into bits with my bare fingers.

I only use Wilson Combat buffers in my Colt Lightweight Commander. And that is after I thin them to about 0.090" by rubbing on a sheet of sandpaper. Without thinning them, they restrict the slide travel just enough that I can't slingshot the slide with the magazine out and have the slide stop drop down and release the slide. That tells me they are too thick for reliability. But they are probably still thick enough to be effective.

From King's Gunworks?

Look at part #406 in this drawing.

Kings Gunworks

Looks kind of like it. Was no manufacturers marks on the one I have. When I got it, I was stationed in Calif.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.