I am still learning so I go to the people with experience? Has anyone installed a heavy weight buffer, supposedly to slow down the cyclic action and boost bullet speed and accuracy? Any way that's what the adds say. I am sorry if I am asking redundant questions and I probably should search more but I thought it would be easier to ask instead of reinventing the wheel. Thanks

P.S. there are so many things to spend money on. I would rather spend it on necessary stuff and not on gimics, the only thing I have bought so far is a rail to go underneath my forward hand guard for the grip pod I am getting from the USMC surplus deal!

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Grover Oathkeeper

Odd timing oneyeopen...

I purchased an "H" buffer. I'm going to try it the next time I can get to the range (2 weeks). Out of all the AR voodoo on the net, the benefits of an "H" or "H2" buffer sound reasonable.

Also, I agree with you. I don't want to add or accessorize just to do it. There has to be a functional or ergonomic reason.

Other than the "H" buffer I'm going to test out, I've installed:

• MagPul Hand Guards
• MagPul MIAD Grip
• MagPul MOE Stock
• MagPul B.A.D. Lever
• MagPul Rear MBUS
• Primary Arms M3 Clone Red Dot
• Blackhawk 2-point sling

There is one tool that I highly recommend:



C.A.T. M4 Tool

It makes cleaning the bolt tail & bolt carrier easier.

Unless you have an ejection problem, no need.

http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.ht...&f=66&t=505279

MPDC, I am not having an ejection problem but according to the hype (sales Pitch) the heavier buffer can supposedly take care of this issue:

When you are running a carbine length gas system on a 16 inch barrel, they tend to open open early with higher pressure,and make extraction more of a chore on your extractor. A heavy buffer makes the bolt carrier head rearward a bit later, letting pressure drop a touch, and making cycling a bit smoother.

By slowing the extraction, ejection cycle a bit, there can be a perceived reduction in recoil, that reduces jump a bit, and makes the gun "feel smoother".

So these are the things I am looking at and just like the other posting there are so many things out there that if it helps make the gun better and easier on it I am for it. But I don't want to waste my money or time.

JaPes..the tool looks like something I would definitely be interested in and I know in the future I will be changing some if not all of my furniture, but right now I am still getting used to the gun Plus the Chief Financial Officer (my better looking half) is making sure that I don't spend too much money on my "Barbee Doll" LOL

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Grover Oathkeeper

Well, it isn't too expensive to try, I guess but remember, it is possible they knew what they were doing when they spec'ed the buffer. You will effect the timing of the cycle and maybe the angle of ejection. Probably not a lot but it may "feel" better or not. I know some do it and switch back.

I go by the old , "IF it ain't broke........" because at my age I've "fixed" lots of perfectly good things and then "unfixed" them to work right again.

MPDC Thank you sir...yeah I have had to unfix things in my life also, thats why I ask so many questions, cause I do learn things, your right if it aint broke aint no sense in fixing it.

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Grover Oathkeeper

One can also add a weight into the buffer tube to make it heavier. Just remove the pin, drop in a steel bearing, and close it up.
Fast, and easy. If you don't like it, then swap it back out easily.

I replaced the action spring, buffer and BCG in my M&P.

I now have a M16 BCG (heavier), a H2 buffer (heavier), and a Springco Blue action spring (heavier).

The general rule of thumb is to use the heaviest buffer available that still allows your rifle to function properly. A Spike's T2 buffer is a little lighter than a H2 (.4 ounces I think), but still heavier the a H buffer.

I also replaced the trigger with a Spike's Battle Trigger, using the lighter trigger spring from the JP Enterprise yellow spring kit, and the standard hammer spring that came in the rifle.

At one point, I had installed KNS anti-rotation pins, but they made the trigger harder to pull, so I removed them.

Other changes I've made include the following:

CAA UPG-16 Pistol Grip (like the MIAD, except it has replaceable fore and back straps).
Magpul B.A.D. lever
Yankee-Hill machine folding front sight/gas block
Magpul CTR butt stock
Primary Weapons Systems Enhanced Buffer Tube (no castle nut!)
Smith Vortex G6A2 flash suppressor

The last thing I need to change out is the barrel. I want to get a 16-inch mid-length 1:8 barrel (from Blackhole Weaponry).

Pretty soon, the only thing left of the original rifle will be the upper and lower receivers...

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*Aim small, miss small...

Amen to that!

Any new info on the heavier buffer.

Heavy buffers are a heavily over-hyped option for ARs. There's so much information out there already about what an H buffer does, but I'll add my 2 cents. They do not "boost bullet speed" or "improve accuracy". An H buffer adds a little mass to the system, which slightly delays the movement of the BCG rearward when a cartridge is fired. This will allow the case a little more time to relax before it is extracted. This is a good thing for reliability. Carbine length gas systems benefit the most because of the higher port pressure compared to a mid- or rifle-length. The higher port pressure causes the mass of the system to be overcome sooner, and subsequent unlocking to occur sooner.

That said, almost any Carbine-length AR will run perfectly fine with a standard Carbine buffer. The cycling of the system may be a bit more vigorous than needed, but it's unlikely to cause problems. The most likely problem that could occur would be failure to extract, when you factor in an out-of-spec gas port or some other issue.

Some feel that even in a properly cycling AR, an H buffer will improve the recoil impulse, cause less stress on the brass, slightly reduce wear and tear, etc. I do agree with this for the most part.

I would have no issues picking up an AR with a standard buffer and shooting it, and I would not expect any malfunctions solely due to the buffer. However, when I am assembling a lower, I always buy an H buffer, since I need to buy one anyway. Where people run astray is in trying to solve cycling problems. Adding heavier and heavier buffers trying to fix a grumpy AR is ignoring the root problem, whatever that is, and applying a bandaid.

There are other considerations when you get into chamberings beyond 5.56, or full-auto rifles, but that is beyond the scope of the original question.

Shortly: ejection direction. To me the optimal direction is 2:30 for a Carbine. The brass would have to be shooting straight forward or dribbling out at your feet for me to be concerned. Don't waste money on buffers trying to chase that "perfect" ejection direction. If it's good enough, leave it alone. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Hope that helps.

Dragon88 thank you I always appreciate when you post, there are a few people and you are one of them. MPDC is another, I cannot remember them all right now but when you all speak I do slow down and listen...Now if we were talking about Mauser 98's.......................

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Grover Oathkeeper

Dang... what happened to the "like" button?

Dragon88, thank you for the informational & insightful reply.

The H buffer cost me $17. Compared to some other AR parts, it's relatively inexpensive. If it works, cool. If it doesn't, I can easily swap in the carbine buffer.

The carbine buffer *is* an H buffer. That's what comes in all of the M&P's I've encountered.

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*Aim small, miss small...

I just weighed my m&p 15 sport buffer on a calibrated scale I have. 2.92oz

That's standard CAR weight.

H buffer is 3.8 oz

So my rifle did not come with an H buffer


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

A standard or "Carbine" buffer is not an H buffer. A standard buffer has three loose weights in it. A H buffer has one of those weights replaced with a Tungsten weight, which is heavier. A H2 has two weights replaced with Tungsten, and an H3 has all three replaced with Tungsten.

So after reading all of this information, IMHO I am going to go with an "H" buffer, if it adds life and reliability to my Carbine then I am all for it. I did notice how vigorously the action cycled, but what I noticed more was the lack of the "twang" that used to make me think I was shooting a daisy bb gun when firing the 16A1 in the service. Thank heaven and S&W for curing that problem. And thanks to everyone for their input.

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Grover Oathkeeper

I think the "twang" is inherent to using a rifle buffer.

I actually have a rifle buffer/spring and a M16A1 buttstock on mine. It twangs a bit. Nothing obnoxious though


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

Bringing this back up for Philevans!!!

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Grover Oathkeeper

For reference.


Carbine Buffer. Reads 3.0 oz. on my cheap digital scale.


H Buffer. Reads 3.9 oz. on my cheap digital scale.


H2 Buffer. Reads 4.8 oz. on my cheap digital scale.

Now, does changing any of this canx the Smith lifetime deal.

Good Question Sarge!!

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Grover Oathkeeper

Switching to a heavier buffer should not affect your Lifetime warranty at all. It is a non-permanent and very common modification, I would put it in the same category as a trigger change or upgraded stock. If you had to send in the rifle for warranty, changing out to the original buffer can be accomplished in about 10 seconds.

When in doubt though, call or email S&W and ask. But again, I see no issue here and I doubt S&W would.