While idly perusing the S&W parts listings on Ebay I came across a listing for a Buffer Technologies recoil buffer for metal framed semi autos.

Anyone use one? Is it worthwhile or just a gimmick?

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Can open, worms everywhere.

Buffers are a fairly contentious topic. You'll find guys who swear by them but the best argument I've seen as to not bothering with them is if they really did all as promised, gun manufacturers would be installing them at the factory. After all, we're talking about what, in most cases, amounts to a small piece of plastic that can't cost more than a fraction of a cent wholesale. Furthermore, those pieces of plastic can only withstand so many cycles of impact before any buffering qualities are lost.

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SWHF #448

Some pistols are designed to work with a buffer. They should be used as designed, and the buffer replaced as needed. They do wear and disintegrate.

Just sticking a buffer into a pistol not designed for it can lead to serious functioning problems and even damage the gun, particularly if there is not room for it and the recoil spring goes solid.

My standard advice is "Don't try to redesign your gun unless you are
qualified to do so."

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Science plus Art

If you need a buffer to mitigate frame battering, you probably don't have enough recoil spring.

Just my opinion...

John

Snake oil I say!

So long as your recoil spring/s is properly matched to the loads you're shooting, there is utterly no need for any buffer gizmo.

Those buffers cause your slide to short stroke. They take away about an 1/8" of as engineered slide travel which can cause functioning problems in any arm not specifically engineered by the manufacturer to use a buffer.

When the buffer fails and comes apart it'll likely tie up your gun.

The only thing buffers are really good for is padding the bank accounts of people that make buffers.

Cheers
Bill

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Because they don't make a .46

Thanks to everyone for the answers. The survey says: GIMMICK!

I'll save my money for more recoil springs.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

I tried a fiber buffer decades ago in a Star PD. For those who don't know, that was a shorty, alloy framed .45. Sort of an SA version of the 457. The buffer seemed to help with recoil for a dozen or so magazines, but after that, it pretty much lost any compressibility. I also worried about it coming apart and tying up the gun, so I decided to do without.

I have a non-S&W 1911 that will not lock the slide back with a buffer installed.