Buffer Wear Information!

[oneyeopn]

As a lot of us have learned after putting a lot of rounds through our Sporting Rifles doing a little hunting and a lot of target shooting. your buffer takes quite a bit of abuse. On the end of the buffer is a poly cap that ends up hitting the end of the buffer tube at the furthest rearward travel. After a while that poly cap can end up cracking or in some cases even coming apart.
I always thought the only way to repair that was to have another buffer on hand. I am not sure about the aftermarket buffers like the Spikes, but the factory buffers cap is held in with a roll pin. I just discovered that you can buy just those caps. All you have to do is drive the pin holding the cap in out, and put the new cap on and redrill the hole. Pretty simple. So if your buffer's poly cap is starting to break, no need to throw the buffer away and spend $25 on up for a new buffer. Do a search, this wasnt on ebay and you can find those caps for less than $10.
I thought I would share this....

 

[Maddmax]

I take it we can't get them from the mother ship.

 

[oneyeopn]

I take it we can't get them from the mother ship.

I dont know, I actually never thought about that. I was just surprised to see them offered as a replacement part. I have already replaced the poly pad on my "Cybersport" once. I just wasnt looking to replace the buffer again. I took two different buffers and combined them to make one that lets my rifle run real smooth and put the new poly pad on it.

 

[Maddmax]

Nice to know you can rebuild if need be. The mothership is kind of hard making contact with right now with what's all going on. I might have to try when things settle down or call early.

 

[Maddmax]

Are you talking about the "cap" closest to the BCG or the other end hitting the end of the tube when fired,or both ? I saw end caps (closest to the BCG) some place and they were fairly cheap,sold in a "bunch" (I think). Now I just have to find them again. ...It'll give me something to do tomorrow while I'm laidup again.

 

[oneyeopn]

the poly cap furthest away from the BCG!!

 

[PunisherBane]

On a slightly related topic, I was poking around amazon and saw a buffer wedge? After staring blankly at it for a few in bewilderment I have to ask... What does it do and where exactly on the buffer does it go.... Looks like cheap quick fix for a more expensive problem then as a preventative measure for something.... Idunno. It didn't originally come in my rifle so I figure it can't be all that necessary right?

 

[Culina]

I guess one would have to pull the buffer out every now and then to notice if there was a problem. I grease the recoil spings when I get them to reduce the sproing, this also makes it extremely unpleasant to pull out the buffer and spring.