Okay... I am now going to display my incredible ignorance. I have built several ARs, both AR10s (6.5CM and .308) and AR15s (300BLK and 6mm ARC) and have not thought twice about the buffer and spring, with the exception of putting a JP Silent capture spring in my 10.3" 300BLK AR. I learned a lot from this video it brought me from "I don't know what I don't know," to "I know I don't know" what buffer and spring combination I have and/or should be using in my ARs. Thank you for the video. I learned a lot, especially about my own ignorance.
I too built a 6.5 cm and a 6 arc but haven't shot the 6 arc yet so I don't know what is going to do. I used standard springs and buffers in both and my 6.5 creed jams after a couple rounds. I never paid attention to where the ejected shells went either.
Most top AR gunsmiths in the industry actually _recommend_ using the heaviest buffer your gun will still cycle with for reliability sake! It not only prevents wear on your components, but once the rifle gets carboned up the heavier buffer will _still_ send the bolt back into battery and hammer through the carbon build up that will stop the lighter buffers.👍
@@anthonyrichard461 so would Master Gunsmith Chad Albrecht at School of the American Rifle, by far the top AR armorer/instructor/guru in the nation. He's done work sorting out "AR-14's" for the secret service and a host of other agencies and even been instrumental in helping major manufacturers iron out their overlooked "bugs" to help us all out.
Heavier buffers are a good idea, but your last statement about “hammering through” carboning is totally wrong. On the closing stroke, every buffer weight has the same energy. How do we know this? Well the fully compressed spring has some amount of stored energy. With the bolt closed, the spring has a different (lower) energy. The difference between these is what was given to the BCG in closing energy, regardless of the weight of it. Heavy and slow or lighter and fast, they have the same energy. If you want to “power through” carbon and such, you need a stiffer spring NOT a heavier buffer.
I have watched thousands of 2A videos and this is the first video that anyone has talked about buffer weight for the AR platform. Well done Clint. I appreciate you spreading your knowledge.
Started looking into buffer weights about 10 years ago because I figured the “clack-clack” sound of the carbine bolt cycling couldn’t be good for the life expectancy of the rifle. Cousin, son and I decided on the H2, which greatly calmed things down. When I started switching over to mid-length systems the customer service rep at the barrel company I tried to use for all my barrels told me the company didn’t have an official stance on buffer weight but that “we all use H2” buffers. So I was home free and the results were an extra smooth shooting carbine! Now that I have my first suppressor I guess I’m in line for an H4.
@@973newarkavelli9 not going into battery could be due to a lot of issues. Locking lugs aren't timed right, unlubed, buffer weight or buffer spring too weak, etc
@@EggplantHarmesan i lubed it its working better when i rack it im going to take it to the range to see if it runs good but its but ill look into the buffer spring and weights thanks 💯🙏🏼
The results were interesting, I thought there would be a bigger difference. Keep it coming. Always ready to learn new things. Its cheaper watching you instead of doing it myself. All help appreciated.
I'm only about 6 minutes into this but the cycling of the firearm and ejection pattern will also change depending on what recoil spring you are using. I run everything from a yellow(light) sprinco in my 300blk if it's not suppressed(rarely used w/o can) and some guns have a blue or red/white(stiffer). Complete tuning your buffer weight and spring isn't necessary but when you shoot alot it's nice to dial in each gun. I keep an Odin works adjustable buffer weight just as a tester for new builds. When I find what spring combo works in the gun I buy a designated buffer. Great product for getting a soft shooting gun dialed in
The buffer weight reliably comes into play with regards to fullauto cycle rates and temperature of the ammo. H3 buffers sound good till you fire ammo that's at 0 degrees. Pressure and performance of the ammo is greatly effected. Ammo selection and temperature will determine if that buffer/spring and port size will be reliable. Honestly this concept is a rabbit hole lol. If your rifle is "perfectly" gassed at 80 degrees and shoots soft. You might not like the reliability if you try using it up north in January.
Buffer weights really make a difference if you're shooting full giggle or burst. Increased weight allows for more dwell time thus allowing proper extraction between rounds being fired. That is why the TM states H2 buffers are to be used in M4A1's.
That’s why I always state this is a fallacy. Heavier weights were only brought in to play due to bolt bounce in full auto. All they’re doing in a semi auto platform is increasing reciprocating mass. What needs to be addressed is spring rates. Find proper spring rate to correspond with an H1 and your particular gassing.
@@SandyRavaged What you're saying is increasing spring resistance would accomplish the same thing with even less recoil? One could go from a milspec spring + H2 to an H and upgrade their mil spec spring to a sprinco blue spring and accomplish much the same cyclic slowdown?
@@mghegotagun there are many ways to fine tune it but I always stick to a certain spring rate that I can accomplish proper timing with an H equivalent then I also keep a standard carbine buffer or equivalent on hand for weaker ammo like steel case stuff or lower grade .223
Air temperature plays a big part in buffer selection, the heavy buffers might work fine in the heat but if you shoot in the cold you could get short strokes.
Tweaking the buffer weight is even more important for 300 BLK, since you have bigger variables with sub/supersonic ammo, and suppressed/unsuppressed configurations. Would love to see Part II, with a breakdown on recommended buffers for 300 BLK and also captured spring setups like Armaspec and JP Enterprises.
I was wondering the same thing. I recently built a 300BLK and it cycles very smooth but fails to reset the trigger. Also kicks the brass at about the 5 o'clock position.
@@investigativeoutcomes9343 Exactly! A solving an overgassed rifle with a heavy buffer treats the symptoms, not the cause. Get an AGB and use a carbine buffer. I've never had it not work, carbine or pistol gas, suppressed or not, short or long barrel, regardless whether I'm shooting supers or subs.
It’s all about muzzle rise and and ability to stay on target/ faster follow up shots. I use an H3 buffer with a mid length gas tube, on a 16” barrel. It really smooths out the recoil impulse.
Late to the table here, but i built my first ar this year. Psa pistol lower and a 10.5. I recently switched to a 14.5/mid-length gas. Zeroing in the other day I thought the recoil impulse felt a little rough so I'm wondering if a heavier buffer will be more appropriate
For the unsuppressed vs suppressed option, barrel length depending, I believe that a Bootleg Adjustable BCG is the key. Adjust to maintain balance by using ejection pattern as a indicator of functionality and reliability. One factor not mentioned is that part life, not just shooting session reliability and functionality, is important to understand. Springs have a use life, using expressed in thousands of rounds. Standard (ie balanced) barrel length/buffer weights might have a particular spring (ie Extractor spring) lasting 10k rounds. An overgasses gun will reduce spring life by a few or several thousand rounds, factors depending. Most people don't run their guns that hard, or they have several upper/lower combos and may never see a particular upper experience a major malfunction requiring total part replacement.
It's all a balancing act between gas port size, gas system length, the amount of barrel past the gas port (and sometimes what's on the muzzle), buffer plus bolt carrier group weight, buffer spring rate, and the exact ammo you like to use.
I really enjoyed this experiment! I think it showcases how versatile the AR platform is and how forgiving it can be. Manufacturers typically over-gas things slightly to increase reliability. Whether it be climate, dirt, or wear/tear, the reliability issue is greater than normal resistance in cycling. Switching to a heavier than ideal buffer just simulates those conditions. Switching to a lighter than ideal buffer probably wears the spring quicker, may result in unusual felt recoil, and further increases its operational external resistance tolerance. The fact that you didn't have any malfunctions just proves the manufacturers tuned their operational room for error to allow for tinkering. A failure would mean either less-thoughtful manufacturer tolerances or the manufacturer tuned their gun to a very specific loadout for a specific purpose seeking perfection for their objective. My guess is something like a Knight's Armament would have failed if you changed a variable in their perfect science. Likewise, you would have experienced inconsistent results with a low-end (low QC) brand or possibly with a Frankenstein build.
Um,,, great presentation. I spent some time developing a gas system for an AR in 17 HMR rim-fire. Some other things you can do are- Use stiffer or lighter buffer springs. Gas port location. Gas port diameter. This can control how fast gas pressure builds up in the impingement system. Affecting dwell time. An adjustable gas key would help. Sun Devil had an adjustable bolt for the gas system that is a better solution but I’m not sure who is making them now. Something I haven’t tried is location and diameter of the pressure relief ports on the side of the bolt. This would control how long the bolt carrier was pushed back and how hard. It wouldn’t change the dwell timing much but the velocity of the ejection. The AR-15 is definatly the tinker toy set of the gun world. Eugene was a genius!
Very interesting, I never knew the buffer weight could change the ejection angle. Awesome to learn something new and makes me wanna go back in my builds.
This was a great demo, thank you for that. I built an intermediate length upper myself with a criterion 18” barrel. I chose to use the Superlative Arms gas block because you can set it to vent gas to tune to the ammo you run. I like that solution for tuning more than swapping buffers, it’s a bit easier because all you need to bring to the range is the allen key to adjust it. I tune it to 3:00 ejection unsuppressed, and when I put my suppressor on it ejects at 4:00. Edit: I will also add that my theory is you will also be running lower/more acceptable pressures in the bolt assembly by adjusting gas at the block. Not sure if that actually makes a difference in the long run or not, but makes sense to me!
I ran a standard/m4 buffer in a mid -length gas system for about 10 magazines, didn't appear over gassed or abnormal, but after able 10 mags I was greeted with the rubber bumper on the rear of my buffer being smashed down into a mushroom shape and it bound up in the buffer spring and caused a jam for which I couldn't even break my rifle down shotgun style to clear it and correct it. I later put a H3 buffer in it, and it has been a dream ever since. To this day it's my favorite AR to shoot, so soft and gentle, works great with a suppressor, I love it. At this point I plan on never running a gun with anything less than a H2 or H3 buffer unless there's a gas issue. I love it.
It would be interesting to see wear patterns on parts between a regular carbine weight buffer and a H3 or H4 buffer over 2,000 rounds. Also, the Geissele Super 42 buffer/spring system comes with a different spring which might mitigate felt recoil between different buffer weights. It would be interesting to see what the effect of the different buffer weights would be without the Geissele spring.
I'm surprised you did not mention the buffer's primary function, to prevent or minimize "bolt bounce" at high cyclic rates, which the AR-15 /M-16 suffer from due to high bolt (bolt carrier group) velocity and minimal locking mechanisms. The buffer acts much like a dead blow hammer to minimize rebound. For example those running low mass bolt carrier groups, spring selection and buffer weight become super important for a reliably functioning weapon not due to the BCG going far enough back, rather bolt bounce becomes more pronounced causing multiple bounces some of which leave the bolt in partial battery.
I think the real issue here is the simple fact that most guns are just over gassed out of the box with too-big gas ports in the barrels. I love my BA Barrels, but both of them required really heavy buffers - one pistol, one rifle length. I bought Aero Precision adjustable gas blocks, toned them down until they cycled reliably on standard carbine buffers. Less mass in motion - less recoil impulse into the shooter. They shoot much softer/smoother now. I know WHY they do the big gas ports, so no need to explain.
I agree. I have an adjustable gas block with a carbine buffer. 14.5 lightweight build. BA pencil barrel. Good ejection, with a soft recoil impulse. Flat shooter.
You should be emptying a mag with every buffer weight to see if the last round bolt hold open functions. I've had too heavy of a buffer and it cycled fine but didn't hold the bolt open.
I built a Mk12 clone and tried it with an H2 buffer. It ran milspec ammo perfectly, but wouldn't cycle reliably or hold the bolt open with less powerful .223 ammo. I went back to an H buffer and the civilian stuff ran just fine. Just tune it for the way you will use it.
H1 from factory, eventually get a h2 ( also good for reliability and paired with a FRT ) H3 for a shorter rifle that dont cycle good such as a ARP. Saved you 20 minutes
I have JP Enterprises Silent Capture spring in all of my rifles. No grinding, so smooth. And I use black spring. Standard weight, for 16", 18", and 10.3" rifles, with an adjustable Aero Precision gas block. Almost no recoil.
Just to clarify, the buffer spring is what does most of the work. The buffer is there to absorb the initial push (law of inertia) by the BCG. I'd recommend either trying a heavier buffer spring or swapping the buffer system to a Vltor A5 system.
Recently built a 7.62x39 AR, and it became immediately apparent I needed a heavier buffer (harsh recoil). Problem was, I run an A1 stock and there's no factory heavy rifle buffers. Fortunately KAK had my back and was able to build myself a 9.9 ounce rifle buffer (roughly in the H3 to H4 range by proportion). Works like a charm.
@Frank Bonazza III just a carbine spring? I've seen a bunch recommend a 308 spring. Though I haven't had any trouble after the h1 with my standard spring. I have an h2 I can try out
change the spring weight, use a Sprinco spring! Sprinco offers quality premium springs that last for a very long time and have various options available, not everything is a buffer issue/fix.
One thing you didn’t touch on was different calibers & how the buffer,buffer spring & gas block affect the way the AR runs? More options to cover! Great video on buffers,I learned a little more. Thanks!
To keep it simple.. the heaviest weight possible with full function of the firearm specifically with low powder charges like steel case and training ammo.
Very interesting 🤔 Would like to see a follow up or part 2 video with buffer and springs combo and how that acts! Keep up the awesome work Classic Firearms!!
@@darts7116 Awesome, I appreciate that info and input! What setup/rifle you running? Definitely thinking of opting in for the BCG, spring, and buffer setup. In my eyes you can’t go wrong right?! Then hopefully in a handful of months I’ll be running suppressed!!
@@MaxKing247 nice! I have a 16” saint victor fde. Geissele buffer& spring h1 Ambi Radian charging handle& safety Razor 1-6 on 1.93” mount Stock trigger and BCG Swapped out muzzle brake for a flash hider.
@@MaxKing247 I haven’t entered the world of suppression yet but maybe in the next year or so since Silencer Shop is drastically shortening wait times. Cheers!
I've been firing the AR platform since '81 and had no idea there were so many buffer options. Who knew? I have a big-ass buffer on my 20" A2 with fixed butt-stock, and one of the H variants on my other 3 tactical M4s. Learning something new every day...much appreciated!
What people don't understand, and what I recently figured out when tickering with my KS-47 (with a SCS); recoil is a three part system on ARs. Buffer, Gas, Break. If you don't tweak your rifle with all three in mind, just changing one aspect and you'll only see minimum changes. It seems people only want to run adjustable gas systems on suppressor setups but they're definitely a game changer on any setup.
Clint. Glad you're reviewing this , Just one tungsten weight can slow down the cycling by a fraction in both directions, (they say) .I while back I noticed my rifle was kicking hard, so I checked my spring and it had lost it's length, down to 10 1/8 , I replaced it with a new 10 7/8 or 11" and it ran SOOOO much smoother , that was the problem. Thanks Clint , I didn't see you having much of a change with H-2 that is 1 tungsten and 2 standard weights. H-1 is 3 standard ( stock)
I use the Armaspec captures recoils buffer/springs, H1 across the board on all guns (short and longer barrels) except on a PCC with the CMMG RDB system (use H2 equivalent for that). For suppressed guns I use a Bootleg BCG with adjustable gas porting, which I think balances out having to go heavier with the buffer, as well as really helping with gas to the face. The Armaspecs work great and have a nice smooth and silent cycle to them. Ejection is consistently at around 3:00 - 3:30. Also, for my 10.3" and 11.3" guns, they both sport the BA 'Hanson' profile barrels which apparently have a medium sized gas port...a la not as overgassed as other shorty's (or like your older MK18) with enlarged ports to compensate for shorter dwell for better reliabiity, etc.. But they run reliably with just an H1-equivalent buffer with bulk factory .223. Hotter 5.56 stuff may benefit from the H2. but I also have a few of those Armaspecs handy too.
I'm thinking the H-4 is the go to buffer. I'd rather have the quicker sight recovery. I don't think that after five mags you'll have any fouling that would impede the bolt catch.That is on Mk it's like you said, a gassy runner. H-3 would be a nice all around. I know most folks prefer the tried and tested 2's. But as I said, I like sight recovery over rounds expended.
Ok, I have to say this. The adjustable gas block is not a fix-all item. You have it as a fix under overgassing and undergassing situations. If your rifle is overgassed with a standard gas block that is fully open, an adjustable gas block can fix your rifle's issues. However, if you are having problems with undergassing with a standard gas block that is fully open and you already have a standard 3 oz carbine buffer, an adjustable gas block will do nothing for your system. Actually in that case you will want to ensure that the gas blocks are installed correctly, the gas tube as well, and you may even need to have the gas port widened. That's usually not necessary though. Most manufacturers have done the math and the gas port is more than large enough. The only time an adjustable gas block can improve cycling when your rifle is undergassed is if you're already using an adjustable gas block and it is NOT already fully open. Then you just have to adjust it.
Thanks Clint. I'm actually in the process of upgrading my standard carbine buffer to an H2 buffer so I can run my rifle with a suppressor. Your video was very helpful with aiding me to select the right buffer. Thanks again!
Your videos are great! Extremely informative and addresses a lot of questions that come to mind! I would really like to see a video on adjustable gas blocks (restrictive vs. bleed off) and see if you can actually feel the difference in recoil and find the limits of where each one cycles properly given a few of the more common bullet weights.
Forgot about dwell time and extraction timing. Also forgot the inertia from the buffer weight helping with locking the bolt into battery. The weight of the buffer shouldn't prevent the gun from cycling. What it will do is slow down the carrier speed by fractions of a second during the unlocking and extracting cycles to allow the spent brass to contract inside the chamber for extraction and ejection. It will also assist with felt recoil because the weight decelerates the bolt at the end of travel more effectively. As well as providing a stronger chambering and locking cycles from the buffer's inertia travelling forward. If you're trying to adjust your gas pressure you need an adjustable block. Most standard or nonadjustable blocks are over gassed.
It always amazes me that these rifles came from the m-16 platform and since then came down to science from all the parts making the ar-15 probably the most modular weapon system in the world
I’m really happy that You have covered this topic! I had a lot of questions about buffering systems. I’m building from 8” barrels to usually 18” and occasionally longer. It’s easy enough to know what works and what doesn’t. Now I have the “why”. Thank You Clint.
We always tailor the recoil spring along with the buffer to each weapon. Reliability number 1 recoil / impulse number 2 . But that's always alot of personal opinion. Just sayin. God bless you brother
For anyone interested, Chris Bartocci of Small Arms Solutions has an excellent video breaking down the AR15 buffer system, its design, intent, and how each buffer weight came about to time the action properly.
excellent article, I took a photo of his chart and keep it in my phone for reference. The weight of the rifle also plays a role in choosing the correct buffer weight.
What about a short series about barrel lengths 7,10,14,16,18,20’ and buffer and spring weight tests that would be the best match then the same with piston rifles that would be fun
You Can Reduce Felt Recoil With An H2 Buffer And An Adjustable Gas Block. I Have A Geissele H2 Buffer And Spring Combo, And An Odin Works Tunable Gas Block On My AR-15; A Combo Of The 2 Reduces Felt Recoil Greatly (As Long As The Gas Block Is Tuned Properly).
I run the A5 Intermediate Buffer System on my 11.5” BCM upper build. Rugged Micro 30 can and Gemtech suppressed bolt carrier. Cycles flawlessly with a buttery smooth recoil impulse.
Same here, A5 on all my builds. Although I have been considering moving from an H3 to an H4 on my geissele 11.5. Regardless A5's have been by far the best aftermarket parts I have ever bought for my AR's.
The reason you felt a major difference with the suppressor, is because of the reduction in inertia because on a semi gun (any) the weight forward of the action greatly affects kinetic energy to the piont you can stop the action entirely. The reason it doesn't is because of the gas assist. Benelli learned this on their M4, they actually had issues with the first ones and had to update the valving. Its gas control your after. Some ARs have this. The buffers changes reliability for the most part. Case in piont. Very heavy barrel on a gun shoots like a kitten.
I built a 13.7 and I couldn’t diagnose why it wasn’t cycling properly, several hundred dollars down the drain I realized the Geissele H2 buffer was too heavy for it to cycle (wolf gold 5.56). Changed out the buffer for a carbine and it runs perfectly now
I really enjoy comparison videos like this.... I have ARs in 7.5" pistol gas, 10.5" carbine gas, 16" carbine and midlength gas, and 20" rifle gas, (all unsuppressed). I run the H3 buffers in all but the 20" with good results...Sometimes I put the 20" rifle upper on one of the carbine lowers and it's ejection pattern stays the same as when its on the fixed stock lower... Same goes for if I put the shorter uppers on the fixed rifle stock lower....
Great video, I feel like most people really don’t know what different buffer weights are actually supposed to do. I’d like to see long term reviews on wear and tear using different buffer weights suppressed and unsuppressed if you could
I use a Geissele buffer setup in all my AR’s. I for one hate that buffer spring twang, and the Geissele spring doesn’t twang. My 10.5” .556 pistol with an Silencerco Omega on it runs ok with three tungsten weights. But it is probably still a bit over gassed. The other guns in .556, 300BO, and 6.5 Grendel all have various numbers of tungsten weights and run well. I generally don’t ever shoot unsuppressed. I don’t remember the number of tungsten weights in each one, but my parts box does have a bunch of steel weights rolling around…enjoyed the video. You probably missed because you tried to catch a glimpse of where your brass was going. 😂
There are different "weights" . springco makes a few different ones. People also cut down a2 springs to fit carbine tubes. More coils = more tension. Also geissele 42 are woven springs that are really stiff. I personally like tubbs flat wire springs. TH-cam his vids, great info on this subject. I also use a2 tubes so I have an extra weight or 2 (depending if I remove the aluminum spacer) in the buffer itself. Bought some kak industries tungsten weights. My rifles shoots hella soft.
Important to test the bolt hold open capability with different buffers. You can have a gun that cycles but won’t hold open. Minor issue, but still important It’s also important to know that things like barrel gas port size, gas tube length, dwell time, ammo, bolt specs, gas ring specs, etc all play into this along with your buffer weight and spring.
You need kaydi to be the guinea pig of this test. Lol. Clint, you forgot to mention the gas port size. This will dramatically determine which buffer should be used besides from going to the range and firing. I made. X39 upper shoot as soft as a 22lr according to my friends that still had reliable function after 1000s of rounds of fiocchi and AE 123g. 1 of my barrels had a undersized gas port size.. Iirc .087". My other barrel had a .091" gas port. So I opened up the smaller gas port to .089" , had it cerakote cause I didn't like the fact of bare metal at the gas port hole. Played with buffer weight (I like a2 stocks and a2 fsb for nostalgia reasons.) Got my buffer to 6.5 oz and damn it was a smooth shooter with tubbs flatwire buffer spring.
My standard go to buffer is an h2 with jp enterprises tuned spring as I have e found it to have the best perceived recoil impulse. FYI geissele has a table when you are looking at their buffer system to figure out what weight you should use.
Yeah jp has a chart as well. I picked up the geissele super 42. And that thing makes my gun jump. It’s made to give a 15% return strength. I had a problem whith a bolt going home. Not anymore.
@@MRsolidcolor second this geissele h3 in my 11.5 and it ran great I switched it to a jp enterprise h2 capture spring because I shoot suppressed now and it shoots even better you can’t go wrong with either honestly.
@@petersudol5887 H2 is great all around for regular or suppressor use on carbine gas systems All around but always with a Way to adjust gas though either adjustable gas block or adjustable bolt carrier group.
Thanks for all the testing. I have a MK18 with an H2 buffer and I run it both unsuppressed and suppressed. Reliability is not an issue with my setup, however it is heavy as heck. I am going to try using the Rubbery City Armory Ultralight Titanium BCG w/Adjustable gas key and also remove the weights from my buffer. I am going to try and tune the entire system just off the adjustable gas key. Going to remove as much weight as possible and see if I can get the recoil down to nothing. I plan to get all my adjustments tuned without the can on it and then re-check everything with the suppressor. I figure it will run a little over-gassed with the suppressor on it. I am also going to double-check I have no issues running both 55 and 62 grain as well as .223 and 5.56.
Would love to have you test out the PWS system (Mk 111 pistol) with different buffer tubes and gas adjustments with a suppressor set up! Looking to tune mine up.
Built a 458 socom and used the standard carbine buffer. It would cycle so fast the spent cartridge wouldn't clear the gun before the next round would hit it and jam it up. Went with a 6.8oz h4 buffer, and it slowed it down perfectly, allowing the gun to cycle round after round without a problem
I have a 10.5" .300BO AR and I experimented with different buffer sizes to see if I could find one buffer that would cycle both subs and supers reliably with LRBHO. I ended up with an H2 being the best choice. This is running unsuppressed and may well change when I run it with a can.
Changing the buffer wait alone will only minimally effect felt recoil. It can change the impulse a bit. The gas system is still pushing back on the buffer with the same level of energy, its just pushing more or less mass around depending on the buffer. Where you get more noticeable effects on recoil is when you change the amount of energy that is making it into the action of the rifle via the gas system.
The best option I found for 556 any barrel length is an H1 buffer a sprinco Blue Spring an adjustable gas block so you can turn the back pressure down a little bit.
The best buffer to use is the one your rifle came with.The engineers who placed it with your rifle did so for longevity and proper function.They know alot more than we do.
That’s generally fine until you change muzzle devices, especially if it’s a suppressor. Also if a gun comes over gassed from the manufacturer that’s a lot more wear and tear over time. Just food for thought 🤷🏼♂️
You failed to mention the difference between the different buffer weights and how one could simply buy the tungsten weights and make their own H1-H3 buffers. Carbine buffer = 3 steel weights, H1 2 steel and 1 tungsten, H2 1 steel and 2 tungsten, and H3 3 tungsten weights.
I bought a 7.5” .223/5.56 and to help with over gassing I added a H3 buffer along with .308 flat wire David Tubb buffer spring at full length that makes the once mule kicker to a soft shooter. You should try the buffer spring in your Daniel Defense MK18. I believe you would talk about your MK18 even more!…..LOL! Great video Clint! God Bless!
My rifle needs a light buffer, 20in barrel, carbine buffer. I had a car(3.0oz) buffer in and wasnt getting lock back, originally thought i needed a heavier buffer to give the catch more time to rise up, ended up getting even more failures including a couple stovepipes. Dropped the tungsten weights from the buffer for aluminum so now the buffer is 2.2oz and runs flawlessly (at 2.5oz 1 in 10 rounds wouldnt lock the bolt open. 3oz seemed like 50/50 h1 locked back about 25% of the time and an h2 wouldnt lock back at all and gave me the ftes). Getting perfect 3-4oclock with it. Tried with both my 75gr handloads and american eagle xm193 55gr. (Was having issues with both before)
The lightest possible (carbine weight usually) and an adjustable gas block. There. I saved you 20 minutes. Do NOT tune your gun starting with the buffer. Start with the gas adjustment first, then the spring, then the buffer LAST.
The biggest deciding factor in which buffer you should use is the size of the gas port on the barrel. On a 10.3" MK18 build I prefer .070" and an H3. On a 14.5" or 16" length barrel, .063" and an H2 is a smooth, reliable combo
@@ACGBLR I’m running geissele super 42 as well. The heavier h3 cycles perfectly. Again, this is with a barrel with a .070” gas port. Clint’s MK18 is probably an earlier barrel when Daniel Defense was using an .083” gas port. They’ve since switched to the more properly sized .070”
On my MK18 I run an H3 with a standard carbine spring. Gun is suppressed 99% of the time and it helps to limit the amount of blowback I get in the face. Being a lefty sucks 😂
I am new to the AR world and really enjoyed the breakdown of this video. Thank you for doing this! I just built a 7.62x39 and noticed it is ejecting around the 4:30 position with an H buffer. So I will be sticking there, especially when I add the can! ;-)
My god man! You have to account for Gas System Length, Gas Port Size, Ammo Selection, as well as ambient temperature …all will affect your buffer decision. Try shooting some .223 at 20 below and then tell me what buffer you want!
I think the lighter the buffer the faster it'll run the heavier less recoil but you start losing reset speed again probably not noticeable either !! Love your videos and my favorite online store keep it up clint
I must be one lucky person. All my builds (5.56 & 300blk) function flawlessly and I have never payed attention to what buffer weight I was purchasing. I just buy a buffer tube kit for what I’m building.
Well yea that’s not surprising considering they almost always come with a carbine buffer. A carbine buffer is always going to run more reliably but it’s not always optimal. More violent recoil and excessive wear on parts. You should always aim for the heaviest buffer that will still run 100%. If you shoot enough and break a bolt or two you’ll quickly realize the importance of fine tuning the buffer weight to your specific gun.
DD's are known for being pretty over gassed (especially the mk18) so i've found i can run up to an H4 unsupressed for 1000 rounds without cleaning out of my 14.5 dd upper and have no issues with ejection or lock back (very solid 3-4 oclock) but the best recoil impulse for me is h2 unless it's suppressed (still completely manageable), and i don't think i'd go above an h2 on any "duty" or trust my life to it gun. But tbh AR guys are so particular. No AR i've ever shot has made me go "wow thats a lot of recoil" so unless i'm shooting a competition, i don't see the advantage of changing buffers unless you're suppressing.
@@ACGBLR They say that, but it looked bigger than .070 that i have on a ballistic advantage, and the Mk18 i used to have i bought in 2018, granted i may have gotten one produced before the adjustment and it was just sitting in the shop. but i also don't like 5.56 for that short a barrel, so i sold it. I'd rather have 300blk in an ar or just do an AK. Both less violent and more durable systems.
Another great video! And perfect timing for me. I just built my first 300 BO in 10.3 (BA Hanson barrel). With a hot/white Sprinco and standard carbine buffer the brass is eating up the shell deflector. I added an H2 which helped but it's still not in that 3-4(430) sweet spot. Would you care to give me any suggestions? Thanks again for all of the great videos
Buffer weight isn't really important if only shooting semi auto rifle length ARs. Thanks for showing how it improves ejection angle with shorter suppressed uppers. A light buffer can really screw up a full auto, especially with a shorty upper and/or can.
If you are over gassed you can fuss with buffers all you want and you won’t see any changes. Gassing and buffer are directly tied to each other as they balance one another. Get gassing under control watching your ejection pattern. Then start upping the buffer weight and then compensate the gas to restore the proper ejection pattern.
Okay... I am now going to display my incredible ignorance. I have built several ARs, both AR10s (6.5CM and .308) and AR15s (300BLK and 6mm ARC) and have not thought twice about the buffer and spring, with the exception of putting a JP Silent capture spring in my 10.3" 300BLK AR. I learned a lot from this video it brought me from "I don't know what I don't know," to "I know I don't know" what buffer and spring combination I have and/or should be using in my ARs. Thank you for the video. I learned a lot, especially about my own ignorance.
I too built a 6.5 cm and a 6 arc but haven't shot the 6 arc yet so I don't know what is going to do. I used standard springs and buffers in both and my 6.5 creed jams after a couple rounds. I never paid attention to where the ejected shells went either.
@@Drsnafubar I run a h3 and a tubbs spring in my 308, id imagine a 6.5 would work good on that setup
I was lookin to get a jp spring for my 10.5 300 blk what spring did u get?
@@JoseGarcia-vw8uu I am using the Silent Captured Spring AR-15 Standard GEN 2. It’s 132.00 on their webpage.
If you haven’t considered buffer weight, you’re probably over gassed and putting unnecessary strain on your upper assembly.
Most top AR gunsmiths in the industry actually _recommend_ using the heaviest buffer your gun will still cycle with for reliability sake! It not only prevents wear on your components, but once the rifle gets carboned up the heavier buffer will _still_ send the bolt back into battery and hammer through the carbon build up that will stop the lighter buffers.👍
Well spoken and agree
Yes!
@@anthonyrichard461 so would Master Gunsmith Chad Albrecht at School of the American Rifle, by far the top AR armorer/instructor/guru in the nation. He's done work sorting out "AR-14's" for the secret service and a host of other agencies and even been instrumental in helping major manufacturers iron out their overlooked "bugs" to help us all out.
😳
Heavier buffers are a good idea, but your last statement about “hammering through” carboning is totally wrong. On the closing stroke, every buffer weight has the same energy. How do we know this? Well the fully compressed spring has some amount of stored energy. With the bolt closed, the spring has a different (lower) energy. The difference between these is what was given to the BCG in closing energy, regardless of the weight of it. Heavy and slow or lighter and fast, they have the same energy.
If you want to “power through” carbon and such, you need a stiffer spring NOT a heavier buffer.
I have watched thousands of 2A videos and this is the first video that anyone has talked about buffer weight for the AR platform. Well done Clint. I appreciate you spreading your knowledge.
I was thinking the same thing as soon as I saw this.
I've watched millions of ar videos, and there is always some dumb dumb saying some insane shite.
Lots of buffer AND spring videos..springs may be factoral.. flats, braided, lighter And heavy options...
Started looking into buffer weights about 10 years ago because I figured the “clack-clack” sound of the carbine bolt cycling couldn’t be good for the life expectancy of the rifle. Cousin, son and I decided on the H2, which greatly calmed things down. When I started switching over to mid-length systems the customer service rep at the barrel company I tried to use for all my barrels told me the company didn’t have an official stance on buffer weight but that “we all use H2” buffers. So I was home free and the results were an extra smooth shooting carbine! Now that I have my first suppressor I guess I’m in line for an H4.
Great vid dude. The buffer system is a largely misunderstood aspect of the AR
💯💯 i have a problem with my ar not going into battery i think its the buffer but i only shot it once it might needs to be lubed
@@973newarkavelli9 not going into battery could be due to a lot of issues. Locking lugs aren't timed right, unlubed, buffer weight or buffer spring too weak, etc
@@EggplantHarmesan i lubed it its working better when i rack it im going to take it to the range to see if it runs good but its but ill look into the buffer spring and weights thanks 💯🙏🏼
@@973newarkavelli9 if you're running 16" or less with a carbine length gas system try going with H2
@@EggplantHarmesan i have a 16 inch barrel rifle no carbine
The results were interesting, I thought there would be a bigger difference. Keep it coming. Always ready to learn new things. Its cheaper watching you instead of doing it myself. All help appreciated.
I'm only about 6 minutes into this but the cycling of the firearm and ejection pattern will also change depending on what recoil spring you are using. I run everything from a yellow(light) sprinco in my 300blk if it's not suppressed(rarely used w/o can) and some guns have a blue or red/white(stiffer). Complete tuning your buffer weight and spring isn't necessary but when you shoot alot it's nice to dial in each gun.
I keep an Odin works adjustable buffer weight just as a tester for new builds. When I find what spring combo works in the gun I buy a designated buffer. Great product for getting a soft shooting gun dialed in
The buffer weight reliably comes into play with regards to fullauto cycle rates and temperature of the ammo. H3 buffers sound good till you fire ammo that's at 0 degrees. Pressure and performance of the ammo is greatly effected. Ammo selection and temperature will determine if that buffer/spring and port size will be reliable.
Honestly this concept is a rabbit hole lol. If your rifle is "perfectly" gassed at 80 degrees and shoots soft. You might not like the reliability if you try using it up north in January.
I had to change mine when I installed a binary trigger in mine. The stock buffer spring and weight didn't work well hahah
Buffer weights really make a difference if you're shooting full giggle or burst. Increased weight allows for more dwell time thus allowing proper extraction between rounds being fired. That is why the TM states H2 buffers are to be used in M4A1's.
Thats also why forced reset guns only operate correctly with h2, h3, or t3 buffers.
That’s why I always state this is a fallacy. Heavier weights were only brought in to play due to bolt bounce in full auto. All they’re doing in a semi auto platform is increasing reciprocating mass. What needs to be addressed is spring rates. Find proper spring rate to correspond with an H1 and your particular gassing.
@@SandyRavaged
What you're saying is increasing spring resistance would accomplish the same thing with even less recoil?
One could go from a milspec spring + H2 to an H and upgrade their mil spec spring to a sprinco blue spring and accomplish much the same cyclic slowdown?
@@mghegotagun exactly
@@mghegotagun there are many ways to fine tune it but I always stick to a certain spring rate that I can accomplish proper timing with an H equivalent then I also keep a standard carbine buffer or equivalent on hand for weaker ammo like steel case stuff or lower grade .223
Air temperature plays a big part in buffer selection, the heavy buffers might work fine in the heat but if you shoot in the cold you could get short strokes.
An often overlooked factor. Which is why you should have over gassed systems.
Tweaking the buffer weight is even more important for 300 BLK, since you have bigger variables with sub/supersonic ammo, and suppressed/unsuppressed configurations. Would love to see Part II, with a breakdown on recommended buffers for 300 BLK and also captured spring setups like Armaspec and JP Enterprises.
I was wondering the same thing. I recently built a 300BLK and it cycles very smooth but fails to reset the trigger. Also kicks the brass at about the 5 o'clock position.
@@johnstanley5385short stroking. try a carbine buffer
@@robbledot7290 adjustable gas block enters the chat, lol
@@investigativeoutcomes9343 Exactly! A solving an overgassed rifle with a heavy buffer treats the symptoms, not the cause. Get an AGB and use a carbine buffer. I've never had it not work, carbine or pistol gas, suppressed or not, short or long barrel, regardless whether I'm shooting supers or subs.
Yes very true, I go H2 on my 11" 300blk out on F.A. & H3 on same suppressed. Went with geisler super 42 braided wire spring. Thing runs like a Rolex.
It’s all about muzzle rise and and ability to stay on target/ faster follow up shots. I use an H3 buffer with a mid length gas tube, on a 16” barrel. It really smooths out the recoil impulse.
Late to the table here, but i built my first ar this year. Psa pistol lower and a 10.5. I recently switched to a 14.5/mid-length gas.
Zeroing in the other day I thought the recoil impulse felt a little rough so I'm wondering if a heavier buffer will be more appropriate
That's so nice, it brings your left eyed friends to tears!
Joking, I am a fan of midlength gas blocks though, more dwell time and anecdotally bounces brass right if the deflector
Mid length, H2 13.7 here also very smooth.
For the unsuppressed vs suppressed option, barrel length depending, I believe that a Bootleg Adjustable BCG is the key. Adjust to maintain balance by using ejection pattern as a indicator of functionality and reliability.
One factor not mentioned is that part life, not just shooting session reliability and functionality, is important to understand.
Springs have a use life, using expressed in thousands of rounds. Standard (ie balanced) barrel length/buffer weights might have a particular spring (ie Extractor spring) lasting 10k rounds.
An overgasses gun will reduce spring life by a few or several thousand rounds, factors depending.
Most people don't run their guns that hard, or they have several upper/lower combos and may never see a particular upper experience a major malfunction requiring total part replacement.
It's all a balancing act between gas port size, gas system length, the amount of barrel past the gas port (and sometimes what's on the muzzle), buffer plus bolt carrier group weight, buffer spring rate, and the exact ammo you like to use.
How TF am I supposed to calculate all of that to make it perfect? This is crazy I just need my suppressed 12.5” to eject a little softer 😂
I really enjoyed this experiment! I think it showcases how versatile the AR platform is and how forgiving it can be. Manufacturers typically over-gas things slightly to increase reliability. Whether it be climate, dirt, or wear/tear, the reliability issue is greater than normal resistance in cycling. Switching to a heavier than ideal buffer just simulates those conditions. Switching to a lighter than ideal buffer probably wears the spring quicker, may result in unusual felt recoil, and further increases its operational external resistance tolerance.
The fact that you didn't have any malfunctions just proves the manufacturers tuned their operational room for error to allow for tinkering. A failure would mean either less-thoughtful manufacturer tolerances or the manufacturer tuned their gun to a very specific loadout for a specific purpose seeking perfection for their objective.
My guess is something like a Knight's Armament would have failed if you changed a variable in their perfect science. Likewise, you would have experienced inconsistent results with a low-end (low QC) brand or possibly with a Frankenstein build.
Um,,, great presentation.
I spent some time developing a gas system for an AR in 17 HMR rim-fire.
Some other things you can do are-
Use stiffer or lighter buffer springs.
Gas port location. Gas port diameter. This can control how fast gas pressure builds up in the impingement system. Affecting dwell time.
An adjustable gas key would help. Sun Devil had an adjustable bolt for the gas system that is a better solution but I’m not sure who is making them now.
Something I haven’t tried is location and diameter of the pressure relief ports on the side of the bolt. This would control how long the bolt carrier was pushed back and how hard. It wouldn’t change the dwell timing much but the velocity of the ejection.
The AR-15 is definatly the tinker toy set of the gun world. Eugene was a genius!
Very interesting, I never knew the buffer weight could change the ejection angle. Awesome to learn something new and makes me wanna go back in my builds.
3:00 good for 5.56 4:00 good for 7.62 x 39 & 300 blkout
Well, ejection placement is directly related to how fast or slow that BCG is thrown backward.
@@UtahCGG ...which the buffer weight affects.
This was a great demo, thank you for that. I built an intermediate length upper myself with a criterion 18” barrel. I chose to use the Superlative Arms gas block because you can set it to vent gas to tune to the ammo you run. I like that solution for tuning more than swapping buffers, it’s a bit easier because all you need to bring to the range is the allen key to adjust it. I tune it to 3:00 ejection unsuppressed, and when I put my suppressor on it ejects at 4:00.
Edit: I will also add that my theory is you will also be running lower/more acceptable pressures in the bolt assembly by adjusting gas at the block. Not sure if that actually makes a difference in the long run or not, but makes sense to me!
I ran a standard/m4 buffer in a mid -length gas system for about 10 magazines, didn't appear over gassed or abnormal, but after able 10 mags I was greeted with the rubber bumper on the rear of my buffer being smashed down into a mushroom shape and it bound up in the buffer spring and caused a jam for which I couldn't even break my rifle down shotgun style to clear it and correct it. I later put a H3 buffer in it, and it has been a dream ever since. To this day it's my favorite AR to shoot, so soft and gentle, works great with a suppressor, I love it. At this point I plan on never running a gun with anything less than a H2 or H3 buffer unless there's a gas issue. I love it.
What needs to be incorporated in theses test are different ammo loads, last round bolt hold open, full auto fire etc.
It would be interesting to see wear patterns on parts between a regular carbine weight buffer and a H3 or H4 buffer over 2,000 rounds. Also, the Geissele Super 42 buffer/spring system comes with a different spring which might mitigate felt recoil between different buffer weights. It would be interesting to see what the effect of the different buffer weights would be without the Geissele spring.
Yeah I’d be down to see long term testing with all of these different variables
I'm surprised you did not mention the buffer's primary function, to prevent or minimize "bolt bounce" at high cyclic rates, which the AR-15 /M-16 suffer from due to high bolt (bolt carrier group) velocity and minimal locking mechanisms. The buffer acts much like a dead blow hammer to minimize rebound. For example those running low mass bolt carrier groups, spring selection and buffer weight become super important for a reliably functioning weapon not due to the BCG going far enough back, rather bolt bounce becomes more pronounced causing multiple bounces some of which leave the bolt in partial battery.
I think the real issue here is the simple fact that most guns are just over gassed out of the box with too-big gas ports in the barrels. I love my BA Barrels, but both of them required really heavy buffers - one pistol, one rifle length. I bought Aero Precision adjustable gas blocks, toned them down until they cycled reliably on standard carbine buffers. Less mass in motion - less recoil impulse into the shooter. They shoot much softer/smoother now. I know WHY they do the big gas ports, so no need to explain.
I agree. I have an adjustable gas block with a carbine buffer. 14.5 lightweight build. BA pencil barrel. Good ejection, with a soft recoil impulse. Flat shooter.
You should be emptying a mag with every buffer weight to see if the last round bolt hold open functions. I've had too heavy of a buffer and it cycled fine but didn't hold the bolt open.
That's exactly what I was thinking and looking for in the video. Hopefully he can do a REDO/UPDATE on this.
I built a Mk12 clone and tried it with an H2 buffer. It ran milspec ammo perfectly, but wouldn't cycle reliably or hold the bolt open with less powerful .223 ammo. I went back to an H buffer and the civilian stuff ran just fine. Just tune it for the way you will use it.
H1 from factory, eventually get a h2 ( also good for reliability and paired with a FRT ) H3 for a shorter rifle that dont cycle good such as a ARP. Saved you 20 minutes
I have JP Enterprises Silent Capture spring in all of my rifles. No grinding, so smooth.
And I use black spring. Standard weight, for 16", 18", and 10.3" rifles, with an adjustable Aero Precision gas block.
Almost no recoil.
Same but h2 because I use a suppressor with my jp silent capture shoots Super smooth.
Also use an adjustable bolt carrier group
Clint should give away his MK18. Or an identical one with all the same parts and attachments.
I second this motion
I 3rd the idea. I live in CA and would like the surefire warden as a nice sub for the can!! Make it happen CF!!
He has done any MK18 pistol before.
The MK18 he has is an SBR so you would need a tax stamp for it. Meaning a minimum 3 month wait.
@@chriscerta9821 wait ca allows suppressors
@@Token_Black_Guy the warden is a blast regulator. As long as the muzzle device itself is not a flash suppressor it can be used.
Just to clarify, the buffer spring is what does most of the work. The buffer is there to absorb the initial push (law of inertia) by the BCG. I'd recommend either trying a heavier buffer spring or swapping the buffer system to a Vltor A5 system.
Recently built a 7.62x39 AR, and it became immediately apparent I needed a heavier buffer (harsh recoil). Problem was, I run an A1 stock and there's no factory heavy rifle buffers. Fortunately KAK had my back and was able to build myself a 9.9 ounce rifle buffer (roughly in the H3 to H4 range by proportion). Works like a charm.
What barrel length? I get reliable cycling from a 10" x39 with an h1.
Have wondered if I should go h2. Or if it would slow it down to much.
Adjustable gas block is a very needed upgrade for any AR. Threw one on my Ks47; H2 with jp 308 spring runs great w echoo sport
@@matthewbeaver5026 16". You probably should go with an H3 buffer.
@Frank Bonazza III just a carbine spring? I've seen a bunch recommend a 308 spring. Though I haven't had any trouble after the h1 with my standard spring. I have an h2 I can try out
@@matthewbeaver5026 Carbine spring and heavy buffer is fine.
change the spring weight, use a Sprinco spring! Sprinco offers quality premium springs that last for a very long time and have various options available, not everything is a buffer issue/fix.
That would be a interesting test if you did those on 300blk, 10" and 16",these videos are great for learning.👍
One thing you didn’t touch on was different calibers & how the buffer,buffer spring & gas block affect the way the AR runs? More options to cover! Great video on buffers,I learned a little more. Thanks!
To keep it simple.. the heaviest weight possible with full function of the firearm specifically with low powder charges like steel case and training ammo.
H2
H3 for pistol configurations like 300blk or 7.62x39. H4 for 9mm, 10mm etc.
Very interesting 🤔 Would like to see a follow up or part 2 video with buffer and springs combo and how that acts! Keep up the awesome work Classic Firearms!!
.. interested in the Super 42 Braided Wire Buffer Spring and Buffer Combo is why I am asking 🤔🤔
@@MaxKing247 I bought a Geissele buffer spring. Kept the same amount buffer weights as original.
Works exactly the same, ejects at 4oclock for me
@@darts7116 Awesome, I appreciate that info and input! What setup/rifle you running? Definitely thinking of opting in for the BCG, spring, and buffer setup. In my eyes you can’t go wrong right?! Then hopefully in a handful of months I’ll be running suppressed!!
@@MaxKing247 nice!
I have a 16” saint victor fde.
Geissele buffer& spring h1
Ambi Radian charging handle& safety
Razor 1-6 on 1.93” mount
Stock trigger and BCG
Swapped out muzzle brake for a flash hider.
@@MaxKing247 I haven’t entered the world of suppression yet but maybe in the next year or so since Silencer Shop is drastically shortening wait times.
Cheers!
Personally run h3 buffers on all my ARs. Definitely noticeable from carbine weight plus will run in almost all decent rifle builds including PSA ha
Yes I think that's a mid length gas system. On carbine it would make a difference.
i run an H3 in my carbien gass system, and she seems to run really good, someone told me to try an H4 though.
@Dyllon McDonald rule of thumb is go as heavy as you can until it doesn't run right. Also keep in mind carbon build up.
I've been firing the AR platform since '81 and had no idea there were so many buffer options. Who knew? I have a big-ass buffer on my 20" A2 with fixed butt-stock, and one of the H variants on my other 3 tactical M4s. Learning something new every day...much appreciated!
Would be interesting to see a standard buffer and spring vs the JP Silent Captured Spring comparison as well.
That would be interesting but I think the JP might require more maintenance.
What people don't understand, and what I recently figured out when tickering with my KS-47 (with a SCS); recoil is a three part system on ARs. Buffer, Gas, Break. If you don't tweak your rifle with all three in mind, just changing one aspect and you'll only see minimum changes. It seems people only want to run adjustable gas systems on suppressor setups but they're definitely a game changer on any setup.
Clint. Glad you're reviewing this , Just one tungsten weight can slow down the cycling by a fraction in both directions, (they say) .I while back I noticed my rifle was kicking hard, so I checked my spring and it had lost it's length, down to 10 1/8 , I replaced it with a new 10 7/8 or 11" and it ran SOOOO much smoother , that was the problem. Thanks Clint , I didn't see you having much of a change with H-2 that is 1 tungsten and 2 standard weights. H-1 is 3 standard ( stock)
My 11.5 with a H3 and Geissele Super 42 spring puts all the brass in a neat pile at 330-400
I use the Armaspec captures recoils buffer/springs, H1 across the board on all guns (short and longer barrels) except on a PCC with the CMMG RDB system (use H2 equivalent for that). For suppressed guns I use a Bootleg BCG with adjustable gas porting, which I think balances out having to go heavier with the buffer, as well as really helping with gas to the face. The Armaspecs work great and have a nice smooth and silent cycle to them. Ejection is consistently at around 3:00 - 3:30.
Also, for my 10.3" and 11.3" guns, they both sport the BA 'Hanson' profile barrels which apparently have a medium sized gas port...a la not as overgassed as other shorty's (or like your older MK18) with enlarged ports to compensate for shorter dwell for better reliabiity, etc.. But they run reliably with just an H1-equivalent buffer with bulk factory .223. Hotter 5.56 stuff may benefit from the H2. but I also have a few of those Armaspecs handy too.
I'm thinking the H-4 is the go to buffer. I'd rather have the quicker sight recovery. I don't think that after five mags you'll have any fouling that would impede the bolt catch.That is on Mk it's like you said, a gassy runner. H-3 would be a nice all around. I know most folks prefer the tried and tested 2's. But as I said, I like sight recovery over rounds expended.
Depends on the size of the gas port in the barrel. A H4 in a properly gassed barrel may not cycle at all.
An H3 is almost certainly heavy enough for you. Also, you can always make an H2 by swapping weights if you have both an H1 and H3 handy.
Ok, I have to say this. The adjustable gas block is not a fix-all item. You have it as a fix under overgassing and undergassing situations. If your rifle is overgassed with a standard gas block that is fully open, an adjustable gas block can fix your rifle's issues. However, if you are having problems with undergassing with a standard gas block that is fully open and you already have a standard 3 oz carbine buffer, an adjustable gas block will do nothing for your system. Actually in that case you will want to ensure that the gas blocks are installed correctly, the gas tube as well, and you may even need to have the gas port widened. That's usually not necessary though. Most manufacturers have done the math and the gas port is more than large enough.
The only time an adjustable gas block can improve cycling when your rifle is undergassed is if you're already using an adjustable gas block and it is NOT already fully open. Then you just have to adjust it.
Thanks Clint. I'm actually in the process of upgrading my standard carbine buffer to an H2 buffer so I can run my rifle with a suppressor. Your video was very helpful with aiding me to select the right buffer. Thanks again!
get and ajustible buffer, it makes it easier to find works with your rifle the best.
AR design is so simple, yet still a work of art. I need an AK now, too.
Your videos are great! Extremely informative and addresses a lot of questions that come to mind! I would really like to see a video on adjustable gas blocks (restrictive vs. bleed off) and see if you can actually feel the difference in recoil and find the limits of where each one cycles properly given a few of the more common bullet weights.
Forgot about dwell time and extraction timing. Also forgot the inertia from the buffer weight helping with locking the bolt into battery.
The weight of the buffer shouldn't prevent the gun from cycling. What it will do is slow down the carrier speed by fractions of a second during the unlocking and extracting cycles to allow the spent brass to contract inside the chamber for extraction and ejection.
It will also assist with felt recoil because the weight decelerates the bolt at the end of travel more effectively. As well as providing a stronger chambering and locking cycles from the buffer's inertia travelling forward.
If you're trying to adjust your gas pressure you need an adjustable block. Most standard or nonadjustable blocks are over gassed.
Vltor A5H2. Best all around buffer setup for any carbine.
This is what i run but with a Geiselle super 42 spring added. It's the best ive had my gun run.
It always amazes me that these rifles came from the m-16 platform and since then came down to science from all the parts making the ar-15 probably the most modular weapon system in the world
You should have done all the tests with just 5 rds in the mag. So you could see if it was cycling far enough to lock back
Really an underrated component of the AR platform you can really dial it innwith the right buffer weight.
I’m really happy that You have covered this topic! I had a lot of questions about buffering systems. I’m building from 8” barrels to usually 18” and occasionally longer. It’s easy enough to know what works and what doesn’t. Now I have the “why”. Thank You Clint.
We always tailor the recoil spring along with the buffer to each weapon. Reliability number 1 recoil / impulse number 2 . But that's always alot of personal opinion. Just sayin. God bless you brother
For anyone interested, Chris Bartocci of Small Arms Solutions has an excellent video breaking down the AR15 buffer system, its design, intent, and how each buffer weight came about to time the action properly.
excellent article, I took a photo of his chart and keep it in my phone for reference. The weight of the rifle also plays a role in choosing the correct buffer weight.
What about a short series about barrel lengths 7,10,14,16,18,20’ and buffer and spring weight tests that would be the best match then the same with piston rifles that would be fun
Should do a part 2 and talk about buffer springs as well.
You Can Reduce Felt Recoil With An H2 Buffer And An Adjustable Gas Block.
I Have A Geissele H2 Buffer And Spring Combo, And An Odin Works Tunable Gas Block On My AR-15; A Combo Of The 2 Reduces Felt Recoil Greatly (As Long As The Gas Block Is Tuned Properly).
What's with capitalizing the first letter of every word?
@@GooeyPillow Adderall
I run the A5 Intermediate Buffer System on my 11.5” BCM upper build. Rugged Micro 30 can and Gemtech suppressed bolt carrier. Cycles flawlessly with a buttery smooth recoil impulse.
Boooom! Was looking for someone to mention an A5 setup
@@silver4drrx828 a few others mentioned it as well. Would like to hear Clint’s thoughts on it.
Same here, A5 on all my builds. Although I have been considering moving from an H3 to an H4 on my geissele 11.5. Regardless A5's have been by far the best aftermarket parts I have ever bought for my AR's.
A video comparing the different buffer springs as well with the different buffer weights would be interesting
The reason you felt a major difference with the suppressor, is because of the reduction in inertia because on a semi gun (any) the weight forward of the action greatly affects kinetic energy to the piont you can stop the action entirely. The reason it doesn't is because of the gas assist. Benelli learned this on their M4, they actually had issues with the first ones and had to update the valving. Its gas control your after. Some ARs have this. The buffers changes reliability for the most part. Case in piont. Very heavy barrel on a gun shoots like a kitten.
I built a 13.7 and I couldn’t diagnose why it wasn’t cycling properly, several hundred dollars down the drain I realized the Geissele H2 buffer was too heavy for it to cycle (wolf gold 5.56). Changed out the buffer for a carbine and it runs perfectly now
I really enjoy comparison videos like this.... I have ARs in 7.5" pistol gas, 10.5" carbine gas, 16" carbine and midlength gas, and 20" rifle gas, (all unsuppressed). I run the H3 buffers in all but the 20" with good results...Sometimes I put the 20" rifle upper on one of the carbine lowers and it's ejection pattern stays the same as when its on the fixed stock lower... Same goes for if I put the shorter uppers on the fixed rifle stock lower....
Great video, I feel like most people really don’t know what different buffer weights are actually supposed to do. I’d like to see long term reviews on wear and tear using different buffer weights suppressed and unsuppressed if you could
I use a Geissele buffer setup in all my AR’s. I for one hate that buffer spring twang, and the Geissele spring doesn’t twang. My 10.5” .556 pistol with an Silencerco Omega on it runs ok with three tungsten weights. But it is probably still a bit over gassed. The other guns in .556, 300BO, and 6.5 Grendel all have various numbers of tungsten weights and run well. I generally don’t ever shoot unsuppressed. I don’t remember the number of tungsten weights in each one, but my parts box does have a bunch of steel weights rolling around…enjoyed the video. You probably missed because you tried to catch a glimpse of where your brass was going. 😂
Interesting, thanks. I would think there’d be different spring weights vs different buffer weights.
There are different "weights" . springco makes a few different ones. People also cut down a2 springs to fit carbine tubes. More coils = more tension. Also geissele 42 are woven springs that are really stiff. I personally like tubbs flat wire springs. TH-cam his vids, great info on this subject. I also use a2 tubes so I have an extra weight or 2 (depending if I remove the aluminum spacer) in the buffer itself. Bought some kak industries tungsten weights. My rifles shoots hella soft.
Important to test the bolt hold open capability with different buffers. You can have a gun that cycles but won’t hold open. Minor issue, but still important
It’s also important to know that things like barrel gas port size, gas tube length, dwell time, ammo, bolt specs, gas ring specs, etc all play into this along with your buffer weight and spring.
I use an 8oz in my 10” AR9 and it makes a huge difference in felt recoil compared to the original. Also running the strike industries flat spring
What recoil on a ar 9???😂
@@01Bigsmokey guessing never shot an AR9 or you would know. Yea yea I know how lil recoil they have but 9mm is more than the 556
@@niner7.629 got one myself…
Schmeisser m4FL ar15-9
Try a H2 with a blue springco spring.
I just ordered Geissele Super 42 Braided Wire Buffer Spring and Buffer Combo, H2 for my 16” suppressed Noveske Recon - Tiger Eye
You're gonna like that spring
@@nebick27 I’ve heard good things it comes in Friday can’t wait
How does that run I’m looking at a buffer weight and I’m inbetween the h2 and h3
@@nathanmontgomery4497man it runs as smooth as I could ask for. I haven’t had a single issue with my can on or off. I highly recommend
@@assault4356awesome! H2 it is!
Would be cool if you did a video segment over The different A.R. 15 charging handles from cheap to high end.👌🏼
He did do one fairly recently comparing charging handles for their gas mitigation. Idk if you caught that one or not
Go back and look it up numnuts
Simple fix, buy an adjustable buffer. That way you don't have to fuck around with a bunch of different ones.
Damn this video came just in time. I’m about to buy the geissele super 42 buffer spring and need to know which buffer is good.
H3 then take the weights out of your old one then you can build anyone you want h1 h2 or h3
You need kaydi to be the guinea pig of this test. Lol.
Clint, you forgot to mention the gas port size. This will dramatically determine which buffer should be used besides from going to the range and firing. I made. X39 upper shoot as soft as a 22lr according to my friends that still had reliable function after 1000s of rounds of fiocchi and AE 123g. 1 of my barrels had a undersized gas port size.. Iirc .087". My other barrel had a .091" gas port. So I opened up the smaller gas port to .089" , had it cerakote cause I didn't like the fact of bare metal at the gas port hole. Played with buffer weight (I like a2 stocks and a2 fsb for nostalgia reasons.) Got my buffer to 6.5 oz and damn it was a smooth shooter with tubbs flatwire buffer spring.
My standard go to buffer is an h2 with jp enterprises tuned spring as I have e found it to have the best perceived recoil impulse. FYI geissele has a table when you are looking at their buffer system to figure out what weight you should use.
Where can you find this? @nvhs1
Yeah jp has a chart as well. I picked up the geissele super 42. And that thing makes my gun jump. It’s made to give a 15% return strength. I had a problem whith a bolt going home. Not anymore.
@@MRsolidcolor second this geissele h3 in my 11.5 and it ran great I switched it to a jp enterprise h2 capture spring because I shoot suppressed now and it shoots even better you can’t go wrong with either honestly.
I got a 12.5 “ called up Geissele and they said go with the H2….. Any feedback would be appreciated!
@@petersudol5887 H2 is great all around for regular or suppressor use on carbine gas systems All around but always with a Way to adjust gas though either adjustable gas block or adjustable bolt carrier group.
FLAT is an understatement with the way you was shooting! 🔥🔥🔥
You should test 5.56 vs 223 because of gas pressure to see if there is any noticeable difference.
Thanks for all the testing. I have a MK18 with an H2 buffer and I run it both unsuppressed and suppressed. Reliability is not an issue with my setup, however it is heavy as heck. I am going to try using the Rubbery City Armory Ultralight Titanium BCG w/Adjustable gas key and also remove the weights from my buffer. I am going to try and tune the entire system just off the adjustable gas key. Going to remove as much weight as possible and see if I can get the recoil down to nothing. I plan to get all my adjustments tuned without the can on it and then re-check everything with the suppressor. I figure it will run a little over-gassed with the suppressor on it. I am also going to double-check I have no issues running both 55 and 62 grain as well as .223 and 5.56.
Would love to have you test out the PWS system (Mk 111 pistol) with different buffer tubes and gas adjustments with a suppressor set up! Looking to tune mine up.
Built a 458 socom and used the standard carbine buffer. It would cycle so fast the spent cartridge wouldn't clear the gun before the next round would hit it and jam it up. Went with a 6.8oz h4 buffer, and it slowed it down perfectly, allowing the gun to cycle round after round without a problem
I have a 10.5" .300BO AR and I experimented with different buffer sizes to see if I could find one buffer that would cycle both subs and supers reliably with LRBHO. I ended up with an H2 being the best choice. This is running unsuppressed and may well change when I run it with a can.
Changing the buffer wait alone will only minimally effect felt recoil. It can change the impulse a bit. The gas system is still pushing back on the buffer with the same level of energy, its just pushing more or less mass around depending on the buffer. Where you get more noticeable effects on recoil is when you change the amount of energy that is making it into the action of the rifle via the gas system.
The gas block is much more important than buffer weight. Controlling gas to the bcg is a better way to tune how the gun shoots.
The best option I found for 556 any barrel length is an H1 buffer a sprinco Blue Spring an adjustable gas block so you can turn the back pressure down a little bit.
The best buffer to use is the one your rifle came with.The engineers who placed it with your rifle did so for longevity and proper function.They know alot more than we do.
That’s generally fine until you change muzzle devices, especially if it’s a suppressor. Also if a gun comes over gassed from the manufacturer that’s a lot more wear and tear over time. Just food for thought 🤷🏼♂️
This isn’t necessarily true alot of weapon manufactures use h buffers because it saves them money
You failed to mention the difference between the different buffer weights and how one could simply buy the tungsten weights and make their own H1-H3 buffers. Carbine buffer = 3 steel weights, H1 2 steel and 1 tungsten, H2 1 steel and 2 tungsten, and H3 3 tungsten weights.
I bought a 7.5” .223/5.56 and to help with over gassing I added a H3 buffer along with .308 flat wire David Tubb buffer spring at full length that makes the once mule kicker to a soft shooter. You should try the buffer spring in your Daniel Defense MK18. I believe you would talk about your MK18 even more!…..LOL! Great video Clint! God Bless!
Shooting 5.56 out of a 7.5” barrel is useless. There’s a reason why 10.3” is the shortest SOF guys use.
@@MyFlexinIsAProblem Maxim defense ammo. Hornaday tap ammo also. They're designed for sbr's.
@@MyFlexinIsAProblem i wouldn't go shorter then 11.5 in my experience.
Im soooooo tired of seeing these comments, yet nobody stands downrange😅@@MyFlexinIsAProblem
My rifle needs a light buffer, 20in barrel, carbine buffer. I had a car(3.0oz) buffer in and wasnt getting lock back, originally thought i needed a heavier buffer to give the catch more time to rise up, ended up getting even more failures including a couple stovepipes. Dropped the tungsten weights from the buffer for aluminum so now the buffer is 2.2oz and runs flawlessly (at 2.5oz 1 in 10 rounds wouldnt lock the bolt open. 3oz seemed like 50/50 h1 locked back about 25% of the time and an h2 wouldnt lock back at all and gave me the ftes). Getting perfect 3-4oclock with it. Tried with both my 75gr handloads and american eagle xm193 55gr. (Was having issues with both before)
The lightest possible (carbine weight usually) and an adjustable gas block. There. I saved you 20 minutes.
Do NOT tune your gun starting with the buffer. Start with the gas adjustment first, then the spring, then the buffer LAST.
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The biggest deciding factor in which buffer you should use is the size of the gas port on the barrel. On a 10.3" MK18 build I prefer .070" and an H3. On a 14.5" or 16" length barrel, .063" and an H2 is a smooth, reliable combo
What spring are you using for the mk18?
I have the Geissele spring and H2 and it feels much better than the stock spring and H buffer.
@@ACGBLR I’m running geissele super 42 as well. The heavier h3 cycles perfectly. Again, this is with a barrel with a .070” gas port. Clint’s MK18 is probably an earlier barrel when Daniel Defense was using an .083” gas port. They’ve since switched to the more properly sized .070”
@@bradcook5174 thanks for the reply. I have two of the DD Mk18s, both have the .070 gas port size. I will experiment with an H3!
On my MK18 I run an H3 with a standard carbine spring. Gun is suppressed 99% of the time and it helps to limit the amount of blowback I get in the face. Being a lefty sucks 😂
Look at oss to help a lot of that. But you being a lefty you gonna get it more rather way you go
I am new to the AR world and really enjoyed the breakdown of this video. Thank you for doing this! I just built a 7.62x39 and noticed it is ejecting around the 4:30 position with an H buffer. So I will be sticking there, especially when I add the can! ;-)
My god man! You have to account for Gas System Length, Gas Port Size, Ammo Selection, as well as ambient temperature …all will affect your buffer decision. Try shooting some .223 at 20 below and then tell me what buffer you want!
I think the lighter the buffer the faster it'll run the heavier less recoil but you start losing reset speed again probably not noticeable either !! Love your videos and my favorite online store keep it up clint
Has anyone tested the magnetic buffer that Jerry Miculek came out with a while back?
Tubb ar15 spring with h2 buffers is winning on ddm4v7. 3:30-4:00 ejection.
I must be one lucky person. All my builds (5.56 & 300blk) function flawlessly and I have never payed attention to what buffer weight I was purchasing. I just buy a buffer tube kit for what I’m building.
Well yea that’s not surprising considering they almost always come with a carbine buffer. A carbine buffer is always going to run more reliably but it’s not always optimal. More violent recoil and excessive wear on parts. You should always aim for the heaviest buffer that will still run 100%. If you shoot enough and break a bolt or two you’ll quickly realize the importance of fine tuning the buffer weight to your specific gun.
DD's are known for being pretty over gassed (especially the mk18) so i've found i can run up to an H4 unsupressed for 1000 rounds without cleaning out of my 14.5 dd upper and have no issues with ejection or lock back (very solid 3-4 oclock) but the best recoil impulse for me is h2 unless it's suppressed (still completely manageable), and i don't think i'd go above an h2 on any "duty" or trust my life to it gun. But tbh AR guys are so particular. No AR i've ever shot has made me go "wow thats a lot of recoil" so unless i'm shooting a competition, i don't see the advantage of changing buffers unless you're suppressing.
They have been using the Crane spec for their port size. Mk18 is .070 since 2017 for example.
@@ACGBLR They say that, but it looked bigger than .070 that i have on a ballistic advantage, and the Mk18 i used to have i bought in 2018, granted i may have gotten one produced before the adjustment and it was just sitting in the shop. but i also don't like 5.56 for that short a barrel, so i sold it. I'd rather have 300blk in an ar or just do an AK. Both less violent and more durable systems.
Another great video! And perfect timing for me. I just built my first 300 BO in 10.3 (BA Hanson barrel). With a hot/white Sprinco and standard carbine buffer the brass is eating up the shell deflector. I added an H2 which helped but it's still not in that 3-4(430) sweet spot. Would you care to give me any suggestions? Thanks again for all of the great videos
Buffer weight isn't really important if only shooting semi auto rifle length ARs. Thanks for showing how it improves ejection angle with shorter suppressed uppers. A light buffer can really screw up a full auto, especially with a shorty upper and/or can.
A slicker bolt carrier also seems to change things i have noticed.
If you are over gassed you can fuss with buffers all you want and you won’t see any changes. Gassing and buffer are directly tied to each other as they balance one another.
Get gassing under control watching your ejection pattern. Then start upping the buffer weight and then compensate the gas to restore the proper ejection pattern.