Increase buffer weight 20in rifle?

[cgbills]

It has been a while since I have done a 20in upper. I got a good deal on a barrel, so I decided to build a clone-esq M16A4 from my infantry days. Because of this I am going to run a rifle buffer system/stock. Also I currently have a FSB on the upper. My question comes though about changing out some SS weights in the buffer for some tungsten I currently have.

I have run this 20in, rifle gas, FSB upper suppressed on my SBR lower that has a Vltor A5H4 (6.8oz). The results this upper suppressed and with the A5H4 were very positive. As I build a new lower for this upper, I am debating replacing a few SS weights with tungsten to bring it closer to the A5H4 buffer. Would this work, or would the extra length of the rifle buffer system change the characteristics and mean the A5H4 weight would be too heavy? This upper will be primarily shot suppressed

Also does a rifle buffer system offer any benefit over an A5 other than the adjustable stock (I don’t care about the twang noise). I have heard that the spring in the back of the A5 buffers may offer some benefit. If the A5 is superior in tangible ways to the rifle system when shooting suppressed , then maybe I would consider a USMC M16A5 concept.

[opngrnd]

I'd run at A5H1 weight and add weight only if necessary. I need to do more testing, but I didn't find rifle length gas systems to be as "bothered" by the suppressor as shorter configurations.

[vicious_cb]

It has been a while since I have done a 20in upper. I got a good deal on a barrel, so I decided to build a clone-esq M16A4 from my infantry days. Because of this I am going to run a rifle buffer system/stock. Also I currently have a FSB on the upper. My question comes though about changing out some SS weights in the buffer for some tungsten I currently have.

I have run this 20in, rifle gas, FSB upper suppressed on my SBR lower that has a Vltor A5H4 (6.8oz). The results this upper suppressed and with the A5H4 were very positive. As I build a new lower for this upper, I am debating replacing a few SS weights with tungsten to bring it closer to the A5H4 buffer. Would this work, or would the extra length of the rifle buffer system change the characteristics and mean the A5H4 weight would be too heavy? This upper will be primarily shot suppressed

Also does a rifle buffer system offer any benefit over an A5 other than the adjustable stock (I don’t care about the twang noise). I have heard that the spring in the back of the A5 buffers may offer some benefit. If the A5 is superior in tangible ways to the rifle system when shooting suppressed , then maybe I would consider a USMC M16A5 concept.

I would NOT mess with it. If its a 20" rifle gas with a mil-spec 0.091-.093" gas port then stick with the original A5H2 if running an A5 system. The A5H2 weight was chosen to mimic the the rifle buffer + spring combo on the A2 fixed stock. Its not about matching weights since the spring load and travel distance are different between the A5 and fixed A2 stock.

[JediGuy]

I would not add any weights to the rifle buffer. That is the design for a 20” rifle, and there is a decades-old true military specification for the buffer and the gas port. The rifle buffer system should give you the broadest performance envelope as is.

[26 Inf]

It has been a while since I have done a 20in upper. I got a good deal on a barrel, so I decided to build a clone-esq M16A4 from my infantry days. Because of this I am going to run a rifle buffer system/stock. Also I currently have a FSB on the upper. My question comes though about changing out some SS weights in the buffer for some tungsten I currently have.

An A5H4 buffer weighs 6.3oz and has 4 tungsten weights. (I've also heard 7.16 oz)

A rifle buffer weighs 5.0 oz. If you replace the aluminum spacer tube with two steel weights and washers, for a total of 7 steel weights instead of 5, it should be around 6.15oz, another poster here called it an R7 buffer. I use that buffer with a Tubbs flat wire spring in my rifle and it is smooth. I've never shot it suppressed but I would think that would be a good starting place.

I tried working with different spacers in the rifle tube to us A5 buffers, and then carbine buffers with carbine springs. With those I kind of bounced around the recoil impulse I wanted so I finally just started using the rifle buffer and different weight combos, ended up that the R7 was what I like most.

If you have extra weights take them to the range along with an armorers block/hockey puck, an armorers hammer, a roll pin starter and a roll pin punch for the buffer's roll pin and spend the afternoon at the range building different buffers and noting the results. Take an extra roll pin, or two.

[AndyLate]

I'd run at A5H1 weight and add weight only if necessary. I need to do more testing, but I didn't find rifle length gas systems to be as "bothered" by the suppressor as shorter configurations.

A5H1 is lighter than a standard rifle buffer, A5H2 is very close to the same.

I would simply run the standard rifle buffer, then consider increasing weight only if needed. In my opinion, the A5 is only superior to the rifle buffer system if you want a collapsible stock

Andy

[markm]

I agree with everyone. I hate the idea of a heavier than standard buffer.

[wanderson]

I run a few variant caliber ARs that benefit from H2 to H3 buffers, mainly to slow the cycling for reliability.
In 5.56, not necessary, but some prefer the feel.
I've bumped a 5 oz rifle buffer up to 7 oz for a 16" 7.62x39 upper and it caused cycling issues.

It's easy to try, cheap tungsten weights are available on Amazon, and as mentioned above, you can remove the aluminum spacer and add two steel or tungsten weights, or just replace some of the steel weights with tungsten.

Just gonna depend on your build, your mags, and your preference.
I've found changing spring rates has a more drastic effect than buffer weights.