Help me understand buffers

[Dave L.]

I have been using an H2 in a car-length gas system for about 1,000 rounds and haven't had a problem yet...even using some really cheap ammo.

[SSGN_Doc]

This picture was posted by Randall of AR15barrels.com at one time on the web. It gives a pretty good representation of the differences in construction.



As to understanding the buffer, just think of it in this way:

If the buffer is heavier, the bullet has travelled farther down the barrel before the bolt unlocks. This means lower pressure in the chamber at the time of unlocking. With lower chamber pressure at unlocking it means lower pressure for extraction, and less work for the extractor to free the fired case from the chamber. Teh heavier buffer also means that there is more inertia against the bolt and carrier when it returns to battery, which means it is more likely to go all the way home as it chambers the next round.

I have run a 9mm (H3) buffer in one of my carbines for a while now. The reasoning for me is because of the carbine length gas system. The gas port is closer to the chamber, and there is more barrel beyond the gas port as well. This means high pressure for a longer period of time, so I wanted the heaviest buffer possible. If you look at the weights it is almost the same weight as a standard rifle buffer. I figured this could not be a bad thing. So far it has been great. It also seems to have smoothed out the cycling a bit. I think this is because it spreads the recoil impulse over a longer period of time so it does not seem as abrupt. Not that a .225/5.56 has a lot of recoil, but it just makes it different.

[pictaker]

GotM4 Wrote:
You should run a M16 carrier whenever possible.

What is the advantage of a F/A carrier vs a standard carrier.

[uranus]

Perfect timing for this thread to come up. Is a FA carrier considered a part that would make a weapon FA (I know I would need a different LPK to make it select fire). I ask this b/c the People Republic of Massachussetts is really strict on what you can and cant have , im pretty sure you can not have any componet that would mek the weapon selct fire without a MG lisence. Also what are the advantages of having a FA carrier?

FA carrier is O.K. in MA. The FA carrier does not make an AR a select-fireable weapon.

MA just follows Fed law on this type of issue, and when FRB has a question, they contact BATF.

[chadbag]

FA carrier is O.K. in MA. The FA carrier does not make an AR a select-fireable weapon.

MA just follows Fed law on this type of issue, and when FRB has a question, they contact BATF.

I know this comes up all the time but does anyone have an actual BATF letter stating that the FA carrier is OK? I saw a an BATF "explanation" stating that ANY M16 part would be considered an unregistered machine gun and it did not seem to exclude the carrier. This was on the ATF website I believe.

Thanks
Chad