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I've got an H buffer in my BCM midlength and it runs well so far. I'm using only NATO-pressure 5.56 loads (M855) and am thinking of bumping up to an H2.
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I've got an H buffer in my BCM midlength and it runs well so far. I'm using only NATO-pressure 5.56 loads (M855) and am thinking of bumping up to an H2.
If it's a 16", an H2 is good. For a 14.5, I run the H. This is specific to BCM. Other middies have different (larger) ports.
Can't hurt to try an H2 buffer, provided you still get reliability with your ammo still, even when the gun is filthy and parts are towards the end of their replacement life. BCM's gas ports are sized correctly, not oversized, so the H buffer may be all you need. I've used H and H2 buffers with a BCM Mid. 16" and it worked with both.
That said, VLTOR's A5 system rocks my world. I have 5 Midlength rifles - DD, BCM, Spike's & PSA barrels, 16" and 14.5" and the A5 buffer/RE system runs smoothly and without a hiccup for all of them. Buying 6 (so far) A5 kits wasn't cheap, I assure you, but I wouldn't go back either.
For both my 16" and 14.5" BCM mids, I can run an H when suppressed, but have to switch to a CAR for unsuppressed reliability. Mine are apparently oddballs.
I really do prefer an .080" gas port on a 14.5 middy. I have one that'll even run Herters like a champ, and it's not overgassed on full powered ammo.
My BCM 14.5 mid is bufferd down to a plain old H to keep it running with all ammo kinds. Now adding a suppressor and an A5 to the Bravo Middy would probably be unbeatable.
I have too sr 15's and I tried an h buffer out of my 6920 for the first time the other day. I have to say that It felt smoother and less clunky with the standard carbine buffer that they come with.
I'm running an H buffer in my 13.7 Infidel. I believe it has a 0.750 exterior diameter at the gas port. It has ran everything from MK262 to Tula.
H2 with Sprinco Blue in my 16" DD Middy. Eats everything from Tula to XM855/193.
H buffer with blue spinco spring on my DD 14.5 LW middy.
Right now, a new one with an H (14.5 pinned) and one with an A5 standard (14.5 pinned). Pretty sure that with a steady diet of good 5.56 either will run with a heavier buffer.
You state in your post that you have an "H" buffer in there now and it runs well... So why do you want to change it? You know: "If it ain't broke.. don't fix it?"
Where is your brass landing currently?
I have two 14.5 BCM Middy's (one Govt, one LW) and both run BCM BCG's with H buffers and run flawlessly.
Have a 16inch BFH middy and have been running an H buffer since day one. With brass cased .223, 5.56, and Hornady steel match I have never had an issue, even when dirty. Now Tula and Wolf... well it will generally fire and cycle fine but I get failures to lock back and the occasional instance where it won't pick up the next round from the mag of those two ammo often enough that I would consider dropping to a CAR buffer if I ran them for any length or exclusively. However, since I am down to under 500 rounds of those two I just use to for failure drills when at the range and when I feel too lazy to pick up brass.
car buffer... guess i just dont know better.
H2 and white springco. 16 middy
A5-3 in another.
They both run with whatever I put in them.
Same set up with blue springco and very similar experiences here. I have experienced failure to lock back with only Tula which is known to have pressure issues. I can't fault any rifle that stumbles firing that junk. But even Tula has never failed to feed for me. All other factory brass & steel cased ammo has cycled flawlessly. I have had no reason to change to anything other than the H buffer.
Indeed. And I should state that it is not always that it will cause issues running the Tula or Wolf. Have taken them to the range and run 100 rounds without issue. Then at times have a couple boxes and every five rounds I am clear malfs. But with NATO pressure 5.56 and .223 brass cased ammo such as PMC Bronze I have never had an issue so I am not, and can not in good conscience say it is the rifle's fault with that ammo. What should also be noted is that an old Bushmaster Patrolman that I own has also had issue with failures to lock back with a lot of tula I ran that the BCM failed damn near every time to lock back on. So if an over gassed Bushmaster with a CAR buffer and an old spring won't lock back on that shit......
A5 H4 with Sprinco Green spring. Works on both DD and BCM 16" midlengths.
I'm running a standard carbine buffer in my BCM 14.5" middy and it runs perfectly. With factory 5.56 and my reloads. It's been perfectly reliable for over 1K rounds.
ST-T2 (4.1oz.) with a blue Sprinco spring.
I know the buffer is considered another snake oil item by some, but I've had no issues with it.
I don't shoot Tula or Wolf though.
16" mid with .078" gas port, A5H3, Sprinco green, LMT Enhanced carrier. Flawless with 5.56 and all the .223 I've tried.
A5H2 and the DD V5 Middy system is utterly reliable, smooth, and for the cost potentially unbeatable.
I run an H in one of my 14.5 BCM's and in another BCM 14.5 I run a H2. The second rifle gets a can half the time, but it runs fine still without. I only shoot 5.56 though. I would run Carbine buffers with .223 and un-suppressed. Then you can run any ammo you would like, I would assume.
I have the Vltor A5 system in my 14.5 noveske mid and an H2 buffer in my 16 noveske mid. Both run very well for me.
PSA 16in Middy with a Spikes T2 and Blue Sprinco. Cycles PMC, Independence fine, but doesn't like Tula
14.5" BCM, H buffer and Sprinco White cycles everything even PMC Bronze. Runs smooth with a H2 with nato powered ammo, but failed to lock back with Tula and PMC Bronze. H buffer is the ticket for running a variety of ammo.
We did. And some things people need to keep in mind (and I posted about this in my Tuning the Gun 101 thread) are that there are factors that need to be considered such as the gas port size, type of spring, the carrier and ammunition.
Whatever buffer is being used, you should always ensure that your weapon will work with the lowest powered or weakest ammo you have. Or at least know how your ammo performs so that if needed you can swap the buffer over. It has been my experience that if you use the A5 system, with a green Sprinco spring and the -3 buffer your weapon should work with a wide spectrum of ammo.
The two middies I put together with PSA parts have CAR buffers, and they have been extremely reliable with all ammo used, including steel cased stuff. I have a 20" rifle length that I run a CAR buffer on too, and it has been absolutely great. I see the heavier buffers mostly as a band-aid for an over-gassed rifle or one with too long of a dwell time.
14.5 Middy BCM
H Buffer
Sprinco White (standard carbine strength)
I guess to further the discussion I am curious why so many people are using heavier buffers and springs. Is it out of need as in your rifle won't work with a lighter buffer or is because you just simply put heavier buffers and springs in.
I have a range of rifles with different barrel lengths and gas systems. My thought process was to use the lightest one that allowed the gun to work without battering the insides. My rifles include a 10.5" LMT MRP with carbine gas and a H buffer (I tried a H2 but it was not reliable while suppressed), a 11.5" DD SBR (issued) with carbine gas and H buffer, 16" personally built 16" (Noveske SS barrel) mid gas and carbine buffer, and lastly a 18" personally built (Noveske SS SPR barrel) intermediate gas with carbine buffer. All of these rifles are extremely reliable in the current configuration.
I guess I don't understand why you would want to your rifle to borderline not work by using overly heavy buffers and springs. I do understand the reason heavier buffer and springs are made, ie overgased, worn rifles, or eroded gas ports, but I don't get the just because.
Maybe someone can enlighten me.
Matt
Well that would be a wrong assumption. The rifle buffer weighs between 5.1-5.3 oz. The H3 buffer is the one to equate that the closest.
Colt M4 carbines (MIL) are shipped with H2 buffers. 6920's are shipped with H buffers. The reason many companies use the carbine buffer (2.8 oz) is because they are cheaper. So using the M4 as the baseline a properly built carbine gas system should be using at least an H or H2 buffer. Since there is no standard for a midlength (since there is no TDP) it is best to follow what the companies who build properly gassed guns use. Most mids will function with at least an H and probably an H2 (ammo and gas port dependent).
Using a heavier buffer is generally recommended for smoothing out the gun and reduce wear and tear. It can also be used to slow down the cyclic rate.
Have you read this? https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread...ng-the-Gun-101. Also I don't anyone here has recommended using a buffer or spring that would compromise the reliability of the weapon. In fact, it's been just the opposite.
Many people would actually benefit from shooting the gun and trying out the different buffers and springs in their guns. They just might be surprised at what they thought was supposed to be and what the reality is.
H in both Noveske and Colt 6920 16"
IG you are obviously a very knowledgable person on this weapon system and I appreciate your input. I also have a fair amount of experience maintaining and building rifles. Nothing like you have over the years, but not a small amount either. I have the same appreciation for a well built weapon as you do. I was personally responsible for transitioning my department away from Bushmaster SBRs and carbines to DD SBRs and Colt 6920s. I am also responsible for maintaining approximately 300 rifles. I say all of that just so you know I'm not a nut job just trying to bust your balls.
I am well versed in all the things listed in that post and I understand how they work in conjunction with the other. I guess my curiosity comes from the use of H3, 9mm, ST-whatever buffer and springs. They are in not way necessary for the rifle to work properly and in some cases can effect reliability by slowing the BCG down to much. I'm just not sure why such heavy buffers (not really referring to H or even H2 in SBRs) are used. There seems to be more downsides than upsides. The reciprocating mass of a heavier buffer and FA BCGs are going to adversely effect the recoil impulse and slow down your ability to take quick shots and again can in some cases be to heavy for your rifle to be reliable with a range of ammo.
H buffer and BCM standard spring in my noveske 14.5 middy, eats everything
I guess I am not getting your point. A Colt M4 uses an H2 buffer because they are select fire guns. I believe that the Colt 6933 uses either the H2 or H3. Yes, a heavier buffer will slow down the cyclic rate. But, I don't see this as a some kind of downside. In fact, I used a shot time recently and was testing one of our (SIONICS) midlength carbines using the A5 system and Geissle SSA trigger and was able to fire 10 rounds in like 2.6 seconds or something. How much faster do you really need to be? My suppressed SBR's use the Vltor A5 with green Sprinco springs and -4 buffers and there is no doubt that I can shoot it as fast as I reasonably need to.
I use Sprinco springs simply because I have found that they are more consistent across the board in their length and they outlast standard springs.
Let me reiterate once again. Colt guns are the standard whether anyone agrees, it matters not. If we look at how they are configured that gives us the baseline. We can argue about the springs, but the fact is that all Colt carbines come with F/A carriers and the gun was designed to use the F/A carrier from it's beginning. A Spike's ST-2 buffer is actually heavier than an H2 and lighter than an H3 (as I recall). The difference though is that they use powdered tungsten as opposed to tungsten weights.
Colt rifle buffers are 5.1-5.3 oz as stated. That means if you are adding a collapsible stock to a rifle you should be using an H3. If you are shooting a 16" carbine gas system then you should be using an H buffer if not an H2. Midlengths change the equation so common sense has to prevail. If you use too heavy a buffer and the gun doesn't work properly, then common sense will tell you to lighten it up.
I'm using an H in a Noveske 14.5 middy. Runs fine. Might try am H2 at some point, but haven't had the time.
I've used a buffer so heavy that I have felt the slow swick-swack of the carrier moving back and forth back into battery.
It sucked and I could actually feel the rifle 'moving' or yawing with that movement.
It was the opposite extreme. Too slow, yet 100% reliable.
I have settled on A5H1s and A5H0s, with adjustable gas, on my middies, depending on the barrel manu.
100% reliable, fast, soft shooters.