The spring rate is also tuned to a specific reciprocating mass.
Going to a heavier buffer increases the reciprocating mass and the original spring spec may no longer be the right one
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Wow, I'm a little surprised at the lack of enthusiasm for improved spring designs by many. However, the professionals here seem pretty firm in favor of the heavier buffer route. A clue. I'm going with the heavier buffer until an authoritative source can prove the advertising about flat wire springs to be true.
I am extremely enthusiastic about improved springs - I am just not into false claims of improvement. When I see cryogenic treatment listed my BS detector is on extreme alert right up there with those magnetic energy bracelets on late night TV.
As for a heavier buffer - sure, if the normal buffer is too light. I guess what I don't know is why you think your normal buffer is too light.
So, for the record, what is your take on Sprinco's springs?
http://sprinco.com/tactical.html
Rocket Wire (a high grade of music wire) is more than 20% higher minimum tensile strength than certified CS valve spring wire (0.022 wire diameter). So I would take a (properly designed) Rocket Wire spring over a chrome silicon spring any day for an extractor spring, where there is so little room that having an edge matters. But I am fine with mil-std stainless for buffer springs as they last almost forever anyway and so I will take the corrosion resistance.
"This computerized, ultra low temperature process (-320°F) increases the strength & wear life of the parent material."
Ok, take a length of wire and cut it into two pieces. Cryo one of them. Do a tensile strength test on each wire. Repeat 10 times and post the average results. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. If there is a strength gain which exceeds the measurement error of the test equipment, I will be proven incorrect.
when I tried to shoot a Noveske 12.5" barrel with an M4-2000 it would not function with a standard USGI buffer spring and H buffer. The bolt cycled so fast that it frequently outran several revisions of the PMAG. It is probably for this reason that the Switchblock was created.
Sprinco can make all the claims they want, but their red spring allowed my SBR to cycle semi-automatically suppressed, without frequent bolt over base malfunctions. Of course YMMV. I hope that Vltor's new A5 system makes many suppressed SBR problems go away.
FWIW, Mike Pannone is a strong proponent of Sprinco (and Noveske, BCM, etc). If you read his real-world tests, he generally uses Sprinco springs.
If your rifle is working too fast - in your case because of some combination of gas port size and sound suppressor, then you want to try to slow it down. I would first try H2/H3 buffer, and if that is not enough - a red Springco spring, or an HK-416 spring, would be the next thing to test.
Yes, that's why I went with a "red" Sprinco spring and 5.4 ounce DPMS buffer.
That said, unsuppressed, the gun will short stroke with that combination. As you guys know, SBRs with suppressors get tricky