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  1. #1
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    Question.

    I was wondering if anyone here could help me with some questions Ive always had about the AR-15 system.

    Why does the AR-15 suffer from bolt carrier bounce when other systems do not seem to.
    Why does it require a buffer when other systems do not
    And why does it require a dust cover while square carrier systems do not?

    Jut a few questions I cannot find answers for.
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    This is 2012. The world is going to end this December and people are still trying to debate the merits of piece of shit, cost cutting crap AR's. Really?

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    Quote Originally Posted by sinlessorrow View Post
    I was wondering if anyone here could help me with some questions Ive always had about the AR-15 system.

    Why does the AR-15 suffer from bolt carrier bounce when other systems do not seem to.
    Why does it require a buffer when other systems do not
    And why does it require a dust cover while square carrier systems do not?

    Jut a few questions I cannot find answers for.
    Almost all the weapons I have used have a buffer assembly of some kind; G3, MG3, MP-5, Minimi, FN MAG, AK. It's just the design that varies from system to system.

    The difference is that for most of these systems, the action spring is inside the upper receiver itself. In some, it is attached to an action spring rod. The buffer acts as a stop after the action spring is compressed.

    As for bolt bounce, that is most likely a result of the design of the bolt and bolt carrer; the bolt telescopes and rotates in the carrier. With the roller lock system HK used, for example, bounce could not happen.

    As to the dust cover, most machineguns have them. I find it to be a good feature to have on a rifle.
    Last edited by Arctic1; 01-05-13 at 08:31.
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    Quote Originally Posted by sinlessorrow View Post
    I was wondering if anyone here could help me with some questions Ive always had about the AR-15 system.

    Why does the AR-15 suffer from bolt carrier bounce when other systems do not seem to.
    The carrier bounces because there is nothing that mechanically locks it into place and because it hits the barrel extension. It probably means that it's hitting and rebounding before the buffer weights can move enough to damp it out

    Why does it require a buffer when other systems do not
    The buffer assembly adds the necessary mass to the reciprocating parts while providing damping. It is separate from the carrier to keep the BCG from being so big as to complicate field stripping. All self-loading systems have to have some kind of buffering in one form or another

    And why does it require a dust cover while square carrier systems do not?
    The AR does not need a dust cover. It's like the stripper clip guide on an M14- nice to have under certain circumstances but necessary to the function of the rifle
    Last edited by MistWolf; 01-05-13 at 13:22.
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    Also, separating the out the weight of the carrier to the buffer is quite a clever bit of engineering in that you can use the same carrier regardless of barrel length and/or cartridge (and more or less caliber) - you only need to swap out the buffer to compensate. Imagine trying to compensate for reciprocating mass using only the carrier...

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    Even JMB designed firearms with a buffer system of sorts. The 1911 (and pretty much all semi-automatic pistols) just have the buffer spring towards the front, and the slide itself acts as the buffer. Both serve the same purpose: to return the bolt back into battery after removing the spent case and stripping the next out of the magazine.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arctic1 View Post
    Almost all the weapons I have used have a buffer assembly of some kind; G3, MG3, MP-5, Minimi, FN MAG, AK. It's just the design that varies from system to system.

    The difference is that for most of these systems, the action spring is inside the upper receiver itself. In some, it is attached to an action spring rod. The buffer acts as a stop after the action spring is compressed.

    As for bolt bounce, that is most likely a result of the design of the bolt and bolt carrer; the bolt telescopes and rotates in the carrier. With the roller lock system HK used, for example, bounce could not happen.

    As to the dust cover, most machineguns have them. I find it to be a good feature to have on a rifle.
    This.

    And, the internal design of the buffer acts like a dead blow hammer. If the carrier were to bounce off the extension, it would unlock, even if only partially. Every auto loader needs some mechanism to ensure that the bolt locks reliably.
    The design of the AR pattern bolt carrier has raised rails with a reduced diameter body. This provides clearance at the ejection port for foreign matter to enter. The square bolt designs typically have less clearance for debris to enter. But, as pointed out above, a lot of other designs have some type of cover.

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    I appreciate all the replys and that does make sense about the dust cover, I had not thought about the fact that it has raised rails.

    Here is what I am talking about with the buffer, or lack there of. We all know the AR-15 system
    things like the AK, SCAR, ACR do not have an actual buffer(they do have a rubber stopper to keep the bolt carrier from bottoming out against the receiver, so does the buffer on the AR-15) As you can see everyone just has a spring to counter the speed of the BCG as well as send it back home.
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    Bolt Carrier bounce is also still very interesting to me as seeing how these systems do not suffer from it. Is bolt carrier bounce a symptom of a round carrier or something else?
    Quote Originally Posted by C4IGrant View Post
    Colt builds War Horses, not show ponies.
    Quote Originally Posted by Iraqgunz View Post
    This is 2012. The world is going to end this December and people are still trying to debate the merits of piece of shit, cost cutting crap AR's. Really?

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    Quote Originally Posted by sinlessorrow
    As you can see everyone just has a spring to counter the speed of the BCG as well as send it back
    I understand what you're asking, but think about the above for a moment.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Safetyhit View Post
    I understand what you're asking, but think about the above for a moment.
    Yes, the AR-15 system has both a spring and a buffer system to help counter it.
    Quote Originally Posted by C4IGrant View Post
    Colt builds War Horses, not show ponies.
    Quote Originally Posted by Iraqgunz View Post
    This is 2012. The world is going to end this December and people are still trying to debate the merits of piece of shit, cost cutting crap AR's. Really?

  10. #10
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    This has been covered in a good bit of detail here.
    http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=102496

    Quote Originally Posted by sinlessorrow View Post
    I was wondering if anyone here could help me with some questions Ive always had about the AR-15 system.

    Why does the AR-15 suffer from bolt carrier bounce when other systems do not seem to.
    Why does it require a buffer when other systems do not
    And why does it require a dust cover while square carrier systems do not?

    Jut a few questions I cannot find answers for.
    Last edited by Clint; 01-06-13 at 00:03.
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