Marks on Buffer-face, normal?

[WS6]

Was cleaning my 20" AR today and noticed around the buffer-face there is a ring. It is VERY near the outside edge of the buffer face. The ring is maybe 1mm across and appears to have been caused by impacts from the back of the carrier. I have fired 400 rounds of 5.56 through the rifle so far. The ring is mainly just visible in the right light and barely drags on a fingernail when you run it across it. I checked a couple of the Colt's in the closet and they do not have this little ring. Is it just luck of the draw, some do, some don't?

It looks like the chatter-marks from the buffer detent, but it is pushing the buffer back off the pin, checked that one already. It is a full-circle carrier with the cutout for the detent. I detected no burrs when I ran my finger around it though.

Normal, G2G, or is this something to be concerned with that will just get worse?

ETA: Feel better about it, QUIB has informed me it is the norm with some rifles.

[lindertw]

probably nothing to worry about

I wondered the same thing recently with my Noveske build - very distinct 'ring around the buffer' while my Colt 6920 with more rounds through it has almost no ring...

[Failure2Stop]

You're fine, common wear.

[markm]

It's from not using MIL SPEC primers!!!

Just kidding! Normal.

[WS6]

It's from not using MIL SPEC primers!!!

Just kidding! Normal.

I realise that is a funny, but Mil-spec ammo is pretty much the only stuff my AR has seen, lol.

[Shihan]

It's from not using MIL SPEC primers!!!

Just kidding! Normal.

I thought it was the from the vibration that the Boing gives off?

[ether]

If the marks are caused by the buffer retainer, it's not normal for the the buffer to bang against the retainer pin with every shot. The bolt carrier should hold the buffer away from the retainer when everything's in battery...anything else would cause unnecessary wear on the retainer pin and receiver.

I once had a Bushmaster Dissipator that had a terribly rough rear-end on its bolt carrier that basically chewed up the buffer around its outer edges after firing only a few hundred rounds. It was an otherwise fine rifle, and if I had I kept it, I would have replaced the buffer and the entire bolt group (I'd already replaced the sub-standard FCG with a Rock River 2-stage).

[WS6]

If the marks are caused by the buffer retainer, it's not normal for the the buffer to bang against the retainer pin with every shot. The bolt carrier should hold the buffer away from the retainer when everything's in battery...anything else would cause unnecessary wear on the retainer pin and receiver.

I once had a Bushmaster Dissipator that had a terribly rough rear-end on its bolt carrier that basically chewed up the buffer around its outer edges after firing only a few hundred rounds. It was an otherwise fine rifle, and if I had I kept it, I would have replaced the buffer and the entire bolt group (I'd already replaced the sub-standard FCG with a Rock River 2-stage).

The buffer retainer pin is not in contact. The buffer is pushed back by the BC. I think it may just be some grit or a minor immperfection on the back of the BC. It is barely enough to catch a fingernail on. The opening/closing causes scratches of the same depth on the buffer face. Very minor. Just wondering if it was the norm, seems it is.

[Shihan]

The buffer retainer pin is not in contact. The buffer is pushed back by the BC. I think it may just be some grit or a minor immperfection on the back of the BC. It is barely enough to catch a fingernail on. The opening/closing causes scratches of the same depth on the buffer face. Very minor. Just wondering if it was the norm, seems it is.

Just remember any type of metal to metal contact is going to leave a mark.