Basic Question: Does a Rifle Length Gas System Need a Rifle Length Buffer Tube?

**R.A.N.G.E.R** · 02-05-19, 14:14

Or will a carbine length receiver extension and 3oz weight work ok?
Thos is for a 20” barrel that uses rifle length gas tube.

Hope this basic question is ok in this forum.

Thanks

**dmd08** · 02-05-19, 14:49

yes.

Eta: Hope I didnt cause confusion. I meant yes it will work with carbine RE/buffer, not yes it needs a rifle RE. Oops.

**MegademiC** · 02-05-19, 15:05

Carbine tube, buffer, and spring.
Not sure what weight buffer to use.

**MistWolf** · 02-05-19, 15:26

Originally Posted by R.A.N.G.E.R

Or will a carbine length receiver extension and 3oz weight work ok?
Thos is for a 20” barrel that uses rifle length gas tube.

Hope this basic question is ok in this forum.

Thanks

You can use a carbine RE assembly with a rifle upper. I'd start with an H2 buffer.

**Circle_10** · 02-05-19, 16:20

The Canadians use such a configuration as their C7A2 service rifle. IIRC it uses an H3 buffer or equivalent.

Someone will probably recommend the Vltor A5 kit as well. I can't recommend it from any first-hand experience, but I seem to recall that it was designed with a 20" barreled rifle in mind.

**R.A.N.G.E.R** · 02-05-19, 16:21

It looks like rifle and carbine buffers have the same length of travel, but the rifle system has a longer buffer in a longer tube and has heavier weight in the buffer. If that’s the case, then it’s pretty simple to find tungsten weights to make a carbine system buffer and tube work with a rifle length gas system on my 20” barrel. Yes, the tungsten weights aren’t cheap, but it would add flexibility designing a system.

If they’re not using tungsten, but the actual buffers are the same size (C = H1 = H2 = H3 (size)), then do heavier buffers use lead for weights instead of steel?

**mig1nc** · 02-05-19, 16:26

Originally Posted by Circle_10

The Canadians use such a configuration as their C7A2 service rifle. IIRC it uses an H3 buffer or equivalent.

Someone will probably recommend the Vltor A5 kit as well. I can't recommend it from any first-hand experience, but I seem to recall that it was designed with a 20" barreled rifle in mind.

The A5 buffer system gets it's name from being part of Vltor's proposal for an M16A5 upgrade program.

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**MistWolf** · 02-05-19, 16:54

Originally Posted by R.A.N.G.E.R

It looks like rifle and carbine buffers have the same length of travel, but the rifle system has a longer buffer in a longer tube and has heavier weight in the buffer. If that’s the case, then it’s pretty simple to find tungsten weights to make a carbine system buffer and tube work with a rifle length gas system on my 20” barrel. Yes, the tungsten weights aren’t cheap, but it would add flexibility designing a system.

If they’re not using tungsten, but the actual buffers are the same size (C = H1 = H2 = H3 (size)), then do heavier buffers use lead for weights instead of steel?

The H3 weighs about the same as a rifle buffer.