Buffer springs. Flat vs. Braided. What say you?

[boss_hawg]

I have one of the Geissele G42s. Maybe it’s snake oil but I’m trying to keep track of how long it lasts. I am up to 900 rounds so far which doesn’t really mean anything.

[turnburglar]

How many rounds are we supposed to get on a regular Mil-Spec spring? I had a 3K number rolling around my brain for some reason, but I know for a fact I have at least 2 rifles with that kinda round count and the springs are fine.

[RickyRifle]

FWIW, Mike Pannone likes Springco Blue springs in his M4s:

“And, given the parameters of the test (no lube) and the dramatic increase in shootability using a heavier buffer, I am still a proponent of a buffer heavier than an H.
· With the Sprinco enhanced Blue action spring (or comparable extra-power spring) and an H2 orH3 buffer, unless there is a rigid obstruction present in the barrel extension, the rifle will reliably go into battery.”

https://www.defensereview.com/the-bi...m4-unreliable/

[Vegas]

Genuine question; what problem does a braided spring solve? Is it just a longevity thing? A5 kit spring user here fwiw.

[lysander]

Genuine question; what problem does a braided spring solve? Is it just a longevity thing? A5 kit spring user here fwiw.

They give either higher forces at the same maximum stress or, the same stiffness at a lower maximum stress.

Another thing they do is damps oscillation if the driving force is near the spring's natural frequency.

[turnburglar]

For some reason I remember hearing the buffer spring so much more until I had my own rifles. I mean like renting them at the range or in basic. On all of my personally owned rifles I really don't notice the buffer spring when shooting. If I get out tomorrow Im really gonna listen for it.

[17K]

Genuine question; what problem does a braided spring solve? Is it just a longevity thing? A5 kit spring user here fwiw.

The only thing I've seen them do is cause 'why does my AR malf?' threads online.

[boss_hawg]

The only thing I've seen them do is cause 'why does my AR malf?' threads online.

If the G42 spring and buffer causes your rifle to malfunction then it probably wasn’t built correctly.

[gaijin]

With a reasonably gassed gun I run H2/Blue Sprinco. The less mass I can have slamming back and forth, with complete reliability, the less perceived movement of dot/reticle.

Same principle as “the lightest recoil spring that works” in a 1911.

[17K]

With a reasonably gassed gun I run H2/Blue Sprinco. The less mass I can have slamming back and forth, with complete reliability, the less perceived movement of dot/reticle.

Same principle as “the lightest recoil spring that works” in a 1911.

People with shot timers understand this.

Everyone else tries to run the heaviest buffer and stiffest spring possible for some reason.