M4/m4a1 buffer weights

[danieljmaunder]

Regarding the buffers in Military issued select fire m4's. The M4 had an H buffer, when the M4a1 was introduced, the buffer was upgraded to H2. In a non select fire carbine, IE colt 6921 or 6920, is the h2 buffer necessary? Or will an H suffice? Ammo being used will be brass case 5.56, and speer gold dot. No steel or cheap crap lol

[georgeib]

In my opinion, it's not necessarily to go H2 on a 6920, but it sure is nicer. Rifle will function fine with either buffer, but is noticeably happier with the H2. And even with an H2, it will cycle and lock back with weak Russian ammo or PMC Bronze, so there's plenty of leeway left over.

[17K]

Pretty sure the H buffer was never used in the military.

H2 is what I use in 6920s with full power ammo. Has been the best setup I’ve had since 2008.

[lysander]

Pretty sure the H buffer was never used in the military.

H2 is what I use in 6920s with full power ammo. Has been the best setup I’ve had since 2008.

All three buffer weights were used in the M4 carbine at one time or another.

The prototypes and the initial production used the standard weight buffer (P/N 8448730). These were replaced on full rate production M4s with the single tungsten weight buffer ("H" buffer, P/N 9390023), sometime between 1986 and 1997. The "H" buffer was used on the initial production of M4A1s, then in 1998, there was a spate of M4A1 acceptance failures attributed to bolt bounce. Subsequent development produced the "H2" buffer (P/N 13004468), which entered production in the beginning of 2003. The "H2" buffer, P/N 13004468, (and the heavy barrel, P/N 12991850), were subsequently retrofitted to all M4s and M4A1s.

The "H" buffer is perfectly acceptable for a semi-automatic only 14.5 inch carbine length gas system carbine

[17K]

The man answered.

[Curlew]

Subsequent development produced the "H1" buffer (P/N 13004468), which entered production in the beginning of 2003. The "H1" buffer, P/N 13004468, (and the heavy barrel, P/N 12991850), were subsequently retrofitted to all M4s and M4A1s.

Typo here I think —you mean “H2” rather than “H1” right?

[markm]

H2 is king in a carbine set up. Every time we revisit this topic again and again, I point out that RSilvers did a study to show that the H2 most closely mirrored the physics of Rifle buffer set up. (sorry to keep posting that, but since were repeating the topic again... there you go)

[lysander]

Typo here I think —you mean “H2” rather than “H1” right?

Correct.