what is moving back and forth inside my buffer tube?

colostomyclown · June 4, 2011, 06:20 PM

just noticed it inside both rock river lowers I own. Is it just the buffer itself and the spring? I feel something shift up to down as the gun is rotated end over end....sorry if a silly question, but I'm learning...

mc223 · June 4, 2011, 06:57 PM

Take it apart and figure it out.

tulsamal · June 4, 2011, 07:02 PM

If you take the buffer out of the spring and tube and rock it back in forth, you will feel a moving weight inside.

Gregg

christcorp · June 4, 2011, 07:11 PM

It's the buffer that you hear probably. The buffer has weights inside of them that SHIFT. The shift is intentionally, for absorbing the recoil. There are some buffers like the Spike's Tactical ST-T2 that uses tungsten, just like the traditional ones, but it's in Powder form. It still shifts, but you do hear it as you tilt the gun back and forth. Some are even hydraulic. But the majority have 1-3 tungsten weights inside of them that shift.

colostomyclown · June 4, 2011, 07:21 PM

it was the buffer. Now I know how to remove it. Might soun d silly, but I'm learning. Does the buffer need to be positioned a certain way once it's reinstalled and retained inside the tube?

Willie Lowman · June 4, 2011, 08:20 PM

Yes. You need to be facing magnetic north and have a shot of Irish whiskey in your mouth when you put the buffer back into the tube.

No. Just put the spring around the buffer and slide them both into the buffer tube till the retaining pin pops up to hold the buffer.

Pick the answer you like best.

colostomyclown · June 4, 2011, 08:33 PM

i think i like the second! thanks!

mc223 · June 4, 2011, 09:02 PM

Learnin is FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mobuck · June 4, 2011, 10:06 PM

That's what she asked many years ago.

Fabius · June 5, 2011, 12:19 AM

Now that you figured out what the buffer is you can start having some fun with buffer weights. There is a standard carbine weight buffer and then there are heavier buffers that are supposed to reduce and smooth out the felt recoil and slow the cycling of the bolt. The heavier buffers are designated H, H2 and H3, with each being progressively heavier. The Spikes buffer mentioned by Christcorp uses powdered tungsten rather than metal weights. It weighs in between the H and H2 buffers, but gets rid of the rattling sound that buffers with weights can make.

I installed a Spikes buffer today and shot my S&W M&P15 Sport. The difference in felt recoil was somewhat noticeable, but did not seem that great. However, at the end of my range session my shoulder wasn't sore at all. With the standard buffer I would get some soreness in my shoulder after 50 or so rounds, so I guess the heavier buffers do make a difference.

madcratebuilder · June 5, 2011, 08:51 AM

More buffer info.

http://heavybuffers.com/products.html

June 4, 2011, 06:20 PM	#1
colostomyclown Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2009 Posts: 613	what is moving back and forth inside my buffer tube? just noticed it inside both rock river lowers I own. Is it just the buffer itself and the spring? I feel something shift up to down as the gun is rotated end over end....sorry if a silly question, but I'm learning...

June 4, 2011, 06:57 PM	#2
mc223 Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2007 Location: n/w Wisconsin Posts: 365	Take it apart and figure it out. __________________ . I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you. 0° 5150

June 4, 2011, 08:20 PM	#6
Willie Lowman Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Uh-Hi-O Posts: 3,006	Yes. You need to be facing magnetic north and have a shot of Irish whiskey in your mouth when you put the buffer back into the tube. No. Just put the spring around the buffer and slide them both into the buffer tube till the retaining pin pops up to hold the buffer. Pick the answer you like best. __________________ "9mm has a very long history of being a pointy little bullet moving quickly" --Sevens

June 4, 2011, 09:02 PM	#8
mc223 Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2007 Location: n/w Wisconsin Posts: 365	Learnin is FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! __________________ . I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you. 0° 5150

June 4, 2011, 07:02 PM	#3
tulsamal Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2004 Location: Vinita, OK Posts: 2,552	If you take the buffer out of the spring and tube and rock it back in forth, you will feel a moving weight inside. Gregg

June 4, 2011, 07:11 PM	#4
christcorp Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2007 Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming Posts: 1,111	It's the buffer that you hear probably. The buffer has weights inside of them that SHIFT. The shift is intentionally, for absorbing the recoil. There are some buffers like the Spike's Tactical ST-T2 that uses tungsten, just like the traditional ones, but it's in Powder form. It still shifts, but you do hear it as you tilt the gun back and forth. Some are even hydraulic. But the majority have 1-3 tungsten weights inside of them that shift.

June 4, 2011, 07:21 PM	#5
colostomyclown Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2009 Posts: 613	it was the buffer. Now I know how to remove it. Might soun d silly, but I'm learning. Does the buffer need to be positioned a certain way once it's reinstalled and retained inside the tube?

June 4, 2011, 08:33 PM	#7
colostomyclown Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2009 Posts: 613	i think i like the second! thanks!

June 4, 2011, 10:06 PM	#9
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	That's what she asked many years ago.

June 5, 2011, 12:19 AM	#10
Fabius Member Join Date: August 26, 2007 Posts: 46	Now that you figured out what the buffer is you can start having some fun with buffer weights. There is a standard carbine weight buffer and then there are heavier buffers that are supposed to reduce and smooth out the felt recoil and slow the cycling of the bolt. The heavier buffers are designated H, H2 and H3, with each being progressively heavier. The Spikes buffer mentioned by Christcorp uses powdered tungsten rather than metal weights. It weighs in between the H and H2 buffers, but gets rid of the rattling sound that buffers with weights can make. I installed a Spikes buffer today and shot my S&W M&P15 Sport. The difference in felt recoil was somewhat noticeable, but did not seem that great. However, at the end of my range session my shoulder wasn't sore at all. With the standard buffer I would get some soreness in my shoulder after 50 or so rounds, so I guess the heavier buffers do make a difference.

June 5, 2011, 08:51 AM	#11
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	More buffer info. http://heavybuffers.com/products.html