Buffer Made of Brass

[MinnMD66]

Without going into extreme detail.

Has anyone ever heard of or had any experience with a buffer made of brass? 

I'm looking to add more weight to a buffer on an Lr308 that has a lock back issue and was just wondering if brass could be an option. 

[edgecrusher]

Why not buy a heavier buffer?

[blue109]

Without going into extreme detail...... I'm a hundred percent sure there's an easier fix to your lock back problem.

Edited July 19, 2018 by blue109

[Matt.Cross]

7 hours ago, MinnMD66 said:

I'm looking to add more weight to a buffer on an Lr308 that has a lock back issue and was just wondering if brass could be an option. 

Brass wouldn't be good for that application, because it's very malleable and that's going to cause problems.

[MinnMD66]

24 minutes ago, Matt.Cross said:

Brass wouldn't be good for that application, because it's very malleable and that's going to cause problems.

Yeah that did cross my mind after I posted it. I started thinking the brass would maybe take a bit of a beating slamming against the retainer pin on return. Oh well, I guess I'll just go with the 303.  

[MinnMD66]

3 hours ago, edgecrusher said:

Why not buy a heavier buffer?

Brass is heavier than stainless so I was just curious if anyone has ever tried it. 

[jtallen83]

18 minutes ago, MinnMD66 said:

 I started thinking the brass would maybe take a bit of a beating slamming against the retainer pin on return. 

If the buffer is slamming the retainer pin then something is out of speck. It should stay right on the carrier and never touch the pin unless the receiver is open.

[98Z5V]

49 minutes ago, jtallen83 said:

If the buffer is slamming the retainer pin then something is out of speck. It should stay right on the carrier and never touch the pin unless the receiver is open.

^^^  That's the complete truth, right there.

[98Z5V]

1 hour ago, MinnMD66 said:

Brass is heavier than stainless so I was just curious if anyone has ever tried it. 

Too soft.  Wouldn't even use bronze, either.  Tungsten is your answer. Fill your buffer body with tungsten.

[MinnMD66]

14 minutes ago, jtallen83 said:

If the buffer is slamming the retainer pin then something is out of speck. It should stay right on the carrier and never touch the pin unless the receiver is open.

I guess maybe I should give a little more detail then. I'm running a carbine length buffer and tube. (3.8oz buffer and 308 carbine buffer spring). I ended up opened the adjustable gas block all the way and couldn't get lock back. My 1st experiment i reduced the buffer weight down to 2.5oz and that's when I noticed the slight dings in the buffer face and still no lock back. 2nd experiment i machined a buffer out of 303 stainless, weight of buffer 5.1oz, gas block open and still no lock back. I was maybe thinking heavier. 

[98Z5V]

Recoil system details needed.  Big time.

What is the internal depth of that receiver extension? Internal Depth.

How long is that buffer?

Common tape measure will get close enough on those necessary measurement.

 

[blue109]

Home build?

Factory gun?

Did it stop working recently or has it ever locked back? 

What is leading you to believe the buffer is the problem?

[98Z5V]

4 minutes ago, MinnMD66 said:

and that's when I noticed the slight dings in the buffer face and still no lock back.

What kind of upper receiver did you put on this?  Aero, right?   What kind of lower?

If you're chewing up the buffer face on the buffer retainer, that only comes from out-of-spec receivers.  I won't say never, but I wouldn't think it's the Aero upper.

[98Z5V]

Pictures of all this stuff is REALLY gonna help you along, too.  Complete gun, problem parts/areas, etc.

DETAILS!  List the entire build, every single part.  Every.  It helps more than you know, so we don't have to get frustrated asking you for more info - that should have been provided.

You wouldn't call a guy on the phone, and say, "My car is running funny.  What is it?"

"uuummmm, what kind of car do you have sir?"

"It's red."

 

See where I'm going here?

[MinnMD66]

22 minutes ago, 98Z5V said:

Pictures of all this stuff is REALLY gonna help you along, too.  Complete gun, problem parts/areas, etc.

DETAILS!  List the entire build, every single part.  Every.  It helps more than you know, so we don't have to get frustrated asking you for more info - that should have been provided.

You wouldn't call a guy on the phone, and say, "My car is running funny.  What is it?"

"uuummmm, what kind of car do you have sir?"

"It's red."

 

See where I'm going here?

I will try and load pics tomorrow.  The rundown.

Anderson 18" barrel, rifle length gas system, seekins adjustable gas block, cheap flash suppressor, aero precision upper with a kak bcg, 80% lower from 80% arms, 308 carbine length buffer and tube from aero precision. The tube depth on the inside is 7" to the retainer pin, buffer spring is 10 3/4" long, buffer is 2.5. When I manually charge the bolt, it sits roughly 3/8 inch past the bolt catch.  

 

[98Z5V]

The buffer retainer hole is supposed to be drilled at a slight angle (forward), so if yours is straight up and down, that's the reason you're chewing the buffer face.  Check it close. Only other thing I can think of to check is the BCG body overall length, to the 16" inch, if you can get that. If that check out to the length of a DPMS-based BCG, then I'd have to look at the lower being an 80% as the issue.  Rule out what you can rule out.

I'll get pics up this weekend of what I'm talking about, on that buffer retainer hole angle.

I'd get rid of that recoil spring, in a 7" receiver extension, and 2.5" buffer, and run the Armalite EA1095 spring.  You have enough weight in the buffer, close enough.  5.4oz would be the target, and you're at 5.1oz, so it shouldn't be a huge deal. That's FAR better than a 3.0oz or 3.8oz buffer, that the 2.5"-buffer-crowd manufacturers likes to give you. 

Run it WET.  It's not a new gun, based on your posts last April, unless you haven't shot it since then.  Is it broken in yet, with good factory ammo (no cheap ammo for break-in). Full-powered ammo.

Can't think of anything else right now...

[MinnMD66]

20 minutes ago, 98Z5V said:

The buffer retainer hole is supposed to be drilled at a slight angle (forward), so if yours is straight up and down, that's the reason you're chewing the buffer face.  Check it close. Only other thing I can think of to check is the BCG body overall length, to the 16" inch, if you can get that. If that check out to the length of a DPMS-based BCG, then I'd have to look at the lower being an 80% as the issue.  Rule out what you can rule out.

I'll get pics up this weekend of what I'm talking about, on that buffer retainer hole angle.

I'd get rid of that recoil spring, in a 7" receiver extension, and 2.5" buffer, and run the Armalite EA1095 spring.  You have enough weight in the buffer, close enough.  5.4oz would be the target, and you're at 5.1oz, so it shouldn't be a huge deal. That's FAR better than a 3.0oz or 3.8oz buffer, that the 2.5"-buffer-crowd manufacturers likes to give you. 

Run it WET.  It's not a new gun, based on your posts last April, unless you haven't shot it since then.  Is it broken in yet, with good factory ammo (no cheap ammo for break-in). Full-powered ammo.

Can't think of anything else right now...

A couple pics. The only time I had problems with the buffer face was when I dropped down to 2.2oz. It didn't happen when it was at 3.8oz. Pic 2 is the buffer and bolt bottomed out in the buffer tube. I did try my ar15 buffer and it was too long. The bolt wouldn't lock back on the catch manually.  

Edited July 19, 2018 by MinnMD66

[98Z5V]

3 minutes ago, MinnMD66 said:

A couple pics. The only time I had problems with the buffer face was when I dropped down to 2.2oz. It didn't happen when it was at 3.8oz. Pic 2 is the buffer and bolt bottomed out in the buffer tube.

 

There's something out of spec in that lower, or the BCG body is too short. End/  It's gotta be one of those two things that causes the chewed buffer. Only.

That truly is a chewed buffer, from hitting the buffer retainer during operation.  The buffer face should never, ever touch the buffer retainer, even under recoil, when those receivers are closed and pinned.  Ever.

Edited July 19, 2018 by 98Z5V

[98Z5V]

11 minutes ago, MinnMD66 said:

I did try my ar15 buffer and it was too long. The bolt wouldn't lock back on the catch manually.  

 

It never will - in a 7" internal depth receiver extension, you have to run the short 2.5" buffer, on a .308AR or Large-Frame AR build.  You try an AR15 buffer that's 3.250" long, in a Big AR, which has a longer BCG than the AR15, - and you can't cycle it functionally (ammo fired) or lock the BCG back.  It's 3/4" too long.

[MinnMD66]

16 minutes ago, 98Z5V said:

There's something out of spec in that lower, or the BCG body is too short. End/  It's gotta be one of those two things that causes the chewed buffer. Only.

That truly is a chewed buffer, from hitting the buffer retainer during operation.  The buffer face should never, ever touch the buffer retainer, even under recoil, when those receivers are closed and pinned.  Ever.

When I close the upper, i can feel the slight tension on the bolt and buffer and it only happened when I changed to the lighter buffer weights. I ordered a different spring and the vltor buffer tube so I can try the slightly longer buffer. That way I can add a little more buffer weight. I'll try anything right now. 

[98Z5V]

6 minutes ago, MinnMD66 said:

When I close the upper, i can feel the slight tension on the bolt and buffer and it only happened when I changed to the lighter buffer weights. I ordered a different spring and the vltor buffer tube so I can try the slightly longer buffer. That way I can add a little more buffer weight. I'll try anything right now. 

Which spring...  and make sure it's the H3 AR15 buffer or the real Armalite AR-10 Carbine buffer, at 5.4oz. Don't mix/match parts once you move to the VLTOR or AR-10 Carbine receiver extension.  Make sure that VLTOR extension is the A5 extension, too.

[308kiwi]

1 hour ago, 98Z5V said:

The buffer retainer hole is supposed to be drilled at a slight angle (forward)

I'll get pics up this weekend of what I'm talking about, on that buffer retainer hole angle.

 

6 deg, (forward) is the angle for the buffer retainer bore.

 

[98Z5V]

1 hour ago, 308kiwi said:

6 deg, (forward) is the angle for the buffer retainer bore.

 

Thank you, my brother!!!  

[MinnMD66]

2 hours ago, 98Z5V said:

Which spring...  and make sure it's the H3 AR15 buffer or the real Armalite AR-10 Carbine buffer, at 5.4oz. Don't mix/match parts once you move to the VLTOR or AR-10 Carbine receiver extension.  Make sure that VLTOR extension is the A5 extension, too.

 I'm not sure if there is any difference between the spring I have now and the one I just ordered but the new one says specifically LR308. I'll try that in this setup before I switch anything else.  The vltor is the A5 and it's the 7 position tube. Thank you 98Z5V and others, you've been some good help. Appreciated 

[MinnMD66]

Updated lock back issue.

Well guys, I ordered the 7 position Vltor A5 buffer tube, EA1095 armalite buffer spring, a 5.0oz H3 buffer and everything finally works great. It's just amazing how the simplest of all component can be such a pain in the ass. Thanks to all that commented.