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Recoil buffers for pistols

AzAfshinAzAfshin Member Posts: 2,986 ✭✭
edited May 2015 in Ask the Experts
Aside from protecting some of the internals from the slide movement, does it serve any other purpose? Does it reduce felt recoil significantly?

Typical recoil buffers are rated up to a 1000 shots. Given that the typical life of a pistol prior to needing parts replacements is at least 50,000 rounds, that would cost a minimum of $500 in recoil buffers to extend the life of the parts by less worth than that. So unless it has some other function than just protecting the insides, I can't see how it would be worth it.

What do the experts think on this?

Comments

  • spiritsspirits Member Posts: 363 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I put a plastic buffer in my CZ75b stainless 9mm because I believed it would reduce battering of the frame and slide. It does work but I didn't notice any reduction in felt recoil. When you clean your pistol barrel you remove it, inspect for wear, and you have to remember which way the buffer fits. My gunsmith, Steve Cline here in San Antonio TX, doesn't like them because they do wear out and come apart and can cause stoppage. He showed me a buffer for a M1911 which had come apart and caused the pistol to fail to cycle. So if you do a lot of shooting you need to inspect the buffer for wear everytime you clean your pistol.
  • babunbabun Member Posts: 11,054 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If a competent pistol designer wanted a plastic washer inside their gun, they would have designed the recoil system for it.
    If you feel it would protect the slide and internals from their normal job of interacting with each other, then use one.

    If the gun is used as a carry piece and you may have to trust it to save your life, DON"T put one in.


    By the way, in case you can't tell, I believe after market recoil buffers are garbage, gimmick, useless things.[xx(]
  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,649 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Some manufacturers think enough of them. That they have equipped their pistols with them, as standard. Thinking of the Browning manufactured .22's. All the various models made over the last 30+ years. Have recoil buffers as standard equipment.

    As their design mandates a aluminum recoil shoulder on the frame. You can see where Brownings concerns are.

    As previous posters noted. If you have a personal protection handgun, that came from the manufacturer without a recoil buffer. Wouldn't be prudent, IMHO, to add one.
  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390
    edited November -1
    They cause more gun malfunction than any other modification the "I know better than the Designer" Pistol owners ever came up with . if you match the load to the weight of the recoil spring you will not damage the pistol .If you want to use +P+ loads install a higher weight spring. I have a 1911 With over 350,000 rounds broke one EXTRACTOR when testing WW II steel case ammo . Match the load not add plastic parts
  • AzAfshinAzAfshin Member Posts: 2,986 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Looks like I was on the right track that these things are definitely not a necessity and if anything a liability.
  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I like the spring/plunger inside of the spring guide type, the neoprene pads not so much.
  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 25,750
    edited November -1
    The premise is sound I suppose and many years ago I tried a neoprene buffer in a Colt Officers Model 45.

    After a couple of years of monitoring, I saw no appreciable difference in practical use so I took it out.

    I don't think it hurts, it just doesn't really do anything good for my purposes.
  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by AzAfshin
    Aside from protecting some of the internals from the slide movement, does it serve any other purpose?

    It makes money for the ones who sell them.

    "Some say" there is some recoil reduction from lesser slide/frame impact (see below).

    "Some say" these buffers reduce wear and tear to the gun. . .I don't buy it.

    A properly designed service pistol will run for at least 20,000 rounds, which is more than 98% of shooters will ever put through their guns in their shooting lifetimes. Maybe a buffer would help. . .but I don't think most shooters will see any real benefit there.

    And these buffers aren't a "free ride"; they're associated with cost, extra effort to maintain them, and some risk of decreased weapon reliability (see below).

    quote: Does it reduce felt recoil significantly?
    Not in my experience. I wouldn't say there is "no difference whatever", but the difference is pretty minimal.

    I do like a recoil buffer in my Ruger 10-22 .22LR *RIFLE*, because it does noticeably reduce recoil NOISE. IE, it reduces the metal-metal "clack" of the slide hitting the rear pin inside the gun. There might be some minimal reduction in perceived recoil too, but honestly recoil is so light with this rifle, I haven't really noticed it (nor do I care).

    Anyway, if you happened to have a Ruger 10-22 Charger, which is the PISTOL version of this rifle, I think you could see this benefit with a buffer.

    quote:Typical recoil buffers are rated up to a 1000 shots. Given that the typical life of a pistol prior to needing parts replacements is at least 50,000 rounds, that would cost a minimum of $500 in recoil buffers to extend the life of the parts by less worth than that. So unless it has some other function than just protecting the insides, I can't see how it would be worth it.
    Service life of a gun depends on the model, how well its maintained, type of ammo used, and (to some extent) just dumb luck. Some last 50 k rounds, some last more, some less.

    Regardless, I agree with you.

    On top of costs you mention, many individuals aren't so meticulous that they keep accurate round counts and routinely swap out recoil buffers on an exacting schedule. What ends up happening is the buffers break apart from routine or over-use and then shed-off pieces get loose inside the gun, potentially jamming it. For a range gun. . .meh. For a "service" gun. . .that's a potentially SERIOUS problem.

    quote:
    What do the experts think on this?
    See above. I think you might get *some* divergence of opinion here, but pretty much every serious "expert" (ie professional law enforcement/military trainer) I've seen render an opinion on this has said explicitly **NOT** to use these buffers explicitly because of the increased risk of gun malfunction with them.

    If someone gave me one for free, I'd try it, but I won't buy one, nor put one in any gun I'd want to use for defense, or hunting.
  • v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Buffers decrease slide travel distance.
    A negative effect is to reduce time for a new cartridge to rise in position in the magazine to be picked up by the slide and chambered, resulting in jams.
    A more powerful magazine spring MAY overcome this issue but also may bring on friction and magazine lip problems.
    An elastic buffer will accelerate slide rebound, further reducing time for a new round to rise in the magazine.
    Note, some pistols function well with very light mag springs while other brands require stiff mag springs.
    Some straight blowback Russian machine pistols I've handled, used animal fiber buffers while others used rubber buffers. Those with rubber buffers had a higher rate of fire.
  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,969
    edited November -1
    I've run them for years, since the AO I had battered the frame.
    My custom Caspian has about 12,000 rds through it and has had a Wilson buffer in it since I got it. It NEVER failed to feed or eject or has my Springer or Kimber [^]
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