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buffer or not to buffer

JesseJesse Member Posts: 28 ✭✭
edited June 2003 in Ask the Experts
I've seen advertisments for buffers for 1911's and was wondering about the pros & cons of using them. How about some opinions from those of you who have tried them?

Jesse

si vis pacem, para bellum
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Comments

  • PearywPearyw Member Posts: 3,699
    edited November -1
    I use them in all my 1911 style pistols to help the life of my frames.
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  • j2k22j2k22 Member Posts: 329 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I do not use them, and take them out of any 1911 that comes my way for gunsmithing. They interfere with the balance of the cycling, and are a primary source of jamming.
    If they are needed to "protect" the frame, why don't the manufacturers use them? I have about 250K full power rounds through my Essex 1911 frame, and can't see any evidence of the battering that some people are so afraid of. I do use the Wolff 18 1/2 lb spring.
    The one place where the manufacturer provided them and I leave them in is the Star PD .45 auto, with an aluminum frame on a compact pistol.
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  • mohawk600mohawk600 Member Posts: 5,529 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    j2k22.....do you know of any source for the Star PD buffers? Can they be fashioned from any currently available buffers?
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  • ItGoBangItGoBang Member Posts: 1,529 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Jesse, I just talked about that last week [:D] I use them and change to a new one about every 1250rds. Going to try one on my M1A and a Mini 14.[^]

    It will hurt you, More than it will hurt me..

    Life Member... N R A
    American Legion, MECU, MWCA, SMSC, BSC, NASDS
    Thanks for all the help!
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  • buckdeerbuckdeer Member Posts: 260 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    jesse i use them in all my 1911's the reason is that after 2000 rounds or so i was finding some battering of the guide rod now i have none. j2k22 is right as well they can cause malfunctions you may need to change your recoil spring to a 18.5 or similar in order to get the gun to function flawlessly i had to replace mine.
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  • ItGoBangItGoBang Member Posts: 1,529 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    BuckDeer is right.. I remember doing that ( change the spring to a heavy one ) when I got the buffer...... [:D]

    It will hurt you, More than it will hurt me..

    Life Member... N R A
    American Legion, MECU, MWCA, SMSC, BSC, NASDS
    Thanks for all the help!
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  • TOMBECKTOMBECK Member Posts: 64 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    RE buffers in 1911s - like many after-market products for 1911s, we sell a lot of buffers (and recommend them). Wilson makes them like many other after-market products that improve accuracy and performance for 1911s. Look at most any current popular handgun or rifle and you will find numerous after-market products that enhance the basic unit. Items (like buffers) that have been around for a number of years evidently have a real purpose. Suggest you try one and decide for yourself. (How about a good guide rod while your at it.)
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  • j2k22j2k22 Member Posts: 329 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    the original bufer for the Star PD is out of production. I reworked the original guide rod to accept 1911 buffers, which in turn need to be thinned down by about one third, or the slide will not lock open. I glue the buffer to a wooden tongue depressor using rubber cement, then thin them out against a belt sander. The rubber cement peels off easily when you are done. Tedious work, but there is no commercial source that I am aware of. The Star is an excellent carry pistol, and is worth the extra work to keep it running.
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  • mohawk600mohawk600 Member Posts: 5,529 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    j2k22.......what is involved in reworking the guide rod on the Star? Is it a fairly simple procedure? Could I just get a guide rod for a 1911 and keep the original "original"?
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  • j2k22j2k22 Member Posts: 329 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    the work was done 3-4 years ago, and I do not recall the details at present. Give me a few days to dig out the PD and study the details of this project, and I will email you.
    I do not believe that a 1911 rod would work in it's original form, due to differences in the shape at the trigger guard end of the rod.
    The Star system is very tightly balanced; there is a very narrow range for the spring to compress and still have the slide reach the full rearward position. I spent a lot of cut-and-try time replacing the original recoil spring with a portion of a new Wolff 1911 variable rate spring.
    I am now using only the traditional double action mode for my carry and combat pistols, so the Star has been languishing in the safe for the past few years, which is why I am hazy on some of the exact details. Give me a few days to refresh my memory .
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  • mohawk600mohawk600 Member Posts: 5,529 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    j2k22....thanks for the reply and any information will be appreciated. I love my Star PDs and have several of them. Since those buffers are commercially unavailable I have them relegated to mostly "safe queen" status. I won't shoot the heck out of them anyway but would like to not have to worry about having to find stock replacement bufffers. You're solution sounds like a good one. I'll tinker with one anyway after you're able to provide some details on how. My email addy is in my profile so no secret. Just to make it easy for you I'll include it here. jeff.musick@austin.ppdi.com

    Thanks again....mohawk
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