Blue Buffer spring drama. Malfunctions with new springs. Anyone else seen this?

[FatBoy]

I go through the ARs I compete with and replace cam pins, firing pin retainers and this year I decided to change buffer springs. My main competition rifle is five years old and though it only has about 3500 rounds in it I figured why not.

Main rifles have mil spec carbine receiver extensions and all have 4oz Spikes Tactical carbine buffers. I ordered three Springco blue springs and swapped them out. Blue slings were about 1” longer than the ones I pulled so I thought at the time I made a good choice .

Issue 1. Shot about 60 rounds down a 14.5 with 5.56 RC2 ran fine. Cases drop 3’ away at 4 o’clock. All good. I put the rifle up dirty with an ECI in it. Pulled it out to get it ready for some shooting after our 3 x 1000 today. Remove the ECI, hit the bolt release and nothing. Bolt didn’t budge. I pull the charging handle back a couple times and nothing. I smack the stock with my hand and the bolt dropped. Cycles fine afterwards and shot fine but this was odd. Never seen this before. Tube and buffer are smooth, no scratches, no excessive fouling.


Issue 2: Today I bring my 15.1” RECCE out with AEM5. First time I have shot it with the new spring. I can’t get through 4 shots without the bolt skipping over the case and jamming the rifle. Did it four times. Buddy had his 14.5 with him with standard mil spec spring. We swapped them and it Ran through 30 rounds with no issues.

I’m not shitting on these springs but I’m not happy . It seems like the one in the 14.5” bound up and the one in the RECCE was too strong/fast and wouldn’t reliably run with my USGI 30 rounder or my buddies 20 round colt mag.


Anyone else ran into anything like this with these blue springs?

 

[Gasgun]

No.
I run the Sprinco blue in all of my 14.5” guns, carbine gas and mid. Also run them with a SF RC or RC2.
Only thing that stands out is your use of a Spike’s buffer. Aren’t those just filled with tungsten powder?
I use an H or H2 depending on the barrel.

 

[FatBoy]

No.
I run the Sprinco blue in all of my 14.5” guns, carbine gas and mid. Also run them with a SF RC or RC2.
Only thing that stands out is your use of a Spike’s buffer. Aren’t those just filled with tungsten powder?
I use an H or H2 depending on the barrel.

They are, however I been Running this buffer in this tube for 5 years. Not saying this rifle is having issue, but having a bolt was a first for me. The extension tube is not bent or dented.


Issue 2, shot a 2 gun match with recce six weeks ago. I could see this one maybe needing a few oz more buffer weight when the suppressor is on (gassy) but otherwise it runs great.

14.5 is intermediate gas
15.1 is midlength gas

Edit:

14.5 had Geissele super 42
15.1 had mikspec of unknown maker

I pulled the blues out this morning and put the old springs back in. I did note the blue and the Super 42 are now exactly the same length. The 2nd blue is about .5” longer than the milspec . Closer than it was but still longer.

 

[Evintos]

Issue 1 - Check your buffer retaining pin for damage (slightly bent tip, etc) and ensure that it is properly secured by the buffer tube. Next check your bolt catch to ensure it pivots freely and no debris is trapped underneath it. If both are fine, the BCG might've been dragging on the hammer.

Issue 2 - Bolt over base malfunctions happens BCG outruns the magazine feed rate (weak mag spring or you need to clean your magazine if the follower is dragging slightly) and if it's working with a milspec buffer spring weight, you're probably oversprung with the Sprinco Blue and short stroking. The first test is usually using a brand new magazine before swapping springs followed by testing lock back on empty with 1 round in mag, 2 rounds in the mag, and then test function with a full magazine. If it functions with less rounds in magazine, then it's a matter of short stroking and the tension from more ammo in a magazine causing the BCG to drag.

 

[culater]

I go through the ARs I compete with and replace cam pins, firing pin retainers and this year I decided to change buffer springs. My main competition rifle is five years old and though it only has about 3500 rounds in it I figured why not.

Main rifles have mil spec carbine receiver extensions and all have 4oz Spikes Tactical carbine buffers. I ordered three Springco blue springs and swapped them out. Blue slings were about 1” longer than the ones I pulled so I thought at the time I made a good choice .

Issue 1. Shot about 60 rounds down a 14.5 with 5.56 RC2 ran fine. Cases drop 3’ away at 4 o’clock. All good. I put the rifle up dirty with an ECI in it. Pulled it out to get it ready for some shooting after our 3 x 1000 today. Remove the ECI, hit the bolt release and nothing. Bolt didn’t budge. I pull the charging handle back a couple times and nothing. I smack the stock with my hand and the bolt dropped. Cycles fine afterwards and shot fine but this was odd. Never seen this before. Tube and buffer are smooth, no scratches, no excessive fouling.


Issue 2: Today I bring my 15.1” RECCE out with AEM5. First time I have shot it with the new spring. I can’t get through 4 shots without the bolt skipping over the case and jamming the rifle. Did it four times. Buddy had his 14.5 with him with standard mil spec spring. We swapped them and it Ran through 30 rounds with no issues.

I’m not shitting on these springs but I’m not happy . It seems like the one in the 14.5” bound up and the one in the RECCE was too strong/fast and wouldn’t reliably run with my USGI 30 rounder or my buddies 20 round colt mag.


Anyone else ran into anything like this with these blue springs?

Buy a David Tubbs flat wire spring and never turn back to anything else

 

[TheOE800]

Buy a David Tubbs flat wire spring and never turn back to anything else

Came here to say this, but also check your mags.

 

[FatBoy]

Issue 1 - Check your buffer retaining pin for damage (slightly bent tip, etc) and ensure that it is properly secured by the buffer tube. Next check your bolt catch to ensure it pivots freely and no debris is trapped underneath it. If both are fine, the BCG might've been dragging on the hammer.

Issue 2 - Bolt over base malfunctions happens BCG outruns the magazine feed rate (weak mag spring or you need to clean your magazine if the follower is dragging slightly) and if it's working with a milspec buffer spring weight, you're probably oversprung with the Sprinco Blue and short stroking. The first test is usually using a brand new magazine before swapping springs followed by testing lock back on empty with 1 round in mag, 2 rounds in the mag, and then test function with a full magazine. If it functions with less rounds in magazine, then it's a matter of short stroking and the tension from more ammo in a magazine causing the BCG to drag.

I’ll check the pin. Bolt release was moving freely, as was the charging handle. Very strange feeling to pull a charging handle all the way to the stop with zero resistance.

We tried the colt 20 rounder before we changed buffer springs. I think the blue is just too much for this rig. All good , just surprised me, but then I probably should have done more research on these before jumping in. Thankfully, it was a fairly inexpensive lesson.

I had a less than superb couple years with his firing pin and spring kit. Finally sent it off to GreTan and had it all swapped out. I appreciate the advice on this, genuinely. I’m not gonna lie, I’d be hard pressed to buy it over stock GI shit after that. That said, I only attribute that to me, and my situation. Not shitting on David’s stuff.

Mags have been running fine. I did shitcan one of 7 a few weeks ago for not feeding off an open bolt. This is from the same batch but they are not that old. Maybe C Products aren’t what they used to be?

 

[Evintos]

Maybe C Products aren’t what they used to be?

Depends on what production year. There was a period in time when C Products magazine quality went to absolute shit (Obama era/pre-2012; bad welds, bad mag bodies, bad welds, bad springs, just complete garbage put out).

Post 2012 up until I think 2015 when the new owner (C Products Defense) took over and moved the factory down to Florida was mixed quality (some teething issues I suspect from trying to nail the manufacturing process down). Post 2015 has been overall pretty good and they new rebranded to Duramag.

 

[FatBoy]

Depends on what production year. There was a period in time when C Products magazine quality went to absolute shit (Obama era/pre-2012; bad welds, bad mag bodies, bad welds, bad springs, just complete garbage put out).

Post 2012 up until I think 2015 when the new owner (C Products Defense) took over and moved the factory down to Florida was mixed quality (some teething issues I suspect from trying to nail the manufacturing process down). Post 2015 has been overall pretty good and they new rebranded to Duramag.

I’m not sure how I could tell. I bought these around 2023 from mag warehouse I think.

Edit. These are not duramags. I have five is six of these as well. Maybe I got NOS?

 

[Zak Smith]

I switched over to the JP SCS over 15 years ago and haven't looked back. It works great in everything

 

[FatBoy]

I switched over to the JP SCS over 15 years ago and haven't looked back. It works great in everything

I shoot with a couple long range service rifle shooters (think 20” 308win pushing 185s 2600fps) ) that swear by them. I assume you tube them in the small frames?

 

[Zak Smith]

I use them in both small frame and big frame AR's (different versions for each), however, I was thinking of small frame when I posted.