Heavier Buffer Needed with Suppressor?

[Arc Light]

I recently picked up my first can, a Resonator R2. Yesterday I mounted it on my Armalite AR Carbine and fired about 100 rounds. It functioned flawlessly, absolutely no malfunctions of any kind. I did notice that all my brass was landing at about the 1:30/2:00 o'clock position. The rifle currently has a JP silent captured spring (standard model). They recommend their H2 version for suppressed AR's. From what I've read, the benefit of the heavier buffer is possibly reduced recoil, reduced noise at the port, and reduced wear and tear on the gun. My concern is what if I need/want to shoot it unsuppressed? Will it still function with the heavier buffer, or will I need to switch back and forth? Or since it's functioning 100% now, do I just not worry about it and roll with it?

I realize an adjustable gas block is probably the better solution, but for this rifle I don't want the added complexity and possible failure points.

 

[DangerRanger]

depends how much gas it has, you’ll have to test it with and without the supressor and find out.

My criterion 12.5 functions with brass without the can on an h3 and with can it’s at 3 o clock. With super anemic steel without the can it will not hold last round open.


But I pretty much never shoot without the can with steel do I run the h3 as it helps with gas blowback. If I often ran weak ammo unsuppressed I would go down to an h2


It’s all trial and error with your specific combo


If your rifle is good to go on everything with a carbine buffer but with the can is at 1:30 I bet with an h buffer it’s gonna slow the bcg slightly and shoot nicer supressed and still be reliable without. H2 may also, but you’ll just have to wait and find out.

 

[thedude824]

There's no free lunch. My rifle functions 100% unsuppressed with an H3. Its a Criterion Hybrid so it has a properly spec'd port. With the suppressor it still SLAMMED the bolt carrier ruthlessly. I have adjustable gas blocks on my other ARs and I didn't want to mess with that for this build. I went with a Bootleg adjustable carrier. I must've gotten a defective one b/c without a suppressor the rifle will not function whether using the H3 or an H1 on any setting. Shoot it and see. It may work, but there are trade offs with wear.

 

[Arc Light]

Appreciate the replies. Surprisingly, gas to the face was nearly non-existent. Or it was so minimal that it didn't bother me at all. Some say to forget about ejection patterns and just make sure the rifle runs 100% with and without the can. Which it does now. I just hate the thought of beating the shit out of it unnecessarily.

 

[DangerRanger]

I would maybe toss an h buffer in it and make sure it runs on everything and call it a day

People get way too hung up on not having a rifle overgassed anymore. It running even when dirty is vastly more important

 

[Arc Light]

I would maybe toss an h buffer in it and make sure it runs on everything and call it a day

People get way too hung up on not having a rifle overgassed anymore. It running even when dirty is vastly more important.

Agreed.

The rifle currently has a "standard" JP silent captured spring with a weight of 5.3 oz. Would that be considered an H buffer?

 

[babyguppy]

Agreed.

The rifle currently has a "standard" JP silent captured spring with a weight of 5.3 oz. Would that be considered an H buffer?

4.6-4.7 oz is what an H2 shows online.
Make sure you clean that JP; mine started to FTF. I pulled it out, hit it with some carb cleaner and alls good again.

 

[DangerRanger]

Agreed.

The rifle currently has a "standard" JP silent captured spring with a weight of 5.3 oz. Would that be considered an H buffer?

Sorry, I’m unfortunately not versed in the weights/comparable weights of scs vs standard buffers.

I will say purely on weight, that’s heavier than an h buffer is. But I don’t know if it’s analogous

 

[supercorndogs]

I had a heavy spring and H3 buffer in my 6.5 Grendel. I never could get the thing to shoot well. I went back to a standard spring, H2 buffer, turned the gas way down with an adjustable gas block, and thing shoots great now. Brass looks the same as it did with the heavier buffer and spring.

 

[thedude824]

Appreciate the replies. Surprisingly, gas to the face was nearly non-existent. Or it was so minimal that it didn't bother me at all. Some say to forget about ejection patterns and just make sure the rifle runs 100% with and without the can. Which it does now. I just hate the thought of beating the shit out of it unnecessarily.

Does it feel like it's getting beat up? A couple guys running courses with me last night had cans on their rifles with fixed blocks and H3 buffers and their guns were functioning 100% and didn't seem to me like they were slamming the carrier around as mine did. Maybe their cans were less restrictive? If you aren't feeling it really slamming around I'd probably run with it.

 

[Arc Light]

Does it feel like it's getting beat up? A couple guys running courses with me last night had cans on their rifles with fixed blocks and H3 buffers and their guns were functioning 100% and didn't seem to me like they were slamming the carrier around as mine did. Maybe their cans were less restrictive? If you aren't feeling it really slamming around I'd probably run with it.

Honestly, it's hard for me to tell. I doubt 100 rounds is enough to make a determination. I mean the bcg still looks exactly the same, no damage that I can see. If damage due to being overgassed occurs in an AR, where is it typically seen?

 

[S197]

I recently picked up my first can, a Resonator R2. Yesterday I mounted it on my Armalite AR Carbine and fired about 100 rounds. It functioned flawlessly, absolutely no malfunctions of any kind. I did notice that all my brass was landing at about the 1:30/2:00 o'clock position. The rifle currently has a JP silent captured spring (standard model). They recommend their H2 version for suppressed AR's. From what I've read, the benefit of the heavier buffer is possibly reduced recoil, reduced noise at the port, and reduced wear and tear on the gun. My concern is what if I need/want to shoot it unsuppressed? Will it still function with the heavier buffer, or will I need to switch back and forth? Or since it's functioning 100% now, do I just not worry about it and roll with it?

I realize an adjustable gas block is probably the better solution, but for this rifle I don't want the added complexity and possible failure points.

personally, I’m good with 1400 ejection and I would put more rounds on it before I made a change. But if you have a friend with a buffer heavier then the 5.3, it wound not hurt to try it out.

 

[thedude824]

Honestly, it's hard for me to tell. I doubt 100 rounds is enough to make a determination. I mean the bcg still looks exactly the same, no damage that I can see. If damage due to being overgassed occurs in an AR, where is it typically seen?

I'm my situation it went from a very soft shooter with almost no perceivable recoil to "oh crap, did something bad just happen?". If you aren't feeling a tremendous difference between shooting with the can and shooting without it, I personally would run with it.
I always look at brass ejection and the actual cases. If you're ejecting between 2 and 4 o'clock I dont think you've really got anything to worry about. If the brass comes out looking normal youre good to go. Lots of guys have fixed gas blocks and non-adjustable carriers and their rifles are fine with and without the can. Especially the guys that go with a 30 cal can. After my experience with the Bootleg adjustable BCG I'm going back to a regular bolt carrier and I'll either swap in an H4 when I'm shooting suppressed or use a 30 cal can instead of my 556 K can.

 

[Old Man with Gun]

Two options to consider. Adjustable gas block and just barely able to lock bolt back without suppressor on. It will have more gas when suppressed, but shouldn't be too much.

Another option is a suppressor on/off adjustment in the bolt carrier. I like bootleg myself.

Bootleg Four Position Adjustable Carrier | Bootleg Inc

Complete Bolt carrier group, Machined from S7 Tool Steel, Lithium Isonite Coating, 4 Setting Adjustable Vent System relieves excess gas pressure created from suppressor use creating longer dwell time and less blowback to the shooter. Gas Adjustment can be turned while installed in the rifle...

bootleginc.com

 

[S197]

Honestly, it's hard for me to tell. I doubt 100 rounds is enough to make a determination. I mean the bcg still looks exactly the same, no damage that I can see. If damage due to being overgassed occurs in an AR, where is it typically seen?

For under 50.00 you can buy another weight, spring and spacer and install it on your current scs.