Shock Buff Options

[635 PCSO]

I recently installed a shock Buff on my Edge. Sight tracking improved, I dont know if this was mental or if the shock buff really made a difference. I only have had a chance to use it once. I do not know what brand it was it is clear. I had some reliability problems. What are my options for shock buffs? I have heard that someone makes them in different widths. I would like to experiment with thickness until I find the sweet spot. Thanks....

[kevin c]

Hiett Technologies makes shock buffs for the 1911/2011 in widths of 0.090", 0.125" and 0.200". They are familiarly called "red buffs", and just guess what color they are. They are available through Brownells catalog, and many other shooting supply resources.

Different set ups respond differently to different buffs. Try the search function and I'm sure you will find more detailed info.

[davecutts]

Speed shooters has it all.

http://www.speedshooter.com/category_list.cfm?ID=SB

http://www.speedshooter.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=HRB090

http://www.speedshooter.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=HRB125

http://www.speedshooter.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=HRB200

[.40AET]

A search for (shock buffs) pulled up a ton of information on the subject. BE notes his own setup in one of the treads. Try the cominolli frame saver. It has shock buffs on the front and rear of the guide rod head. Nice soft setup.

[schmitz]

On my .40S&W SV I use a .2 red buff under a 15lbs Drummen recoilspring. Works well for me.

Load: 5.2 VV N320, OAL 29.7mm, 180 gr. Berry's copperplated PF; 180.

DVC, Henny.

[.40AET]

Schmitz- I liked your recipe for N320. But damit, I had to think about the 29.7mm=1.697" thing. Did IPSC adopt the 165pf? I'm at 169pf with 5.0g and MG 180 g. Have you tried going to 30.48m?

[warpspeed]

One blue Wilson shock buff, courtsey of BE.com, in every 1911 I have. zero problems

[EricW]

I hear everybody gripe about their shock buffs getting chewed up after a few hundred rounds. The Wilson's I got from BE look brand-new 1000+ rounds later.

[kevin c]

I kinda get the impression that it really depends on the gun - the type of head on the guide rod, and on the shape of the slide/plug, plus spring weight for your load, in terms of how much battering the buff will take, no?

[mcoliver]

I hear everybody gripe about their shock buffs getting chewed up after a few hundred rounds. The Wilson's I got from BE look brand-new 1000+ rounds later.

Eric, is that with the lightened slide? Around what PF are you shooting?

[EricW]

I hear everybody gripe about their shock buffs getting chewed up after a few hundred rounds.  The Wilson's I got from BE look brand-new 1000+ rounds later.

Eric, is that with the lightened slide? Around what PF are you shooting?

Standard, stirrup-cut slide. Not sure what the PF is yet. I think it's in the 170-175 range.

[schmitz]

.40AET,

Conversion-error: 1"=25.4mm. So: 29.7mm=1.169". In IPSC (over here in EU) PF for Standard Major is 170.

With my load I'm at PF 180 (1000 fps, just to be sure in chrono). I'll try 30.48 mm, chrono them and let you know.

DVC, Henny.

[Jasonub]

i use a cominolli tungsten frame saver, i put 3 buffs in front, 1 wilson blue, 1 cominolli thin black and one cominolli thick red. For the rear i put 1 wilson buff blue.

In addition i put a thin washer in front wher the slide hits the buff. The buffs so far has lasted 5700 rounds with no damage. as for the rear buffs, i change every 1000 rounds.

no slide lock no jams soft recoil (i thought) until i shot MC oliver's pistol

[.40AET]

Thanks Henry. I used my digital caliper to do the conversion. Obviously, it doesn't convert very well.

Kirk

[schmitz]

.40AET,

Many of us over here use VV N320 in Limited&Standard. It's a perfect recipe for .40S&W guns reaching PF 170 as standard in EU/IPSC.

Try a milder load, lets says 5.0 gr. No320 for USA-standards. Hope you're succesfull with this load.

DVC, Henny.

[benny hill]

The way to use shock buff's is to cut down the outside edge untill it is smaller than the outside edge of the guide rod head. You will have zero problems with this. If you just put them on, you will usually have problems. I use only use C P Buffs.

[dpeters8445]

The way to use shock buff's is to cut down the outside edge untill it is smaller than the outside edge of the guide rod head. You will have zero problems with this. If you just put them on, you will usually have problems. I use only use C P Buffs.

Dang Benny, I thought that I was the only one who does this. If I don't, I get the shock Buff Mushroom effect within a few hundred rounds and this causes many problems. With the buff properly shaved down to fit my guide rod, I get many thousand rounds of use on the buff. I often wondered why someone doesn't just make the buffs undersized. I shave mine down with a dremel. Is there a better way to cut them down?

[benny hill]

I use a sctoch brite wheel on my grinder.

[MstngLX50]

I am not the least bit familiar with STI's and the like but I run the buffers on my witness and CZ's. I had minor teething problems at first but attributed it to the loss of slide travel caused by the buffers. My solution was to remove a corresponding amout of the underside of slide where it would normally contact the frame(now the buffer) to regain the lost travel. I personally found this to be very effective on my setups and haven't run into trouble since.

Alan