Recoil Buffer in New to Me limited gun

[mioduz]

I purchased a limited gun (STI built by dawson in early 90s says the ad) and it has a few issues. One of which is if the slide stop is holding the slide, racking the slide will not drop the slide stop out of position to let the slide fall free. At first I thought the ramp on the "muzzle end" of the slide stop had worn or been machined to far for some reason. Then I got to thinking maybe the slide was just not comming back far enough. I removed a recoil buffer between my recoil spring and guide rod this morning and sure enough the slide catch now disengages when I rack the slide. My question is does that recoil buffer need to be in place to prevent damage from recoil?

[yoshidaex]

If your gun has the correct spring for the ammo you're using, you should not see any excess battering.

[Matt Cheely]

Take it out. I don't like recoil buffers.

[warpspeed]

Recoil buffers are nice insurance IF the gun is 100% reliable. If adding a buffer causes problems like teh one you describe, take it out.

[LPatterson]

When I first started I heard all the hype about lighter springs and recoil buffers, so I tried lots of different brands. I also had the problem that you did UNTIL I had a new barrel fit by a gunsmith who explained that a recoil buffer was a malfunction waiting to happen.

[TGO]

If when the slide is all the way to the rear the slide stop can be engaged you have a problem. Not only will you experience the problem stated but the slide stop can inadvertently be engaged during the normal cycling of the gun.

Some slides are manufactured in such a way that this is by design. Some times it is done by whoever put the thing together and sometimes by installing a buffer. The problem is that the slide-stop can be engaged when it should not be and therefore does not disengage when it should. A common practice when building the HiCapacity 1911's is to modify the slide-stop so that it will not engage unless done so manually. This can be done by modifying the slide-stop itself or the magazine. Then it wouldn't matter whether the previous problem was present as the gun would never stay open on its own.

The removal of the slide stop may fix the problem as it will allow the slide to move far enough that the slide-stop cannot be engaged when at full travel. Buffers by themselves are not a bad thing, but do become another part to keep track of, and must be monitored for wear and tear. Many people install them not knowing the potential problems they can cause, so if in doubt, leave it out!

Rob

[Tyshoots]

Get rid of the shock buff. You don't need it.

[mioduz]

Not only will you experience the problem stated but the slide stop can inadvertently be engaged during the normal cycling of the gun.

Yes I had that issue as well. I have taken out the buffer and plan to shoot and confirm that many of my issues have been solved. Hopefully they have

[40S&W]

My custom 40 S&W single stack has no issues with a buffer. Functions with no hitches whether the mags lock the slide back or the mags are set-up not to lock the slide back. Depends on how good of a job the gunsmith did.

[glknineteen]

If you tune your recoil spring to your load, there won't be any battering at all. Doing it right will make it so the slide just "kisses" the frame. This will help your muzzle flip too, a lot more than a buffer.

[67 LS1 Camaro]

I have a custom . 40 Limited STI and also wondered if the shok-buff was necessary. I put one in and always have because everyone around me does. But it seems to never need replacing. So does it mean I don't need it? I use a 14# recoil spring .Never caused malfunctions though.

I have seen the" wheels come off " a shooter because of a broken buff on his .45 SS.

Edited December 21, 2011 by 67 LS1 Camaro

[al503]

I have a custom . 40 Limited STI and also wondered if the shok-buff was necessary. I put one in and always have because everyone around me does. But it seems to never need replacing. So does it mean I don't need it? I use a 14# recoil spring .Never caused malfunctions though.

With a 14 lb spring, its probably strong enough to keep the slide from hitting the frame hard enough to batter the buff. If you dropped down a couple/few lbs, I bet you would definitely start to see some wear on the buff.

[Mokken]

Proper recoil spring to whatever ammo your shooting and you don't ever have to use a buffer.

[Joe139]

I used a shock buffer in my Colt 1911 but in my 2011 Sti Limlted and open guns I don't. It depends on the gun

[Boyd]

Shok buffs can help keep a standard dust-cover gun (SA, Colt, Kimber etc) from getting cracks around where the recoil spring guide rests. Back in the 80's and 90's, it was very common for guns to crack there with the heavy roundage we poured to them (I cracked at least three frames and one more than once). One of the things the S_I guns beefed up was the dust cover (for easier scope mounting and frame durability). In an S_I gun I would not worry about a shok buff. I've never had reliability issues with a shok buff and usually run the .90-.125" sizes. For a while, you could get .200" and even then I didn't have issues. There was a short period when it was "cool" to run a stack of buffs so that the gun cycled shorter and theoretically faster. That didn't last long.

I still run buffs in my 1911's for long range sessions, but take them out for carry and matches.

[shooter57]

Short answer, you don't need a buffer.

[RippSpeed]

I for one have been using a aluma buff ... Its only because I use factory HST ammo sometimes in my pistol. I run a 10lbs recoil spring as well and for me its just alittle insurance. I've shot close to 6000rds since installing the buff and it has wear marks already and I like how the pistol feels with it on...

I havent had any issues with the buffer being in there and it hasnt cause any malfunctions and I'm pretty religious when it comes to cleaning my pistol... So to me its just alittle insurance on saving my frame from damage since I live in a non-free state (Kalifornia) and its hard to get replacement frame out here with out paying a $1000 bucks for one...

[pskys2]

AS TGO said most Limited Hi-Cap pistols have been modified to keep the Slide Stop from being activated by the rounds and/or the follower.

One way to do that was to add shok buff's.

Another by-product of adding shok buff's is you can alter the way a slide cycles, and by doing so change the way the muzzle dips at lock up.

It can be both frustrating and fun to experiment with and was a popular technique in the early 1990's Compensated, Dot Sighted pieces.

I could see someone doing it with an early Limited Gun.

The original reason for the shok buffs was the habit of 1911's of that era, up to 1990, to crack at the juncture of the dust cover and frame rails. I'm pretty sure by the Hi-Cap era all manufacturers were adding enough metal, or using better metal, at this area so it ceased to be an issue.

At one time in the 80's to 90's I'd bet every serious IPSC'er used shok buffs. I think most of us migrated away.

I still shoot a .45 with a mid 1980's Springfield Frame that cracked on both sides. I've never noticed it causing any problems.

Every once in a while I still put in some shok buffs I have from that time just to feel nostalgic and play around. Seems like I always pull them out for some reason or another.