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What buffer setup for minimal recoil and sight movement?


mrd

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I have an AR15 with 16,5" barrel, rifle length gas, adjustable gas block and JP LMOS BCG. I'm looking to optimizing buffer system for minimal recoil and sight movement. I'm aware that I already have a soft shooting setup, but I like to tinker and optimize. 

 

I presently use a standard carbine spring with 2 coils off, together with a standard carbine buffer with only one of the weights inside. 

 

Would the JP Silent captured spring provide a noticable improvement in recoil and sight movement? What setup of the JP SCS would you recommend? Is there any other option that is better when tuning the buffer system for minimal sight movement? I don't care so much about the spring noise, only sight movement. 

 

I have a Strike Industries AR15 carbine Flat Spring that I haven't tried yet. Would you go with this instead of the JP SCS?

 

Let me hear your 2 cents. 

Edited by mrd
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I've tried the SCS and for the life of me can't figure out what the fuss is about. You tune the springs and weights on it just like you tune standard stuff, and any recoil reduction is the same in either system. I think the selling point is that a brand new SCS sounds like a well used and lubricated standard spring.

 

@mrd I have one rifle about the same setup as yours, and I have another rifle I took to the next level with a Boomfab titanium carrier. Combined with the Taccom plastic buffer my reciprocating weight is right around 6oz. Its a little flatter and softer but not the kind of flatter and softer you can see in match scores. If you like to tinker (and I do) go for it but be aware that you're 95% of the way there already and the ultra light parts don't like hot heavy bullet loads as much.

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4 hours ago, TonytheTiger said:

I've tried the SCS and for the life of me can't figure out what the fuss is about. You tune the springs and weights on it just like you tune standard stuff, and any recoil reduction is the same in either system. I think the selling point is that a brand new SCS sounds like a well used and lubricated standard spring.

 

@mrd I have one rifle about the same setup as yours, and I have another rifle I took to the next level with a Boomfab titanium carrier. Combined with the Taccom plastic buffer my reciprocating weight is right around 6oz. Its a little flatter and softer but not the kind of flatter and softer you can see in match scores. If you like to tinker (and I do) go for it but be aware that you're 95% of the way there already and the ultra light parts don't like hot heavy bullet loads as much.

 

Thanks Tony, great info like always from you. I don't want to change the carrier, the LMOS is a sweet spot considering cost, durability, reliability and performance. 

 

I've been eying the SCS since everyone I shoot with thinks it's the way to go, but I've been inconvinced about its superiority as far as recoil reduction goes. It's silent, for sure, and thats nice, but I'm mostly into stuff that you can see or measure with the timer. 

 

Am I correct in thinking that it's only the combined reciprocating mass that matters for recoil, and that it doesn't matter how much of it that is the BCG or the buffer respectively? Since they move together and are kept together by the spring. 

 

If so, then I can try to lower the mass a little more on the buffer and try out the flat spring from Strike Industries that I have for maybe another % or two in recoil reduction and, if I can feel that difference. I'm also thinking about going as low as I can on the buffer weight, turning the gas down another click and then start clipping the spring until it locks back on last round in mag. 

Edited by mrd
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I have the tried both the Taccom plastic buffer and the SCS in the same rifle with LMOS BCG and adjustable gas.  I won’t be spending the money on the SCS in the future. TACCOM buffer is just as good or better for way cheaper.   My 2 cents. 

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I like the SCS quite a bit, it makes the rifle feel smoother.  I’ve chased the zero recoil rifle, and have almost come full circle.  I’ve tried titanium carriers, gutted buffers, light springs, and extremely long for barrel length gas systems (16” rifle length).  Too much of a good thing can result in reduced reliability.
 

My current preference for reduced recoil and that’s been proven to be extremely reliable: lightweight steel carrier, your choice of standard weight buffer system (order of preference is SCS, rifle length buffer, carbine length buffer), adjustable gas block, long gas system (18” rifle or 16” intermediate), aggressive muzzle brake such as APA.

 

The lighter you go on BCG, buffer, and spring weight the cleaner you will have to keep the rifle. 

 

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15 hours ago, mrd said:

Am I correct in thinking that it's only the combined reciprocating mass that matters for recoil, and that it doesn't matter how much of it that is the BCG or the buffer respectively? Since they move together and are kept together by the spring.  

That has been my experience. I played around a little with light carrier/heavy buffer, light buffer/heavy carrier etc. and I couldn't tell a difference between a given total weight using either method of getting there.

You might as well go all the way to the Taccom buffer and 20% reduced power spring and see if it makes the difference you're looking for.

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2 hours ago, CharlieD said:

Too much of a good thing can result in reduced reliability.
 

The lighter you go on BCG, buffer, and spring weight the cleaner you will have to keep the rifle. 

 

I'm sure this is true if you were to do a full on endurance test till failure, but I haven't seen it play out in normal use. I clean my guns once every winter if I feel like it, and the only times I've had any problems in 5 years of match shooting it has been trigger related, a loose gas key, worn gas rings or the death of an aluminum carrier. All serious issues to be sure but none of them related to questionably long gas systems or lack of reciprocating mass. 

The main downside I see with the ultra light components is how much sooner I run into pressure signs when loading for velocity versus the same loads in more conventional systems.

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Very good info here, thanks everyone!

 

I think I'll take the last weight out of my carbine buffer and play around with the SI flat wire spring, maybe shorten it a bit and see what happens. Can't find the Taccom ULW buffer to be ordered anywhere here in Europe, perhaps I'll have a friend make sth similar in delrin. 

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On 10/15/2020 at 6:37 PM, TonytheTiger said:

 

You might as well go all the way to the Taccom buffer and 20% reduced power spring and see if it makes the difference you're looking for.

 

The nice thing about the Taccom is it is so cheap to try out.

 

I really like the "feel" of a SCS. When charging it feels smooooooth. However, I've been quite happy with the taccoms and just see no reason to dump nearly 200$ on something that won't make my gun shoot flatter. And, I have never noticed spring noise, although others that use my rifles seem to. Doesn't annoy me at all.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I did some testing today after taking the last weight out of my carbine buffer. Was not able to turn the gas down, but that was quite expected, still recoil seemed a tad softer. Then did some testing between the Strike Industries flat wire spring and the clipped carbine spring I was using. The flat wire spring seemed smoother and slightly less recoil, though it was close so I can't be sure. Left the flat wire spring in there.

 

I could clip a coil or two from the flat wire spring and have a two-piece delrin buffer made, like Taccoms ultra light weight (which can't be bought over here). But the empty buffer only weighs an ounce as is, so not much to be gained there and rifle is damn smooth as is. Not sure I'll bother any more.

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  • 11 months later...

I personally have it in my rifle.  I purchased a Cobalt Team rifle 2 years ago, and it came without the adjustable kit.  I had cycling issues, and tryed almost everything to fix it.  I called Cobalt to get help, and they explained to me my rifle should have and adjustable buffer system, which they quickly shipped me after realizing they never sent it with the gun...and the issues were solved right away with the correct weight to gas combo.  

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  • 4 weeks later...

 I run a jp silent capture spring and titanium bcg, that being said those 2 together properly tuned are not going to do a whole lot, yes the reciprocating mass is lessened but getting a good comp is going to make the felt recoil less  

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