Recoil Buffer on semi auto pistol

[Shoot-4-Ever]

What is your opinion on the nylon (?) bolt/slide recoil buffers? I see them in the catalougs and what they say about them makes sense, but I have been fooled a few times before.

At about 8-10 bucks each, it would cost plenty to outfit even a few of my more often used favorites. And I expect the life of the buffer varies depending on gun, amount of use, ammo etc.

What are your thoughts? Will this soften the recoil and make me a little better shooter and possibly add to the life of the gun?

I shoot 9mm and .40 often. One on the 40 probably could help me to get back on target with my 2nd shot with less stress onme and the gun. However, it's a Glock and they are invincible right?

[HSMITH]

I don't like them and don't use them. They don't help me get back on target faster, if anything they take longer. They shorten slide travel and can impair reliability. Like anything else, they won't fail until you need the gun to work.

They do take some of the beating off the frame and slide and the gun should last longer. Is it a real benefit? I don't think so, if the gun lasts 100K rounds without a buffer and 120K with a buffer (numbers grabbed out of thin air) I really don't care. The cost of 100K rounds, match fees, gas, targets, etc make the price of even a full custom S_I chump change in the big picture.

[larry cazes]

I like them and use them on all of our competition guns. I feel that they are cheap insurance and they do seem to soften up the felt recoil and vibration a bit as well. In 15 years of shooting 1911s and using them in all, I have never had one fail.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I added one to my brand new TruBor a few months

ago, and after a few hundred rounds, the slide

wouldn't go forward all the way - seems a burr

developed on the buff and kept the slide from

sliding - had to "deburr the buff" - guess I should

patent that phrase.

Haven't had any trouble with it since, but as Howard

said, I'm sure it's waiting for just the wrong time

to act up again.

Jack

[want2race]

I've had them SHRED in less than 100 rounds before. I don't like them. Can't sling shot slide from slide lock. It doesn't come back far enough to lower the slide stop.

I would use the aluminum ones over the plastic ones. I would use the guide rods with the built in buffer over both aluminum and plastic. That is if you HAVE to use something.

Some swear by them, I swear NOT to use them.

[ima45dv8]

The only semi-valid use I can imagine for them is to test how well your load and recoil spring are balanced. Put one in and fire 200 or 300 rounds, then look at the condition of the buff. If it's already starting to crater or shows signs that the recoil sping is starting to penetrate, go to a heavier spring.

Other than that.....I can't think of a use for them (and that's assuming someone would find what I just described as 'useful'). I've seen way too many failures associated with them, and have shot a couple of guns that had more severe recoil from having one installed.

[Loose Brass]

I've had them SHRED in less than 100 rounds before. I don't like them. Can't sling shot slide from slide lock. It doesn't come back far enough to lower the slide stop.

I would use the aluminum ones over the plastic ones. I would use the guide rods with the built in buffer over both aluminum and plastic. That is if you HAVE to use something.

Some swear by them, I swear NOT to use them.

I tried using them for a while and liked the idea behind it. However the not being able to sling shot my slide from slide lock started to drive me insane.

[bkeeler]

I don't like them and don't use them. They don't help me get back on target faster, if anything they take longer. They shorten slide travel and can impair reliability. Like anything else, they won't fail until you need the gun to work.

They do take some of the beating off the frame and slide and the gun should last longer. Is it a real benefit? I don't think so, if the gun lasts 100K rounds without a buffer and 120K with a buffer (numbers grabbed out of thin air) I really don't care. The cost of 100K rounds, match fees, gas, targets, etc make the price of even a full custom S_I chump change in the big picture.

+1

BK

[Silver_Surfer]

Stopped using them also. With the right recoil spring you dont need them.

[Duane Thomas]

I don't like them at all. Primarily because, in my experience, I experience considerably more perceived recoil and muzzle flip in a gun with a rubber buffer in place. I theorize this is because the slide is hammering into the buffer at the end of its stroke. Yeah, okay, we might expect the same thing, but with steel-on-steel instead of steel-on-rubber without the buffer. I can't explain it, I just report what I've experienced.