Up-gunning a buffer tube?

L

LSDillinger

Inactive
This may be a dumb question but could one use a higher pressure spring in one's buffer tube to reduce recoil? I can see how it may cause issues with feeding or ejection or potentially rape the entire reload cycle, but I have no idea if it actually would. It makes sense that the spring pressure would have to be scaled to the force of the fired round, but again, idk so I'm asking.

Personally, I have no issue whatsoever with the average .223 recoil, I find an AR to be quite comfortable. I only ask because I recently discovered AR's in .338 and .300 Win. Mag, and my buddy was wondering what the recoil would be like. I told him that since it had a buffer like any other AR, the recoil would be modest, like any other AR. His follow-up was "Well, if it was still harsh, could you use a stronger spring to mellow it out even more?"

I found I had no answer for him, as the vast majority of my firearm knowledge relates to marksmanship rather than mechanics. I was curious myself, obviously.
 
recoil in an AR

Please ignore the spelling its midnight and im still at work waiting on guns to come back..

In an AR style weapon Recoil is afftected by many things...I will cover a few.

Bolt carrier mass - In larger caliber AR's the bolt carrier is enlarged to account for the increased size of the cartridge. More mass = more energy required to move. Most people will not notice the difference but put several thousand rounds in two comprable weapons with the only difference being the bolt carrier and youll see, its subtle but its there. ex m16 vs ar-15 BCG

Buffer and Buffer Spring - I would not suggest stretching your spring out as a way to play with your spring rate, hell i would not play with it at all cause like you said this may cause your weapon to "short stroke" and fail to extract, eject, cock, or feed. as you said before spring rate, but also buffer weight play a role. Buffer weight see above example. (buffer style also, like if your buffer has loose weights inside it or not and how loose they are and such)

Gas system design - if it is a piston operated or inpingement, some pistons connect to the bolt carrier adding more weight (see above) some dont. Some inpingement and piston models have a valve like system in place usualy in the area of the front sight or gas block to adjust the amount of gass being directed to the bolt carrier. increasing or decreasing the amount of gas via a valve or changing the size of the port in the gas block or barrel will affect this too.

Cartridge - As you may know, larger amounts of powder = larger pressures in the chamber and barrel...when dealing with rounds like you mentioned...this is a gross generalization but try to stay within the context im descriding. more gass from a hot loaded round that has been "+P'd" will recoil more sharply than a factory load or a subsonic load

Weight and weight distribution. If you have a bull barrel and a lead filled stock obviously this is significantly more weight than the standard

see first example.

basically what it boils down to is weight or mass vs the amount of energy or pressure applied. Yes we can get crazy involving friction and a million other factors and I dont pretend to be an engineer but this is what I see as the most common and/or prominent areas to play around with recoil management. Or you could just man up and lean into it :) Hope this clears some of it up.
 
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To answer the question asked, a heavier buffer or bolt carrier group is generally used to reduce perceived recoil.

I know of no AR systems that will accept a 300 Win Mag or 338 Win Mag. Too long. The ARs you were looking at are probably not chambered in 300 Win Mag or 338 Win Mag, they would be chambered in 300 WSM or 338 Federal.
 
They make heavy buffer's for a reason. There are things that can be done to reduce felt recoil within certain limitations.
 
Sigh...I figured as much lol. Sometimes I hate being right all the time. I didn't even think of the bolt carrier weight, so thanks, I learned something :)

@ Scorch http://www.onlylongrange.com/badnews.asp

There you go, bro. If it didn't exist I wouldn't have asked. :)


lol @ "man up and lean into it", I tell my friends this all the time. Idk about firing a .338 while standing though I think that'd be a bit regrettable lol
 
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