Just reworked my plain jane PSA AR10. I've been wanting to reduce the recoil some and picked up an XH buffer/spring for it. Didn't think it did much good so I changed it back to the OEM one that came with it. I also tried my Omega suppressor on it and it didn't function worth a darn. So I changed the gas block over to a superlative arms adjustable gas block today and will give that a try. Should I put the XH buffer back in too or will this be too heavy?
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Which buffer for my AR10?
- Thread starter coyotewillie
- Start date
Most here that have been down this road, myself included, have found that if you have the longer receiver extension and have the 3.25” buffer that an AR15 H3 with a Tubbs Flatwire AR10 spring works well.
If you have the shorter receiver extension and a 2.5” buffer, KAK makes a 5.3oz buffer which is same weight as a H3. Use the same Tubbs spring which is cheaper at LaRue than Tubbs.
Begin tuning by single loading mags. Start turning gas down until it wont lock back on empty and then begin opening up til it locks back every time. Then open up a little more for insurance.
If you like, leave it out on a cold night and shoot it first thing in the morning to be sure it has enough gas to not short stroke on a cold day.
On another note, look in your ejection port and pull the charging handle all the way to the rear. You should only have 1/10-1/8” clearance from the bolt face to the bolt stop. More than this will break the stop eventually. It can be fixed by shimming the buffer by dropping buffer shims or washers in the bottom of the receiver extension. Infamously quarters work perfectly, just drill a small hole in them for venting. Not unusual to need one or two shims to get buffer travel right.
If you have the shorter receiver extension and a 2.5” buffer, KAK makes a 5.3oz buffer which is same weight as a H3. Use the same Tubbs spring which is cheaper at LaRue than Tubbs.
Begin tuning by single loading mags. Start turning gas down until it wont lock back on empty and then begin opening up til it locks back every time. Then open up a little more for insurance.
If you like, leave it out on a cold night and shoot it first thing in the morning to be sure it has enough gas to not short stroke on a cold day.
On another note, look in your ejection port and pull the charging handle all the way to the rear. You should only have 1/10-1/8” clearance from the bolt face to the bolt stop. More than this will break the stop eventually. It can be fixed by shimming the buffer by dropping buffer shims or washers in the bottom of the receiver extension. Infamously quarters work perfectly, just drill a small hole in them for venting. Not unusual to need one or two shims to get buffer travel right.
OK, this is what confuses me. I've got a stock PSA AR10 (308), rifle length stock that I put a Gen II PRS stock on. I've got a Heavy Buffer XH buffer/spring combo, the buffer weighs 10 ozs and is 5.25" long. Is this the right combination? I read so many different combinations I'm not sure what I need here!
So you have a fixed A2 stock? Assumed you had an adjustable carbine type stock.
10oz? jeebus. That is heavy, did it function?
@bfoosh006 what do you think?
10oz? jeebus. That is heavy, did it function?
@bfoosh006 what do you think?
I felt at the time it functioned fine, but since it didn't seem to do anything for recoil (on the stock rifle) I took it out and put the stock buffer back in. Then I found out it didn't function worth a damn with the suppressor, so I just got the AGB. Just trying to go from there. Never like the carbine stocks so I always stick with a fixed A2 or PRS stock. Went through Heavy Buffers pyramid to determine which buffer to go with and this seemed like the thing to do at the time.
The PRS gen 3 works with carbine tubes too BTW.
Is this a .308? If it functions fine with the heavier buffer, try to adj the gas like I described and see how it runs for a while. It definitely shouldn’t have any extraction issues from early unlock LOL.
A too heavy buffer will really slam home and cause the second part of the recoil impulse in semi-autos to be really magnified.
Is this a .308? If it functions fine with the heavier buffer, try to adj the gas like I described and see how it runs for a while. It definitely shouldn’t have any extraction issues from early unlock LOL.
A too heavy buffer will really slam home and cause the second part of the recoil impulse in semi-autos to be really magnified.
According to Heavy Buffers' website, they recommend the 10 oz buffer if 1) you're shooting suppressed (was going to), 2) shooting heavy/hot loads (probably not), or 3) wanted max recoil reduction. So, that's why I went with that one. Would you recommend something else? Oh, and they don't recommend the flat spring with this buffer. Would it be better to go with a carbine buffer (8.5 oz) and tube/spring?
Lawless, where should my rounds be ejecting?
I have the AGB, dialed in with the suppressor, and with my 243 (Gemtech tracker), 308 (YHM PHANTOM LTA) and 6.5cm (hybrid suppressor) they seem to be ejecting between 2 and 3 o'clock, and 4 o'clock?
I have the AGB, dialed in with the suppressor, and with my 243 (Gemtech tracker), 308 (YHM PHANTOM LTA) and 6.5cm (hybrid suppressor) they seem to be ejecting between 2 and 3 o'clock, and 4 o'clock?
No, I think suppressed it’ll probably be good. Wonder why the spring isn’t recommended? Tubbs says it works with rifle and carbine.
Watch the video at tubbs and read about it to understand it isn’t a heavier spring but changes less over its cycle.
Try it and if it’s reliable you should go with it.
Between 3 and 4 is good. 2 means possibly that it is unlocking a little early. A Tubbs spring or a little more buffer may help.
Its going to be hard to get it perfect suppressed and unsuppressed simultaneously.
So, I went out and tried it today. One of the perks of being retired! Anyway, turned it down till it wouldn't eject/lock on an empty mag. Turned it back, wouldn't lock/eject, one more notch same thing. Finally figured out I screwed up and turned the screw the wrong way, turned it back the other way, sure enough it works fine! Everything seems to function just fine now. Going to test some different ammo and without the suppressor yet, but it's functioning at least now.
Couple of other problems popped up. After I got it working I loaded 4 rds in the mag to try, but couldn't get the bolt to go all the way into battery and lock up. One cartridge and it was fine, multiple in the mag, no lock up. Apparently there was enough upward pressure on the bolt with cartridges in the mag that it was binding somewhere. Never did it before and the only thing changed was the gas tube was removed when I changed gas blocks. Looked at the gas tube and it looked like it might be angled down slightly so I bent it up just a touch and tried it again. Worked perfectly! So right now everything seems to be working like it should. Try the other things I mentioned, sight it in, and I think it's good to go.
I did have 2 pierced primers with the Hornady TAP ammo I was trying. Never had that problem before so I don't know what the issue is there. Once I get back out with some other ammo to compare with, we'll see what happens. The TAP ammo is 165g tap barrier. I also tried some 150g SST's I had sitting here, didn't shoot as many rounds, but no problem with the primers. Just trying some old stuff I had laying here, using it to adjust the gas block. Don't know what I'll shoot in this yet but I'll do some testing now that I've got the gas block problem fixed.
Thanks for the help!
Couple of other problems popped up. After I got it working I loaded 4 rds in the mag to try, but couldn't get the bolt to go all the way into battery and lock up. One cartridge and it was fine, multiple in the mag, no lock up. Apparently there was enough upward pressure on the bolt with cartridges in the mag that it was binding somewhere. Never did it before and the only thing changed was the gas tube was removed when I changed gas blocks. Looked at the gas tube and it looked like it might be angled down slightly so I bent it up just a touch and tried it again. Worked perfectly! So right now everything seems to be working like it should. Try the other things I mentioned, sight it in, and I think it's good to go.
I did have 2 pierced primers with the Hornady TAP ammo I was trying. Never had that problem before so I don't know what the issue is there. Once I get back out with some other ammo to compare with, we'll see what happens. The TAP ammo is 165g tap barrier. I also tried some 150g SST's I had sitting here, didn't shoot as many rounds, but no problem with the primers. Just trying some old stuff I had laying here, using it to adjust the gas block. Don't know what I'll shoot in this yet but I'll do some testing now that I've got the gas block problem fixed.
Thanks for the help!
