how freely does your buffer slide?

[Barms 98]

was just cleaning my rifle (still new.. only four range trips so far) and as I was pushing the buffer back into the tube I realized it "catches" a little after the first two inches or so.   Call it sorta where the castle nut is if I had to describe where it catches.

 

Never picked up on this before because I usually only push it down the length of the knuckle of my thumb.

 

it DEFINITELY has some resistance in the tube.   So took the spring completely out and just dropped the buffer in there.   And honestly out of setting the lower verticle I'd say only one out 5 five times will that buffer drop "freely" to the back of the tube.   I have to give it a little "tap" to get it to drop..  Same thing going in reverse.  Meaning once its all the way back of the tube and I flip it vertical the other way it will not drop, I gotta tap it.

 

Now, I'm really not having malfunctions with my new rifle.  But it just doesn't seem right that the buffer shouldn't drop smoothly 5 out of 5 times to the back of the tube.   There definitely looks like some wear marks inside the tube but I'd expect that as normal, I mean there's a ton of force going on inside that tube.

 

Can someone take their lower off, and pop the spring out and then drop the buffer back in and tell me if slide smoothly, freely back and forth every time (just tilt it vertical and then reverse) without having to give it a tap?

 

I ordered everything mil-spec from PSA on this guy.  I dunno, maybe some rubbing is okay given the extreme force a round pounds that thing back..  I'm not supposed to put lube on the buffer right?

 

thanks!

 

[PK90 3,570]

Is the tube dented? Is there a burr on the buffer?

[checko 180]

Just tried my spikes st-t2 and milspec tube, no catching. Straight in and out.

 

Your tube might be damaged as pk said

[Vlad G 345]

Try a different buffer? I are you sure your buffer doesn't have a burr? Is it always aligned the same way when it catches, or does it catch no matter how it is oriented?

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot 358]

slides freely on mine (LMT milspec/spikes T2).  Check around where the stock was pinned to make sure it's kosher?

[NYMetsFan86 9]

slides freely on mine (LMT milspec/spikes T2).  Check around where the stock was pinned to make sure it's kosher?

 

this just helped me figure out why mine is catching. Its a commercial tube that was unpinned. probably burrs around the hole. thanks

[Barms 98]

No burs I can find. This sucks. Wish I caught this before I installed it. Now I have to decide if send the whole thing back to PSA or just buy a new tube. FARG. So frustrating. It's just has a hair of resistance but I will never stop thinking about it now.

[checko 180]

Can you get a pic of where its catching?

 

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

 

[PK90 3,570]

Well, you could grind the buffer edges down slightly.

[vladtepes 1,060]

How bad are the wear marks... Pics?

[Barms 98]

No pinning. I'm using the Magpul fixed stock. I will try to get a pic but the angle might be tough. It almost seems like the inside of the tube is not slick, it's rough.

 

 

But the buffer even gets stuck when I do the test without the spring. No spring, drop buffer in tube. Tap it to get it to slide all the way back, then flip around and sometimes the buffer won't slide back, I have to tap the tube again. So if it's catching in the tube it's all throughout the tube that's giving ita friction. Yes I did think about sanding down the buffer SLIGHTLY.

 

But this operation should be so basic simple. And again I'm not getting repeated failures however if I've got friction I'm putting stress on the bolt BCG going back and I don't want to break a key prematurely.

[Displaced Texan 11,753]

I would replace the buffer tube, as has been suggested previously.

I prefer the mil-spec tubes from BCM.

[wooly bugger 1]

There's a joke in this thread somewhere. Not sure where. Not a title you'll find on many other forums.