Broken Buffer Spring

[The Nothing]

I was out shooting yesterday and was just about finished with a full mag when my rifle started to not strip off the next round. I chambered a second, and again, failed to feed. I dropped the mag and switched just to rule that out and the first shot from that one stovepiped.

OK, drop the mag, clear and call this gun done for the day.

Here's what I found this morning on tear down


It's not much, but that'd be enough to cause problems I guess. Less than 1000 rounds through it.
Perhaps it'll be a good enough reason to get a JP Captured Spring

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[notazombie]

Good catch. I'm sure it probably wasn't the lesser spring tension that caused it. Any marks on the buffer or inside the tube to indicate that the little piece was hanging it up?

 

[The Nothing]

Both buffer and tube. Not much, as I didn't take many shots, but noticeable.

 

[Mygrainman]

What's the caliber, barrel, gas system length...and what ammo?
I'm not writing a book or anything, just curious.
and did it break buffer or shoulder end?

 

[HB of CJ]

Curious about the broken buffer spring. Is it an USGI buffer spring or is it a cut off piece of industrial spring?

Respectfully.

 

[The Nothing]

What's the caliber, barrel, gas system length...and what ammo?
I'm not writing a book or anything, just curious.
and did it break buffer or shoulder end?

.222/5.56
BCA 16" Stainless Carbine
Odin adjustable (my first thought was somehow I was now undergassed out of nowhere, wouldn't lock back on empty mag either)
Federal American Eagle MSR .223

Looking at the spring, it broke from the shoulder end, but jammed up at the buffer end. Aero's basic setup.

 

[HB of CJ]

Does that busted buffer spring have two, (2) compressed coils at each end with the spring ends machined ground to a flat surface? Or does each end show a sharp cut off like resulting from cutting pliers?

Reason I am asking is that it is rare for an USGI buffer spring to break.

Respectfully.

hundreds of builds. uncounted rebuilds.

 

[The Nothing]

It's a clean cut, other than the broken end. I consider it a freak of nature and I don't anticipate things being damaged further. I'll run it as it is, but I'll also pick up another...

wait... you might be onto something here. I had assumed that it came from the shoulder end because I saw a flat surface under the buffer... Your question made me pull it back out and take a closer look.

shoulder end


Buffer end


And, I have a 5yo, so I know how to do puzzles...


and, the cleaner edge, left, is where the break occured

 

[osprey]

Just a rare bad part I am guessing.

 

[HB of CJ]

Yep. You can probably still run the gun until you get a new buffer spring. Luckily it broke right at one end.

Respectfully.

 

[rjmt]

I use Tubb flat wire buffer springs in all my ARs
you just buy one for life
USGI buffer springs need to be replaced on a scheduled basis

rjmt

 

[HB of CJ]

Thank you for the photos. Looks like common cheapo industrial wire wacked off and sold as a gun part. In your case a so called buffer spring. Pay the money, buy a decent USGI part.

 

[308]

I use Tubb flat wire buffer springs in all my ARs
you just buy one for life
USGI buffer springs need to be replaced on a scheduled basis

rjmt

+100
I have Tubbs Precision flat wire spring in my AR.

 

[Geardo]

+100
I have Tubbs Precision flat wire spring in my AR.

Any issues with it being too stiff in a carbine tube? It seems perfect in a rifle, but kinda stiff in a carbine tube.

 

[308]

Any issues with it being too stiff in a carbine tube? It seems perfect in a rifle, but kinda stiff in a carbine tube.

Not at all. In fact I run the spring in the shorter AR pistol tube. You can watch his videos on the Tubbs website for clarification.

 

[SIG34]

That doesn't happen often! Glad the rifle didn't get destroyed over a $10 Part!

 

[Kruel J]

It doesn't hurt to put some frog lube in your tube, makes the action smoother and might help with spring issues.

 

[rjmt]

Any issues with it being too stiff in a carbine tube? It seems perfect in a rifle, but kinda stiff in a carbine tube.

I cut 3 turns off my Tubb spring for my carbines
Tubbs uses flat wire springs, not round springs
David Tubbs on his video states they can be cut to tune your system

rjmt

 

[rjmt]

I cut 3 turns off my Tubb spring for my carbines
Tubbs uses flat wire springs, not round springs
David Tubbs on his video states they can be cut to tune your system

rjmt

I just did a web search on cutting David Tubbs flatwires springs to tune an AR. At least 6 other threads on different blogs on cutting these springs to tube your AR platform. I have Tubb springs on Grendel DI rifles, Grendel piston carbine, 5.56 DI rifles and my M27 clone. Don't have any issue with the cut springs in any of my carbines, including the Grendel piston carbine.

rjmt

 

[Geardo]

I just did a web search on cutting David Tubbs flatwires springs to tune an AR. At least 6 other threads on different blogs on cutting these springs to tube your AR platform. I have Tubb springs on Grendel DI rifles, Grendel piston carbine, 5.56 DI rifles and my M27 clone. Don't have any issue with the cut springs in any of my carbines, including the Grendel piston carbine.

rjmt

Cool! Thanks! I did the same actually. I didn't see the video, but I hacked a few coils off, heated up the last coil and flattened it. Then tossed in an h2 buffer and turned my gas down. Went from a bucking bronco to feeling like my 18" rifle build with A2 stock.