1911 buffers? Worth it?

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Venom1956

New member
I guess lately I've been slowly making deciding on 'buffers' for all my guns, I've choosen the KIDD buffer for my 10/22 because I think the design is better and it has a life time warranty, I am looking at one for my S&W M41, and now Brownells just recommended a 1911 buffer pack from Wilson combat. I figured for all of them the price for admission is tiny compared to the guns they protect. I know 10/22 buffers are. I want one in my 41 JIC and I figure why not grab some for my Dan Wesson Valor if they work?

Let me know!
 
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Mike38

New member
I believe in recoil buffers, but many people here do not. They will say something about a fool and his money soon separate. But that’s okay, to each his own. I have buffers in my AK, both M1911’s, and both 10/22’s.
 
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kraigwy

New member
IF you are talking bout those little rubber bushing or buffers that go on the recoil guide and back of the spring, then NO.

I tried them. After a while the start dragging on the slide and cause malfunctions.

I tried them on my Gold Cup in the 70s because I was shooting a heck of a lot of Military hard ball.

I toss it a bit later after I started getting malfunctions and still kept up with the harb ball ammo.

That was over 30 years ago, I'm still shooting the Gold Cup without the buffer today and so far my 45 hasn't had a problem.

If Mr Browning thought the 1911 needed a buffer, he'd had put one on the gun.
 
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Strafer Gott

New member
If it came with one stock out the box, yes, e.g. marlin camp carbine. If you shoot this one with a bad buffer (they turn into cheese) you will break a cross bolt. M41 doesn't need one if you use standard velocity ammo. 1911a1 doesn't need it if your spring is right. You get the drift. If it ain't broken...
 
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Walt Sherrill

New member
Recoil buffers are a solution in search of a problem.

I think the people who use them believe they will protect the frames of their guns from battering due to recoil -- but modern guns aren't damaged by recoil (i.e., the base of a guide rod slamming the frame.) The base of the guide rod is hitting one of the strongest points in the handgun; it's built strong for that purpose.) There may be some exceptions to this general statement, but generally, guns are designed to function without them, and adding them does nothing but add extra complexity and opportunities for problems.

Buffers may change the shooter's EXPERIENCE of felt recoil, but they don't really protect anything in the gun. 1911Tuner, who participates here from time to time, has demonstrated this very practically by actually shooting 1911s without guide rods and recoil springs; nobody gets hurt, and the guns are not damaged.

As Tuner notes in his discussions, the primary purpose of a recoil spring and guide rod isn't to control or manage recoil, but to cause the gun to cycle and load the next round. The force of the recoil as it affects the gun is not something likely to cause it damage, but if you don't contain part of it and reuse the force, the gun won't be able to fire the next shot.

When I first started shooting, one of the guns I bought came with some Wilson buffers, and used them. I found that they deteriorated very rapidly and, if I wasn't paying close attention, the pieces could get into places where they shouldn't, and cause function problems. That ws my first and last experience with buffers.

Recoil systems -- devices intended to change the recoil impulse -- are sometimes used, and they may have their place in shooting. But, they help the shooter, and aren't intended to protect the gun.
 
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Slamfire

New member
I have a Colt Combat Elite that was so poorly built that it peened its frame out.

I used Shok buffs and I could tell that they were slowing down the rate of peening.

I used Shok Buffs and maybe I have been lucky, no malfunctions to date.

I replace them before they break into little pieces.

If it causes malfunctions in your pistols, don't use them.

I only shoot my M1911's at the range, I carry revolvers for self defense weapons.
 
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Grant D

New member
No.
I put them in all three of my 1911's and had problems with all three. So I took them back out.
But who knows they might work for you. Obviously they work for some people,just not for me.
 
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cuba

New member
Buffers in 1911 most of time will not allow a round to be chambered from a sling shot charge.
A solution to a non-existent problem.
 
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Mrgunsngear

New member
If you like them and your guns still runs reliably---go for it; it's your gun.

For me, I don't like them and have only seen them cause problems.
 
1

1911Tuner

New member
re:

1911Tuner, who participates here from time to time, has demonstrated this very practically by actually shooting 1911s without guide rods and recoil springs; nobody gets hurt, and the guns are not damaged.
Click to expand...

Well...Actually, I use a FLGR for those demonstrations, but no spring. I've fired a Colt LW Commander over a hundred rounds in one session with hardball that way...and about 500 total through the same gun in several other demonstrations. No frame damage noted.
 
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Kreyzhorse

New member
I don't believe they are a benefit at all, however, they likely don't hurt any thing. It's your money so spend it as you like.
 
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vladan

New member
I don't use them in my .45 commander, however, I do use them in my 10mm 1911s, especially with my hot reloads. They usually don't last more than one range session, but they cost less than one round of premium ammo and I replace them after each session while cleaning guns.
 
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RickB

New member
I've used them, at one time or another, in most of my 1911s. I have never experienced any malfunctions that could be traced to buffers, and they've never prevented slingshot loading, but buffers come in different thicknesses, and not all "1911s" are made to the same (original) specs.
One of my guns would eat a Wilson buff in about 250 rounds, mostly due to sharp edges on the slide. Another gun would hardly wear the buffer at all, even after 1000 rounds, so there clearly wasn't much need to buffer anything.
I have a Cominolli guide rod in me Delta Elite; it's a belt-and-suspenders deal, with two buffer pads, one on each side of the guide rod head. That gun probably needs some buffering, as it throws spent cases about fifteen feet.
 
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JohnKSa

Administrator
I don't have a problem with using them at the range but I would never consider leaving one installed in a self-defense pistol while it's actually "on duty". I've experienced and heard of situations where they can cause malfunctions or make a gun more likely to malfunction.

The exception would be if the buffer is a factory part that actually came installed on the gun from the maker.
 
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jfrey

New member
Unlike others, I use them in all my 1911's except my Ultra-Compact. I use the ones from Wilson and they work fine. Never had one break up or go bad. I do change them occassionally to be sure I don't have problems. My Buck Mark came with a factory buffer built in. MY FIL put buffers in his Hi Power and his mod. 41 and likes them.

Try 'em and if you like 'em, use 'em. If you don't, thats OK too.
 
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Chris_B

New member
If the idea is to save the frame from being beat up, then respectfully my 1918 manufactured Colt M1911 was shot a lot, and the heat treating and metallurgy from that time are not the state of the art as it exists today.

That 94 year old pistol doesn't have any wear problem on the frame. Maybe it will at 95 years old, but it seems to me that the pistol has outlived the soldier it was issued to, and the lack of the buffer hasn't been a problem for almost 100 years. YMMV (if you live long enough, of course ;) )

Maybe the actual state of affairs is that some 1911s being made today have the potential from benefiting from the buffer; many makers produce 'the 1911' and not all are made exactly the same way. I suspect this is why some people find they work and some others can't find a need for them
 
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