Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Recoil Buffer for 1911- opinions

I posted on the smithing forum but haven't heard back. Long and short of it is I am an idiot. With that out of the way here is the deal. Looked forever for a 1911 with the thought of target shooting a comfortable, accurate piece. Concerns that a Commander size would not be comfortable were negated by some trusted input and that same input led me to buy a Kimber. What I didn't realize I was buying -and here is the idiot part- was a lightweight. As a result it is not as comfortable to shoot as I would like. I ask - not so much if a recoil buffer would help but more importantly, are they a good idea? Anything negative about putting one in on a fine Caommander sized 1911. Please no Kimber flamers - no way will you convince me I should have bought another brand. Thanks.

Kenjs1 �

Nothing wrong with Kimbers and nothing wrong with LW Commanders, I carry the S&W LW every day. A recoil buffer is a small disk that goes on your guide rod that cushions the impact of the spring when it maxes out, reducing the battering of the frame. These buffers are made of anything from semi-hard rubber to pliable semi-soft plastic. They do work in the sense they do cushion the impact to the frame. Do you feel a difference? Some say yes, and some say no. Basically, Your Mileage May Vary.

On the down side, these bushings will all invariably fall apart. Basically, the spring eventually cuts them in half. When that happens, the loose part can fall out and float around in your gun and even cause it to malfunction. Therefore, I don�t recommend you use a buffer when the gun is being used for self defense. They�re fine for the range and probably a good idea as long as you remember to take them out when you�re done.

Something you should consider though, is buying a spring kit and tune your gun. A spring kit is a set of different weight recoil springs. You load up your intended ammunition and fire the gun, making note of where the empties are landing. If they�re being kicked more than 10 feet, then you�re beating your gun up unnecessarily. If they�re falling less than 3-4 feet, then your spring is too heavy.

Thanks Kevin - yeah I am pretty well hip to everything you are saying and was most curious about the buffers falling apart. Perhaps there were better made ones that held up longer. I am the type that would be checking it often enough. I messed with the spring and a few things on my CZ 40p that helped it but really think that the Kimber is tuned great as is.

Yeah, my S&W's recoil spring was perfect right out of the box. I'm not sure what the spring weight is, but I'm guessing it's 20 or 21.5 lb because it's stiff.

I use a recoil buffer in all my 1911s, 3 full-size and one custom Commander. It is easy enough to check the buffer whenever you clean the gun. The main reason I use them is to minimize the battering of the frame, not to reduce recoil.

I hate the things as they will sometimes break and jam up the gun, in the shorter bbl lengths they shorten the slide stroke just enough to cause ftf's & fte. I know some people swear by them but you won't see one in my guns. I will not sell or install them in customers guns either, ESPECIALLY SD guns.

Recoil buffs - sometimes referred to as "shok buffs," can reduce frame battering/wear/cracking and soften the recoil impluse somewhat. Guns shorter than 5" (like yours in this case) sometimes suffer out of battery problems when buffs are in place, but not always. This is because they are already operating with a shorter recoil stroke. I've run buffs on my 1911s for years and never experienced problems. Check them for wear each time you clean your gun. They can last upwards of 1000 rounds, but I usually change at between the 500 to 750 round mark. Thje best buffs, IMO, are those made by CP Specialties. Also it is important to routinely change your recoil spring. I change mine at 3000 to 3500 rounds.

Just my opinion, but if you want a comfortable, accurate, piece like you say, then I would suggest you use your lightweight Commander for a carry gun, and buy a nice steel Government Model.
I don't have any interest in putting little pieces of plastic in my Colt Series 70 Government Model.
If the buffer came apart and jammed the gun when you were using it for social work, it would be a good time to pull a knife out.
(The only reason to bring a knife to a gun fight. )
There is a distinct difference between a duty gun, and a gun used for games or target shooting. "Practical Pistol" isn't so practical anymore.
If you just want to plink with it try some wadcutters.
whelennut

Kenjs1,yes your an Idiot.

Kiddingggg man,if your talking about range work then yes the Shokbuff does prevent frame battering but you'll not see this Fatboy have one on a serious 1911 why not? because when i was a young pup i asked the men who had been to places like Vietnam Korea and some other spots where the had to shoot for blood "why not?" and to a man they felt if it could break it would break at the worst time possible.as far as range work 200 grain bullets and 231 powder will make your baby 1911 sing a pretty song.

whelennut- WAY ahead you big guy Already looking at a full size.....again! Wonder if I will end up with what I started looking for this time? Daverageguy- ha ha - would return the grief but couldn't do that to a fellow 260 lover. Whoever mentioned their favorite buffer- thanks, will give it a try. See how I like it. Still love the pistol. Did I mention I own a KIMBER..he he

Uncle Fester - Which shock buff's are lasting 1000 rounds? I've tried several different ones and I've never seen any that made it much past 400 rounds, and often would have the beginnings of a good split after 150 or so rounds.

Again, they're fine for range work, but have no place in a defensive arm.

Ken - listen to what Kevin says about playing with the spring rates. My understanding is that a 1911 that is battering itself has a problem with improper spring rates. Another thing that might help is to change out the firing pin stop (if it hasn't already been done) with an EGW oversize stop finished with just a slight bevel or small radius on the bottom rear edge (that rides over the hammer) and matching up the spring rates to work with it.

Thanks FreeMe. Re-read Kevins first post and it makes sense. Thanks Kevin. I actually think all is well\perfect with the pistol - its just lighter than I wanted is all. I can't sell it because it is so dang pretty and fits my hand so well.... and I would lose too much cash on it. In the end I would regret parting with it. I have a CZ 40P whose springs I want to change and for all the cost, might as well buy some to try in the Kimber at the same time.

I've never had one split after 150 rounds, and have used them for several years without a single failure. But I'm not a pro, and only shoot about 300 - 500 full-power rounds a month in fun matches. I also clean my gun after every session. Just like I would not use an old, worn-out spring, mags that don't work or old ammo in my carry gun, I wouldn't use an old worn-out recoil buffer. If it looks worn, it gets replaced. I will usually replace once a month in the gun I shoot the most. (I also did 18 mos of combat in the lovely Republic of SVN. One thing I learned was to maintain my weapon and that "one is none and two is one.")

I put one on my 5" kimber a while back. The problem I had is when I installed a loaded mag with the slide in the locked back position, the buff wouldn't allow me to sling shot the the slide closed without physically pressing down on the slide stop. After I removed the shok buff, the problem was solved. The gun comes from the factory without a buff, so now I figure it was designed to be used without one.

Kev -- I've had buffs go 900 rounds before I ditched them. I have to ask, if you have them going "bust" at as few as 150 rounds, what load are you shooting?? I run no more than 18.5 pound recoil spring (and primarily a 17lb standard rate spring)in my full-size and shoot normal pressure loads (what else is there in the 45ACP?)and I've not had a buff show any wear for several hundred rounds. As for them having "no place in a defensive arm," I prefer to think of it more in terms of a casual or negligent shooter is probably better off running the gun without a buff. Check them each time you clean, clean routinely, and you should be fine. FWIW, I think after bad ammo, bad magazines are the most likely culprits of weapon malfunctions. I consider my magazine springs a weak link and more likely to hang me up than a buff. I use Chip McCormick power mags with the standard bumper and I replace them every 18-24 months - or immediatley the moment one fails to feed or drop free. I don't get married to my mags or my buffs, I use them up and move on. Just my take on it.

I can't say that I am sure that a Lightweight Commander works exactly the same as a Government model - but I can tell you that no steel Government model should ever need a shock buff for standard loads, and probably not for +p either. The 1911 was designed to work properly without one, and does so when properly built.

I almost always shoot standard pressure loads without any need for one and no sign of any battering. But I've gone to the minor trouble of making sure my spring rates are Browning spec, as is the rest of my 1911 - as much as possible. I ain't no expert - but my guess is that if the OP were to call Colt and ask them what spring rates should be in a Lightweight Commander and get a new set of such springs from Wolff installed, there would be no problems.

How could anyone disagree?

I've tried them off and on for a couple of years. I haven't noticed that they make any appreciable difference in felt recoil.

I will say that I won't have one in a gun that I might use for self defense. All the one's I have used start to come apart very quickly inside the gun. Since I take the gun apart and inspect it every time I shoot, none of them have come completely apart and caused any jams. However, their potential to do so at an inopertune moment is too great for me to justify their use.

I have had the Wilson Shock Buffs start to come apart within 100rds. Also I shoot a Gov't size 1911 so I assume it could have come apart quicker in a lighter gun with greater slide velocity. That's speculation though since it the reduced slide mass could mean it has equal overall momentum.

If you are going to use them, make sure you change them often, and keep your extras sealed in some sort of package such that they won't degrade with age (like dry rot on tires).