Rifle buffer bottoming out in A2 tube

Gear Head

Gear Head

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I put together a rifle a while back and haven't shot it yet. I finally am getting around to making ammo for it and tonight when chambering some dummy rounds I realized that the buffer is bottoming out in the tube not allowing the bcg to go all the way back and it will not strip a round off a mag from bolt lock. I discovered the issue when I noticed that the bolt catch was actually catching the front of the bcg itself instead of the front of the bolt.

I swapped the upper onto a rifle with a carbine buffer/tube/spring and it functions normally. I swapped the carbine buffer into the a2 tube with the rifle spring and it will lock back correctly but over travels because of the short buffer.

Do I have the incorrect buffer for the a2 tube?

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Looks right.
Should be about 5 7/8" long.
Shoved the tape in the tube since it was apart, measures 9 5/8" deep.
Spring is 12 1/4" but mine has some wear on it.
You could probably search the specs quicker than I just measured them.
 
My buffer is 5 7/8"
Spring is 13 1/4"
Tube is 9 1/16

I thought there was only one length for rifle tubes? My stock fits just fine so that doesn't make sense
 
Did some more googling and I've figured it out. Apparently some stocks require the use of a 5/8" spacer on the outside of the a2 tube. I don't have a spacer (I checked to make sure it didn't end up inside the tube) but I realized that the spacer would also require a longer screw. I recieved 2 screws, one came with my buffer tube and one came with my stock. I used the long one because it was black vs silver not thinking that the length mattered so the buffer was bottoming out on the screw that was meant to attach that spacer. Now the only issue is I'm pretty sure I tossed the short screw. Looks like I get to cut 5/8" off this one...
 
I was wondering about the spacer...
That's the difference between A1 and A2, the tube remains the same.
Bolt poking in almost 5/8 would do it.
Glad you figured it out. Never toss out spare parts, they don't get a chance to grow into guns if you do that.
 
I normally hoard all extra hardware but I cannot find that screw. Guessing it was hidden in a box when I tossed the boxes. I hate cutting screws. Always hard to get them to thread correctly again afterwards
 
Put a nut on the screw before cut it, then take the nut off using it to clean up the threads.
Use some oil and go back and forth with the nut to straighten out any issues with the cut threads.
 
ronn47 said:
Put a nut on the screw before cut it, then take the nut off using it to clean up the threads.
Use some oil and go back and forth with the nut to straighten out any issues with the cut threads.
Click to expand...

Good idea assuming you have a nut the right size with the same thread pitch. I generally just make the cut then slightly bevel the cut end and the taper allows it to self align.
 
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Put the screw into your drill chuck up to the point where you want it cut, tighten chuck, run it wide open while you hold a hacksaw blade flush against the screw where the chuck meets it.
 
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Long screw goes into the spacer and into rifle extension for A2 stocks. Shorter screw would work with rifle extension on A1 stock.

CD
 
Gear Head said:
And of course after I go through the trouble of cutting the screw and cleaning up the threads I find the other screw... Guess I have a spare now haha.
Click to expand...
Lol. Isn't that the way it always is? You never find it until you're not looking for it.
When smartly applicable, I'm notorious for using little baggies or tags and labeling everything. Not so much for anal ridiculousness, but because I'm lazy and hate lookin for stuff.
 
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