Rubber "buffers" for AKs (or 10/22s). Useful, or gimmick?

Ive use them all my semis, at least the ones where a solid chunk of material is likely to slam into the frame or receiver. Havent seen any unusual ware, but treat them as expendable parts to be tossed out when they are worn....Ive also used brass and copper washers on a couple guns.

On a 10/22 I use a delrin pin replacing the steel one that the bolt slams into every shot. Saves the holes from egging out. Not sure how it could increase wear, or help with recoil.

American_Fusilier said:

How do you use the washers? Like, what kind of guns?

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Had a purchased brass one in my eaa witness .40, and copied it for my other .40 and 9mm from brass and copper.
I also used a copper washer in my mini just to see what happened, it squished pretty quick so I went back to the Wilson's. I also tried a thin steel washer over a delrin buffer but that was too thick.
Which brings me to one of the concerns people have with buffers, and that is they reduce the travel on your reciprocating parts (when used in guns not designed for them). This takes them out of the theoretically impact energy range they were designed for. Relatively hard buffer (brass/copper) could likely transmit a significant portion of that energy to the frame suddenly where as a bit more travel would allow the springs to bleed more off.
I can't really see the soft rubber buffers doing that.

Mauser lover said:

On a 10/22 I use a delrin pin replacing the steel one that the bolt slams into every shot. Saves the holes from egging out. Not sure how it could increase wear, or help with recoil.

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the supposed recoil reduction comes from the softer buffer absorbing some of the energy over a longer time. Personally unless a gun really slams it's slide or operating rod/whatever into the frame (stock minis) I don't find any felt benefit. They don't reduce the recoil, it simply makes that last bit feel less snappy.

What I think is the best option for a gas gun is tuning your gas system. For a semi pistol or blowback rifle, I generally run loads that will cycle comfortably and only run real hot Ammon when I feel a real need.
I use buffers to prevent the aforementioned slamming of hardened steel against hardened steel, or spreading the energy out over a larger surface (the reason to use buffers in the eaas), so mostly as a secondary form of tuning.

LoonWulf said:

the supposed recoil reduction comes from the softer buffer absorbing some of the energy over a longer time. Personally unless a gun really slams it's slide or operating rod/whatever into the frame (stock minis) I don't find any felt benefit. If they don't reduce the recoil, it simply makes that last bit feel less snappy.

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Yeah, I got that, I just wasn't sure how much it helped in a 10/22
If you need the recoil reduction in a 10/22... you probably need something else, and just think you need the recoil reduction.

Mauser lover said:

Yeah, I got that, I just wasn't sure how much it helped in a 10/22
If you need the recoil reduction in a 10/22... you probably need something else, and just think you need the recoil reduction.

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Lol Agreed!

The 10/22 uses them to prevent the clack clack. Never knew about for AKs??

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1004753855/

LoonWulf said:

Ive use them all my semis, at least the ones where a solid chunk of material is likely to slam into the frame or receiver. ...

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Same here. The only "rubber" buffer experiment the turned out badly was a BufferTech CETME/HK91 buffer that I installed in one of my CETMES. It caused breakage around the assembly pin holes.