Buffer tube wiggle?

[DustyGmt]

I'm assembling another lower and I have this red buffer tube, unsure of make as I grabbed it from a misc parts bin at my LGS but once threaded into the anderson lower (without end plate & castle nut installed) it has a fair bit of play in it. Is this normal. I have assembled a handful of lowers in the past and I cant recall if the buffer tubes I used for those had wiggle in them before torquing down the castle nut or not.

Does it sound like a normal thing or does it sound like my buffer tube is out of spec? I know there's guys here who have assembled dozens so what do you guys think? Thanks for any help....

 

[js8588]

I'm assembling another lower and I have this red buffer tube, unsure of make as I grabbed it from a misc parts bin at my LGS but once threaded into the anderson lower (without end plate & castle nut installed) it has a fair bit of play in it. Is this normal. I have assembled a handful of lowers in the past and I cant recall if the buffer tubes I used for those had wiggle in them before torquing down the castle nut or not.

Does it sound like a normal thing or does it sound like my buffer tube is out of spec? I know there's guys here who have assembled dozens so what do you guys think? Thanks for any help....

It's normal.

 

[12Bravo20]

I would say normal if it is loose without the end plate or castle nut. The internal threads on your receiver could be at the maximum specs for the thread size and your buffer tube threads at the minimum specs.

 

[TonyAngel]

Of course, it's hard to tell how much play you're talking about, but some play is normal. I suppose I would describe normal play by comparing it to a screw in a screw hole before it is tightened.

 

[12Bravo20]

Of course, it's hard to tell how much play you're talking about, but some play is normal. I suppose I would describe normal play by comparing it to a screw in a screw hole before it is tightened.

Good analogy.

As I said in my first reply, the receiver could be at the maximum diameter and buffer tube at the minimum diameter while both still being within specs for the thread size. I have seen the opposite too. I had a lower that the threads were close to the minimum diameter and a cheap ebay buffer tube that was at the maximum diameter for the thread size. The buffer tube would not thread into the receiver without the use of a wrench.

 

[Skylerbone]

I don’t notice anything beyond the scraping noise of metal on metal as it threads in. I suppose there’s a bit of play there but it shouldn’t be much.

 

[FL-NC]

As long as it locks in place with the plate and castle nut, and holds in your retainer pin and spring, I think its OK.

 

[TonyAngel]

I don’t notice anything beyond the scraping noise of metal on metal as it threads in. I suppose there’s a bit of play there but it shouldn’t be much.

Ya know, I just replaced the buffer tube on one of my builds and I have to agree with Skylerbone. I was swapping brace setups on two Spike's lowers and there really isn't much slop at all.

 

[DustyGmt]

Ya know, I just replaced the buffer tube on one of my builds and I have to agree with Skylerbone. I was swapping brace setups on two Spike's lowers and there really isn't much slop at all.

Yeah I'm going to have to agree with the above with regard to the Go/No go specs. I bought a really nice 7075 anti tilt buffer tube from POF. It has basically no wobble at all. I've used PSA parts in the past and they work just fine but I bought premium parts for this upper and lower so might as well not throw a gun shop mystery box buffer tube on there.

 

[TonyAngel]

Yeah I'm going to have to agree with the above with regard to the Go/No go specs. I bought a really nice 7075 anti tilt buffer tube from POF. It has basically no wobble at all. I've used PSA parts in the past and they work just fine but I bought premium parts for this upper and lower so might as well not throw a gun shop mystery box buffer tube on there.

Yeah, no sense in cutting corners. It's probably just my OCD, but I really want a 7075 buffer tube. Mine takes a good bit of punishment. You'd be surprised how many still use 6061. It's the reason that I'm still running the SBA3 instead of an adjustable Tailhook.