# Shock Buffs



## falshman70 (Jul 13, 2006)

Anybody use them? I just put the Wilson Combat ones on my Kimber and can't say I can feel any difference. I tried them out because a dealer at a gun show was telling me they extend the life of the gun,etc. My Kimber has an alloy frame, so I thought "what the heck." But when I took it to the range I noticed that the slide lock didn't release the slide when I "slingshotted" it. I had to drop the slide by manually releasing the slide lock. Now I know lots of folks do this as a matter of course, but I never have.

After I broke it down for cleaning and reassembled it without the shock buff it worked as always. Perhaps after a few more firing sessions this won't be the case, but I'm kinida wondering if these things really serve any purpose. They weren't expensive, so it's not like I'm out anything if I ditch them....


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

I used them for years in the 1990s. People advise U not to have them on the gun when using it for carry - theoritically, it can cause the slide to short stroke or it can wear out if ya do a lot of shooting, and possibly fragment into the gun and jam.

Those are the stories the haters of the shok buffs will tell ya.

I used them for years. And, I replaced them when they developed wear. I had a full length guiderod, so it would have been a pain to take them in and out depending on if I was range shooting or carrying the gun. I left them in all the time.

I never had a problem. When putting them in with a new recoil spring, it did make it harder to pull the slide back to make the slide stop activate. But after shooting some rounds thru the gun, the recoil spring compresses a bit, and U are fine.

While I KNOW U will get some people that will post after me, stating that U don't need them. I suppose if I had a aluminum framed 1911, I'd use them too - assuming the gun functions fine with one installed.


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## sniper350 (Jan 6, 2007)

Well I have always run them in my 1911's ....and currently have them in my CCW weapon a SIG GSR .45 Acp.

What they do is prevent metal to metal contact of the slide in your 1911.
Usually you will provide a recoil spring of 18 1/2 lbs. to accompany the shok-buffer.......... and additionally you are suppose to add a stronger firing pin spring. In my GSR, I never bothered with changing the firing pin spring.

I agree, you will hear horror stories of how the shok-buffer broke apart inside the gun and jammed it tight. I have never seen a buffer get to that point because I always change them out every 500 rds or so. I field strip my guns after each use, no matter how few rounds I shoot....... and keep a close watch on the buffer. I mean, isn't that what you are suppose to do anyway ?? At most my buffers will show a slight circular indent in them when I change them out.

For me it just makes sense, not to have metal to metal contact during the slide's recoil.....if you can prevent it.

Take my opinion for what it is worth :mrgreen: because I also run a full length "Tungsten" guide rod in my SIG GSR :smt082 

JF.


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## milquetoast (Nov 25, 2006)

I used to use them all the time. Until, as sniper350 said, one broke and tied up the gun solidly. That only needs to happen once to leave you with a bad feeling.

Funny how there are all those World War II .45's around that have been shot and shot and shot, without Shok-Buffs, and somehow they are still perking along.

My advice: use them, until one breaks and locks up your pistol. Maybe none will ever break. Or if one does, it probably won't happen in a gunfight.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

+1 With Milquetoast as I don't see any advantage to them except you are making Wilson richer.


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## sniper350 (Jan 6, 2007)

[+1 With Milquetoast as I don't see any advantage to them ]

Well, I thought I kind of covered the advantage......

And its true many WWII 1911's are still "Rattling" along. But no where in the same class as some of these high dollar Hybrids in the "Accuracy" category.
Do they [ buffers ] help maintain a tighter slide to frame fitment for longer periods of time shooting high velocity ammo ??? Can't turn around without someone offering the newest wonder bullet that's rated +p ++p++PP :smt082

If all you practice with is weak target loads ........... well then I am with Baldy
" I don't see much advantage"

I am curious ...... since we have a real live buffer failure ........ how many rounds had been fired before failure? What type of guide rod was in use at the time?? How often was the weapon field stripped before failure ?? All of these facts are extremely important and can hep all of us make a decision on how safe [ or not] these buffers truly are. I think what Milquetoast's point was--is that buffers are dangerous no matter what...........or he would have pointed out the extenuating circumstances.

I have shot thousands of rounds using the buffer system with my GSR 1911 - without the slightest evidence that the buffer was about to fail [ as I said before, replacement at every 500 rds ]. I do bet my life on my 1911 GSR as my primary CCW weapon. Buffers, Full length Tungsten Guide rod and extended slide release ........ I just can't seem to follow the Golden Rules :smt023

Buffers are like a slice of life .......... Nothing is Black or White - there is always some small "gray" area complicating things! Bottom line is to use what you feel safe with ........ its not that important if the weapon wears a little faster.

JF.


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## scooter (May 9, 2006)

Ive had 1911's for about 25 years now and NEVER had ANY frame to slide damage simply because I replaced the """RECOIL""" spring when it started getting weak, THAT is half its JOB,to dampen the slide motion and therefore recoil (the other half is to chamber the next round by pushing the slide back forward).Shock buffs are a totally unneccessary added expense and do NOTHING that replacing your recoil spring at decent intervals wont do.
JMB was a VERY smart guy! Notice there are NO shock buffs in his original design. I wonder why........hmmm.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

*Buffers= No Advantage....*

+1 With Scooter. One thing to think about is why do you need p++ or ++p ammo as the .45 caliber is a proven man stopper. I'll tell you why, because the ammo companys have sold you a bill of goods you don't have to have. They're out to make money anyway they can. They got people paying $1.00 a shot for some of that stuff. If you want to shoot through something get a .357,.44mag or a 10mm. A COM shot with a standard .45 will back up the biggest crazy there is and a follow up will put him down I'll bet my life on it. I see no reason to change a proven design. About all were doing is making the ammo company richer and Wilson too.:nutkick:


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Shipwreck said:


> While I KNOW U will get some people that will post after me, stating that U don't need them. I suppose if I had a aluminum framed 1911, I'd use them too - assuming the gun functions fine with one installed.


See, I predicted this above - because this discussion on every forum turns into this everytime.

Basically, do what U want to do :smt023


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## scooter (May 9, 2006)

Shipwreck said:


> See, I predicted this above - because this discussion on every forum turns into this everytime.
> 
> Basically, do what U want to do :smt023


If someone tells you your toyota(whatever) runs better on diesel than on gas are you going to try it?? Toyota(whatever) built it to run on gas and diesel will screw it up,Sooner rather than later. The 1911 was designed w/o shock buffs and sooner or later...........
Another case of not so common "common sense".


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

scooter said:


> If someone tells you your toyota(whatever) runs better on diesel than on gas are you going to try it?? Toyota(whatever) built it to run on gas and diesel will screw it up,Sooner rather than later. The 1911 was designed w/o shock buffs and sooner or later...........
> Another case of not so common "common sense".


Not the same thing - running the wrong fuel will destroy the car - this isn't even in the same league - U are using a bad analogy.

I used shok buffs for about 5 years - never a problem w/ them.

I'll bet that U are one of the nay sayers who gets their blood pressure worked up by the thought of someone LIKING a full length guide rod in their 1911 :smt082 :smt082 :smt082 :smt082 :smt082


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## scooter (May 9, 2006)

Shipwreck said:


> Not the same thing - running the wrong fuel will destroy the car - this isn't even in the same league - U are using a bad analogy.
> 
> I used shok buffs for about 5 years - never a problem w/ them.
> 
> I'll bet that U are one of the nay sayers who gets their blood pressure worked up by the thought of someone LIKING a full length guide rod in their 1911 :smt082 :smt082 :smt082 :smt082 :smt082


Nope , yer wrong, Ive got a FLGR in my commander ONLY because I think it looks better, it doesnt help or hurt the guns functioning,but shock buffs CAN if the pistol has tight tolerance stacking to begin with, there just isnt enough room for the thing and PARTS BIND (as in the case where the guy said the slide didnt want to retract at first.....duh, no room means binding.
If someone wants to use them I say go for it , odds are your gun wont jam when you need it most.

Maybe


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

I guess I got U mixed up w/ 2400. He's the FLGR hater


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