Buffer Retainer Broke Through Buffer Tube

[carlson1]

I hardly have ever bought a brand new gun. After watching and looking at the DPSM G2 I decide to buy a Recon G2. It arrived two weeks ago. After a good cleaning and some lube I took it to the range today. I thought I would dial in my EOTECH. I did that pretty quick. The recoil is nice and easy. It is a lot smoother than the M1A I had been going to keep, but decided to sale.

Around about the 23-27 rounds I had a misfire. The round had a very light primer strike and I found that odd. I chambered another round and the same thing. I pulled the takedown and the buffer retainer flew out. I started looking at the buffer retainer and it is bent. I found the spring in the trigger assembly. As I looked closer you could see where the buffer retainer had broke through the buffer tube. New rifle less than 30 rounds. It was too late to get a hold of DPMS for warranty service so I will do that on Monday.

By the way when you call the warranty service for DPMS the voice mail is for Bushmaster. I did not know they were one in the same. I knew that Remington had bought in to DPMS.

Anyone ever have the buffer retainer break through the buffer tube before? By the way the ammo was was just PMC .308 factory loads.

[psijac]

I'll sell you my slightly used JP silent captured buffer spring. :-D

[The Annoyed Man]

I hardly have ever bought a brand new gun. After watching and looking at the DPSM G2 I decide to buy a Recon G2. It arrived two weeks ago. After a good cleaning and some lube I took it to the range today. I thought I would dial in my EOTECH. I did that pretty quick. The recoil is nice and easy. It is a lot smoother than the M1A I had been going to keep, but decided to sale.

Around about the 23-27 rounds I had a misfire. The round had a very light primer strike and I found that odd. I chambered another round and the same thing. I pulled the takedown and the buffer retainer flew out. I started looking at the buffer retainer and it is bent. I found the spring in the trigger assembly. As I looked closer you could see where the buffer retainer had broke through the buffer tube. New rifle less than 30 rounds. It was too late to get a hold of DPMS for warranty service so I will do that on Monday.

By the way when you call the warranty service for DPMS the voice mail is for Bushmaster. I did not know they were one in the same. I knew that Remington had bought in to DPMS.

Anyone ever have the buffer retainer break through the buffer tube before? By the way the ammo was was just PMC .308 factory loads.

It wasn't a DPMS, but my son and I once helped a guy at PCSC whose AR10 buffer busted out while shooting. He couldn't figure out why his gun wasn't cycling. The damage was repairable, but I don't remember the specifics of it. The AR10 I used to own - which C-dub bought from me - never had any issues with the buffer, even after firing some very hot handloads.....but that rifle is a carefully built custom job with very high end components.

[Bitter Clinger]

Ok, I'm not an AR guru but this strikes me as odd for the following reason: when the rifle is closed, I had understood that the buffer is meant to press against the rear of the bolt-carrier and not hit the pin.

Good point! Sounds like maybe the buffer tube was not fully retained to begin with?

[puma guy]

Sorry to hear about your rifle. Anyone familiar with Marlin Firearms knows the story of their purchase and rapid decline in quality after becoming part of Remington. Freedom Group owns Remington, Marlin, DPMS, Bushmaster, H&R, Barnes, Dakota and many more firearms related companies. Marlin employees were almost all let go as part of the takeover and the Remington factories were shipping trash disguised as Marlin firearms. Perhaps the same cost cutting and employee firings and overall corporate philosophy have taken the same toll on those companies as they did on Marlin. I stay away from any products under the umbrella of Freedom Group based on the Marlin travesty. I do hope the issue is resolved with your AR.

[Bitter Clinger]

I hardly have ever bought a brand new gun. After watching and looking at the DPSM G2 I decide to buy a Recon G2. It arrived two weeks ago. After a good cleaning and some lube I took it to the range today. I thought I would dial in my EOTECH. I did that pretty quick. The recoil is nice and easy. It is a lot smoother than the M1A I had been going to keep, but decided to sale.

Around about the 23-27 rounds I had a misfire. The round had a very light primer strike and I found that odd. I chambered another round and the same thing. I pulled the takedown and the buffer retainer flew out. I started looking at the buffer retainer and it is bent. I found the spring in the trigger assembly. As I looked closer you could see where the buffer retainer had broke through the buffer tube. New rifle less than 30 rounds. It was too late to get a hold of DPMS for warranty service so I will do that on Monday.

By the way when you call the warranty service for DPMS the voice mail is for Bushmaster. I did not know they were one in the same. I knew that Remington had bought in to DPMS.

Anyone ever have the buffer retainer break through the buffer tube before? By the way the ammo was was just PMC .308 factory loads.

Any chance you might be able to post a pic?

[carlson1]

Here are pictures as it sets. The more I look at it the more I think Andy may have a good point. It looks like the tube could have had one more twist in. This is factory so maybe this one they overlooked. I will try and get a photo of the bent buffer retainer.

[SigM4]

From the pictures I'd say that buffer tube needs one more turn to really capture the retainer. As it sits it had almost no lip for the retainer to be trapped under; probably the reason it broke it off. To Andy's point when the rifle is closed there should be nowhere for the retainer to go.

To others points i don't know if I'd be able to trust the replacement part that DPMS sends/uses to repair this.

[The Annoyed Man]

Here are pictures as it sets. The more I look at it the more I think Andy may have a good point. It looks like the tube could have had one more twist in. This is factory so maybe this one they overlooked. I will try and get a photo of the bent buffer retainer.

That's exactly the problem. You know, my son could have fixed this in about 5 minutes for you.

You can send it to the factory if you want, but it really isn't necessary. If you have the missing retaining parts, take the buttstock off of the buffer tube, loosen the castle nut a few turns, thread the buffer tube in another turn (or two, if necessary), replace the buffer retainer, tighten the castle nut back down and stake it, remount the buttstock.

End of problem. But The Annoyed Boy could fix it for you EASY.

[Bitter Clinger]

Here are pictures as it sets. The more I look at it the more I think Andy may have a good point. It looks like the tube could have had one more twist in. This is factory so maybe this one they overlooked. I will try and get a photo of the bent buffer retainer.

That's exactly the problem. You know, my son could have fixed this in about 5 minutes for you.

You can send it to the factory if you want, but it really isn't necessary. If you have the missing retaining parts, take the buttstock off of the buffer tube, loosen the castle nut a few turns, thread the buffer tube in another turn (or two, if necessary), replace the buffer retainer, tighten the castle nut back down and stake it, remount the buttstock.

What he said. The buffer tube should screw in all the way until it retains the spring pin. Stake the castle nut. So the buffer tube was not screwed in all the way and therefore the pin was not captured. But it did not "break thru" the buffer tube. There is an "on -purpose" recess there in order to catch the outer lip of the spring pin. Here is my S&W AR-10:

[carlson1]

Should I replace the buffer tube?

[Bitter Clinger]

Should I replace the buffer tube?

I don't think so unless there is some problem with it that caused an interference and therefore prohibited it from seating all the way to begin with. Try screwing it in and see if it retains the spring pin. Might just have been a manufacturing oversight. But if the spring pin (buffer retainer) is bent, you obviously will need to replace that. Pretty minor.

[carlson1]

Should I replace the buffer tube?

I don't think so unless there is some problem with it that caused an interference and therefore prohibited it from seating all the way to begin with. Try screwing it in and see if it retains the spring pin. Might just have been a manufacturing oversight. But if the spring pin (buffer retainer) is bent, you obviously will need to replace that. Pretty minor.

The buffer retainer definitely has to be replaced. It is bent so bad that it will not even fit in the hole anymore.

[The Annoyed Man]

Should I replace the buffer tube?

I don't think so unless there is some problem with it that caused an interference and therefore prohibited it from seating all the way to begin with. Try screwing it in and see if it retains the spring pin. Might just have been a manufacturing oversight. But if the spring pin (buffer retainer) is bent, you obviously will need to replace that. Pretty minor.

The buffer retainer definitely has to be replaced. It is bent so bad that it will not even fit in the hole anymore.

$0.98 at Brownells: http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/re ... 17559.aspx

If you need the spring, that's another $0.95 at Brownells: http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/re ... 17560.aspx