What are the AR style uppers that don’t require a buffer tube called? I know sig makes something that looks like a AR without a stock/buffer tube. I am also curious how they operate.

Posted by Cumminpwr11@reddit | Firearms | View on Reddit | 15 comments

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Diligent-Parfait-236@reddit

Bufferless, the recoil spring is just relocated.

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Forgive my lack of knowledge on more modern AR designs but where do gas piston uppers fit into the whole bufferless design? Do they go hand in hand or have any relation/common ground in terms of function? PSA Jackal fits into one of these categories or no? Aside from its side charging bolt it incorporates both principles I'm thinking?

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Agammamon@reddit

Gas piston is different part.

An AR is *technically* a piston-driven gun (its not direct-impingement) and a piston-upper just puts a physical piston and rod in the gas path - gas pushes on that pistonhead and the rod pushes on the BCG piston head.

The buffer is the back part that smooths the smacking of the BCG into its stops at the end of its travel and greatly smooths out the recoil impulse.

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Diligent-Parfait-236@reddit

Unrelated parts of the gun.

Jakl is both piston (long stroke, most are short stroke) and bufferless.

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Correct-Sail-9642@reddit

Oh yeah thinking about it now they are basically unrelated. not sure why I put the two together in my mind. Are there any clear downsides to running a bufferless design, do they manage recoil as well? I always found AR buffers to seem rather limiting in stock options and seemed like a weak point in the overall design compared to other fighting rifles. Not that I need a rifle I can use as a club or anything but I always pictured it more as a structural weak point impact wise.

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AngryOneEyedGod@reddit

also,, Extar.

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1Crusty_Old_Man@reddit

Are you sure about that?

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Gunsensual@reddit

Theres two kinds.

One kind shunts the buffer mechanism into the receiver, allowing the buffer tube to be blunted or removed. These are common in folding stock conversion kits.

Another kind is a complete conversion of the gas system from DI to gas piston which moves the equivalent parts of the buffer tube above the barrel with the gas tube (e.g. JAKL, BRN180, GROT). But these may still use a buffer tube for recoil management (e.g. HK416).

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Plenty-Ad-777@reddit

Bufferless uppers. Bear creek makes a few. I am looking forward to Mrs Claus getting me one for Christmas

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dubious455H013@reddit

Friends dont let friends buy BCA

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Plenty-Ad-777@reddit

I have 4 completed uppers of there's without any failures after break-in periods. I understand the whole master-race rifle position, however, I believe most of the time it must be user error.

Sure, I disassemble and reface the barrel joints and smooth out and polish the trigger... loctite the pins etc. But they are functional and reliable. I had more issues with the PSA rifle I purchased then the BCA.

And the 9mm conversion glock barrels are a dream at half the cost of other companies

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Cumminpwr11@reddit (OP)

Thank you for the information. I should have figured it was called something simple like that.

I am wanting to build pdw pistols and was thinking about a law tactical folding buffer but not being able to fire bothers me.

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