- Alfred Mendoza
- February 23, 2022
Often, most shooters focus on the barrel or trigger of their AR-15 for accuracy. But if truth be told, the easiest way to enhance reliability and longevity is to get the right buffer and spring combination in your gun, and it is a critical piece to keep the whole system running smoothly. If you’re looking for the best buffer for 10.5 AR pistol, check out our list and the buying guide as a bonus.
- Two tungsten weights and one steel weight
- Aluminum exterior
- Fits AR-15 and M16 carbine buffer tubes
- Heavier weight reduces bolt bounce and recoil
- Smoother operation
- Less felt recoil
- Reduces wear and tear
- Stainless steel and nickel-plated construction
- Easy to install
- Works with many guns
- Unique fluted design
- Chemically bonded lubrication coating treatment
Table of Contents
Top 5 Buffers for 10.5 AR
1. Colt Carbine H2 Heavy Buffer
Aside from being used in 10.5 AR pistols, this buffer also fits AR-15/M16 Government Carbine and .223 buffer tubes, and with standard AR-15/M16 carbine buffer springs.
The buffer’s increased weight allows more reliable rifle functions with shorter gas systems, reduces bolt bounce in full-auto fire, and softens recoil.
EDITOR’S CHOICE
PROS
- Two tungsten weights and one steel weight
- Aluminum exterior
- Fits AR-15 and M16 carbine buffer tubes
- Heavier weight reduces bolt bounce and recoil
CONS
- Only works best with hot ammo
- Not designed for civilian spec
2. Brownells 308 AR Buffer
This 10.5 AR pistol buffer is marginally heavier than the absolute lightest AR-15 buffers.
Its added weight smoothes out the action and delivers slightly less felt recoil on just about any rifle.
It offers standard aluminum construction, a plastic end cap, and a brushed finish to protect your buffer tube if the buffer bottoms out.
PROS
- Smoother operation
- Less felt recoil
- Reduces wear and tear
- Stainless steel and nickel-plated construction
CONS
- Expensive
- Not universally compatible
3. Primary Weapons AR 308 Enhanced Buffer Carbine Black
This buffer weighs 4.4 oz and has a unique fluted design with minimum contact points that easily remove debris in a 10.5 AR pistol.
Its surface finish profile is also enhanced with a chemically bonded lubrication coating treatment that allows for smoother cycling.
PROS
- Easy to install
- Works with many guns
- Unique fluted design
- Chemically bonded lubrication coating treatment
CONS
- Black finish scratches easily
4. Heavy Buffers 308 AR CAR-10 Buffer
This buffer allows the use of any AR15 collapsing stock on Magpul, LMT, VLTOR, and Ace on your 10.5 AR pistol, SR25, LMT, LWRC, POF, or DPMS-pattern .308 rifle.
And there is no gunsmithing or modifications are required for this is strictly a ‘Drop-In’ part.
PROS
- Improves cycling
- Reduces wear
- Reduces felt recoil
- 303 stainless steel w/ a tungsten anti-bounce counterweight
CONS
- Not compatible with .223 ARs
5. Luth-AR-LLC AR-308 Carbine Buffer
This buffer fits standard AR-15 rifles with .308 caliber applications and won’t add any extra weight to your 10.5 AR pistol as it has a length of 2.485 inches and weighs 3.8 oz or 0.25 lbs only.
It also includes a buttstock extension tube, standard buttstock spring, and a buffer body assembly.
PROS
- Best Fit for .308 Caliber AR-10 Rifles
- Easy to Install
- High-quality for an affordable price
- Fits with most Luth-AR billeted lowers
CONS
- may affect cycling in AR-15/M16 rifles
Buying Guide
Buffer Material
Most of the market’s buffer tubes are made from high-quality materials like aluminum, Mil-Spec steel, and Stainless Steel. However, aluminum like 7075-T6, are among the popular choices because they are resistant to all kinds of damage and are also good at absorbing the shock associated with recoil and corrosion resistance.
Looking for reliable pistols? Check out this Glock 17 vs Glock 34 article here.
Length
Buffers have two main sizes – the rifle length and carbine length. However, please do note that these two sizes are not interchangeable. In general, Carbine length buffers are the ideal choice for most collapsible stocks with carbine buffer tubes that use either Mil-spec buffer tubes or aluminum steels.
Related Posts:
Spring Quality
Most rifle and carbine springs have precisely the same diameter but differ in spring lengths.
Standard carbine springs typically measure about 10.5 inches and have 37 to 39 coils.
To reduce your rifles’ noise when used in firing, choose a spring with a smoother surface or an exceptional finish to increase lubricity.
Buffer Weight
Buffers have various weight options that allow your rifle to extract and eject the spent casing, full cycle, and load a new round in the chamber. Heavier buffers move longer, slow down quicker and smoothen out the recoil of your AR rifles. It is essential to note that using too heavy buffers can cause the gun to short stroke. Keep this in mind when you’re looking for the best buffer for 10.5 AR pistol.
For micro-compact pistols, here’s our Shield and Sig P365 comparison.
Installation
Most standard buffer tubes are easy to install, so you don’t have to worry about not having gunsmithing skills at all. You only need the right tools and enough time to install a buffer tube properly. You may also opt for a video tutorial usually found on YouTube or an installation guide so you can follow along for easy installation.
Buffer Pricing
Ensure that even if you are on a tight budget, the quality is better than a typical cheap buffer tube.
Remember, going through the hassle of buying another set of cheap buffer tubes after it breaks down after a few uses are more painful than saving up for an expensive but with higher-quality one.
Compatibility
So, What’s the Best Buffer for a 10.5 AR Pistol?
Our choice for the best buffer for 10.5 AR Pistol is the Colt Carbine H2 Heavy Buffer because it has a reliable weight that allows flexible rifle functions with shorter gas systems. It also decreases the bolt bounce in full-auto fire. We are also impressed with its solid construction and easy installation.
If you’re on the lookout for high-quality ammo, check here for the best 458 SOCOM magazines.
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Our #1 Recommendation
Colt Carbine H2 Heavy Buffer
- High-quality aluminum exterior
- Softer recoil
- Reduces bolt bounce
- Fits AR-15 and M16 carbine buffer tubes
- 15 Best Gun Shops in Ohio (2022 Updated) - May 19, 2022
- 15 Best Gun Shops In California (2022 Updated) - May 19, 2022
- AR-15 Upper Assembly Guide (2022 UPDATED) Must-Read - April 1, 2022
