Looking through my parts drawers, I find I have an unusual number and types of
10 22 buffers, from the transparent ones to one or two with a metal center., and maybe one from 1/4 inch Delrin/Nylon rod. How many rounds are the various kinds good for? Or doesn't it matter...change them whenever the mood strikes?
Happy Thanksgiving!
I made one from a 1/4" nylon bolt bought at the local hardware store. It's still holding up fine after several thousand rounds, and if/when it fails $.35 cents and a couple minutes with a hacksaw will create a new one. Lots of vendors sell them with a metal core or make them out of a sooper-dooper grade material, but it's all snake oil to me.
Got aftermarket "nylon" buffers like the homemade one dsk describes in all my 10/22s. Never wore one out. But the soft buffers do really quiet the action noise in suppressed 10/22s....
Honestly I can't stand shooting a 10/22 without a buffer. When wearing ear muffs the loud CLANK CLANK CLANK of the bolt hitting the OEM steel receiver pin each time is more pronounced than the sound of the gunfire itself. Ever since I "discovered" the bolt buffer trick I haven't shot a 10/22 without one.
I will call BS on the bolt pin not getting hit. I bought my 1st 10-22 in 1965. We did not know about buffers then. We found out when we started getting elongated holes. We tried a lot of things including tape and electrical insulation on the pin. Some even tried oak dowels. Someone came up with plastic rods and bolts which worked about the best. As plastics improved it got better. The bolt pin/buffer gets changed before I fire a shot on a new rifle. Right now I am trying the rubber with the steel pin. Might be a tad quieter but worth the cost? The nylon bolt works very well too.
I would differ in whether it makes zero difference shooting suppressed. I have 4 10/22s that are sometimes shot suppressed (the SBR is always shot suppressed). The difference is definitely NOT huge, but from the shooter's perspective, the mechanical noise from the action when shooting suppressed is definitely reduced after an aftermarket "soft" buffer is installed. I specifically shot all of mine suppressed before replacing the steel pin, and all had less mechanical noise from the action in the shooter's right ear after installing a nylon buffer. YMMV, but for me, while only a small change, it is detectable in all 4 of the rifles I have tried it on. Not a huge sample, but it sure is consistent.
I am not disagreeing with Flysalot. IF the bolt on a 10/22 is cycling properly with the proper guide rod spring, the bolt should not hit the stop pin. But that is a big IF when changing from one ammo to another. Isn't this part of the reason that different guide rod springs are offered from some manufacturers?
Although Ruger calls it a bolt stop pin they are referred to as "buffers" by companies that make aftermarket ones (Tuffer Buffer). When I had my very first 10/22 I installed an aftermarket nylon bolt stop pin/buffer and was amazed at how much "softer" shooting it felt. Of course back then I was running an OEM carbine and shooting mostly bulk HV ammo. Now I have Kidd guide rods & springs in every one of my 10/22 style rifles and shoot pretty much exclusively SV ammo. So I may not notice a difference wether running a steel OEM or aftermarket nylon, feeling, etc buffer. But because of how well that first one worked for me in my first 10/22 I now install aftermarket "buffers" in every single one of my 10/22 style rifles. For one I build most from parts so I have to buy one anyway. So for a few bucks I might as well go with a derlin one as opposed to an OEM steel. I've also never had one wear out on me. So unless your shooting a lot of HV ammo or shooting suppressed I would say it's just a matter of preference. I prefer a softer one and it is a very cheap part, or you can just make your own.
I have KIDD buffers in my 10/22s but others work as well.
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