Shok Buffs

If your gun eats the buffs quickly it's not difficult to take a small half round file and clean up the back of the slide where it hits the buff.

imho/fwiw:

Years back I purchased a couple Baers that had them installed.
Just for piece of mind, I installed new springs and tossed the springs in it w/ the shok buff out.

To each their own

I think I'm going to remove the shock absorbers from my truck cause I know they're just going to wear out and fall off. Really stupid idea to put them on there in the first place. What were they thinking?

drail said:

I think I'm going to remove the shock absorbers from my truck cause I know they're just going to wear out and fall off. Really stupid idea to put them on there in the first place. What were they thinking?

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I think I saw you bouncing down the interstate this morning...:rofl:

What on earth was JMB thinking not putting a shock buff in those old 1911s!?! Really stupid idea to leave them out

I always thought of them as a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

Wear and tear on the slide and frame wasn't Browning's problem, he didn't warrant the life of the gun. Heck, the early 1911s built to Govt. specs (not Browning's) didn't even use any heat treating at all. No one seemed concerned at all about how long they were going to last. For a solider in the field a sidearm was a last ditch tool only to be used if his rifle went down. That's pretty much still the view of the Dept. of Defense today. They cannot see why they should have to spend the time or money teaching soldiers how to shoot a sidearm. And they really don't.

erf7 said:

What on earth was JMB thinking not putting a shock buff in those old 1911s!?! Really stupid idea to leave them out

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Yeah, we should never strive to improve on anything designed over 100 years ago.

Shock-buffs have NO place in a 1911. They will fall apart or grenade and shut the pistol down.

They restrict the rearward travel of the slide and often cause failure to lock the slide open when the magazine is empty.

A better solution to prevent slide/frame battery is a Wolff recoil spring in the 17.5/18% range...solves the issue.

I'm hoping that someone here who has one they can spare, will send it to me for $2.00

shane45-1911 said:

Yeah, we should never strive to improve on anything designed over 100 years ago.

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I'm all for trying to improve things if there is a practical reason to do so, but like was mentioned before, to me they are a "solution" to a problem that never existed..

do they actually help with cushioning the abrupt impact of the action? Do they help if you shoot often and only use them on the range? I clean my weapon after every use and can easily take one out for CCW. I have to laugh at some of these posts - the 1911 fan is like the guy restoring an old caddy- those wrap around rubber grips didnt come with the OEM pistol way back when

redsox said:

do they actually help with cushioning the abrupt impact of the action? Do they help if you shoot often and only use them on the range? I clean my weapon after every use and can easily take one out for CCW. I have to laugh at some of these posts - the 1911 fan is like the guy restoring an old caddy- those wrap around rubber grips didnt come with the OEM pistol way back when

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This is actually an issue with function, rather than aesthetics. 1911's didn't come with extended thumb safety's, beavertails, magwells, front serrations, adj. sights/ fiber optic/red dot/whatever, but we all have them........proudly.

J.M.B. didn't design it that way = Sometimes you need to leave crap alone, it's fine the way it is....and your "solution" is usually more a "problem" than anything.

p.s. - Edit out front slide serrations and adjustable sights, apparently those are two biggest mistakes you can do to a 1911, because everyone hates them.

I don't use shock buffs but do use a small radius FPS. Not a smith or a 1911 expert but I think it does slow the slide rearward momentum. Also it is a part of the original design. IMO a better solution than a buff, don't have to worry about it failing.

When they break they will stop the pistol form my experience. I no longer use them.

VF-1 said:

If Les thought they we're a good idea, he would have shipped it with one.

Pitch it...

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He shipped my PII with one.

fireslayer said:

Anyone use a WC shok buff in there Baers? I put one in my PII the other day, but I haven't tried it out yet.

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Install a fresh recoil spring. That's the thing to do.

I also have a question about flat versus OEM recoil springs- I can only guess there are multiple threads on this too! but briefly whats the benefit of flat springs?

^ They last much longer.