Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

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RamblinMan
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Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by RamblinMan »

I dropped my RRA buffer tube for my coming build into my CTR stock to check the function of the friction lock. It is pretty loose with the lock engaged. Is there a tube with which others have had more success with the CTR friction lock?
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by jdj »

Mil spec or commercial buffer tube? their are two sizes. If you are running a commercial CTR on a mil-spec buffer tube it may be loose.

See mid-way down the page in this thread:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/show ... p?t=153618
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by RamblinMan »

Both commercial. I knew of the difference. Thank you though. This combo, however, is still loose.

Is there anything that works better?
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by RamblinMan »

Nobody? Really? All I am looking for is somebody that has had good luck with the friction lock to tell me where they got their tube.
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by wakerider017 »

RamblinMan wrote:Nobody? Really? All I am looking for is somebody that has had good luck with the friction lock to tell me where they got their tube.
Sorry, I only run Milspec and don't have this problem with my CTR.
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by imyomama »

i run the commercial on 3 of my ar's and none of them are loose when you lock them.. sorry, you may just have had a fluke on your tube ..
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RamblinMan
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by RamblinMan »

imyomama wrote:i run the commercial on 3 of my ar's and none of them are loose when you lock them.. sorry, you may just have had a fluke on your tube ..
Well, yeah! So I am planning to get a replacement tube, and asking if anyone has a good (for their CTR) one that they would tell me who makes it.

That is the purpose of my question.
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by Walker Precision »

I ran one on a CMT tube for a while. No issues with that setup.
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by Ben B. »

The RRA commercial buffer tubes appear undersized in some dimension compared to the rest of the commercial tubes. My Magpul MOE handguards also fit too loose in the RRA, and I returned the handguards to MagPul, who cheerfully accepted and refunded. I stuck it out for a while with the loose fit of the CTR on the buffer tube.

Last night I took my RRA buffer tube off and replaced it with a $30 one from Midway (Advanced Technology Receiver Extension Buffer Tube 6-Position Commercial Diameter AR-15 Carbine Aluminum Black), and it is markedly improved. I can now wiggle it by hand a few thou when locked down, but no wiggle at all when shouldered. The RRA tube and CTR wiggled noticeably when locked, and was definitely noticeable when shouldered. I am happy I spent the $30.

I now wish I'd spent an extra $400 for a better rifle, though.
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by RamblinMan »

Good to hear, Ben. I am just using a few RRA parts: receiver end plate, stock nut, takedown and pivot pins, 9mm mag, and 9mm bolt. I found the same thing with the RRA tube. At a gun show a couple weeks ago, I picked up a new commercial spec tube from Model1Sales which locks up really well with my CTR. The new tube was extremely tight threading it into my receiver, to the point where I barely got it in far enough, so maybe the whole tube is slightly over spec. Fine by me.

I have a little bit of a disrespect for Rock River now. The cut edge of the pivot pin does not sit parallel to the receiver, so I feel their parts are not kept very well in spec when you put that together with the trouble with the tube. Also, the tube arrived with a long shiny deep scratch in the side. I sent them an email a while back when I got these parts, and have not heard a peep. Add that all up, and you get an unlikely return customer.

On the other hand, Model1Sales tends to have good stuff, even though their website keeps you guessing as to whether something they have is made by them or some other random company. They do not tell you how much they are charging you for shipping until it ships, though, and the one time I mail ordered from them, I got raped on shipping. Now I just catch them at the gun shows.
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by rob_s »

RamblinMan wrote:Nobody? Really? All I am looking for is somebody that has had good luck with the friction lock to tell me where they got their COMMERCIAL tube.
Fixed it for you. I think this is why you aren't getting a good response. Very few people, especially on a board like this where a lot of people build their own, are going to use a commercial tube.
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by RamblinMan »

Understood, but a little late. We now have three good solutions and a pretty good understanding of what the problem was.
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by Ryo »

I like LMT tubes.. and it doesn't feel loose to me..

Edit: Sorry, didn't read closely.. I was talking about MilSpec tube.

Why not just sell your tube and stock as a set and buy a good milspec one?
Last edited by Ryo on Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:55 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by jmacken37 »

My 416's came with commercial tubes and the CTR is a little loose. Doesn't bother me, too much.

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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by 90mph »

Very few people, especially on a board like this where a lot of people build their own, are going to use a commercial tube.[/quote]

Why is this? What's the advantage of a Milspec tube? Why do we have two specs anyway?
Sorry for hijacking the post.
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by lostwasthechild »

I'm of the opinion that there are more numbers in quantity(not options from manufacturers) of milspec stocks/tubes around for sale then the commercial. I personally always use Milspec, that way I consistantly have the same size. This helps if I buy two different types(ie a CTR and an ACS) so I can decide which type I want for a particular rifle. I suppose the same can be done for commercial, I just went milspec when I started building rifles.

There are 2 specs for what I can only assume is to increase overall sales.

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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by jt526 »

90mph wrote:Very few people, especially on a board like this where a lot of people build their own, are going to use a commercial tube.
Why is this? What's the advantage of a Milspec tube? Why do we have two specs anyway?
Sorry for hijacking the post.[/quote]
The two specs is because it was cheaper to make commercial tubes back in the day, so as a cost cutting measure you got two different version out there.

The.mil uses rolled threads. they are stronger because no metal is removed. The metal is displaced to make the threads, which makes the threaded diameter larger than the non threaded diameter. Thats why the rest of the tube is a smaller diameter than the commercial tubes. The commercial tube production method of cutting the threads from a slightly larger diameter tube is cheaper, hence its use on those intended for the civilian market.
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Re: Good Buffer Tube for Magpul CTR Friction Lock

Post by Ben B. »

jt526 wrote:...The.mil uses rolled threads. they are stronger because no metal is removed. The metal is displaced to make the threads, which makes the threaded diameter larger than the non threaded diameter. Thats why the rest of the tube is a smaller diameter than the commercial tubes....
I did not know that. Cool info.


This Bolt mfg site says cut threads cost more to make than rolled threads, but they don't thread pipes.

http://www.portlandbolt.com/faqs/rolled ... eads-bolts
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