Vltor AR15 Carbine Buffer Tube
The Vltor RE-1 AR15 carbine buffer tube is a standard size mil-spec carbine buffer tube. It is 7" long on the inside and has 5 positions for stock adjustment. This is a very high quality buffer tube with consistent dimensions and a smooth internal finish which is why we selected it after trying many other brands. These work great for any AR15 with a collapsible stock and also work great with our 9mm hydraulic buffers for 9mm AR15 with a conventional blow-back system.
Made from the much stronger 7075 Aluminum with a mil-spec black hard coat anodized finish. Mil-Spec diameter for a tight fit with Mil-Spec sized stocks. These are some of the highest quality buffer tubes that we have found.
AR-15 and AR-10 buffer tubes are sometimes the same, but are not always the same. While they may appear similar, there are key differences between them. The AR-10 carbine buffer tube is 3/4" longer and than the AR-15 buffer tube. This is because the AR-10 framed guns are designed around a larger cartridge (.308/7.62mm NATO) resulting in a longer receiver and a longer bolt carrier. This longer bolt carrier and longer stroke of the bolt carrier to feed and eject the longer cartridge results in more room being needed in the buffer tube. So for carbine buffer tubes, if an AR15 length buffer tube is used, which is 7" on the inside, this requires a shorter 2.5" buffer on an AR10. If an AR-10 carbine tube is used, this allows for a 3.25" buffer to be used. Some AR-10 framed guns are made with AR15 carbine buffer tubes and some are made with AR10 carbine buffer tubes, which can be a bit confusing. The main thing to remember is that the length of the buffer tube is what changes the length of the buffer needed. It is important to use the correct buffer tube for your specific rifle platform to ensure proper function and reliability. If you use a 3.25" buffer in an AR10 with an AR15 carbine tube, it will short stroke the action and will not feed or eject properly. If you use a 2.5" buffer in an AR10 carbine tube, the gun will over-stroke (the carrier will travel too far) and the carrier could impact the rear of the lower receiver which could damage it.
Not all AR-15 buffer tubes are the same. There are two main types of AR-15 buffer tubes: mil-spec and commercial-spec. These two types differ slightly in their dimensions, primarily in the outer diameter of the tube and the threading. Mil-spec buffer tubes have a slightly smaller diameter (1.148 inches) and finer threads than commercial-spec buffer tubes, which have a diameter of 1.168 inches. Additionally, the rear end of a mil-spec buffer tube is flat, whereas a commercial-spec buffer tube has a slanted rear end. It is essential to know which type of buffer tube your AR-15 uses because buttstocks designed for one type will not properly fit the other. When purchasing a new buttstock or buffer tube, ensure that it is compatible with your specific AR-15 configuration. Mixing mil-spec and commercial-spec components can lead to a loose fit, instability, and potential damage to your rifle. Due to the broad popularity of the mil-spec sized buffer tubes and the now rare use of the commercial spec buffer tubes, we only carry mil-spec sized buffer tubes.
