Mil spec vs commercial buffer tube

[BE46ST]

Hey guys just bought a B5 Sopmod stock made to fit milspec buffer tubes. I was under the impression my buffer tube was milspec but its too big to fit in the stock by very little. I can squeeze it in the stock a bit but it will not budge and I practically have to rip the stock off to get it off the buffer tube.

So I ask is my buffer tube commercial and I'm trying to fit it into a tighter fitting milspec stock? Or is the stock just made slightly off? I'm still pretty new to the AR scene so thanks for the help guys

 

[Spartan07]

You have a commercial diameter tube. Welcome to my world lately...lol

if you find a good deal on a milspec tube let me know...I need one to complete a project I'm working on...

 

[stephentylerr]

So here's a question. Does a person need to go mil spec or commercial? I know the difference but I feel like its a coin toss to see which one to get when building an AR. Any suggestions on which is better?

 

[BE46ST]

You have a commercial diameter tube. Welcome to my world lately...lol

if you find a good deal on a milspec tube let me know...I need one to complete a project I'm working on...

crap I was afraid that was the case. Guess I'm in the market for a new buffer tube. Will the spring and buffer from my commercial tube fit in a milspec tube or do I need to buy a whole new kit?

So just to clarify the commercial tube is a slightly larger diameter than the milspec?

 

[jburton3]

TRUPREP carries Buffer Tubes and Buffer assemblies. Where did you buy your sopmod?

 

[legendarym6]

The rear end of a commercial tube has a 5% slop and the mil-spec tube is flat.

 

[jburton3]

Also, along with being slight larger in diameter, the the commercial tube has a slightly rounded butt stock/adjustment guide.

 

[BE46ST]

see I saw that^ and my buffer tube is flat, which is why i thought I had the milspec. But my tube wont fit milspec stocks.

- - - Updated - - -

TRUPREP carries Buffer Tubes and Buffer assemblies. Where did you buy your sopmod?

brownells

 

[Clarke123]

I don't know who introduced the "commercial" buffer tube, but I know "why"!
Greed, pure and simple ... just like the "why" all cell phone chargers are different,
or "why" FN introduces new magazines with each new edition of the same pistol / rifle!

 

[Ken Ford]

I don't know who introduced the "commercial" buffer tube, but I know "why"!
Greed, pure and simple ... just like the "why" all cell phone chargers are different,
or "why" FN introduces new magazines with each new edition of the same pistol / rifle!

In most cases the tubes start life the same. But the Mil Spec are further machined to fit military specs. There are some different variations of commercial stocks, but all the mil spec should be the same.