Recoil buffer?
 

Do these affect reliability, accuracy or function?

I acquired a 1911 someone and it had a recoil buffer. I took it out since I don't use 1911s with them.

Yes,
Yes,
Yes.

Yes, yes, yes -
In a good way or a not-so-good way?

Reliability can suffer.
Accuracy can be effected.
Function can suffer.

All negatively.......IMO

I would not use one on a carry gun.
On a range gun it would not be a serious problem and as long as the gun functioned properly it would be ok.
I have never had the need for one and I feel that the gun was designed to function without a buffer.

You must not use a buffer. John M. didn't design the 1911 to use one. It is sacrilege. You must not use a buffer. :whistling:

The first commercially available (1911) shock buffs that I saw appeared in the early 80s, along with "Heavy Duty" springs.

"What's it for?" I asked, as I am wont to do.

"To prevent the destruction of the frame."

*cough*

"LOLwut?"

Because 90% of what we recognize as recoil...muzzle flip...occurs when the slide impacts the frame, the neoprene buffer does have a small effect on that, but nothin' that I could really hang my hat on in a back-to-back comparison. As far as "Frame Damage" goes, it's snake oil. The slide doesn't hit the frame all that hard, and the abutments are designed to absorb that.

Marketing 101:

First, convince the customer that he needs it...and then sell it to him.

How is accuracy affected?

Doesnt Bill Wilson put them in his custom 1911's?

In theory 'normal' 230gr ball and other non-+P loads shouldn't even cause metal on metal contact.

I've used them in Officer's length guns, but never in 5" guns. Don't see any value in the regular sized guns.

Oh, but they do. That's where most of the muzzle flip comes from.

you could of shot the pistol with it before you took it out and have your own conclusion.

name one pistol that shows this theory.

correct recoil spring rate for the loads that your are shooting trumps any recoil reducing gadgets on the market.

Unless you shoot a wide variety of loads. My daughter likes to shoot softer target loads while I prefer hotter defense loads. The buffer is just extra insurance that no long term damage will occur. Especially when shooting the railed guns, that have sharp edges (stress risers)

I wouldnt use them in a defense weapon though.

A good many IDPA/USPSA shooters run springs as light as 10-12 pounds with tens of thousands of major power rounds fired annually. One local guy runs a 12-pound spring, and he installs a new one whenever he starts noticing sluggish return to battery. Last time I talked to him, he said his spring was probably due for a change, since it had logged close to 90,000 rounds. It looked rough, but it worked.

The slide just doesn't hit the frame all that hard, and everybody worries too much about the frame. It's the slide that catches all the hell. The slide and barrel assembly is the "gun." The frame is essentially the gun mount.

Thanks for the great feedback, much appreciated

My TGO1 came with a buffer, and it has never caused a problem. I trust the TGO as much as any handgun I've owned.