Jones Arms has released an affordable little accessory designed to mitigate the felt recoil, vibrations and shocks in AR-15/AR-10 pattern rifles. This new product is called Energy Absorbing Bumper (EAB). It is a polymer tip of a unique construction that simply replaces the standard polymer tip on AR-15 buffers.

Presumably, the bellows-shaped polymer tip squashes a little bit when the buffer impacts the rear of the receiver extension/buffer tube thus dampening the effects of the impact. The EAB is made of industrial-grade polyurethane and it has been tested for 4-5 months now with good results. I contacted the company to learn more about the features and advantages provided by this accessory and here is what Kevin Jones, Sales and Marketing Manager of Jones Arms, told me.

Our intent with the EAB was to bring a cost effective upgrade to existing buffers for AR owners. We knew that there was a way to reduce the shock/vibration when the buffer struck the back of the buffer tube. The simple change allowed for easy installation and no moving parts. It can easily be adapted into any fleet of firearms for an individual or a department. The overall length is still the same and there is no change in the tuning of the firearm. If there is an existing firearm with a standard buffer it can be attached just be removing the “tip” and replacing it with the EAB.

While there is some recoil reduction, the real improvement that the EAB makes is reduction in movement your firearm makes. For prolonged shooting whether it be Law Enforcement or Competitive shooting it also reduces fatigue. The difference you feel is very noticeable when you are looking through a red dot or optic. The “dot bounce” is greatly reduced. I personally use the EAB on my 9mm heavy buffer for my PCC. I have broken many “recoil systems” with my PCC. We wanted to reduce that dot bounce but knew that a system with a lot of moving parts tended to fail. While there has been extensive testing performed with the EAB, if they do wear out (which we haven’t seen yet) it is easily replaceable and affordable.

The EAB polymer tip is listed on Jones Arms website at an MSRP of $14. On their website, you can also find buffers assembled with the EAB with price tags ranging from $26 to $60 depending on the buffer type and weight.

Images by Jones Arms