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Hard Cast Buffer Weights
With the recent increase in the cost of tungsten, heavy-weight buffers have become unaffordable for many shooters.
Hard cast lead alloy (90/6/4) is 50% heavier than steel, but less than a 10th of the cost of tungsten.
Variety of Size/Weight
MSRx casts buffer weights in four sizes; 1x (same size as a typical steel weight), 1.5x, 2x and 3x lengths. It costs less per ounce to pour longer weights, and with no data to indicate that multiple smaller weights (and spacer pads) offer any advantage over a larger weight regarding "dead blow effect", when maximum mass is desired - the spacer pads are expendable.
A carbine buffer stack of three steel weights, shown on the far right, for scale. Mix and match 1x hard cast with steel, tungsten and/or aluminum for fine tuning.
Symmetry vs Asymmetry
Without any data indicating any advantage of quantity of units vs size/weight of units, it makes sense to eliminate as much dead space as possible (such as rubber spacer pads). The cost per ounce is also reduced with the longer hard cast buffer weights, as opposed to typical 1x lengths. It doesn't take much more time to pour a 2x or 3x buffer weight than a 1x, so the main difference is in the material cost. A lone 3x will fill an H1 buffer for a lot less than the cost of three 1x weights, and you gain a little extra mass due to the reduction of the rubber spacer pads.
If your AR-15 rifle buffer has an aluminum filler, as shown, you can add even more weight. Some rifle buffers are not bored full length. Further tune buffer weight by swapping steel or tungsten with hard cast 1x weights.
B.Y.O.B.
The MSRx online store maintains an inventory of various buffer weights; hard cast, tungsten, steel; so you can mix and match to achieve your desired "sliding" buffer weight, as well as pre-measured quantities of both lead and tungsten shot for building loose fill dead blow buffers.
Steel buffer weight vs hard cast; 1x, 2x and 3x.
The typical steel buffer weight tips the scale at about .65 ounces.
A single hard cast buffer weight is about 50% heavier than steel, at an average .95 ounces.
Our 2x hard cast buffer weight has the mass of 2 single buffer weights, but it gains a bit more with the elimination of the spacer pad.
The 3x hard cast buffer weight incorporates the total of three single weights and, like the 2x, it gains a little extra mass as the spacer pads are replaced.
Examples of carbine buffer weight stacks, including various combinations of hard cast weights.
The standard AR-15 carbine buffer, with three steel buffer weights, comes in at a hair under 3 oz. Increasing to the H1 typically requires swapping in a tungsten weight.
A similar stack of three buffer weights, but with hard cast alloy instead of steel, will get you to the H1 level, yet at a small fraction of the cost of tungsten.
A 1.5x+1.5x stack will net another tenth of an ounce, give or take, due to the replacement of one of the rubber spacer pads with hard cast alloy.
If maximum mass is the top priority, the 3x length buffer weight may just be the ticket with it's full length hard cast alloy from tip to tail.