Some compensators can even be tuned by the shooter in order to perfectly counteract the upward recoil impulse of a particular rifle and round combination. By directing combustion gases upwards, the rifle is effectively controlling for vertical recoil on its own, as well as minimizing horizontal recoil as well. When you’re trying to send many rounds downrange quickly and accurately, a compensator is really what you’re looking for in most cases. That’s why you see many pistol and rifle competition shooters utilizing compensators. This is especially beneficial under rapid semi-auto or fully automatic fire as it helps to keep the firearm on target and means less reticle movement. This keeps you from having to remove your brake in order to swap to a suppressor and allows you to quickly install or remove your suppressor with minimal tools.Ī compensator works very similarly to a muzzle brake, except that it redirects the escaping gases to help eliminate the upward recoil impulse, which we call muzzle rise or muzzle climb. Lastly, some muzzle brakes are externally threaded or cut for a quick-detach system so that you can quickly and easily mount a compatible suppressor (which we’ll discuss later) to the brake. That said, if you’re shooting in the open or by yourself, the reduction of felt recoil can definitely be worth it. You won’t make many friends in an indoor range or in the prone position on a group firing line with a muzzle brake as the people next to you will bear the brunt of that blast in terms of noise and concussive force. We’ll talk more about dealing with this later on and how a compensator might compare, but just be aware that a muzzle brake might improve recoil control, but all that energy still has to go somewhere. The downside of this more side blast, which can be very loud and even painful indoors. Less recoil allows for faster follow-up shots by the shooter, and even the hardiest and most experienced of shooters will appreciate less of a beating on their shoulder during long strings of fire or when firing a hefty round such as a magnum rifle cartridge or 3.5” shotshells.īrakes are intended primarily to redirect the muzzle blast and propellant gases to the side, which also helps to eliminate or at least dissipate some of the downward escaping gases. These days you can find them on a variety of firearms, including pistols, shotguns, and automatic weapons. 50 BMG and others that would otherwise be a bit rough on a shooter’s shoulder. Originally, these devices were most common on rifles firing large, heavy-hitting calibers like. These hot gasses are directed sideways and slightly to the rear to improve recoil reduction and decrease muzzle movement. We’ll start with what exactly a muzzle brake and compensator are, how they’re different, and how to choose, and then we’ll touch briefly on some other types of muzzle devices to consider before we wrap up.Ī muzzle brake is a device that is designed to be attached to the muzzle (barrel opening) of a firearm in order to redirect the expelled gasses when a round is fired. To help put this one to bed once and for all, we’re going to take a look at what makes these muzzle devices different and go over everything you need to know to decide which one belongs on your gun. One of the topics we see come up repeatedly on forums, and among firearms enthusiasts in general, is the difference between muzzle brakes and compensators (and flash hiders, to a lesser extent). Muzzle Brake vs Compensator: What’s the Difference?
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