Have you ever wondered about the thing at the end of a barrel that your 7.62 ammo passes through and what exactly it does? More importantly, is your current muzzle device right for your gun and your preferred shooting style? The type of muzzle device installed on your firearm matters, each with different purposes. Here’s a look at four common muzzle devices, along with their primary purposes and benefits, to help you decide if it’s worth picking one up for your firearm.
Flash Hiders
Flash hiders are one of the most common rifle muzzle devices. If you buy a full AR upper, it will likely come with a flash hider attached. As the name implies, the device is intended to hide a significant portion of visible muzzle flash from the shooter.
The A2 “Birdcage” is the classic flash hider, helping redirect the combustion gases so you can stay focused on the target. Because it redirects these gases, it can also reduce some felt recoil, although this isn’t the device’s primary function.
Muzzle Brakes
If reducing recoil is your primary goal, you want a muzzle brake. They started out on artillery weapons, then heavy anti-tank guns, and finally tanks before making the jump to rifles. A muzzle brake has a series of ports on the side of the muzzle device to redirect gases. The muzzle brake vents the gases to the sides, pressing the gun forward and creating an impulse that works against the rearward recoil of the gun.
You will often find muzzle brakes on larger calibers, like .338 Lapua, or on large guns like the Barrett .50 cal, as they can significantly reduce felt recoil. However, they also make the gun louder, and anyone standing to your side at the range will definitely feel the concussive blast with each shot.
Compensators
Muzzle brakes are often called compensators, which leads many to conflate the two. However, they are technically two different muzzle devices. While a muzzle brake vents gases to the side, a compensator directs the gas upward. Instead of reducing recoil, it reduces muzzle rise.
You can typically find compensators on 9mm handguns to help with the snapiness inherent in many handguns or AR-15s to help make follow-up shots faster during competitions. They are more common on semi-auto rifles than bolt-action or fully automatic rifles. These days, you’ll usually find these more often on handguns than rifles.
Suppressors
While suppressors are famous for making guns quieter, they do more than just reduce noise. The baffles that dampen the noise of a gunshot work to slow down and redirect gases. The flash is virtually contained inside the gun and suppressor, making it an effective flash hider.
Additionally, they add quite a bit of length to your firearm, which can be great for improving accuracy but can also make them more unwieldy. Plus, you need a tax stamp for them, which can take months to get, all while abiding by local and federal laws. They’re not for everyone, but if you’re willing to go through the lengthy process, you might enjoy adding a suppressor to your firearm.
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