Know Your Muzzle Attachments

A lot of new gun owners often don’t fully understand the attachment at the end of their barrel and what it can and can’t do. Aside from a sound suppressor (which most everyone can recognize), a lot of these devices look pretty similar and can be hard to tell apart.

From muzzle brakes, to compensators to flash hiders, attachments all serve different functions (with some potential crossover) and your shooting experience can be negatively affected if you’re not utilizing the right one for your weapon. Like most things, there will always be some debate as to the pros and cons of various attachments. Some purists hate the whole concept and the added barrel length, while others simply prefer the aesthetic – that it ‘looks cool’.

Depending on what and how you’re shooting, your needs will absolutely vary. Certain gun models and situations can definitely benefit from the additional gas control and others not so much. Function and experience will usually dictate what’s more important. The specific needs of hunting vs. tactical vs. competition vs. range vs. home defense will have a direct effect on your preferences and how you shoot.

As we know, the primary purpose of these attachments is to redirect the escaping ignition-energy gas at the end of the barrel. In doing so, they can help to reduce felt recoil, improve accuracy by minimizing muzzle climb, and in the case of flash hiders, keep your vision focused in certain conditions.

The trick is to figure out what you need and why.

Muzzle Brakes

For every action, there will always be an opposite and equal reaction. So as the energy created from the ignition of your ammo pushes the projectile forward, it is also pushing the weapon back toward you – i.e. recoil. The primary function of a muzzle brake is therefore to redirect the escaping gases in a direction that helps to offset this and to lessen the felt recoil. This is especially helpful when firing large caliber weapons. The gas is forced through vents on the attachment, with a variety of configurations being available. It can either come out at 90 degrees to the barrel, or in some cases, angled back at around 45 degrees to actually pull the weapon forward.

Do brakes improve accuracy? Let’s just say that that they do not negatively affect accuracy. They are really designed for making it easier on the shooter to fire the weapon and that, in and of itself, can help reduce fatigue, flinching and potentially help you re-acquire your target.

There are a couple of downsides to using muzzle brakes. From a safety standpoint – with hot gases being re-directed to the sides, you have to be careful as to what or who may be beside you. Secondly, these things are LOUD. Brakes do absolutely nothing to suppress sound and can actually amplify the shot noise. Good hearing protection is a must when using them.

Compensators

As high-velocity, escaping gas tends to push your barrel up, this very literally named attachment compensates by directing gas in a way that helps to keep the barrel down. A quick way to visually identify a compensator vs. a muzzle brake would be in the absence of vents or holes on the bottom, which would obviously drive the barrel up (the opposite of what you want). The issue with having your barrel rise with every shot, is that it can take time to re-aquire your target for subsequent shots and this can also affect accuracy. The movement often isn’t substantial, but it can be enough to make a difference, especially for competition shooters and hunters.

Like a muzzle brake, compensators will also help to minimize recoil, but that’s really a secondary function. These devices tend to be a good choice for calibers that don’t have as much kick. They aren’t recommended for low-light shooting either, as the muzzle flash will be directed into the shooter’s field of vision and can cause brief night blindness. Like a muzzle brake, they also tend to do nothing to mitigate noise.

 Flash Hiders

As the name would suggest, a flash hider helps to minimize the visible fire ‘flash’ at the end of your barrel. This is important for low-light shooting where you don’t want your vision affected, or in cases where you’d rather not make your position too obvious to anyone else. These devices work by introducing cooler, ambient air into the flow of the hot ignition gas from various angles, allowing it to dissipate faster and keep the flash to a minimum. There are also other cone-type models available. It should be noted that we’re only talking about what the naked eye can see as far as the flash goes – infrared scopes can still detect the heat signature. They also have very little effect during bright daylight. Flash hiders can also have some positive effect on recoil and muzzle rise, but that’s not the primary function.

 The bottom-line is that your shooting needs are really going to dictate the type of muzzle attachment that’s best for you. There are lots available. You could even settle on a hybrid, cross-functional model that gives you a little bit of everything if that works. I find it’s always best to speak with an expert who REALLY understands this stuff inside and out. You’ll also want to make sure that whatever you do buy is legal to use in your area, as there are restrictions on certain types.

See this website for a wide range of muzzle attachment options