muzzle brake vs. buffer

What recoil?

In my experience the muzzle break will have a greater effect on felt recoil in general, but the buffer has a not insignificant effect as well.

What's the setup you've got? (Barrel length, gas system length, current muzzle device, current buffer weight, A1 or Carbine buffer tube? overall weight?)

If your stock is adjustable, make sure it's adjusted to fit her when she's shooting. Correct her grip on the rifle and position as necessary - some positions are more sensitive to improper weapon hold than others. It's much easier (in my opinion) to learn to shoot prone before moving to positions with less support.

Just my two cents - but software is more important than hardware - if the software isn't ready to take the programming, try a different program ... Maybe a .22LR AR15 upper, or a dedicated .22LR AR15 style rifle like the Mossberg 715 or the AR22?

The only thing a buffer adds is weight and, therefore, inertia. It passively absorbs recoil at the cost of adding additional weight to your rifle. A brake, on the other hand, actively reduces recoil by redirecting gasses and providing straight-line pull force to the muzzle. This also allows it to be fine-tuned to prevent twisting or other motions induced by the rifle's function. A brake will always be inherently superior to any passive recoil buffer.

A .223 rifle can sometimes have a slightly sharp recoil. That is something I have also noticed even with my Saiga .223 which is far from lightweight. It's not a heavy recoil, but it is sharp. That can be uncomfortable for some shooters. A brake will definitely help with this. Increasing the weight of the bullets used will also help.

chances are she is perceiving muzzle blast as recoil or possibly the bolt traveling a few mm under her face and the twang of the spring. A short 16" barrel blasts out so much unburnt powder it is louder than most full length centerfire rifles. the .223 does not kick much at all and a muzzle brake is going to keep the rifle level for the next shot more than any recoil reduction. FYI, the AR design is going to have multiple recoil events in the span of a fraction of a second: Bullet in motion , expanding gasses, hammer reset and bolt/buffer/spring in the extension.

Muzzle brake can greatly reduce recoil. A heavier buffer can smooth out recoil, but a heavy buffer will also effect your gas system. I have H or H2 buffers in all of my collipsable stocks. I prefer the tungsten powder filled buffers made by spikes.

I love a muzzle brake on my 3 gun AR, but not on my carbines. It really isn't needed for plinking or home defense and the noise is hard to deal with. I have a YHM brake on my SBR(pistol for now), but it will become a host for a YHM can some day. Shooting it is obnoxiously loud with a 10.5 barrel.

A muzzle brake will almost certainly be much louder. I shoot with a long range precision club and it's painful when I get stuck with guys using muzzle brakes on both sides.

both. the muzzle brake on my 3 gun AR is extremely loud. The brake on my 10.5 is obnoxiously loud.

lol, clear as mud.

also. Under the cover of the range, the brake sends the sound bouncing off the cover back into my face. I try not to shoot an AR with a brake under cover.

I never shoot without ear protection.

I was going to suggest buying a suppresser (totally jealous by the way) as it will both reduce recoil and muzzle blast. but you already did. congrats on getting your wife into shooting also!

There is another option. I have one of these on a
Bushmaster MOE .308. It makes quite a difference.
And you could always use a combo; buffer, brake,
and recoil reducing stock.
http://www.themakogroup.com/product_p/gl-shock.htm