My Surefire muzzle break is just too darn loud...

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BuckRio

BuckRio

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My first and only AR-15 is really loud for a .223, something I attribute to the Surefire muzzle break. It is unpleasant for anybody close to me at the range, and leaves me with ringing ears after a couple hundred rounds.

Is there any down side to removing it an replacing with a birdcage flash hider, other than slightly more recoil? It has a heavy 20" bbl, so it isn't that close to my head even. thanks
 
Almost all effective muzzle brakes are annoying to be next to. It's part of what they do. In order to reduce recoil and muzzle climb they redirect gas leaving the muzzle upwards or towards the side. This redirected gas is what causes the extra noise. In some cases, you even get happy fun time gas slapping.

What ever you do, do not be next to a M-82 muzzle.

Taking it off and putting a flash hider on won't have much effect unless you do FA fire. It is a .223 after all, not much recoil any way.
 
The original plan was to use for rodents, hence the heavy barrel. The break was to keep on target to spot misses. I don't think at this point anybody would spot for me in the same vicinity.

Isn't M82 a .50 cal? I can imagine what that would be like.

For comparison, I was too close to a M198 that knocked me senseless for a while, but that is firing a 90 lb. shell.
 
I've never noticed muzzle blast from brakes much from behind the rifle. Standing behind, or to the side yes. With proper hearing protection you should be good to go.

The one exception I've noted are 30 cal bullpup rifles with a brake, that's a lot of noise up close.
 
I shoot bird cage flash hiders on both my 16" and 20" AR's and I can see the hits and misses with both. It's close to zero recoil, standing or off the bench.
 
I detest muzzle breaks - it seems one always shows up at the range on the position next to mine. That said..

Is a MB really needed on a 223? If you are using optics, won't you be able to spot hits that way?
 
david58 said:
I detest muzzle breaks - it seems one always shows up at the range on the position next to mine. That said..

Is a MB really needed on a 223?
Click to expand...



I agree. Seems like whenever I get sent to the rifle/pistol bay at the indoor range somebody one or two lanes over either way is shooting an AR with a brake.

Being next lane over from a wimpy .223 is enough to feel pressure in my head and is fairly distracting. .308 or the like with a brake and I can't even be in the bay next to, I step back and wait for them to finish shooting.

Of course this is indoors. Outdoors it's not an issue for me.
 
I only have them on my 3 gun rifles and my 50 BMG and use custom fit ear plugs made by my ENT Doctor. If I am RO, I also put muffs over them.
 
I prefer flash hiders over brakes. Especially on my SBR. Way too much blast.

Maybe try the surefire warden if it fits with your surefire brake...directs gas forward during practice.
 
bird cages are obnoxious too, but not loud enough for ear ringing, if you use plugs.
 
Many would recommend a linear compensator. Basically it has no, zero, nada side ports, and directs the gas blast completely forward away from the shooter. It can and does make a difference in sound volume at the shooter's ear that is measurable - since it doesn't allow any of the gas to be directed to the side.

Levang, Covert, STD, and others are available. They are often used on AR15 pistols - which are plenty loud in their own right - and why many of us recommend them.

SIde ported muzzle brakes? Extremely obnoxious, pricey, and mostly for the competition crowd.
 
The ear ringing was from standing slightly to the side and behind, coaching a 14 year old girl how to shoot...i.e. breath control, trigger pull, cheek weld etc. If I am driving, I don't seem have any problem when wearing muffs. I don't know if you can see the picture, but most of the gas comes out the side. All of the talking heads were saying good things about it before I purchased. I may just get a suppressor for field work...this rifle is easily accurate enough for woodchucks and P. Dogs. My shooting partners will surely appreciate it.


ds
 
The ear ringing was from standing slightly to the side and behind, coaching a 14 year old girl how to shoot...i.e. breath control, trigger pressure etc. If I am driving, I don't seem have any problem when wearing muffs. I do have a Nikon Monarch 4-16 mounted, but when it is dialed up I can't spot misses if the range is > 100 yds.
 
Personally I never understood the point of a muzzle break on an AR. They don't recoil enough to warrant one. It's 223 or 556. I'd be more inclined to put a Noveske Flaming Pig Flash Hider on, as they are meant to direct the blast forward, downrange.

Standing to the side of my 460 magnum is pretty irritating when someone else is shooting it. The concussion is surprising for a handgun.
 
Tirod said:
Many would recommend a linear compensator. Basically it has no, zero, nada side ports, and directs the gas blast completely forward away from the shooter. It can and does make a difference in sound volume at the shooter's ear that is measurable - since it doesn't allow any of the gas to be directed to the side.

Levang, Covert, STD, and others are available. They are often used on AR15 pistols - which are plenty loud in their own right - and why many of us recommend them.

SIde ported muzzle brakes? Extremely obnoxious, pricey, and mostly for the competition crowd.
Click to expand...

Muzzle brake on 5.56 carbines or rifles are totally unnecessary IMHO unless you are chasing that last quarter second on a competition stage. My Bushmaster Varminter has nothing on the muzzle yet is stable enough to see hits without problem...and isn't too loud for shooter or others on the line.

Now...the KT PLR-16...that's another animal altogether! I tried the factory two-port brake on it and found it actually TOO strong as it would depress the muzzle when firing which is weird forcing one to bring the muzzle back up rather than down. The thing that really forced me to remove it was the tendency of the blast coming back at the shooter to ring ears almost as bad as the AR-50...and it actually blew up a red-dot with less than 10 shots. Went to a Levang Linear comp and man...that thing is sweet.:) If you absolutely need a comp of some sort, the linear type work very nicely.
 
Where were you guys when I was asking about Compensators before I purchased :(
I was under the impression that spotting misses was almost impossible to do without some for of muzzle break...
Probably took advice from someone who doesn't even shoot. I am going to check out just getting a thread protector for now. Possibly a suppressor for the future.
 
The break on my Ruger GSR makes it a pleasure to shoot. Sorry to those on the right or left of me. Price of doing business. I wouldn't put one on an AR.
 
The military uses standard bird cage flash suppressors and they work fine. MB's like yours, the Miculek models, and the Bushmaster AK 74 knock-off are best for activities like 3 gun.
 
I dont like a brake on any rifle that does not need one. BUT sometimes brakes are more than just brakes... Not sure what surefire unit the OP is using, but my 223 rifles all use a surefire brake that serves as the anchor/mount for the fast attach suppressor. Ditto on a few 308 and 260 cal barrels that use a similar set up.

If you are not going in that direction, then any old flash hider will do just fine! Heck, plain old thread protector will do the job and not add any more length to the rifle.
 
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