Linear compensators — How they work and their advantages vs. Brakes

March 13, 2022. In this video, Brownells Gun Tech Caleb Savant discusses linear compensators, also known as “blast diffusers” and “linear blast devices”. These compensators are not a sound suppressor and are very different from the typical muzzle brake. A linear compensator directs muzzle blast forward, away from the shooter, unlike a traditional muzzle brake. This is good for the shooter as well as the people around him, whether they are at the range, in a CQB law enforcement situation or military situation. A “Linear Compensator”, also known by “blast diffuser”, looks similar to a muzzle brake. It works in a different way. A muzzle brake can shoot out the side and can be quite annoying for anyone positioned near it. The Linear Compensator direct blast force is more forward by contract. This reduces perceived recoil and doesn’t send hot gases left and right to nearby shooters and observers. The muzzle brake output can sometimes be quite annoying. The Editor was once shooting right next to a.338 Lapua Magnum with its brake, only a few feet away. Each.338 LM shot made me feel heat in my arms/hands, and the bones in my forearm vibrate. Attachment Methods — Direct Thread Mounting vs. Quick-Attach Mounting
As the popularity of SBRs and AR-15 pistols has increased, linear compensators have become more popular. Some linear compensators, such as the popular Troy Claymore and Midwest Industries models, attach directly to your muzzle just like a traditional flashhider or muzzle brake. Other Linear Compensators, which are slip-on, quick attachment components that mount OVER another muzzle device, are also available. The VG6 Precision CAGE Device, which is a Concussion Altering Gas Expansion, attaches directly to a standard muzzle device. A majority of companies that make sound suppressors also offer a linear compensator. This attaches to your muzzle in the same way as the silencer. Video by Boyd Allen. We welcome submissions from readers.