Precision Armament M4-72 sever-duty compensator and D60 Pmag in slow motion.

[American180]

I picked up my select fire AR15 last week and had a chance to shoot it today. I first ran a few mags through the original upper that has a 3 prong flash hider. Then I installed a new flat top upper that I assembled with a precision Armament M4-72 sever-duty compensator. I picked this one because of some very good testing done on YouTube. Muzzle Test

It did a great job of controlling muzzle climb and recoil but I was surprised by how much blow back you feel on each side of you. It's not uncomfortable, it's just different, not what I was expecting. I don't care for the look of number 2 but the DPMS Miculek looks like it might do a great job with out the blow back hitting you. Anyone use that one and want to chime in?

You can view the slow motion video of it here. Full Auto AR15 with 60 rd PMAG Drum and Precision Armament Muzzle brake.

 

[yzfchet]

Yeah, I dallied with most every compensator for M16s/AR-15s back in the day. Still have most of them.

The Miculek compensator is infamous for being so loud that no one to either side of you at a shooting range can stand it. I can barely stand to shoot it with both plugs and ear protectors on. It defintely reduces the climb to the right and seriously reduces felt recoil, but that noise level...woooo-weee!

After trying all the different designs for compensation I beta-tested Greg Carlson's/Sam Schneider's compensator design. It appears similar to the AK74 compensator and when I got the first ones from Greg they had an exit hole just larger than the 5.56 round. When I shot it I realized two things:

1) It needed to be 'clocked' so that the two slots which were directing the exhaust gasses were rotated slightly so that they were at approx. the 11:00 position for the left one and the 2:30 position for the right one - this compensated for the natural lift to the right imparted on the muzzle from the spinning round, and

2) The effective compensation was so great that it drove the muzzle of the rifle almost straight down into the dirt after three rounds in auto fire.

After experimenting with different larger exit apertures to reduce the overcompesation, I arrived at a good compromise for both M193 and M855 rounds. I have to say that this remains the best compensator for an M16/AR-15 that I've ever used. The noise is about the same as a standard birdcage flashhider, but the one downside is the fairly sizable flash signature emanating from the two slots. At night you would give your position away quickly. If you're not in a combat situation then I would not hesitate to recommend this compensator. I had done a number of tests and posted them here back in 2008 (I think), but I can't find it. The impact pattern at 25 yards was astoundingly tight.

Best thing to do: contact Sam Schneider at Practical Solutions

https://macmachineguns.com/

or Greg Carlson (UZI Talk member attherange) and ask if either one of them might come up with one of the Carlson Compensators or Flash xx Compensators that have the original .223 aperture at the end. Failing that, get one of the Flash 9mm compensators

https://macmachineguns.com/?product=flash-9mm-compensator-2

which work almost as well as the customized ones I made.

Edit: The 9mm compensator exit aperture is just a hair larger than the diameter of optimum compensation I derived for the M16, so the 9mm compensator works well for 5.56 x 45 rounds in an AR-15/M16.

 

[American180]

Thanks for the info yzfchet. I forgot to mention the increase in sound. That thing is loud! It not something people at the range would be happy about.