Suppressors Suppressor QD Muzzle Brake Comparison

[JMD82]

As I sit here patiently waiting on my first Form 4 approval for a SiCo Omega 300, I find my self searching through many options on QD muzzle brakes for suppressors. I have read quite a bit about different brakes, but can’t quite find the info I’m looking for on the suppressor QD brakes mentioned in this post. So...if there is a link to this info already on here, shoot it over to me (TIA). I’m told that once you go suppressed you will more than likely never remove the can. Well let’s just say that if I for some reason decide to shoot it un-suppressed, which brake will give me the best recoil reduction and the ability to stay on target. I’m not too concerned about side blast, loudness, or ground signature.

So in a nut shell...how would recoil reduction and ability to stay on target on the brakes below stack up against say a APA LB Gen 2 brake? The reason I want to compare these to the APA LB is because that’s what I’m currently running.

Host weapon: 308 win, 24” M24 contour barrel with APA LB Gen 2 brake.

Here are the brakes I’m interested in...

• SiCo ASR 3-port muzzle brake with ASR mount (this is what I will get with the Omega 300).
• Dead Air KeyMo 3-port muzzle brake with KeyMo suppressor mount.
• JMAC RRD KeyMo 2-port and 4-port muzzle brake with KeyMo suppressor mount.
• Griffin Armament Paladin taper mount 2-port muzzle brake with Plan-A suppressor mount. A Minimalist brake would be cool if it was worth it and if I could get my hands on one.
• Area419 Hellfire muzzle brake and adapter with a Area419 suppressor mount.

So there you have it. Anyone out there with experience on these that can share their thoughts/experience? If there are other muzzle brakes and suppressor adapters out there that I didn’t mention and you thanks it’s worth looking at let me know. I’m open to other options as well. Pro’s and Con’s are helpful to.

Thanks,

JMD82

 

[Bluedog82]

I currently use the griffin minimalist brake on one rifle and the EZ brake on another (bolt guns, I have their flash hiders on ARs). They primarily are just for mounting the can, and I rarely if ever shoot with them off. They made some difference, but not a ton. I used to have a keymo brake on my 6.5, and that thing really knocked the recoil down. I pretty much only shoot suppressed now, and that’s why I went with griffin.

 

[b6graham]

do you want a system to shoot with both a brake and a suppressor?

the A419 system has a brake that actually does something. the rest on that list are really just hosts

 

[86alaskan]

I've run the ASR 3 port brake on it's own a number of times. It does in fact function, and I feel like it functions pretty well. I used on on a 8/5lb tikka 300wm and it removed a considerable amount more recoil than the can for sure. That was with an Omega as well. I've shot with the ASR brake qd mount and can on my PRS 260 and 25 creedmoor a lot also, and have noticed no problems with repeatability or accuracy.

 

[NWnewguy]

I would second that the SiCo ASR 3 port brake does reasonably well as a brake. I have switched almost everything over to run Griffin taper mount stuff now though since I don't really shoot anything without a can on it. The Griffin brakes are readily available, reasonably priced (especially if you get them on a Black Friday or similar sale) and come in a wide array of thread pitches and designs. I personally really like the EZ brake now, since it's light and doesn't require timing.

 

[Clayman]

You've already listed 2 keymo options but the Lantac dragon keymo exists as well.

I've switched to taper mounts. Keymo is too heavy and long imo.

I use rearden flash hiders but they have brakes

 

[JMD82]

Thanks for the info fellas. I hope more chime in in the next few days with their experience on these as well.

Good thing is the Omega will already come with the ASR mount and brake so I'm not out anything. I'll give it a shot to see if I like it or not. As many have already said once I put the can on I will more than likely never shoot without it.

 

[WindstormSCR]

Lantac dragon or bust IMO, it's one of the few that was designed as an effective brake first, and a suppressor mount second, and it really shows. Fair warning, the concussion and flash will not win you any popularity contests with your range neighbors, but it will absolutely damp recoil very well.

definitely put the suppressor on if you're doing any night stuff though, the flash off the dragon (like many very effective brakes) is enough to potentially harm NODs

 

[kthomas]

You've already listed 2 keymo options but the Lantac dragon keymo exists as well.

I've switched to taper mounts. Keymo is too heavy and long imo.

I use rearden flash hiders but they have brakes

This style of taper mount (same thread and taper as Q Cherry Bomb), is the most elegant, IMO.

If you need an actual brake, then Rearden is definitely the way to go over say the Q Cherry Bomb, which is a horrible precision rifle brake (but great suppressor host).

The downsides to these brakes is that they will have to be timed, either by a gunsmith when the barrel is threaded, or with shims. Not a huge deal, but a consideration none the less.

 

[Clayman]

This style of taper mount (same thread and taper as Q Cherry Bomb), is the most elegant, IMO.

If you need an actual brake, then Rearden is definitely the way to go over say the Q Cherry Bomb, which is a horrible precision rifle brake (but great suppressor host).

The downsides to these brakes is that they will have to be timed, either by a gunsmith when the barrel is threaded, or with shims. Not a huge deal, but a consideration none the less.

Yup that is why my favorite options are the Rearden flash hider and liberty baby bell

Rearden even has their minimalist

Once I have a silencer for every rifle many will become direct thread.

 

[FuhQ]

As I sit here patiently waiting on my first Form 4 approval for a SiCo Omega 300, I find my self searching through many options on QD muzzle brakes for suppressors. I have read quite a bit about different brakes, but can’t quite find the info I’m looking for on the suppressor QD brakes mentioned in this post. So...if there is a link to this info already on here, shoot it over to me (TIA). I’m told that once you go suppressed you will more than likely never remove the can. Well let’s just say that if I for some reason decide to shoot it un-suppressed, which brake will give me the best recoil reduction and the ability to stay on target. I’m not too concerned about side blast, loudness, or ground signature.

So in a nut shell...how would recoil reduction and ability to stay on target on the brakes below stack up against say a APA LB Gen 2 brake? The reason I want to compare these to the APA LB is because that’s what I’m currently running.

Host weapon: 308 win, 24” M24 contour barrel with APA LB Gen 2 brake.

Here are the brakes I’m interested in...

• SiCo ASR 3-port muzzle brake with ASR mount (this is what I will get with the Omega 300).
• Dead Air KeyMo 3-port muzzle brake with KeyMo suppressor mount.
• JMAC RRD KeyMo 2-port and 4-port muzzle brake with KeyMo suppressor mount.
• Griffin Armament Paladin taper mount 2-port muzzle brake with Plan-A suppressor mount. A Minimalist brake would be cool if it was worth it and if I could get my hands on one.
• Area419 Hellfire muzzle brake and adapter with a Area419 suppressor mount.

So there you have it. Anyone out there with experience on these that can share their thoughts/experience? If there are other muzzle brakes and suppressor adapters out there that I didn’t mention and you thanks it’s worth looking at let me know. I’m open to other options as well. Pro’s and Con’s are helpful to.

Thanks,

JMD82

I really like my Dead Air KeyMo/KeyMount setup with the muzzle brakes. They work REALLY well, even without the can. Highly recommend. Also, there has been no discernible POI shift after shooting suppressed,, then removing the can, and then putting them right back on and shooting again, for any of my setups.

Shooting suppressed & unsuppressed, yes I do see some slight POI shift. But shooting suppressed, then removing it, and then remounting it, then shooting again, I have seen none. The KeyMo's design is a very repeatable mount.

 

[dgheriani]

Yup that is why my favorite options are the Rearden flash hider and liberty baby bell

Rearden even has their minimalist

Once I have a silencer for every rifle many will become direct thread.

Does the Rearden flash hider mitigate flash enough that you could use it with nods without damaging them?

 

[Clayman]

Does the Rearden flash hider mitigate flash enough that you could use it with nods without damaging them?

I have not done flash testing myself. Someone has on a 10.5. So I would say it depends on barrel length and ammo.



video and 4 stills comparing cherry bomb and fhd.

Rearden themselves states that this is a mount first with some flash reduction capability.

 

[JMD82]

Didn’t mean to ghost everyone. Got busy with life and had to step away for a bit. Finally received my can. Went on ahead and mounted the SiCo brake and I have to say I’m impressed. Recoil reduction was pretty darn good with no major decrease in accuracy. Accuracy was the same with the can on...no major decrease in accuracy as well. I’ll more than likely run with what I have for the time being. Might even tweak my loads just a smidge to see if I can get it back to where it was at before the brake and can. Thanks again to everyone for the input. It greatly appreciated.

 

[Feesh]

I use the Area 419 Hellfire system - switch from an APA Fat Bastard Gen III. This is my first centerfire suppressor, and I only have one match on it. Repeatable zero after removing the suppressor, locked up well (never came loose during the match) and allows for use of a tuner behind the adapter if you’re in to that kind of thing.

 

[danatkins]

Only one I've used is the griffin it's great

 

[JohnCarter17]

Yup that is why my favorite options are the Rearden flash hider and liberty baby bell

Rearden even has their minimalist

Once I have a silencer for every rifle many will become direct thread.

Any notable differences between the different Rearden MDs to share?

Blast mitigation, flash, recoil?

I am going through the same decision process. The concensus appears to be:

Keymod rocks, but it's long and heavy
Area 419 doesn't do mitigation
Griffin and Rearden do mitigation
The owner of Q is a dick

 

[Clayman]

Any notable differences between the different Rearden MDs to share?

Blast mitigation, flash, recoil?

I am going through the same decision process. The concensus appears to be:

Keymod rocks, but it's long and heavy
Area 419 doesn't do mitigation
Griffin and Rearden do mitigation
The owner of Q is a dick

I only have the fhd and I've never shot them without a can.

 

[kthomas]

I recently acquired some Rearden SPB's (single port brake), but haven't had an opportunity to shoot them yet.

I plan on going to the range next week, I can provide feedback on how well the SPB works, in comparison to say an Insite Arms Heathen. It's only a single port brake, so I expect it to be around ~40-60% as effective as say a Heathen. I got it as a suppressor host, I'll rarely shoot it without a brake.

What I can say so far is that Rearden MFG products are very high quality, machining and finish on them is excellent.

 

[huntnh]

Any updates ?

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Reserecting this a little.

I run YHM on all my rifles. I don't know why they aren't more popular. They aren't the new edgy thing but they work really well.

I saw someone complaining of a combination of break and mount that would be in place but still have a little bit of rotation when locked up. I knew what he was talking about because I experienced the same thing, and it only happens with maybe 1 out of 3 or 4combos of brakes and mounts.

After looking at it and messing with it, that isn't actually the case. It seems like it is, but the reality is that with certain combos of brake and mount, you have to push down a little and also make sure the Rachet ring isn't stuck to allow the can to screw on all the way. If so, the break ring little protrusion will sync up with the mount in the next notch as it's supposed to and the can will be solid and have no movement.

I've wondered if this happened to others, like the guy I read, and that caused them to ditch yhm, when in reality they already had a good solid system. Anywho, I'm very happy with my YHM and it's very repeatable.

 

[Bluedog82]

Reserecting this a little.

I run YHM on all my rifles. I don't know why they aren't more popular. They aren't the new edgy thing but they work really well.

I saw someone complaining of a combination of break and mount that would be in place but still have a little bit of rotation when locked up. I knew what he was talking about because I experienced the same thing, and it only happens with maybe 1 out of 3 or 4combos of brakes and mounts.

After looking at it and messing with it, that isn't actually the case. It seems like it is, but the reality is that with certain combos of brake and mount, you have to push down a little and also make sure the Rachet ring isn't stuck to allow the can to screw on all the way. If so, the break ring little protrusion will sync up with the mount in the next notch as it's supposed to and the can will be solid and have no movement.

I've wondered if this happened to others, like the guy I read, and that caused them to ditch yhm, when in reality they already had a good solid system. Anywho, I'm very happy with my YHM and it's very repeatable.

They just announced their Turbo 3 can, I’ll be interested to see how that turns out. I may jump on one eventually if Eforms actually has wait times approaching sanity.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

They just announced their Turbo 3 can, I’ll be interested to see how that turns out. I may jump on one eventually if Eforms actually has wait times approaching sanity.

I was referring to their qd brake and mount system but I didn't make that very clear. I have a few of their cans too and they are great. The 9mm can I have of theirs is almost Hollywood quiet.

 

[AMGtuned]

Reserecting this a little.

I run YHM on all my rifles. I don't know why they aren't more popular. They aren't the new edgy thing but they work really well.

I saw someone complaining of a combination of break and mount that would be in place but still have a little bit of rotation when locked up. I knew what he was talking about because I experienced the same thing, and it only happens with maybe 1 out of 3 or 4combos of brakes and mounts.

After looking at it and messing with it, that isn't actually the case. It seems like it is, but the reality is that with certain combos of brake and mount, you have to push down a little and also make sure the Rachet ring isn't stuck to allow the can to screw on all the way. If so, the break ring little protrusion will sync up with the mount in the next notch as it's supposed to and the can will be solid and have no movement.

I've wondered if this happened to others, like the guy I read, and that caused them to ditch yhm, when in reality they already had a good solid system. Anywho, I'm very happy with my YHM and it's very repeatable.

If there had been more options, for the suppressor mount, I would have gone this route with my F1 cans. There was only 1 mfr making host mounts at the time, for my tube size, and well........definitely not getting them from him (side note, they were beautiful, but ended up potentially being made "elsewhere", and that whole breaking the law thing got in his way ).

Still considering a different system; and it will more than likely be Griffin Armament. There enough "Q" type products available, that I would not have to actually buy from Q; but I don't like the proximal adapters available to me. I do like the idea of a secondary lock though so ASR isn't off the table yet.

 

[Bluedog82]

If there had been more options, for the suppressor mount, I would have gone this route with my F1 cans. There was only 1 mfr making host mounts at the time, for my tube size, and well........definitely not getting them from him (side note, they were beautiful, but ended up potentially being made "elsewhere", and that whole breaking the law thing got in his way ).

Still considering a different system; and it will more than likely be Griffin Armament. There enough "Q" type products available, that I would not have to actually buy from Q; but I don't like the proximal adapters available to me. I do like the idea of a secondary lock though so ASR isn't off the table yet.

How about Griffins new dual lok? Taper plus secondary retention.

 

[AMGtuned]

How about Griffins new dual lok? Taper plus secondary retention.

I have seen that, and it's a great idea. Haven't read about its real world functionality yet, but an option nonetheless. Trick will be a 1.529-24 thread pitch proximal adapter.

 

[metroplex]

I recently acquired some Rearden SPB's (single port brake), but haven't had an opportunity to shoot them yet.

I plan on going to the range next week, I can provide feedback on how well the SPB works, in comparison to say an Insite Arms Heathen. It's only a single port brake, so I expect it to be around ~40-60% as effective as say a Heathen. I got it as a suppressor host, I'll rarely shoot it without a brake.

What I can say so far is that Rearden MFG products are very high quality, machining and finish on them is excellent.

Any updates on the SPB for recoil?

 

[kthomas]

Any updates on the SPB for recoil?

It's decent, not as good as most of the brakes we are used to of course.

I would say its about 70% as effective as the main brakes we use (heathen, sidewinder, etc.)

 

[metroplex]

It's decent, not as good as most of the brakes we are used to of course.

I would say its about 70% as effective as the main brakes we use (heathen, sidewinder, etc.)

Would you say it’s about the same as running a suppressor like the TBAC Ultra 7 or 9?

Also was there any impact on POI shift or precision?

 

[kthomas]

If a person was going to shoot braked a lot and occasionally suppressed, they would probably be better served with the A419 system.

For the inverse/reverse (mostly shooting suppressed), I'm really happy with the Rearden stuff.

Rearden has the new PRS brake which is probably more effective than the SPB - I just mounted it on my rifle but haven't shot it yet. They also have mutli-port brakes as well.

 

[metroplex]

PRS is for the bigger barrels and bores. The A419 does look good but plan to shoot more suppressed

Did you see any impact to POI or precision with the SPB?

 

[kthomas]

Would you say it’s about the same as running a suppressor like the TBAC Ultra 7 or 9?

Shooting the SPB unsuppressed vs. TBAC U7 or U9?

Hard to compare. The recoil impulse is so different. I also don't have either of those suppressors.

On a 6.5 Creedmoor that weighs 12 lbs, it's extremely comfortable to shoot. But 6.5 Creedmoor is not harsh with recoil to begin with.

 

[kthomas]

PRS is for the bigger barrels and bores. The A419 does look good but plan to shoot more suppressed

Did you see any impact to POI or precision with the SPB?

Precision is excellent.

The barrel I mounted it on was a new barrel, so there was no previous zero to compare to.

 

[metroplex]

Shooting the SPB unsuppressed vs. TBAC U7 or U9?

Hard to compare. The recoil impulse is so different. I also don't have either of those suppressors.

On a 6.5 Creedmoor that weighs 12 lbs, it's extremely comfortable to shoot. But 6.5 Creedmoor is not harsh with recoil to begin with.

Or shooting it unsuppressed with SPB vs any suppressor you have for that rifle.

Reason I ask is that I saw a PRB test on brakes for 308 and 300 Norma Mag. The OPS Inc brake they had was similar to the SPB and had the least recoil reduction of all the brakes (APA and 419 were among those tested) but was similar to the TBAC Ultra 9.

 

[kthomas]

Or shooting it unsuppressed with SPB vs any suppressor you have for that rifle.

Reason I ask is that I saw a PRB test on brakes for 308 and 300 Norma Mag. The OPS Inc brake they had was similar to the SPB and had the least recoil reduction of all the brakes (APA and 419 were among those tested) but was similar to the TBAC Ultra 9.

From memory it seems to have a fairly similar recoil to my Abel Co. Biscuit, which recoils more like a brake than a suppressor.

Probably comparable to something like the U9 in reduction in recoil force, but impulse is much different.