Ok going to make my RRA Entry Tactical a project rifle.  So far I have decided to go with the following:

Magpul ACS stock in FG
Magpul MIAD grip in FG
Magwell grip
Swapping out my original MI quad rail for something lighter


Been thinling about switching out the flash hide to something else.  There are a few guys in the area with the Noveske KX3 that like the noise reduction.  Having only shot stock rifles for the last 15 + years I don't have any experience with hiders or muzzle brakes.


Edited for spelling and content - at least as far as one thing is concerned.

Break =/= brake.

I'd pass on the KX3:  designed for SBRs, big, heavy and little flash reduction.

1.  A2.
2.  AAC Blackout.
3.  Smith Vortex.

I've used several flash suppresors....The smith vortex and the AAC blackout.  Both are exceptional in flash reduction.  Hard to say which is better but the Smith Vortex has been out the longest I believe.

The standard A1 and A2 are ok but not great at flash reduction.  It also depends on the type of rounds you'll be shooting and powder.

Currently I am using a Battle Comp on my work rifle.   Pretty good compensator, similar to a KAC triple tap but much cheaper..

This. I tried one a while back. Now my patrol rifle, and every other AR I own, is wearing one.

Are these things "that good" ?  I keep hearing that they're "that good," but are they really "that good" ?

I got one at the recommendation of a fellow Hawaii LEO and veteran SWAT guy, and couldntt be happier with it.  I would put the recoil reduction on par with the KAC brake, but with noticeably less concussion/noise.

What is it that you guys like so much a bout it?  I'm not too worried about flash reduction as I am sound reduction.  Would love to just have a suppressor but not in this state.

For flash hiders I prefer the Smith Vortex then the AAC Blackout.  They both work exceptionally well eliminating almost all flash even when viewed up close, however I do not like the pining sound of the AAC.  The A2 is very good.

For brakes, I have tested pretty much every big name out there, many in side by side testing.  Not one single brake IMO is suitable for duty use except for one.  The BattleComp is the first that I find acceptable as far as concussion at the shooter, side concussion, disturbance and noise.  Maybe more important is that those that I operate next to, around and over don't find it to be unacceptable.

Is the BattleComp that good?  Well it isn't the best pure brake and it isn't the best flash hider, but it is very good as a brake, decent at hiding flash and good at concussion and about on par with noise levels as the A2.  Is it necessary on a duty rifle?  Far from it.  Is it acceptable on a duty rifle with good benefits?  IMO yes.

The performance of the battlecomp is on par with most brakes I have tried and the concussion is CONSIDERABLY less. I would not put it any greater than an A2 or similar. Theyre spendy but well worth the money. There is a lot of hate out there because they are the "new thing" but everyone I have talked to who has tried one loves it.

I got one about 6mos ago and put it on my noveske infidel 14.5 (pinned). After taking the first trip to the range with it I went home and bought three more.

If you really need the noise reduction go with the Kx3. But that wont help with muzzle climb very much (which I feel is a much greater concern in a patrol carbine application). And the kx3 will add more unnecessary weight to the front of the rifle.

We were having a lot of problems with new SWAT guys controling the climb on our burst sbr's. A few have tried the battlecomp and it has been largely negated.

Just food for thought.

+1 for battlecomp

I agree BC 1.0 on my personal rifle.

The battle comp is all that.  It's pretty good and keeping the gun level and recoil to just about nothing.   I have it on my work gun which is a SR15E3.

If you are interested in my two cents worth.

I am our team's XO and armorer and have been working on suppressing some of our team's 10.5 inch entry guns.  What I found out is that I can build a gun that runs a suppressor all of the time (on a budget) but have difficulty running one with or without the suppressor (budget is lacking.)  I finally gave up and installed the KX3 as a means to divert the muzzel concusion forward and away from the gun as opposed to the side.  The reason I gave up on the suppressor is that the gun fouled up very quickly and the backpressure made the gun a bitch to shoot.  (even with a Gas Buster).  It was neat as a toy, but not something I want to trust my ass to. (One blown primer wedged under my trigger was enough of a warning.  Plus, even with a H3 buffer, it was beating the hell out of the hammer.) When I am able to have some R&D funds, I am going to try out Noveske's pinned Switchblock.

I like the KX3 on our SBR's but personally feel that it is a waste on a 16 inch gun.  In reference to noise reduction, IT HAS NONE.  If it did , BATF would classify it as a suppressor.  For patrol and tactical purposes, I do not care for special brakes and rely upon the standard A2 flash suppressors.  I recently ran a class for DCIS and one of the participants had a tricked out AR with a muzzle brake (dont' know the brand but look like a miculek.)  The side pressure of the gun was UNSAFE and was uncomfortable to the instructors behind the shooter with hearing protection.  If you are going to be shooting competively, it may give you an edge (extremely disruptive), but if you are going to be shooting around other officers, save thier hearing.  I have also tried other types of brakes on personal guns, but feel that they are a waste of money.

In reference to a light weight forarm, I just built a personal rifle and installed a Troy Industries TRX extreme (13 inch) over a 16 inch barrel.  With the light contour barrel, the gun is well ballanced and weighs just under 7 pounds empty.  I modified the pinned A2 sight post to fit under the handguard and am extremely pleased.  It is light weight; however, you will have to remove the barrel and front sight post.  They supply a barrel nut that works with the rail.  My department's S&W M&P rilfes also come with Troy's removeable 4 rails.  They are also well made and extremmely light and they make a free float version that mounts to a standard barrel nut (cut off the delta ring if you do not want to take off the barrel.)

The rest of the crap is just window dressing.  Have fun and buy what you want.

Just be careful pulling your Rock River apart.  I have a Varmint A4 and they apparenlty applied lockset to the front gas block and the threads to the free float tube.  When I received the rifle, the front sling stud was not indexed correctly for a bi-pod and I was trying to correct it.  When I could't get the front gas block or the jam nut loose, I bought a pivoting bi-pod instead.