Can anyone give me some info on the AK style muzzle break, specifically compared to say an A2 birdcage suppressor?

Thanks,
E (Qiii)

I have on one on one of my Sar-1's, and another one has a slant brake. Between the two, the AK-74 brake is loud as hell.  Just short of the brakes on the AR-10's, which blows the crap off the bench three stalls down, the AK-74 brake is too load for my tastes. And, this is on a SAR-1.

On the AR rifles, The blast pressure is not so bad, but it raises the noise level way to much, and cause the people around you to be pissed off by the sound wave sent back from the baffles.

Point blank, the AR-15 has little recoil, and all the brake does is redirect most of the blast/noise back towards you.  If you feel compelled to stick something on the barrel, look for a different design of brake.

Food for thought.

What Dano said.I sold my bushy upper because the ak74 brake was too loud.Now when I go to the range, I know when the new owner is shooting it.

I have brakes on two guns, and AR and a AK.  They are louder, but I dont hear it when I shoot. I guess I'm in the "cone" when I fire them, so I see no difference when I shoot them, I mean its not louder to the shooter. The brakes do work especially the AK's brake, there is a noticeable difference in recoil and recovery between guns that dont have them. You can feel it on the AR too, now it kicks more like the 22 it is. I'd say, if you want it, go for it, at best you'll have plenty of room at the benches. The cry babies will get over it.[:)]

I have an "AK type" muzzle break on my postban Bushmater (16: barrel + muzzle break). It is terribly noisy. It provides some breaking, but I prefer an unterminated barrel to the AK. If you are preban, then an A2 is much better. It will also avoid a tremendous flash on shorter barrels. Alternatively, a Vortex or Phantom are quite good.

I never like the AK brake on an AR15, maybee I'm an old school purist, but it just ain't right.

The brake works like it supposed, it does keep down muzzle rise when shooting, especially when you take quick follow up shots. I love the one I have on my Bushmaster and all my AK's have them as well.



It does direct the noise out to the sides but if you are at a shooting range you should have hearing protection on, don't you think?[;)]

I have a Bushmaster with an ak style break on it because thats the way it came.  It does make it louder but never had any complaints about it.  When at the range everyone should have ear protection anyway so the extra noise shouldn't be a problem.

I agree with alpo, never had any complaints just complements on the look. I like mine. If you want something quiet, buy an air rifle!

Consider this... no postban gun is allowed to have a flash suppressor on it. But shoot at night and you'll quickly discover why some of us with prebans love the flash suppresors.

By federal law, muzzle braks are not allowed to reduce flash, at all. However, some brakes do [b]redirect[/b] flash out of your line of sight. No muzzle brake I have seen does this as well as the AK brake.

Again, it will not reduce flash, but it will throw it to the right and left which means it is out of your line of sight. And thats a good thing.

Ok, thanks for all the good info folks.

I haven't made my decision yet.

What spurred the question was an article on the Bushmaster XM15E2S in the FEB 2003 issue of Guns & Weapons for Law Endorcement, which admittedly refers to a postban gun.  The writer wanted a muzzle break on the gun because to him, "...the end of the barrel being unadorned on this type of rifle makes it look incomplete."

I can understand that I guess.

But then when I went to the Bushmaster site and took note of their statement that the AK47 break "Reduces Felt Recoil 70% - Reduces Muzzle Climb 90%."  

http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/brakes/mmt-0012a.asp

I guess since I'm buying a preban assembly, I should stick with the A2 birdcage, but if I buy a post ban at some point, I think I'll buy it with the AK47 break.

Thanks again for all the info.

E (Qiii)

I have the AK brake on my Bushmaster Shorty and I like it a lot. It seems to be very effective at reducing muzzle rise.

The noise that others talk about, I've never noticed. And, if I use it in a defensive senario, the loudness is the last thing I'm worried about.  At the range, that's what hearing protection is for.

My 2 cents.

Something else to chew on, the 20" barrel doesn't need a brake.  Nor a heavy 16".

On a 16" barrel or less, that AK brake is LOUD!

I was shooting three weeks ago with another guy (stranger), and my 16" phantom FS was MUCH more quiet than his 16" posty AK.  I had ear protection on and still thought it was too loud to sit <5 feet away from him on the benchline.

I watched very closely as about 20 different post ban AR's shot at the range today. It was about a 50%/50% mix of those that had muzzle brakes and those that did not. First of all I came to the conclusion that I dont NEED a muzzle brake, although I do WANT one. The recoil/muzzle hop I saw was light, very light. I watched a 13 year old girl rapid fire a 30 round clip @ 100 yds with a red dot scope in the standing position and get all 30 within 5". She weighed 90 lbs tops. 1st time shooting with her dad. BOY oh BOY was dad ever proud of her!

Those with muzzle brakes were louder with the Y-Comp being the loudest. Hands down the best for getting the flash out of the line of sight was the AK style. Just what I observed today.

I think I'm going to get [url=http://www.kurtskustomfirearms.citymax.com/albums/album_image/42611/38592.htm] this one [/url] from Kurt's, when I get around to it. I like the M-60 look to it. Not in any hurry though. Like someone else said earlier, I just think an AR looks weird without something on the end of the bbl, so I'll get one eventually. There's more important things on my list first though.

You mean she fired a 30 round magazine?

That's twice now...[;)]

BTW - Great image that description conjured in my head.  That's the future of our sport in that 13 year old girl.  Let's not forget it.

What......I dont get it.

Very fine Brake, EXCEPT that if you ever forget your hearing protection, I guarantee it will be the most pain yours ears have ever felt.

AR's don't use "clips".  [:)]

I have a Bushmaster Shorty AK.  When shooting in low light conditions, the flash is redirected to the sides, and hardly any is noticable when you're focusing on your front sight and target.  It keeps your eyes from adjusting to the flash and getting 'sun spots.'  I love that aspect.

It could just be familiarity with my gun, and not the muzzle break affecting this and I can't say for certain that this is the issue, but... I also find that it manages the recoil during faster shooting; it seems that my shots do not tend to be affected much by the recoil from left to right -- only slight upward on double-taps, where otherwise the recoil forces the shot up and to the right.  

I remember seeing a ten year old gun digest book around with a feature on the AK-74 . From what I can recall , this brake was much more complex than what I have seen advertised as 74 brakes . I believe the designers of the AK stuff have cut alot of corners with the newer brakes. Anyone else ?

I am big fan of the AK Brake. My first AR, the was the Bushy Shorty AK. I've since sold it to buy pre bans....My Dad now owns a Shorty AK similar to mine...which I still enjoy shooting from time to time. To me it's pretty amazing what that brake can do...Not that the AR has much recoil....but still. At night, I dunno man...bring your sunglasses...that sucker is some bright...Sometimes I borrow my Dad's AR when I shoot at night just to make a big flash...it can be some impressive..Good luck with you AR....just remember they are a lot like patato chips, you can't just eat one...