I read many reviews and watched many videos about Griffin Armaments m4sd  tac comp. Loved what i saw and read. So i purchased and installed this device. It performs very well. Muzzle rise is minimal, and less then ive ever experienced. But with all of the reviews, i never read or noticed anyone state 2 things. First, there is a rather strong concussion produced almost 360 degrees around the weapon when fired. At least on my build. Only if you stand behind someone else firing the rifle are you free from the pressure. Second, it is so extremely loud!! Comparable to an AK47. When i fire, it turns heads, causes everyone to cover their ears within 50 feet, and makes people back away. After i fire, im asked what caliber im shooting. (.223/5.56 to clarify) No one wants to stand within 10 feet of this being fired. Most go to doubled hearing protection when i pull it out now that they know. Its obnoxious. I fired the rifle one time without hearing protection.....never again. My ears were ringing for over 15 minutes. I have never worn hearing protection firing .223. (I know, thats not good)  I would actually be concerned if i ever chose or had to use this in an emergency.

Has anyone else experienced this with this device? This is the first comp of this type that i have used. So my experience is limited to the m4sd. Im wondering if the combination of my parts add to the volume or if this occurs on every rifle this device is installed on. And, is there a similar device that performs as well, but is not so destructively loud?
Thanks.

Not really, it's a cake thing. The way brakes work and porting for that matter is what causes this. Some are worse than others, but goes with the territory. I use the fsc 556 from pws. People had the same complaints about it ,  but after the first 30 rounds I don't feel the concussion anymore , don't notice it at all these days. And it works. My barrel has virtually no bounce or wobble at all, which is what I wanted for my 14.5 carbine. As for the noise, I have to say get over it. EVERY hunting round is louder than a 223 with a brake so I really don't see all the fuss over that. Practice with yours, you'll grow to love it. As for the emergency situation, survival trumps hearing. Simple as that.

Muzzle brakes and compensators are usually louder than hiders because of gas redirection to aid in keeping the muzzle level after firing.

Wear hearing protection.

Don't worry, keep shooting like that and it'll keep getting quieter.

 

Shooting without earpro is literally followed with a strong dose of .

 
Most of your flash hiders are compensators.

A brake minimizes recoil.

A compensator reduces muzzle rise.


A brake can compensate muzzle rise. Not all flash hiders have a closed bottom and are not compensators

The more you shoot the less the noise will bother you.

Stick asking the important questions.

Wow. I accidentally fired two rounds last night with one ear plug not in, and my ear is still ringing (a lot louder than normal). I have fired maybe 20 rounds of rifle ammo total in my life without hearing protection while hunting, and it was enough to cause mild, permanent tinnitus. I don't know how you can stand to regularly shoot 223 without ear pro.
 

I know, i know....hearing protection. I expected louder, but 7.62 loud is not what i was expecting. Few calibers make me run for hearing protection. Never expected it from a .233.

Are there any compensators that anyone has experience with, that does the job, but isnt like a 105 mortar exploding 50 meters from you?

A comp has the purpose of reaquiring your target or next target quickly. If im using a rifle to reaquire a target, i might not be plinking on a range where i have all of the p.p.e. sitting comfortably at my side. Also in that situation where i may need to move to the next target, i probably want to hear everything around me, so i may not want to have sound muffled. Just looking for a proven compromise maybe. Or should i just go back to the flash hider?

Good god, you need to start wearing ear pro first then deal with whether a brake is acceptable to you or not.  Hearing loss is a one way street!

Griffin Armament makes a blast shield to install over the comp to direct gas forward while still retaining the benefits of the comp. It comes in either a taper mount or qd mount.

I have the same comp and I personally don't think it's bad.... but then again I wear ear protection.

In your case - I believe you would need the qd blast shield

I think you have a lot to learn.  Stop wasting money on wizz-bang b.s. And buy a set of peltors, and an a2 flashhider.

Damn. I thought you were relatively young though for some reason.
He's right though. Wear hearing protection.

Shit even earplugs.
They're cheap.

You should invest in a good set of electronic hearing protection. It amplifies normal sounds and automatically dampens when the shot is fired.

Huh,.........


Seriously, nearly thirty years around aircraft has killed my hearing. I fight to retain what little I have left. Tinnitus sucks BIG TIME.

These are invaluable!

You, for some reason I always assumed you were in your 30s or 40s.

Tinnitus. The post it note that will forever remind you that you should have worn ear pro.

Ain't that the damn truth.

How true, I've had it for almost 40 years

I have to sleep with a TV on so that I can sleep, the constant ringing in a quiet area is DAMN annoying.