The 5.56 shoots flat with slight wind drift, having twice less energy and three times less recoil than .300 BLK, but moves rapidly enough, taking advantage of its sleek projectiles.
The 5.56 felt recoil almost has no impact on actual shooting. Your rifle is still good, but you are keen on upgrading it, then you can try to add a 556-muzzle brake.
Why do we need 556 muzzle brake?
A muzzle brake or a recoil compensator should be installed to the barrel open end (called muzzle) of a cannon or a weapon to redirect the propellant gases, preventing recoil and unwished barrel upward movement.
Best 556 Muzzle Brake | 5.56 Muzzle Brake Review
| Image | Product | Brand | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | SureFire SFR ProComp 5.56 Muzzle Brake | SureFire |  |
 | Strike Industries JCOMP V2 Barrel 5.56 Muzzle Brake | Strike Industries | |
 | Precision Armament Hyper Tap 5.56 Muzzle Brakes | Precision Armament | |
 | LANTAC Dragon SilencerCo ASR .223/5.56 Muzzle Brake | LANTAC | |
 | Faxon Firearms 5.56 3-Port Muzzle Brake | Faxon Firearms | |
 | Fortis Manufacturing 5.56MM R.E.D. Barrel Muzzle Brake | Fortis Manufacturing | |
 | TacFire 5.56 1/2X28 Flash Can Muzzle Brake | TacFire | |
 | Troy Medieval Muzzle Brake 5.56mm 1/2x28 TPI Black | Troy Medieval | |
 | Yankee Hill 26-MB-A Slant Muzzle Brake 5.56mm | Yankee Hill | |
 | Yankee Hill Machine Phantom 5.56 Aggressive Compensator/Muzzle Brake | Yankee Hill | |
 | JL Billet V.P.R. Muzzle Brake 5.56/223 | JL Billet | |
 | TacFire 5.56 1/2X28 6-Prong Muzzle Brake | TacFire | |
 | Ruger 90486 Radial Port Muzzle Brake 5.56 NATO | Ruger | |
 | Midwest Industries AR-15 5.56/.223 Muzzle Brake | Midwest Industries | |
#1 SureFire SFR ProComp 5.56 Muzzle Brake
SureFire designed the muzzle brakes with blind pilot holes, which allow adjusting the device: for recoil characteristics, fine-tuning put at the 3 and 9 o’clock position; for the adapter indexing at bottom dead center and to pin-and-weld on short-barreled rifles place at the 6 o’clock position. These compensators are crafted from US mill-certified machined heat-treated stainless steel, covered with Black Melonite. The muzzle device is outfitted with a rigid mounting adapter, fitting SureFire SOCOM Series 5.56 mm Fast-Attach suppressors. The rifle length with the muzzle device will be 16.2 in.
#2 Strike Industries JCOMP V2 Barrel 5.56 Muzzle Brake
The Strike Industries offers a two-in-one muzzle device: brake and compensator with a two-chamber construction that allows diminishing recoil for faster follow-up shots. These Hybrid Muzzle Brakes, featuring stunning performance, are appropriate for competition, small game hunting, or any shooting when it’s necessary to keep the target in the sights.
#3 Precision Armament Hyper Tap 5.56 Muzzle Brakes
Proprietary Hybrid Baffle construction of lightweight and compact muzzle brake is outfitted with innovative Convergent-Divergent port geometry to ensure great performance. These muzzle devices are equipped with a strong skeletonized crown; the bore features great clearance, symmetric aperture, and precision alignment. No need for shims due to an inbuilt multipurpose timing nut, which allows fast field mounting-dismounting with a lightweight spanner wrench (included) or an adjustable one. Completely tunable gas offsetting helps diminish, or exclude sight picture movement while shooting. The heat-treated stainless steel (17-4) device construction, covered with durable Ionbond CrCN.
#4 LANTAC Dragon SilencerCo ASR .223/5.56 Muzzle Brake
The Muzzle Brakes are outfitted with Quick Mount Suppressor Adapter, they are not regarded as flash hiders, they are legal in California. These LANTAC devices deliver the blast and muzzle rise decrease and do not work with the BMD. The muzzle brakes are manufactured from precision machined steel (hardened to 48Rc), covered with Nitride. The Rocksett thread locker is recommended to be utilized with these compensators, but it isn’t included in the kit, meanwhile, shims for due timing comes with it. Silencers can be attached to these brakes.
#5 Faxon Firearms 5.56 3-Port Muzzle Brake
The three-port construction allows successively capture the propellant gasses and redirect them to the sides for notable recoil reduction. Gunner three-port Muzzle Brakes with MUZZLOK Nut are made from steel, covered with Salt Bath Nitride. The Faxon engineered the inMuzzlokin function especially for muzzle device MUZZLOK to make timing and installation simple without the usage of shims or a crush washer even in the field, if necessary. Both device length and rotational timing can be regulated with the extension nut. These muzzle brakes should be fastened by 20-25 foot-pounds (according to the torque specification).
#6 Fortis Manufacturing 5.56MM R.E.D. Barrel Muzzle Brake
These muzzle brakes, attached to the barrel, add general rifle length and improve the speed and accuracy. The Rapid Engagement Device, known as the Fortis RED, developed military-grade brakes with stylish design and high-quality performance. The devices are manufactured from stainless steel (4140) with Nitride coating, quality machined with black or stainless-steel finish.
#7 TacFire 5.56 1/2X28 Flash Can Muzzle Brake
These compensators come with a crush washer, and a 1/2×28 thread pitch, which is appropriate for AR-15 style rifles. The Krinkov-style muzzle brake is crafted of steel one-piece construction, precision CNC machined, covered with a heat-treated Black oxide finish. Properly installed, the TacFire muzzle device allows forward blast deflection.
#8 Troy Medieval Muzzle Brake 5.56mm 1/2×28 TPI Black
The Troy developed effective compressors, which distribute muzzle blast and sound forward away from the shooters. These devices feature an aggressive look due to the serrated crown. These durable muzzle brakes deliver minimal dust signature. The Troy made the brakes from hardened steel (4140) with a Parkerized finish.
#9 Yankee Hill 26-MB-A Slant Muzzle Brake 5.56mm
The Yankee Hill Machine (YHM) developed the hybrid unit (Muzzle Brake and Compensator), which moves gases away from the shooter, mitigates both recoil and muzzle rise for a faster follow-up shot. These muzzle devices are crafted from heat-treated steel, covered with a matte black finish, Melonite QPQ.
#10 Yankee Hill Machine Phantom 5.56 Aggressive Compensator/Muzzle Brake
The YHM developed a combined five-port unit of muzzle brake and compensator with aggressive Front End, which is not a flash hider. These muzzle devices don’t feature a downward-facing port to exclude dust signature while shooting in the prone position.
#11 Midwest Industries AR-15 5.56/.223 Muzzle Brake
The Midwest Industries engineered a combined device, consisting of a muzzle brake and compensator with three chambers to reduce unwished recoil and muzzle rise. These units are made of tool steel (4140), covered with Phosphate.
#12 JL Billet V.P.R. Muzzle Brake 5.56/223
There are two available models: one is manufactured from Titanium (6AL-4V) in Titanium color, the second one is made of Stainless Steel (303) in Black color. The V.P.R. developed the muzzle brakes with the ports of a 15-degree back angle to minimize the gases spread moving forward.
#13 TacFire 5.56 1/2X28 6-Prong Muzzle Brake
This muzzle brake features a flash hider function as well. The six-prong muzzle device is made of heat-treated steel, covered with Black oxide, and comes with a crush washer.
#14 Ruger 90486 Radial Port Muzzle Brake 5.56 NATO
Radial Port muzzle devices can be mounted without crush washers with an 11/16″ open-end wrench or crescent one and should be torqued to 15-20 ft-lbs.
How to Install 5.56 Muzzle Brake
- Before mounting or dismounting a 5.56 muzzle brake, unload the rifle and keep it empty.
- Follow the manual guides, while orienting the compensator, fix it duly and place its ports in such a way to be perpendicular to the rifle vertical axis.
- Sized shims are necessary to install a muzzle brake properly. A crush washer simplifies the muzzle brake timing. While lining up the compensator, use one of the above-listed tightening gaskets.
- The muzzle device should be aligned with the barrel at 12 o’clock, take the barrel edge like a clock face. Place the crush washer or shim and tighten the compensator securely with your hand to the 10 o’clock point, to ensure the required timing. Mount the brake until it lines with the 12 o’clock point on the barrel, you can use an AR15 armorer’s wrench (a 3/4 inch open-end). Fix the muzzle brake in short increments without over-tightening it and not overpassing the 12 o’clock position.
- After the 5.56 muzzle brake mounting, a silencer can be fastened directly to it, if necessary.
Venting direction In Muzzle Brake
- Many linear muzzle brakes spread the gases forward, accompanying the bullet, allowing them to expand before leaving the weapon.
- The mechanism of muzzle rise decrease needs kinetic energy: gases escape in the same direction, but any muzzle rise changes the gas velocity.
- When the gases and blast energy are redirected backward, they come back to the shooter; they are pushed against the recoil at the same time, efficiently diminishing the actual recoil amount on the shooter.
- During the upward gas direction, the braking is called a porting, when there are many precision-drilled ports or holes in the forward barrel top and slide parts on firearms, which diminish pistols tendency to rise, allowing quicker follow-up shots, especially for three-round burst shooting.
FAQ
Conclusion
Recoil compensators allow the rifle to get rid of muzzle climb and diminish felt recoil, improving accuracy. The ear protection should be your responsibility, as muzzle devices increase the noise level to about 5-10 dB.
Choosing a muzzle brake, check the length restrictions and your state regulations. Remember, the total rifle length measures with a compensator attached to it, considering the barrel part, according to ATF regulations.
If you often shoot prone, purchase the muzzle brake without holes on its bottom to eliminate the dust kicking up into the face as Yankee Hill Machine Phantom 5.56 Aggressive Muzzle Brake.
The Best Picks
LANTAC Dragon SilencerCo ASR .223/5.56 Muzzle Brake
This Muzzle Brake, which is not a flash hider, is legal in California, outfitted with Quick Mount Suppressor Adapter. Silencers can be attached to these brakes. LANTAC implemented a patented gas handling system and Short Energy Pulse one to ensure great performance.
Fortis Manufacturing 5.56MM R.E.D. Barrel Muzzle Brake
Lightweight and compact military-grade brakes with stylish design and high-quality construction allow speed and accuracy enhancement.
Budget Picks
Yankee Hill 26-MB-A Slant Muzzle Brake 5.56mm Threaded
A hybrid unit with sturdy machining, comprising the functions of Muzzle Brake and Compensator, redirects gases away from the shooter, mitigates both recoil and muzzle rise for a faster follow-up shot.
Faxon Firearms 5.56 3-Port Muzzle Brake
These brakes provide fast and easy timing due to the reliable jam nut style locking mechanism and inMuzzlokin function, which allows installation without a crush washer or shims.
Tags: 5.56 muzzle brake, fortis muzzle brake 5.56, surefire muzzle brake 5.56, ar 15 5.56 muzzle brake, best muzzle brake for 5.56, lantac dragon muzzle brake 5.56
Tactical accessories are another passion of mine that I could write about endlessly - my house and garage are full of tactical gadgets, luckily my family shares my interests.
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