Linear compensator experiences/recommendations?

[irascible_joe]

I'm considering a linear compensator for use on a 16" .308, with the goal being reduced noise/blast from the shooter's perspective. The leading products seem to be the Black River Tactical Covert Comp, Levang Linear Compensator, Kaw Valley, and KIES Blast Master.

It's not easy to find solid reviews that objectively quantify their performance, so I'd like to know if anyone here can offer an opinion on any of these products. Obviously they're not suppressors and won't offer nearly that level of noise reduction, but I'd like something thing that can offer a real improvement on the amount of noise and blast hitting the shooter.

Thanks for any and all input.

[Clobbersaurus]

It's been a few years since I was involved with this stuff. I was more interested in brakes and true compensators, but I did do a fairly decent test of a Levang type compensator on a heavily modded 10/22 with a fluted heavy barrel.

First things first, linear comps are not comps in any real sense. They have no porting or baffling that can actually redirect muzzle gasses in any way that will affect muzzle rise and or reduce recoil. Any company that claims such is incorrect, and they don't understand what they have built. They don't reduce noise in any appreciable way, but they can help quite a bit with redirecting blast, which can be a big help to shooter.

Correctly designed linear comps can redirect muzzle gasses as they bleed off the forward facing ports at shallow angles away from the bullets path, which can negatively or positively affect the travel of the bullet. On the one I played with, I believe I saw something like a 1" difference in POI at 25 yards! Be prepared to see POI shifts especially at longer distances. You may find you have to change your favourite pet load, as it will no longer group like it did before you installed the device.

On the one I tested I saw an 11% decrease in group sizes. I did ten, ten round groups with the regular barrel and ten, ten round groups with the comp installed. 200 rounds total. I was impressed enough to keep it on the rifle.

Good luck with it.