So if you have a choice between a brake or flashider which would you choose and why.
This is for a YHM Resonator. I will use on bolt and semi large caliber rifles.

With my Thunder Beast setup, I originally chose a flash hider because I wanted a lower flash signature under low light conditions if I were shooting without the suppressor. Unfortunately, the TBAC hider has helical slots and it was impossible to time it so that a significant amount of the blast wasn’t directed straight down and that blew a lot of dirt/dust/debris up onto the scope and my face. I therefore changed the attachment for the suppressor to the TBAC muzzle brake.

I don’t know, of course, if any of that would be a matter of concern to you, and if it was, most flash hiders can be positioned so that no gas is directed straight down to the ground. If the bottom of the flash hider is closed and the gas is directed down at an angle left/right, I haven’t experienced the same problem as I did with the TBAC FH.

Without any of that’s being an issue for you, I’d just decide whether I wanted the benefit of a flash hider or muzzle brake. I suspect that most people would rather have the brake when shooting without the suppressor. But although I am no authority on the question, it doesn’t seem to me that brake/FH would matter if always shooting with the suppressor.

I generally go with flash hiders since you don’t need to time them like you do a brake.
I’m just lazy like that.

When shooting suppressed, a brake or FH doesn’t really make any difference to the sound, but a lot of people use a brake as a sacrificial baffle to reduce erosion to the blast baffle in the suppressor. If you shoot a lot, it can help a little with the longevity of your can, especially if it’s a sealed type.

For unsuppressed, it’s a matter of what you prefer. Brakes do recoil mitigation, but are also louder and concussive for the people standing next to you.

quote:

Originally posted by Dwill104:
When shooting suppressed, a brake or FH doesn’t really make any difference to the sound, but a lot of people use a brake as a sacrificial baffle to reduce erosion to the blast baffle in the suppressor. If you shoot a lot, it can help a little with the longevity of your can, especially if it’s a sealed type.

This is exactly what Zak Smith states -- he owns Thunderbeast Arms. Zak told me this is why their quick detach system is a brake.

Thanks guys, I choose a brake when I bought the Resonator. Then bought a second brake to outfit another rig. Looking to get another. So a brake seem's like a good choice continuing forward. Thanks for the discussion guys. I appreciate it.

I went with the flash hider for my Resonator. Reasoning was, (1) I don't like having a brake on the firing line and I prefer not to inflict that annoyance on others, and (2) Most competitions don't allow either suppressors or brakes.

quote:

Originally posted by Expert308:
Most competitions don't allow ... suppressors ....

That’s something I started wondering about some years ago when I acquired a suppressor and considered getting involved in some sort of competition. Any idea why that is? It would seem to me that the usual advantage of using suppressors, i.e., less noise, would be a desired benefit of competitors’ using them. Is it simply a public relations and perceptions thing or perhaps because suppressors aren’t legal in all jurisdictions? Are they perceived to give an advantage to the shooter that not all competitors would be able to take advantage of?

From what I read, it's a combination of things. With suppressors it's partly that not all areas allow suppressors, and partly that a suppressor can also somewhat reduce felt recoil, giving the user an advantage. How that kind of advantage is really different than a well-heeled shooter using a $6K rifle vs an average Joe with his $1K setup, I don't know, but apparently some folks think it is. For brakes it's just a courtesy thing - nobody likes to be next to the guy with the loud brake.

That said, most of those kinds to rules are dictated by the national / international organizations that govern the matches. NRA, USPSA/IPSC, whatever the governing body is for PRS, etc. Local match directors have the option of not enforcing rules that are not safety-related, so the guy running a local match may not care if you want to shoot a suppressed rifle "just for fun". But if you want your score to be counted for awards or national standing or bragging rights or whatever, you'll have to leave the can or brake off.

quote:

Originally posted by Expert308:
[N]obody likes to be next to the guy with the loud brake.

Okay, thanks. And I definitely understand about the brakes.