Comp on my new AR too loud to hunt with

wahoowad

wahoowad

Member
I've mostly used my bolt guns with 22" or longer barrels for varmint hunting and the report has never, ever given me cause for concern when fired out on the big open fields I hunt. But today I took my new Ruger MPR in 223 out and it rocked my world when I shot a groundhog. The blast was super loud and my ears are still ringing and it's been 3 hours.

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It has an 18" barrel and what Ruger calls a radial muzzle brake on it. I might be getting a suppressor but that's not gonna be an option to consider right now. Is there another 1/2"-28 threaded brake/compensator that wouldn't be so freaking loud? Or is the loudness going to be high because it is an 18" barrel?

I don't want to wear hearing protection while hunting - I feel like I would be losing one of my important senses, and it also seems somewhat unsafe.

Thanks for any input
 
Keep in mind a brake is effective because gas is "directed" or "ported" directionally, usually back toward the shooter/rear.

Brakes are just loud... they have no business on a work rifle in security or LE and no place in a HD rifle IMO. For field use, hearing protection is a must as you have found out if you are going to use a brake.

When I hunt with my T/C pistol chambered in .30-30 Winchester, I keep foam ear plugs in my hands... it is brutal and dangerous for the ears.
 
Two seasons ago I used an 18" barrel 264lbc. No brake but it was still TOO LOUD! It was the only time I can remember my ears ringing from hunting. I now go suppressed. But my advice is taking the brake off will help but not enough. Go at least 22" but you really should have hearing pro of some sort.
 
That short barrel is a major issue. Those electronic ear plugs and just putting a thread protector would be my fix if it were I.

Greg
 
I need to look into electronic ear plugs as I don't know anything about them. I have electronic muffs but they are bulky and interfere with a good cheek weld. I usually use disposable foam plugs at the range unless I'm shooting something brutal and then I use both.

Any good value electronic plugs to recommend ?
 
The linear compensators like Levang, Kaw Valley, and others direct the blast forward away from the shooter. The shot is still loud but not as painful to the ears imho. Always use hearing protection when shooting but I understand hearing protection is often somewhat impractical when actually hunting.
 
Ritch has some electronic plugs made by ESP. The linear comp is a good idea. The Dragons head is one that works well to quiet things down.

Greg
 
i have to recommend hearing protection even when hunting. My off side ear rings constantly and that's before ever owning an ar or rifle with shorter than 20" barrel. I think part of my hearing loss came from working around loud equipment also, but I know shooting has been hard on me.

I have electronic muffs and agree that they interfere with cheek weld, I only use them with pistols. I recently started using surefire ear plugs that have a small port that can be opened and closed. When opened they don't interfere with regular hearing too bad but they still mitigate the effects of gunshots.

When hunting sometimes I only put a plug in the offside ear. It's still a lot like having foam earplugs, only a little better. I'm leaning towards always wearing two also. How many times do you actually hear a coyote coming to the call? I'm not a great hunter, but I've never heard a coyote coming, maybe howl a time or two but that's it. And I can hear a howl with the plugs in and the strong side ear plug open.
 

Originally Posted By: wahoowad It has an 18" barrel

Therein lies the problem + as has been said, most MB's direct the muzzle blast back toward the shooter.

I recently acquired a .308 Savage Scout, which is a very handy little predator rifle with the short, 18" barrel. That short barrel + MB, however produced an ear damaging muzzle blast which was simply intolerable, even w/electronic ear muffs. I can't (or won't) lengthen the barrel, but the MB had to go, replaced by a thread protector!

Originally Posted By: wahoowadI need to look into electronic ear plugs as I don't know anything about them. I have electronic muffs but they are bulky and interfere with a good cheek weld. I usually use disposable foam plugs at the range unless I'm shooting something brutal and then I use both.

Any good value electronic plugs to recommend ?

A lifetime of shooting everything from .22 RF to 81mm mortars plus working around very noisy equipment has taken it's toll on my hearing. Have always worn hearing protection when shooting, on the range or in the field but apparently it was not adequate to prevent considerable hearing loss and pretty severe tinnitus.

When shooting competition I wore molded ear plugs, which were very good at blocking the blast, but were too effective to be useful in the field. For the past 15 years, I have used electronic Walker Quad Game Ear muffs in the field. Very effective at blocking muzzle blast yet allows (and can even amplify) hearing under normal conditions. The major drawback (for me) was the fact that I wear eyeglasses which, in our hot, humid climate, tend to fog constantly and the muffs make it difficult to keep them clear. When Walker introduced their electronic quad ear plugs, I purchased a set and they seemed to work as well as the muffs (in the house). Unfortunately, in spite of the fact that they provide several different sizes of foam adapters, I was never able to affect a sound proof seal in my ears, so exchanged them for a set of quad muffs to replace my old set.

The Scout's wider (adjustable) cheek piece makes it a bit more difficult to get a good seal on the muffs, but with practice it can be done. This is not so much of a problem with AR's.

Regards,
hm
 
Either a Kaw Valley Precision linear comp and/or a pair of Howard Leight Impact Sport electronic muffs. Even with a linear comp you should be wearing ear pro.
 
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I tried electronic muffs when I hunted with a 44 mag handgun but when the wind blew I thought trees were falling. I sold the 44.
 
Originally Posted By: TnTnTnThe linear compensators like Levang, Kaw Valley, and others direct the blast forward away from the shooter. The shot is still loud but not as painful to the ears imho. Always use hearing protection when shooting but I understand hearing protection is often somewhat impractical when actually hunting.

Yup! A KVP Linear Comp would be a good option to at least get the noise out in front of you versus blast it next to your head. It won't reduce the noise, but it won't make it louder like a brake and will make it quieter to your ears.
 
Originally Posted By: wahoowadWhy would Ruger put a comp like this on the gun if there are better designs? For looks?

The purpose of a comp is to eliminate or reduce muzzle rise and get you back on target quickly. For those shooting 3 gun sports this is a big deal, for the rest of us not so much. I have one AR with a comp on it, 14.5 barrel, of course it is pinned into place. It will definitely let you know if you forgot to put your earpro in place
 
My favorite linear comp is the Kaw Valley that has already been mentioned several times. It really helps not only the loudness but also projects the concussion down range. It makes a noticeable difference on a 16" barrel. Way better than just a thread protector in my opinion. I also have a Levang but the Kaw Valley is lighter and seems to work a bit better.
 
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Im gonna hop on the bandwagon and recommend the Kaw Valley linear compensator. I'm working on building a lightweight hunting rig, and I had a Miculek brake on it. I started thinking about it, and decided to swap that out for a KVP linear compensator before I even shot it. Don't get me wrong - a good brake does wonders for recoil and can help in situations where you need to get back on target quickly. Coyote hunting just isn't one of those situations, for me.

I also have an older rifle with one of those Levang linear compensators on it. They also work really well, in terms of directing muzzle blast downrange. Compared to the KVP version, the Levang is kinda ugly - its not much more than a cylinder shaped chunk of steel. I don't know if you can still find a Levang for sale anywhere, since DPMS quit making them. Not that it matters. Nowadays, there are a lot more linear compensators on the market that work just as well as the Levang, and are a lot more stylish, too.
 


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