Got your eye on an M200 Intervention rifle? That platform comes with a muzzle brake, which will help counteract recoil - big news for a rifle paired with a big, powerful cartridge like this one.
But it’s not the only muzzle device you might want to consider. A suppressor will offer pretty much everything the muzzle brake does and then some. Here’s what you need to know.
Suppressor vs. Compensator (Muzzle Brake)
First off, these are separate muzzle devices. A suppressor is a muzzle device with internal vanes or baffles that helps capture and redistribute gasses ported at the muzzle. The main purpose of suppressors is to diminish volume.
A muzzle brake (sometimes also referred to as a comp or compensator) is another type of muzzle device with ports that redirects gasses at the muzzle, to counteract recoil and muzzle flip.
While a muzzle brake can counter recoil, it will also increase muzzle pop and the overall report of the rifle. A suppressor counters that and much more - see the following benefits for more details.
Save Your Hearing
The best (and most popularly recognized) advantage of a suppressor is that it will cut back on the overall muzzle pop and volume of the gun.
That’s why these things are commonly known as silencers. That’s a bit of a misnomer, though, as they don’t silence the gun. They just make it quieter.
Which is a big deal for a gun like an M200 Intervention rifle or another long-range shooter chambered in .50 BMG, like the ArmaLite AR-50 A1.
With these guns, it’s the muzzle blast that gets you more than the recoil - but a suppressor can substantially counter that.
Recoil Reduction
Believe it or not, guns like the M200 Intervention rifle don’t really produce that much recoil. These platforms weigh nearly 30 pounds, which absorbs most of the force to begin with.
But, what most people also don’t know about suppressors is that they also reduce recoil considerably, they don’t just diminish the muzzle pop/blast.
In fact, a good suppressor can cut felt recoil by as much as 20-50%, though it depends on cartridge, barrel length, and a few other factors.
Muzzle Flash Reduction
Big cartridges and high pressures tend to produce big muzzle flashes which can temporarily blind shooters, disrupting the sight picture. This is why many rifles that are not equipped with brakes are commonly outfitted with flash hiders.
But once again, a suppressor will offer all of the advantages of both muzzle brakes and flash hiders in one package.
Since they have a large internal volume that captures gasses, they can substantially reduce (and in some cases even eliminate) a rifle’s muzzle flash.
Muzzle Velocity Boost
Another benefit of suppressors that is somewhat less than well-known is that they can actually boost the muzzle velocity just a bit.
This is because, since suppressors add length to the barrel and trap gasses, they actually increase chamber and bore pressures slightly. The result is a faster bullet.
And that, in turn, generates more power, which equates to a slightly flatter trajectory - a big deal for long-range shooters.
Potentially Greater Accuracy
When you’re shooting on a benchrest or over a bipod or tripod, this won’t be a big deal. But just a note for you sporting rifle shooters - the recoil reduction and mitigated muzzle flip offered by a suppressor can help discourage flinching and keep your sights trained on target, helping to increase accuracy in turn.
Better Overall Shooting Experience
Lastly, because of the combination of all of the benefits of suppressors mentioned herein, they just produce a better shooting experience, which is useful for those attempting to introduce new shooters to the sport.
Other Notes on Suppression
While there are numerous advantages to suppression, we would be remiss if we did not mention:
- It’s an NFA item: One of the most common searches around silencers is “Are suppressors under the NFA?” and the answer is yes. Suppressors are an NFA item, which means that they are closely regulated by the ATF. To get one, you will need to buy a tax stamp for a suppressor.
- You’ll have to clean the gun more frequently: Since suppressors significantly increase chamber pressures, you’ll need to clean the barrel, chamber, action, and suppressor itself more frequently. They leave a lot of fouling behind.
- Action components will wear faster: This is not a concern too much for bolt-action models like the M200 Intervention rifle, but if you suppress a gas gun like an AR-15, your gas rings will probably wear out faster; so just be aware of that.
Here for an M200 Intervention Rifle?
While models like ArmaLite AR-50 A1 and CheyTac M200 Intervention rifles come with muzzle brakes, remember that these are not the only suitable muzzle devices for these sorts of rifle platforms. A suppressor may offer you as much value as a brake, and depending on what you’re looking for, perhaps even more. For more information on these rifles (or compatible muzzle devices), see our listing pages or get in touch with us directly.