[45Gunner]

I'm currently running the Stag Comp muzzle break on my AR-15. It came with the barrel assembly, and I don't have any issues with it. I am, however, wondering if it's worthwhile to go to a higher-end compensator. I'm looking at one from Spike's Tactical;

Spike's Tactical Dynacomp Extreme (5.56) [SBV1017] - $89.95 : Spikes Tactical

 

[Degenret]

All those holes would be a bitch to clean, and Phantom Comp/Brake accomplishes the same thing with easy to clean ports at 1/3 the price.

 

[Tifosi]

Do you want comp effect or brake effect, or some balance between those two?

I've a Spike's Extreme and like it for what it does:decent brake effect, 'some' hellp with compensation.
Also have a Phantom (smooth face) which does a better job compensating than it does braking.

Both are stupid loud, especially off to the side, but the Phantom is special enough that it can make you feel the facepunch even if you're directly behind it and the gun.
Literally loud enough to bring you to the point of wanting to stab a screwdriver in your ear to make the sound wave induced pain stop if you weren't wearing earpro or are off to the side or caqn be exposed to the blast coming out the top. Loud enough to make you think the eardrum popped with the first round.

I've not tried tinkering the Extreme yet to try to get it to do tricks I want it to as I'm satisfied with the brake/comp balance but need to do some porting to cut down n muzzle flash.
Put the wrong round through there (Federal XM193 usually) and it has the potential to spew a fireball as big as a 4qt spaghetti pot and have it be stupid bright besides. (bright enough to take your daylight vision on a bright sunny day let alone night vision)
Just working out what pattern or plan of action I'm going to try as its relevant to either needing to slow down the flow through the device, or letting enough escape so that any residual consumables don't have enough air to ignight, or some combination of both.

Regarding the YMH, as its not a superbrake anyway so fiddling on to improve compensating ability a bit more.
A re~drill through one of the internal plates, a sbtle reshaping of the second, then putting some ramp edges in the for end of the aft set of linear slots.
This makes the gas redirect a bit better to aid in compensation, yet leaves enough of the original mechanics to keep a fair amount of the brake effect.
Working ramps into the rear slots cause a 'skimming' of the pressure wave passing through the device which in turn pushes the more vertical release of gas produced by the forward slots.
The push actually helps reduce and redirect the gas as they exit out the ports by virtue of the ramped ports jumping forward and pushing into the side of the gas column comng straight out of the foward ports.
Think of it like someone spraying a garden hose straight up, then hitting it at about a 35 degree angle and from the side with another hose of more or less equal pressure. Same effect. Just using sound and gas flow waves pushing on each other instead of water waves pushing on each other

 

[cgrutt]

OK, stupid question. What's the difference between comp effect and brake effect? I always thought they meant the same thing. Brake redirects gas and reduces felt recoil. Got that, I think. Is comp the same thing on the vertical plane, I.e., reduce muzzle rise? That said, I just had a Battlecomp pinned and welded on a 6.8 SPC upper and can't wait to check it out. Has a lot of tiny holes and I can see how that might be a PIA to clean.

 

[Tifosi]

Braking is as you surmise: linear recoil assist
Compensation is muzzle deflection control.

It can help keep a muzzle down or from moving to the side and angles in between depending on type of comp used, the indexing of the comp, and general ability of the shooter to hold the firearm still.

EG: regardless of vertical rise/flip, right handed rifle shooters will always have some level of rightward muzzle motion as all the support is at the left, rear and bottom. Left handers end up with the muzzle moving left.
The muzzle simply takes the path(s) of least resistance.
The better the compensation, the less movement.

Shooter still has to actually have the ability to keep things fairly stable to begin with though, as a muzzle device won't be able to compensate for technique errors. They just enhance already employed good skills.

As in someone who is barely capable of holding the rifle steady even before firing or who gets rocked back on thier heels after is not going to suddenly be capable of 1/4 second split controlled doubles.

They are an assisting tool, not a magical device