Custom Build Projects...stalled

[FortTom]

14. In all seriousness, those years were really a bad time, with enough blame to go around, for everyone. America had been losing it's innocence for several years. Hard drugs, heroin and psychedelics were accepted like candy. Young boys drafted and sent to a country many of them couldn't find on a globe, many of them to die. Riots in the streets and on campus's everywhere. Half wanted continued bombing of North Vietnam to bring them to their knees, while half wanted complete end and immediate withdraw. My father doing two tours in 'Nam. First time I really didn't understand what that was all about, but in '69 -'70, I fully realized the dangers and had to watch my mother watch the news every night, like girlfriends, wives and families all over the country did.

Family members getting drafted. Black light posters. Bell bottoms and tie dyed shirts. It all seems like a distant surreal memory now. I remember seeing Kent State on the day it happened on the evening news, probably with Howard Conkrite.

Strange times indeed.

FT

[Gaspipeshooter]

With regards to my pistol build, I'm still trying to decide what muzzle device to put on this. In doing some more research, the VG6 Precision Epsilon and VG6 Precision Gamma have caught my attention. This information about the Gamma has me leaning towards it:

"The brake has been optimized for 10.5" to 18.5" barrel lengths, but ultra-shorty SBRs and AR-Pistols with shorter barrels and full sized 20" rifles will benefit greatly from the muzzle brake as well."

Anyone with experience using both have a preference?

[Ride4frnt]

With regards to my pistol build, I'm still trying to decide what muzzle device to put on this. In doing some more research, the VG6 Precision Epsilon and VG6 Precision Gamma have caught my attention. This information about the Gamma has me leaning towards it:

"The brake has been optimized for 10.5" to 18.5" barrel lengths, but ultra-shorty SBRs and AR-Pistols with shorter barrels and full sized 20" rifles will benefit greatly from the muzzle brake as well."

Anyone with experience using both have a preference?

I guess it also depends in your barrel and rail combo. You don't want that rail sticking out too close to the ports of that brake.

Personally on my pistol build I'm going with a longer rail and a linear comp. Something like the KX3, PWS CQB, KAK flash can, or Kaw Valley Precision linear comp to direct the blast and sound down range. I think for me, since I mostly shoot under a roof, I'd rather have the sound and blast redirected than the recoil mitigation.

[UWone77]

I think the Epsilon is the best muzzle device VG6 produces. There's a couple of threads floating around about the Epsilon. It shoots very flat, and the recoil comes back into your shoulder.

[Gaspipeshooter]

I guess it also depends in your barrel and rail combo. You don't want that rail sticking out too close to the ports of that brake.

Personally on my pistol build I'm going with a longer rail and a linear comp. Something like the KX3, PWS CQB, KAK flash can, or Kaw Valley Precision linear comp to direct the blast and sound down range. I think for me, since I mostly shoot under a roof, I'd rather have the sound and blast redirected than the recoil mitigation.

For my rail I've pretty much settled on the Midwest Industries MI-20SS due to the piston kit requiring the use of a standard mil-spec barrel nut. I was looking at the MCTAR-20G2, but don't need all that rail real estate. Good points about the noise and blast re-direction, definitely something to take into consideration.

[Gaspipeshooter]

I think the Epsilon is the best muzzle device VG6 produces. There's a couple of threads floating around about the Epsilon. It shoots very flat, and the recoil comes back into your shoulder.

Thanks for the feedback. Is there anything else you would recommend from personal experience over either of these two for an 11.5" barreled pistol?

[UWone77]

Thanks for the feedback. Is there anything else you would recommend from personal experience over either of these two for an 11.5" barreled pistol?

Like Ride suggested, you could go with a brake, or a linear type comp to direct everything forward. I have suppressor mounts on most of my short uppers, but if you don't plan to go that route, I really have no issue with an A2 FH. Not the newest or sexiest, but it works.

Just depends on what you're trying to accomplish. What I can tell you is that a brake on a short barrel is a teeth rattler.

[Computalotapus]

That Strike Industries Cookie Cutter "looks" kinda cool. Do not know how it performs tho

[Ride4frnt]

That Strike Industries Cookie Cutter "looks" kinda cool. Do not know how it performs tho

Yes, it does look cool. Their videos seem kind of weird to me though. A cop shooting a full mag at a moderate speed and a caption saying he wants to shoot it more. I'm sure someone will put it through it's paces. I will be using their quick attach dust cover though.

[Gaspipeshooter]

The question of what I want to accomplish is a good one. I've never personally shot any AR with less than a 16" barrel. Been at the range and had SBRs shot next to me; definitely not a pleasant experience. Now that my NFA trust is set up, and an SBR or two are definitely going to be registered/procured, as well as suppressor(s). Once the pistol is done, function tested, and sighted in, I don't see it being a frequent "range gun", at least not until it is suppressed. I'm also thinking about SBR uppers and what muzzle device(s) they might wear as part of this. Hopefully the piston system works as well as I hope it does. I might run an A2 FS to start and see how the recoil is. That will certainly help me decide what direction to go. Thanks for the additional feedback.

[FortTom]

I have two VG6 Epsilon Brake/Comp/Flash Hider, but they are both installed on 16" barrels, not SBR or pistol, so I can't tell you anything as far as that's concerned. If it helps at all, on the mid AR they are very effective, especially the light weight gun I just finished. As far as the flash hider, the only test I've been able to do was in an indoor range with the lights dimmed low. I can tell you that next to an A2 flash hider, I found it to be superior, but not vastly. Again, I don't know if it's effectiveness would be linear, compared to a pistol.

Putting a third on a scoped LMT that I use for "long range" (under 300 yards) coyote "sniper" rifle. Had one of the others mounted on it first. It's a bit on the heavy side with full C4 quad rails, a Burris P.E.P.R with a 2.5 X 15 scope and a Burris Fast Fire III on top of that, as well as a bipod and other hardware. It made a great deal of difference on that rifle, as far as the comp goes. It would jump a bit and move the bipod, but the Epsilon stopped that. Recoil never was heavy enough to matter, but it's a very tame rifle to shoot, not much more movement that a good pellet gun.

Not sure if any of this is relevant, as you're going to be using a pistol, but I might consider the Epsilon over the Gamma, for a pistol, just for the added flash suppressor alone. As you probably know, that short barreled pistol is going to belch a flame, which at dusk or dark will be a sight to behold, with a standard run of the mill A2 flash hider, or no flash hider at all, and I suspect the Gamma will not be much better in that regard.

Hope this helps,

Good Luck,

FT

[Gaspipeshooter]

Thanks for your feedback FT. Good info all around. One of the Mega billet sets I have is calling out to me to become an SPR/Long Range gun of some sort...maybe a Rainier Arms Select 18" MEDCON barrel to start with.

[Ride4frnt]

Thanks for your feedback FT. Good info all around. One of the Mega billet sets I have is calling out to me to become an SPR/Long Range gun of some sort...maybe a Rainier Arms Select 18" MEDCON barrel to start with.

On my 18" gun i used a black hole weaponry polygonal 5 groove rifled barrel. Got it at a decent price (came with a free Aero upper too) I don't have very many rounds through it, but I am impressed with it so far. The only rainier barrel I've ever shot is their 16" fluted, and it was a sweet shooter. I'm sure their 18" is no different.

[Gaspipeshooter]

On my 18" gun i used a black hole weaponry polygonal 5 groove rifled barrel. Got it at a decent price (came with a free Aero upper too) I don't have very many rounds through it, but I am impressed with it so far. The only rainier barrel I've ever shot is their 16" fluted, and it was a sweet shooter. I'm sure their 18" is no different.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the 18" MEDCON barrel is probably made for Rainier by Black Hole Weaponry, since it is 5 groove polygonal rifled. I used the 20" Rainier Select in .308 for a friends build and it is 5 groove polygonal rifled as well. I suggested it and my friend did a bunch of research and really liked the advantages of polygonal rifling, so he was good to go with it.

[Ride4frnt]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the 18" MEDCON barrel is probably made for Rainier by Black Hole Weaponry, since it is 5 groove polygonal rifled. I used the 20" Rainier Select in .308 for a friends build and it is 5 groove polygonal rifled as well. I suggested it and my friend did a bunch of research and really liked the advantages of polygonal rifling, so he was good to go with it.

You know, now that I think of it, I did hear that BHW was making the select series barrels.