Installing a Muzzle Brake on an AR-15

In this article, we take a closer look at installing a muzzle brake (or compensator) on AR-15–type hunting rifles.
One of the most important steps in the installation process is ensuring that the muzzle brake is perfectly aligned horizontally. Proper alignment directly affects how efficiently the compensator reduces recoil and muzzle rise.

A common solution is to use thin shim washers to achieve the correct orientation.
However, there is also a more radical approach: lightly machining or sanding the rear face of the muzzle brake so that it times correctly when fully tightened on the barrel.

These methods — the traditional and the more advanced one — are demonstrated in the video below