By Jeff Johnston, FE Hunting & Shooting Editor
Compensators on handguns are great on the range; they reduce recoil and muzzle flip, making shooting generally more accurate and enjoyable. I’m always wearing ear and eye pro out there, so any extra noise or hot gasses produced by a compensator and ejected toward my head are not a big deal. But when I’m carrying, these things are no bueno. After all, who wants to wax a carjacker only to realize you’ve also scorched the headliner of your new King Ranch F-250?
But I recently discovered a comp that can be attached or removed in seconds without tools.
The Light-Mounted Compensator from Vantage Point Armory is a machined-aluminum compensator that attaches directly to a Streamlight or Surefire weapon light using the light’s factory mounting hardware. It takes about 5 minutes and a small Allen wrench to install it on the light’s frame. Then the comp and light attach to your handgun as a unit via the handgun’s accessory rail, by hand, just as you’d slide on or remove the light. (VPA makes some other comps that mount via rail, without the flashlight.) With the compensator installed, expect recoil reduction of 15 to 20 percent in addition to less muzzle flip. Then quickly take it off for concealed carry if you have the same concerns I do. It’s available for Glock, Sig, Archon, and Beretta, with models for S&W and Taurus on the way.
Cost: $150
Pros: Easy on/off; reduces recoil and muzzle flip
Cons: Surefire or Streamlight weapon lights aren’t cheap.
