Reducing shorty AR10 muzzle blast

[dorchester]

During the AWB period I bought a 16 inch barrel AR10 carbine with the factory muzzle brake. The muzzle blast from this beast was something to behold. Even wearing earmuff style hearing protectors and glasses, I felt it affected my shooting too much. I removed the muzzle brake and things improved, a little. I've since removed the barrel and replaced it with a 20 inch. It is kind of long now and certainly heavier. So... would a very large flash hider (I'm thinking something like an XM177 look alike unit) help enough to be worth the effort of installing? Would just a regular flash suppressor (Phantom/Vortex, etc.) be enough of an improvement to be worth trying? The 16 inch barrel is stainless, fluted, lightweight, and was always quite accurate; I would like to rescue it from the cardboard box it sits in now.

[Robb Jensen]

I'd recommend either a Noveske KX3 or a sound suppressor.

[LonghunterCO]

+1 on the sound suppressor.

-I am not sure as to the lessening of blast with the Vortex/phantom. They greatly reduces muzzle flash, but that is not necessarily any less on the noice/blast. Some breaks seem to lessen to noice/concussion to the shooter but actually increase it the right and left of you on the firing line.

[Marcus L.]

The Noveske KX3 really does make a big difference in directing sound forward and away from the shooter. Great for SBR which are notoriously loud to the shooter.

[dorchester]

Hmmm, sounds like we may have a winner (I should have mentioned a suppressor was not what I was looking for). I've never dealt with any Noveske rifles or components, this was exactly the type of info I was looking for. A little research on the KX3 shows that it may increase the pressure delivered to the BCG and thus bolt velocities. I suspect a Tubbs spring and/or heavier buffer could handle these issues. Any experience differently out there?