I’ve been able to spend a little time recently with the Mini Comp from Carlson Comps. The Mini Comp isn’t for everyone but it does a very good job of serving a couple of specific niches.
One of my favorite things about checking out Carlson Comps muzzle devices is talking with the proprietor of Carlson Comps, Greg Carlson. He is a straight shooter that won’t yank your chain. He readily admits that the Mini Comp isn’t anything earth shattering. He designed it for just a few specific purposes: it adds little to the barrel’s overall length, it is ban compliant for this in ban states, and it does provide a little compensation for muzzle rise.
I mounted the Mini Comp on a 16″ BCM BFH lightweight mid-length upper and set about testing it against a standard A2 flash suppressor. The Mini Comp is similar to the A2 flash suppressor in that it has open slot shaped ports on top and a closed bottom. It is essentially a shorter, lighter version of the A2 and it performs much like one as well, at least in terms of compensation for muzzle rise. That means that it helps a bit, but it certainly isn’t doing as much as a dedicated compensator like the Carlson Comp.
Greg likens the Mini Comp’s performance to an AK slant brake and I found that comparison to be accurate. I could feel that it is doing something versus a bare barrel but it really doesn’t do a lot to control muzzle rise. The closed bottom port did prevent the muzzle blast from scattering dust and debris on he ground when the carbine was being shot from prone and in terms of noise coming from the muzzle the Mini Comp is no more intense than an A2.
The device did seem to suppress some flash though it is not classed as a flash suppressor by the BATFE which is key to one of the niches that this device serves. The Mini Comp is classed by the BATFE as a compensator, which makes it legal for those who live in “assault weapons ban” states.
The main purpose of this device is to minimize the addition of length to the barrel. Many flash suppressors are designed to be long enough to bring the length of a 14.5″ barrel up to 16″ when the device is pinned in place. The devices don’t necessarily need to be that long to perform but they are made longer so they can fulfill a specific role. Carlson Comps went the other direction with the Mini Comp. It is shorter and lighter for the purpose of being short and light. It is designed to keep short barrels short and it does that. It is about 1/2 the length of many muzzle devices and 2/3rds the length of the A2.
If you are living in a ban state and want a device that performs similarly to an A2 flash suppressor or you have a barrel that you want to keep as short as possible, the Mini Comp may be for you. Check it out on the Carlson Comps website.
Disclaimer: The Mini Comp was provided to me for review, free of charge, by Carlson Comps.
Interesting Matt – looks like a nicely made piece.