Tuning your gas guns

If you’ve ever put together a CA-legal suppressed-style setup, be it a featureless rifle, a fixed-mag build, or something you take out of state. I’d really like to hear about the muzzle devices and mounting systems that turned out to be the most “gas-friendly.” With all the specific regulations in CA, I’m curious about how different compensators, brakes, and thread-on adapters performed alongside your buffer choices, spring weights, and any gas-block tuning you managed. If you have full build breakdowns, especially those that had to work around roster issues, featureless rules, or fixed-mag quirks, I’d love to see how you made it all come together.

alan said:

If you’ve ever put together a CA-legal suppressed-style setup, be it a featureless rifle, a fixed-mag build, or something you take out of state.

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Alan,

Just to clarify, there are no suppressed-style setups on ARs in CA, and I think you know that but you worded it as if there is.

I'm hoping we will be able to use suppressors in California, but the way the current Admin is going, they keep going back and forth with their word rhetoric.

alan said:

I’d really like to hear about the muzzle devices and mounting systems that turned out to be the most “gas-friendly.”

Click to expand...

I have used several brakes, and I have no clue if a flash hider is better or worse, but that is what most AR came with originally. Given that, I don't know if we'll be able to use suppressors or not...I can't only imagine how upset Newsom will be if that happens.

One of the better ones I've used in the 5 port Terminator. I think they cost about $250, so not cheap
.

alan said:

With all the specific regulations in CA, I’m curious about how different compensators, brakes, and thread-on adapters performed alongside your buffer choices, spring weights, and any gas-block tuning you managed. If you have full build breakdowns, especially those that had to work around roster issues, featureless rules, or fixed-mag quirks, I’d love to see how you made it all come together.

Click to expand...

It's hard to keep track of all of it.

In this state, it’s probably not wise to discuss brakes (which are legal), compensators, flash suppressors, or suppressors. That discussion is for a free state like Idaho.

The myriad of laws is astounding. Even cops don’t understand them.

My LEO friend says his are taken apart because he can’t keep up with it. But he and his wife are both Iraq vets, so I can safely assume they can be ready in minutes.

AFAIK even possession the component parts of such is illegal. Any threaded barrel...illegal. Any "Flash Hider"...illegal. Any "unfinned" pistol grip on a semi-auto rifle...illegal (a few exceptions exist). BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH (I just learned this a legal term a Superior Court Judge friend of mine uses regularly!)

In the immortal words of Sgt. Schultz...."I know NOTHING!"

I'm waiting for them to pass a law outlawing pistol grips on pistols. OOPS...didn't mean to give them any ideas...DAMN!

KonoctisWigwam said:

Alan,

Just to clarify, there are no suppressed-style setups on ARs in CA, and I think you know that but you worded it as if there is.

I'm hoping we will be able to use suppressors in California, but the way the current Admin is going, they keep going back and forth with their word rhetoric.


I have used several brakes, and I have no clue if a flash hider is better or worse, but that is what most AR came with originally. Given that, I don't know if we'll be able to use suppressors or not...I can't only imagine how upset Newsom will be if that happens.

One of the better ones I've used in the 5 port Terminator. I think they cost about $250, so not cheap
.

It's hard to keep track of all of it.

Click to expand...

You’re absolutely right, my wording was a bit off. I should’ve been clearer. What I meant to say was builds that work well with low gas or reduced blowback, using compensators or brake setups, not actual suppressors. I know CA doesn’t allow cans, and I’m well aware of that. I was really just trying to gather info on muzzle devices that assist with gas management since many people in CA are running adjustable gas blocks or different buffer setups to optimize their featureless or fixed-mag rifles. I thought this discussion might help others fine-tune their builds. And yes, the suppressor situation in CA is quite frustrating. It would be nice to see some changes, but I’m not holding my breath with how things have been going. I appreciate you catching that. I didn’t want to confuse anyone reading.