TargetTalk

Why do folks want compensators on air and free pistols?

In IPSC, people put on compensators for two reasons:
1. Some reduction in felt recoil.
2. And primarily, a reduction/quicker return of the muzzle downward for a quicker follow up shot.

But I don't see how these goals have that big an effect in air and free since there isn't a concern for a follow up shot.
It can't be to steady the gun, because by the time the compensator would be working, the bullet would be long gone (Steyr LP-10's barrel ports would be an exception to this).
It can't be to help call a shot because the the last accurate reflection of where the shot will be would be the alignment of the sights the instant the shot breaks, as opposed to where the muzzle is returned after the projectile has left the barrel. (And there are more effective ways of doing this for pellets ala LP-10's and FWB 65's anti-recoil systems)
I wouldn't think it would be for recoil because pellets and and .22s have minimal recoil.

So what are the goals?

1. Some reduction in felt recoil.
2. And primarily, a reduction/quicker return of the muzzle downward for a quicker follow up shot.

Hi,
As you have guessed none of the above has any importance in .22.

It is, and do correct me if I am wrong here;

1. The rules allows it.
2. Gas that drives the bullet can escape or be reduced before the bullet leaves the barrel. There will be less disturbance behind the bullet.

Kent

Yes, "sparky", you are right.
The purpose of the compensator is to deflect the gas (pressurized air) as the pellet exites from the muzzle. Then the pellet is free from the barrel, and a reduced muzzle rise would not have any affect on the pellets path.

With some APs, like the Steyrs and FWB P34 and P40 there are small vents drillet halfway through the barrel, releasing air behind the pellets during its travel down the barrel. Bleeding off gas directed upward will reduse muzzle rise of these guns.

But: the less movement of a gun at discharge, the less disturbing the shot release will be to the shooter. Even the mildest recoil has some effect on the shooters ability to perfectly squeeze of a shot. Even the recoil of a .22 has some effect on a shooters "nervous system", as has the report from the gun.
Most will deny this, but the recoil/barrel flip and "blast" of a AP will also have a small, but still noticable, effect to the shooter!

So all in all a compensator also has some immaterial effect on the shot release. With largers guns, a compenstor has an marked attenuating effect on the report from the gun.

With the pellet pistols it was the late, great Don Nygord who in 1991 found that the application of a compensator onto the barrel of the CO2 pistols helped to break up the turbulent gasses that tended to disturb the pellet at the instant of its leaving the muzzle (improving the inertial envelope of the pellet in flight). His "Turbo-Comp" also countered the slight muzzle flip felt with the gas guns and helped the shooter obtain a smoother follow through. Both of these points led to greater accuracy and control of the pistol.

My Crossman Skanaker that I used for a few years had a definite ride or flip when a pellet left the muzzle, but due to the design of the pistol there was no easy fix such as adding a comp, but there were a host of other issues with the 88 that I didn't like and so began a long search for "The” pistol. I went to a Pardini K2 Air before settling on an Anschutz M10 that was a fine compensated pistol. I foolishly sold it when I got out of precision shooting and into IDPA and action shooting in '99. Now that I am back to AP, a comp was one of the criteria for purchase of a new pistol, along with provision for dry-fire, adjustable width sights and a loading ram for the pellet.

Sparky,

Compensators in air and free pistols are designed primarily to ensure the projectile as it leaves the muzzle is undisturbed by the propellant gasses. Some improvement in group size is achievable through the use of a compensator (group size as measured with shots taken from a machine rest).

One point that's been hinted at here is a secondary benefit... If the shooter is able to more precisely control his or her follow-through then he or she is also more likely to control the pistol at the exact moment of shot release. Compensators do much to aid a shooter's ability to use proper follow-through and thus aid the shooter in properly executing the shot.

You mention that recoil on .22's and airguns is minimal. Not sure if you've ever shot free pistol, but I will mention that all the folks who have been standard pistol (ie .22 semi auto) shooters have been very surprised by the amount of recoil felt in a free pistol. The reason for this effect is that semi-auto's tend to soak up a lot of recoil in the operation of their self-loading actions. Essentially their internal springs and other moving parts change the shape of the recoil impulse from a sharp spike to a much longer pulse. The shooter perceives this as being less felt recoil. In the case of a free pistol there are no mechanical devices to absorb recoil. The net result is that a very sharp recoil pulse is driven straight back into the shooter's hand.

Some compensators on free pistols actually reduce perceived recoil - I know the comp on my CM84E pistol certainly has this effect. One of the added effects of having the compensator installed is a reduction in muzzle flip. This reduction in muzzle flip aids in follow-through. I've also found it allows me to "call the shot" much more accurately. Without the comp I can call quadrant of error but can only guess as to magnitude of error. With the comp I can normally call the shot both in quadrant and magnitude. Normally my shot calling with the compensator is within a scoring ring or less of actual bullet placement.

One thing that's important to note is that compensator design used in air and free pistols is entirely different than that used in IPSC or similar guns. These are definitely optimized for an entirely different purpose, so comparing these designs to current AP & FP comps is very much an apples-to-oranges comparison. After modelling an FP compensator on the pattern of a centrefire rifle muzzle break I can assure you that it didn't work worth a hoot on an FP. Trust me, compensators are not all created alike! ;-)