There is something deeply American about taking an inexpensive firearm and adding a mod that doubles the price. We do it with our trucks, our computers, and our guns.
Radian’s Afterburner + Ramjet combo is a novel approach to the pistol compensator question. But is it really worth it? We’ll find out.
50 STATE LEGAL
Compensators have been making inroads in the shooting community for years, but they are still often looked down on by ignorant shooters.
While the benefits of a comp shouldn’t be ignored, there is another reason to love the Afterburner and Ramjet design. It is legal in all 50 states because it doesn’t use a threaded barrel. Some states, like California and New York, have decided that threaded barrels on pistols mean they are “assault pistols” and are banned. Radian sidesteps this crap by having no threads on the barrel.
Instead, Radian uses a screw as a locking wedge to keep the Afterburner in place. Checkmate, gun grabbers.
Available for the Glock 19, Gen 3, Gen 4, and Gen 5 along with the Gen 5 Glock 17. Coming soon to the SIG Sauer P365.
BASE PISTOL
While the Afterburner and Ramjet are built for the Glock platform, the only Glock in my safe is a Gen 3 frame that not even its mother could love. Instead, this was installed on a Palmetto State Armory Dagger Full Size frame with a Dagger slide featuring a rear iron forward setup.
This is one of the pistols that gets featured most in my rotation and it’s great to shoot normally. The only change made before this was to cut a double-under cut in the trigger guard.
Also, it is amusing to have a $250 frame and slide and a $350 barrel and comp.
ON THE RANGE
The PSA Dagger is a solid entry into the world of Glock clones. Based on the Gen 3, this full-size grip basically matches a G17-size pistol. If you want more details, we have a full review on the PSA Full Size and the PSA Compact. Short version: they are reliable and inexpensive.
So why would you want to put a barrel and comp in one that costs more than the frame and slide combined? First, because you’re an American. Second, because the barrel is doing all of the real work when it comes to precision and the comp is doing compensator things like keeping the muzzle flip down.
Side-by-side with the stock barrel Vs. the Radian, the Radian shoots tighter groups. Tighter enough to matter? Not likely if you’re in a gunfight at 10 yards, but if you’re looking to make hits at 50 yards in competition — it helps.
What really makes a difference is the Afterburner micro-comp. Radian calls it a “micro-comp” but it does the heavy lifting like any of the larger brakes you commonly see on pistols. The “micro” part just means that it makes a G19 length slide into a G17 length so it still fits in most Glock holsters.
Recoil reduction is major, easily 30-40% depending on what ammo you use. And yes, ammo matters. If you only shoot powder puff loads, a comp won’t make a huge difference. But if you shoot better ammo or defensive loads, a comp makes a major difference.
Comp design plays a big role in how well it performs. While too many options are just a couple of holes in a block of metal, Radian has taken the time to make sure the Afterburner actually works well. For the size, this is one of the best compensators I’ve tested.
Getting back on target is faster, the gun shoots faster, and you can feel how much faster you can run the gun with zero loss of precision because it works better.
The 50-state design also means that this is a lot easier to disassemble and clean than most other compensator options. To remove the barrel, you must remove the comp. Normally, this can be hard if you’ve done a good bit of shooting because carbon will cause a compensator to become locked to the barrel. More than once I’ve had to soak my compensators in CLR before I could get them off the gun.
For the Radian, this isn’t an issue. The screw is kept away and safe from carbon. No matter how much you shoot, the screw will come out without a problem. Once that is out, a tappy tap of a soft-side hammer and the Afterburner comes right off.
Do You Need It?
I strongly believe the people who don’t shoot with comps are people who have never shot with comps. Like red dots or suppressors, they are a net gain and hard to argue with once you’ve actually done it.
That said, the Radian Afterburner + Ramjet combo isn’t cheap. But it also isn’t as expensive as it feels. MSRP is $390, but street is around $350. Remember that it is for a barrel and a compensator; both are 50 state legal. If you’re in one of the ban states, this is an easy win.
Even if you’re in a free state, this is still a high-performance barrel and comp that kick major ass. If you’re setting up a new Glock build or just want to add a major performance upgrade to an existing gun, this is a solid option.
LOOSE ROUNDS
Pistol compensators offer little downsides and a lot of upsides. But like most accessories, they add cost and shooters will only gain all of the benefits if they train with it.
Having shot a ton of comps on a ton of guns, I really like the Afterburner + Ramjet.
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