Parker Mountain Machine Sig Sauer P320 Compensator Review

Compensators are by no means a revolutionary idea. In fact, people have been outfitting their firearms with compensators for years now. So when I learned that a relatively new company, Parker Mountain Machine, was creating compensators for the Sig Sauer P320, I admittedly wasn’t too phased. My initial thought process towards compensators was along the lines of “they’re cool but I don’t think I’ll ever actually buy one.”

However, upon acquiring my own Sig Sauer P320 in a trade, I took a second look at the Parker Mountain Machine compensator and began to entertain the idea a bit more.

Due to the P320’s modularity, users were able to combine a compact slide and barrel with the compensator on a full sized frame. The result was a handgun that had the benefits of a compensator without adding a great amount of length to the slide.

Ultimately, I decided to give the PMM compensator a try and I can honestly say it was a fantastic decision.

Aesthetics:

The science behind a compensator is relatively straightforward. For those who are unaware, a compensator-when affixed to the barrel of a firearm-re directs gas vertically from ports in the compensator. This redirection of gas reduces the amount of muzzle flip or muzzle rise that occurs when a gun is fired. PMM’s compensator is no different in that regard. However, where PMM has truly innovated is its attention to the minute details.

For one, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, the PMM compensator reigns supreme. Unlike other compensators from ARC or Springer Precision which by no means are poorly made products, the PMM compensator blends naturally into the profile of the gun. Other compensators are boxy and jutt off the end of the pistol, appearing glaringly obvious. Other compensators also add extra flair with aggressive beveling or different colors schemes, which ultimately I find to be gaudy and ostentatious. PMM’s sleek and streamlined approach is just so much more aesthetically pleasing because it doesn’t look like it’s trying so hard to be relevant or an attention grabber. In a world of slide cuts, gold faxon barrels, and crazy artistic stippling, sometimes we need to be reminded that there is elegance to be found in simplicity. PMM has shown us that.

Also, unlike pretty much every compensator for the P320 on the market, the PMM compensator was clearly designed to work with Sig Sauer’s modular design. With other companies, attaching a compensator to a compact slide and a full size frame, if possible at all, leaves a gap underneath the compensator between it and the frame. While it may not have detrimental effects on performance, let’s be honest, it just looks awful. Plus the idea of having a big gaping space in between the slide and frame of my gun for debris to get into isn’t exactly appealing either.

The PMM compensator instead of just being a flat bottomed box, has a rounded off bottom edge that fits perfectly flush within the frame of the gun. The result is a handgun with a compensator that blends into the profile of the slide, making it appear as if the gun was released from Sig in that condition. The fact that PMM actually designed the compensator with Sig’s modularity in mind is what sets it miles ahead of the competition.

Performance:

Now aesthetics would be meaningless if the product was also not of high quality. At a price tag of about $110, the Gen 1 compensator is slightly more expensive than other compensators on the market. However, in addition to the benefits previously mentioned, the PMM compensator’s performance definitely justifies its price tag.

Upon shooting my P320 with the compensator installed for the first time, I immediately was able to feel a huge difference between shooting with it versus without it. The recoil impulse was significantly dampened. Shooting without the compensator was like punching a solid brick wall. Whereas, shooting with the compensator was like hitting a wall made out of that soft, squishy stuff that the dentist uses to make molds of your teeth. I acknowledge it’s an odd comparison but I felt like it was the best way to get my point across. Further adding to this point, is when I shot my stock M&P after the compensated Sig, it felt like there was an M80 going off in my hands. The difference really is that noticeable.

There are some minor drawbacks that come with attaching the PMM compensator to your Sig. For one, the PMM compensator has to be timed appropriately during installation, it’s not a matter of simply screwing it on. This is not necessarily a flaw but it does require a bit of work and fine tuning to install properly. Also, once the compensator is on, it’s on. Meaning that removing the barrel from the slide becomes exponentially more challenging. My gunsmith advised me to pretty much just get a barrel bore and clean the barrel without actually removing it completely from the slide. Again, not a huge deal, but something to be aware of.

Finally, since PMM is a relatively new company, finding holsters that fit its products proved to be a challenge. Especially in my case, in which I was seeking a level 2 retention holster. Finding a holster that fit the pistol proved to be a challenge. However, PMM has addressed this issue with the release of its Gen 2 compensator, which when combined with a compact slide and full size frame is the same size as a standard full size P320, opening up a myriad of holster options.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with PMM’s compensators and I am genuinely excited to see the company continue to grow and innovate.

A photo of my Sig in its earliest iteration. Note the rounded off bottom of the compensator.

My Sig as it stands now. Swapped out the Trijicon for a Holosun and the Streamlight for a Surefire.