Product Review: Diamondhead USA

I was recently introduced to the product line of Diamondhead USA by a teammate. I was really drawn to the VRS-T rail so I decided to set up one of my older 14.5” Colt uppers with a 13.5″ model and try it out. The rebuild also included their T-Brake and Diamondhead folding sight set. I was initially drawn to the VRS-T rail due to its triangular shape, which reminded me of my old M16A1. The rail is pretty slim and the scalloped cuts on the sides give a very comfortable and secure grip without being too aggressive to hands or gloves. The T-Brake was added at their suggestion. I’m not normally a muzzle brake or compensator fan but, I figured there was no harm in giving it a try. Installation of the rail was pretty straight forward although it does require a bit of skill and planning to do it yourself. The rail mounts to a proprietary barrel nut and also requires removal of the delta ring. Depending on length, you may also need a low profile gas block or cutting of your front sight base. The T-Brake installed easily and comes pre-drilled for pinning if that is needed for your situation. It is long enough that it will bring a 14.5” barrel over 16”. The profile is triangular and blends nicely with the VRS-T rail, making it aesthetically pleasing, if you are concerned by that kind of stuff.

After it was set up and paired with a spare Aimpoint, it sat in the safe waiting for a decent opportunity to wring it out. That opportunity came recently in the form of a two day carbine class with Jerry Barnhart. The rail proved to be very comfortable and the slim profile allowed for great control. The T-Brake was a nice surprise. It was (subjectively) less offensive than a Surefire brake that was being used by a coworker in the class. It kept the rifle extremely flat in recoil and did not exhibit any negative muzzle flip. I will certainly be happy to run this brake on a “fun” gun, meaning other than work. I’m not sure yet that it would fit for duty use but, I must say that plenty of folks run “tactical” brakes from various manufacturers and this was less offensive to be near than those others that I have been exposed to. Some argue that the “tactical” models are needed for duty guns because they act as suppressor mounts. That is great if you actually use it as a suppressor mount but if you are simply fantasizing about having a suppressor and just want the increased control of the brake, I can’t see why this one wouldn’t fit the same bill.

I’ll definitely be adding some more of the VRS-T rails to my inventory and possibly another T-Brake, after some more comparison against other brakes. Pricing is very competitive with the market and the customer service is excellent. Check them out at http://www.diamondhead-usa.com/