I wonder if the compensator actually reduces the recoil through its venting design or if the weight of the thing actually helps dampen the recoil. I've had a couple that I have installed on different 1911s and I can't tell the difference in recoil betwixt them. Now, the noise is something else because it is directed differently than straight out the muzzle and since they didn't help reduce recoil much I removed them. JMTCW. Mikey.