BBC Image: Thai Muzzle Brake on Upside Down?

I watch very little TV.  I do not like to corrupt the data flow.  But I happened to be in Las Vegas when my nephew was watching a BBC program on human smugglers in Thailand.  From BBC.com:

Manit told us his district had long been used by human traffickers to transfer migrants from boats to trucks. He wanted to stamp it out. But he was getting little help from the central government, or from local law enforcement.

The BBC correspondent was allowed to join a patrol off the coast.  In the video, the BBC is not shy about showing weapons, and they had a close up of this Petty Officer, First Class' muzzle brake.  Notice that the slots are all oriented to the bottom side of the brake.   This is 180 degrees out of how I would expect them to be oriented;  in this position, the muzzle blast is directed forward and down, pushing the muzzle up, and creating a potential signature by kicking up dust, dirt, or leaves that may be below the brake in a prone position.   I would not fault the Petty Officer, he was probably just issued the rifle.   But, I have to wonder what the unit armorer was thinking.

Perhaps I am missing something, as this is a Navy unit.

At first, I found the blaze orange/pink life vest a bit jarring, but I realized that they were unlikely to be wearing them if they thought a firefight might break out.   The chances for actual combat must be slim.

Here he is, in the prow of the vessel.

A nice shot showing the attached forward grip.  The receiver seems well worn.

©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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