I’ve been carrying and shooting Glock 19s for a long time, and I’m always looking for upgrades that actually make a difference without turning the gun into something harder to conceal or holster. When I first heard about Radian’s Afterburner + Ramjet combo, I was skeptical. A compensator that stays compact, stays legal everywhere, and still delivers serious recoil reduction? It sounded too good. After trying it, I can say it delivers.
The system is simple: the Ramjet is a match-grade, ported barrel made from hardened 416R stainless steel. The Afterburner is a short micro-compensator machined from hardened stainless steel. Both get Radian’s Radianite coating for hardness, low friction, and corrosion resistance. What makes the whole thing special is that there are no threads. Instead of a threaded barrel and a screw-on comp, Radian uses their INTRA-LOK system. A tapered locking screw seats into a V-groove on the underside of the barrel and locks the compensator in perfect timing. Slide the Afterburner on, tighten the screw to about 15 inch-pounds, and you’re done. No Loctite, no shims, no headaches.
That threadless design is a big deal. It keeps the setup legal for sale in all 50 states, which is rare for anything that actually reduces recoil this well. Installation and removal are easy, so cleaning stays simple. You can pull the barrel out of the slide like normal when it’s time to scrub things down.
On a Glock 19, the combo only adds about 0.47 inches. That stretches the overall slide length to roughly Glock 17 size, so it drops right into our BCA and Torsion Glock 17 gun holsters and most other G17 holsters. The Afterburner’s front faces are angled to help with holstering, which is a thoughtful touch. You keep the compact grip of the 19 while gaining the extra control of a longer setup.
Performance is where it really shines. Radian rates the combination at up to 44% recoil reduction with 115-grain ammunition. In practice, muzzle rise drops a lot. The gun stays flatter, the sights (or optic) come back on target faster, and follow-up shots feel quicker and more controlled. The Ramjet’s match-grade cut rifling and gas-sealing chamber help deliver tighter groups than a stock barrel in my experience. It still runs reliably with the factory recoil spring and standard 9mm loads, though Radian notes it is optimized for 124-grain and heavier ammo.
I like that it doesn’t demand a bunch of other upgrades. You get a better barrel and effective compensation in one package. The price sits around $390, which is not cheap, but you’re buying both a quality barrel and a well-engineered compensator that works together as a system. Cheaper options exist, but few match this combination of size, legality, ease of use, and actual performance.
If you shoot your G19 a lot—whether for competition, training, or everyday carry—and you want less muzzle flip without adding bulk or legal complications, the Afterburner + Ramjet is one of the cleanest upgrades I’ve used. It makes the gun shoot softer and more accurately while staying practical. For me, that’s the kind of upgrade that sticks.
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