flash hider vs muzzle brake for long range

FLASH HIDER VS MUZZLE BRAKE FOR LONG RANGE HOW TO

This flash suppressor was 4.5 inches long and was officially known as a moderator. This flash hider needed to be highly functional, as lab reports claimed a flame of unburnt powder 36 inch long emanated from the barrel of this carbine. In addition to a collapsible stock, 10 inch shorter barrel and shorter pistol grip, a flash suppressor was developed. A military version, billed as a submachine gun, was created in the 1960’s and known as the XM177E2. One of these efforts was an outgrowth of a carbine version of the M16A1 service rifle.

FLASH HIDER VS MUZZLE BRAKE FOR LONG RANGE HOW TO

However, the AR-15 and M-16 rifles were becoming hugely popular in the 1960s and experimentation and improvement was underway on how to make the rifle better. Overall, it was a huge improvement over the three-pronged device. This device was a 1 3/4 inch cylindrical affair with 6 longitudinal flutes that made it resemble a bird cage. The US Military asked for a replacement with a closed end and received one which was unofficially known as the “birdcage design”. This device was prone to breakage, got hung up on brush and caused rifle barrels to bend or otherwise warp when soldiers used it as a wire cutter or prying tool. The earliest design was a three-pronged device that was notoriously weak in its construction. AR-15 Flash Hider: Historyįlash hiders have been an integral part of the AR-15 rifle design since the rifle’s inception. In a shorter barrel, not as much powder will burn and the unburned powder behind the projectile is displayed as flash. Flash from a rifle has much to do with ammunition design and barrel length. Some flash suppressors can hide the visible flash from an observer or redirect, distort or even amplify sound signature, but this was not the primary intent of the design. The purpose of a flash suppressor is to divert the flash signature of a high velocity rifle round so as not to disrupt the shooter’s night vision. Most flash hiders are threaded in place, but some may be attached via set screws if the barrel is not threaded.

What is a Flash Hider?Ī flash hider or suppressor is a muzzle device which attaches to the end of a rifle barrel. The muzzle device has been maligned to the point of being outright banned in some jurisdictions, with some versions tightly restricted by the Federal Government. If there ever was a part of the AR-15 rifle that was grossly misunderstood, it has to be the muzzle device, be it a muzzle brake or a flash hider.

Flash hider vs muzzle brake for long range