The AR Flash Hider/Suppressor, by FlyBy

Flash hiders or flash suppressors are one of the many components that comprise the modern battle field rifle. Flash hiders function by dispersing the gas and remaining propellant exiting the muzzle in a circular pattern. An examination of the flash suppressor reveals that the slots cut into the device are at consistent, equal-distant intervals around the device’s circumference. It is this consistent pattern that distributes the gases and thus reduces the rifle’s signature by preventing the ignition of said gases.

Smith Vortex Flash Hider
The flash hider was originally designed to preserve the shooter’s vision at in low light conditions by preventing the blindness from the flash of the muzzle. However, this is a two way street. If the device reduces the muzzle flash for the shooter, it also reduces the flash for the individual on the opposite end of the device as well. The benefit being that it may be more difficult for the OPFOR to locate your position when you fire your rifle. Anyone who has taken one of NC Scouts’ carbine or scout courses can attest that not all flash hiders are created equal. The pictures and the video below illustrate the differences in the effectiveness of various flash hiders.

 

 

 

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About the Author: NC Scout

NC Scout is the nom de guerre of a former Infantry Scout and Sergeant in one of the Army’s best Reconnaissance Units. He has combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a series of courses focusing on small unit skills rarely if ever taught anywhere else in the prepping and survival field, including his RTO Course which focuses on small unit communications. In his free time he is an avid hunter, bushcrafter, writer, long range shooter, prepper, amateur radio operator and Libertarian activist. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog at brushbeater.wordpress.com .

26 Comments

  1. Luke March 25, 2021 at 09:45

    Cool video and I personally liked the guitar.

  2. BePrepared March 25, 2021 at 09:51

    In trying to tame a little jump in my AR-10 I put a Precision Armament M4-72 Severe Duty on the front. After an afternoon of on again, off again timing with the alignment washers I tightened everything down and went to the range. MUCH BETTER. Gasses went to the left and right of me, jump was virtually eliminated and felt recoil was greatly reduced.

    • NC Scout March 25, 2021 at 09:55

      What does it look like at night.

      • BePrepared March 25, 2021 at 10:13

        Let it stop raining and I’ll get back to you.

        • boss21 March 25, 2021 at 12:37

          Raining is training weather our platoon sergeant used to say. My neighbors don’t mind the noise on rainy days either.

          • BePrepared March 25, 2021 at 12:58

            I’ll take a hard pass when it is the dark clouds and trailer park removing type weather.
            Like today.

      • LionHeart March 25, 2021 at 12:34

        My uneducated guess would assume similar to Mothra right after Godzilla lights him up with the fire-breath thing, complete with monster screaming and flaming wing flapping before falling back into a skyscraper. Yeah, kinda like that…

    • FlyBy March 25, 2021 at 10:12

      The compensator is performing as it should. It’s helping to control recoil and muzzle rise. However, there are pros and cons. As Scout mentioned, “What does it look like at night”? is the signature a blow torch that will reveal your position every time you pull the trigger? Perhaps. Perhaps you only plan on using this particular rifle for daytime only ops?

      • hitman March 25, 2021 at 17:19

        If you’re going to be worrying about who sees it on the business end at night, then you probably won’t care about screwing a fuel filter or Solvent trap on it.

        • NC Scout March 25, 2021 at 17:33

          ATF Guy

          • Quietus March 26, 2021 at 00:32

            Good on you for your racially diverse fed.gov meme as it involves the head beneath the ATF ballcap. Your watchers will be happy, every swinging dick (or not) of them. Or maybe those other people will not be happy at being made fun of, for what they are.
            Machts nichts. Commies gotta commie. Resisters will have a harder route to a long life; most all won’t get there.

          • NC Scout March 26, 2021 at 07:40

            😂

        • Johnny Paratrooper March 25, 2021 at 18:04

          A suppressor is so affordable there is no reason not to buy a real one. The only reason I don’t have two 9mm, a 5.56, and a 7.62 is because I am still in school. My first paycheck after graduation is going towards a 5.56 and a 7.62 can to celebrate. I am just going to get the Surefire SOCOM cans. That’ll run about $3,000, but they last a lifetime.

          • Yankee March 25, 2021 at 18:31

            I bought a Dead Air Mask last week and now I’m waiting for it to get out of ATF jail. I was trying to think of an ideal bolt action setup to use at night, but I would certainly want either a Surefire SOCOM or a Dead Air Sandman. It would’ve been fun to shoot blanks at people in the scout class at night, but oh well.

          • vyt1az March 25, 2021 at 22:50

            At $3000 it may be better to spend that money on stuff you can’t easily make yourself during the boogaloo, like an extra PVS-14. ;-)
            I know they won’t last as long as a SOCOM can, but one can make a whole lot of them for very little money in a pinch.

          • Lewis Nichols July 2, 2021 at 00:10

            Johnny at least you you live in a country where you can have a can.
            Up here where the governor believe he is above the Constitution and the Bill of Rights we are lucky if we can even have a weapon. The great socialist state of New Jersey.

  3. Him March 25, 2021 at 11:23

    PMC uses low flash powder, or so I am told. Lake City has a huge flash. Last time I checked.

    • Johnny Paratrooper March 25, 2021 at 12:34

      It does, in my experience. And it also burns much, much cleaner. I have fired 2,500 rounds of PMC 5.56 through a low end AR before it had failures to lock up. Which the forward assist was required to full seat. But the rifle was basically done by that count. It was the engine that just quite couldn’t.

  4. Johnny Paratrooper March 25, 2021 at 12:14

    Damn. That’s some bad ass science right there.

  5. boss21 March 25, 2021 at 12:27

    Still like a 20” medium weight barrel. At night it’s not noticeably worse than 16 “ with flash hider. Observed from behind buttplate and down range.Full velocity especially with heavy pills which also use less powder.

    • Mark A Laughlin April 1, 2021 at 08:40

      I’m leaning that way, too. My limited testing using half speed video suggests that a bare 20″ barrel is about the same as a 16″ with a flash hider. So why not get the benefit of added velocity?
      https://youtu.be/tBObXDAvLBQ

      • FlyBy April 1, 2021 at 20:50

        Its true that the longer barrel will increase velocity and assist with burning the propellants. However, if you are conducting any operations in MOUT, CQB or mounted, then the shorter barrel becomes more important. Its a trade off. Your mission will dictate your equipment.

  6. Brad March 25, 2021 at 21:33

    As a manufacturer of such items, most these muzzle devices tested started off as Brakes. That’s right. You don’t poke holes all around your “Flash Suppressor” thinking it’s going to suppress a flash. We manufacture a Brake that eliminates muzzle rise and flip. We made it out of titanium. They use Titanium for fireworks. It’s awesome at night. It lights up the entire area. LOL

  7. spaceman March 26, 2021 at 01:15

    If upgrading to a suppressor, any recommendations for upgrading the buffer spring. H1, H2 or H3? Been looking at the geissele super 42 for the BCM 11.5
    Thanks
    Why do you suppose this trap costs so much;-)
    https://wyomingarms.com/product/solvent-trap-titanium-5/

    • FlyBy March 26, 2021 at 15:58

      Research the buffer/spring issue online or check with a trusted local gunsmith for a recommendation.
      As far as the solvent trap, I’m guessing the price has something to do with the fact that it can be converted for other purposes.

  8. Anonymous April 14, 2021 at 14:31

    5

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