Flash hider question
4 slot vs. 5 slot? Whats the difference?
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The slot in the bottom has been filled in to allow the firearm some downward force during full-automatic fire, and the early production Flash Surpressors didn't have them (therefore, the bottom slot, being removed, or more accurately 'blanked out' allows the total amount of slots to be one less).
You can get both early and late F/S's for the M-16 type rifle, for instance.
Guesses/unsubstantiated thoughts below:
I'd imagine the designers had a specific powder/loading to work with, and formulated the design of the F/S accordingly, to achieve the best dissipation pattern.
And they [the designers], were usually restricted by the I.D. of the grenade shaft that the gun was designed to fire, as the shaft had to fit over the F/S.
You will note that a good number of F/S's had gas sealing capability as well as a supressor, to enable grenade fire.
The M-1 used a snap-on attachment at the end of the barrel for grenade fire.
Possibly others. I'm out of thoughts at the monemt. Best, Joe0 -
What one would be better for maximum flash supression? 0 -
Other comments I read about said that the solid bottom of the M-4 was brought into use to reduce dust when firing prone. Don't know if that's true or not, but both the full-auto rise reducer and the dust reduction makes some sense. (Ak's use a slanted one to reduce muzzle rise/torque when fired full-auto.)
I like the Phantom on my AR's. It's a 4-slot design that runs about 30 bucks from anywhere you can buy AR stuff. It seems to kill all the flash that I can see when I'm shooting it.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Waco Waltz
What one would be better for maximum flash supression?
They're all good in reduction. Consider night firing as if you were looking at a strobe-lit aircraft in the far distance on a dark night when only the strobes are visible.
The first flash will catch your attention. The second, will have your head oriented in the general direction. The third (and usually not before the third) flash will identify the origination of the flash.
So, success comes down to not being in the same spot for repeated firings, moreso than the [concealment] device being used, if I'm accurately recalling my mud experience from all those many years ago. Best, Joe0 -
The blanked bottom allows for functioning as a muzzle break and also reduces the amount of dust licked up. Why a muzzle brake is really needed on a 5.56mm round is subject to much debate, but the bonus of not having all the dust kicked around in the prone position is real enough. The five slot flash hider does a slightly better job at flash suppression, but neither is as good as the Phantom which riomouse already mentioned. Joe makes a good point (as usual) in that the diameter of the flash suppressor on the AR-15/M16 rifles was limited by the Amry's insistence that the rifle be able to fire rifle grenades, which was the standard practice in the era before the M203.
Here is a shot of a Phantom flash suppressors on one of my Colt M4s:
[img][/img]
Here you can see one of the earlier "birdcage" flash suppressors with all of the slots on one of my CAR-15s:
[img][/img]0 -
Even with no flash suppressor at all, due to powder composition USGI milspec ammunition creates very little flash. With the standard birdcage flash suppressor the amount of flash from an AR/M16 is almost insignificant, even out of the little stubby 11.5 inch Commando.
Don't underestimate the significance of the powder. No matter what sort of flash suppressor you have it's always going to be brighter from the front. [;)]0 -
With the original question been answered-- just a side-note, or thought, and please correct is mistaken...
A true flash supressor's sole purpose is not to hide/lessen the flash from anyone/thing down-range, but to aid in saving the shooters night vision from muzzle flash by means of disipation of the flash rather than one solid bright ring of it at time of firing.
Any other benefit,(i.e. muzzle braking) comes as secondary in nature.
45er0 -
Industry vernacular calls [topic of this string] flash surpressors.
The flash hiders do not reduce flash! they were the cone shaped fittings on the ends of M1-C's, .30's .50's, all the way up to 40mm AA guns..and the flash was severe. Only thing is that it was directed in front of the gun, to protect the shooter's eyes.
If truth be known, when it comes to the 40mm AA guns, the flash hider's primary goal was to prevent flash burns on any exposed skin!
So..
flash surpressor..no pinpointing the shooter
flash hider..protection of the shooter from the results of the flash0
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