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Flash hiders
moretoys
Member Posts: 389 ✭✭✭
I'm new to a-r's and wonder why they all have some type of atachment on the muzzle. Is there really a need to reduce the recoil on a .223? All it seems to do is make the rifle uncomfortably loud. Is there a fix?
Comments
The fix. Take the device off and slap on a thread protector or go without if you don't care about the threads.
Brakes work by redirecting the expanding gasses back toward the shooter (the reason the noise seems louder).
There is often some improvement in group size, due to the vibration damping effect of a weight being hung forward of the muzzle (brake of hider).
Flash suppressor is really a more accurate term.
I'm new to a-r's and wonder why they all have some type of atachment on the muzzle. Is there really a need to reduce the recoil on a .223? All it seems to do is make the rifle uncomfortably loud. Is there a fix?
First of all, this does nothing for recoil (neither increasing nor decreasing it) and isn't supposed to. Its not been my experience that these make the gun louder, either, but maybe yours does.
The point of the "flash hider" (perhaps better termed a flash SUPPRESSOR) isn't even to entirely eliminate the flash. Its mostly to redirect the flash away from your line of sight so that when you fire the weapon AT NIGHT with darkness accustomed eyes, you don't blind yourself quite so badly looking over the sights right into the muzzle flash.
Different designs of this are more or less effective at doing that, and can direct the flash in different ways.
In any case, if you don't like the one on your rifle, unless its been pinned or soldered into place (which is typically NOT the case. . .but can be if you have a really short barreled weapon to make legal length) it should be trivial to remove it entirely with just a wrench.
At that point you can either replace it with a design you like better, or even with a "fake" flash hider that doesn't redirect the gases at all. These only cost a few bucks and are easy to find. If you like, you can get one with a "spiky" front that is supposed to act something like a poor mans' bayonet.
I would NOT just leave a bare muzzle, because then the bare threads are susceptible to damage. If you want "nothing" on there, then use a thread protector. These usually cost well under $20.
Edit: quote:Is there really a need to reduce recoil on a .223?
For most people, no, but if you're some sort of COMPETITION where you're racing the clock (or other competitors) then this can help a great deal. A fraction of a second saved by reducing muzzle rise and being able to get back on target faster can add up over dozens of shots, and can make the difference in a close race.
If you're interested in reducing recoil, then what you need is a muzzle BRAKE, not a "flash hider". These cost more, and as mentioned above work by redirecting recoil gases back towards the shooter. This partly counters recoil, but also makes the gun noticeably louder for the shooter. In some cases (depending on brake design) they can also kick up more dirt from the ground if/when shooting prone.
Its getting a little off topic, but if you want the gun to be quieter, obviously what you want is a SOUND suppressor (aka "silencer"). Those also have the side benefit of usually killing all (or almost all) muzzle flash as well. In some cases they can even increase accuracy by altering barrel harmonics and other reasons, though in practice, I don't think people really use them for that purpose.