muzzle brakes and flash supressors - help

[glock_this]

so, are these combined into 1? can you get a muzzle brake that is a flash supressor (or vice versa)? or do you just stack them onto each other independantly? please educate me on them and the pros and cons. I can see the use for both, but I know there are issues and wonder if either is even needed on an AR?

[rkt88edmo]

Generally speaking you can have one of the two attributes done well, but not both. A really good FS will be a marginal brake and a really good MB will probably not be that great a FS.

[BigAL]

Flash suppressors are very different from muzzle brakes. You do not stack one on the other. Muzzle brakes usually increase flash signature while trying to eliminate muzzle rise by redirecting gases exiting the barrel. Flash supressors are designed to do just that, eliminate the flash when the bullet exits the barrel. Some flash suppresors have a closed bottom, which can act to redue muzzle climb a bit, but they are nowhere near as effective a muzzle brakes in reducing climb. I have shot ARs with muzzle brakes that were so effective the gun recoiled down. All my ARs come with flash suppresors as muzzle climb on ARs is not that bad.

Here is my Phantom 5C2 flash suppresor


You can see here that it has a closed port on the bottom. It also helps reduce dirt that gets kicked up when shooting prone.

[PanzerAce]

muzzle brake = good
flash supressor = bad

untill your AR lower is declared an AW, thats all you need to know :P

truthfully though, I dont think there is really much of a difference.

[glock_this]

just found this interesting series of posts about both of these items http://www.snipercountry.com/hottips/FlashHider.htm - seems like a bit of angst for brakes

anyway, I see all kinds of different configurations for flash supressors. what gives? is there really any one proven solid design?

[bu-bye]

The Lavang Linear Comp works great as a FS but its a brake. Check it out...

http://www.dpmsinc.com/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=GS-01

[BigAL]

just found this interesting series of posts about both of these items http://www.snipercountry.com/hottips/FlashHider.htm - seems like a bit of angst for brakes

anyway, I see all kinds of different configurations for flash supressors. what gives? is there really any one proven solid design?

Look here.

http://www.silencertests.com/flash.htm

[delloro]

the levang is 22mm OD so its a grenade launcher, not allowed in CA.

a MB is not needed on an AR, but they look better than a bare muzzle, as the AR was designed with a FS. muzzle flash can be considerable with AR ammo, so a FS is nice. certain ammo does not flash much, though, so they are not really necessary.

I would rather have a FS than a MB, and certain MBs beat nothing, but nothing will do just fine.

the combo units are not seen often on military weapons. if the military doesn't need it, I sure don't.

[BigAL]

Muzzle breaks and flash suppresors also serve to protect the muzzle crown from getting dinged up.

[bu-bye]

the levang is 22mm OD so its a grenade launcher, not allowed in CA.

Wrong. I checked it myself. Its legal.

[delloro]

Wrong. I checked it myself. Its legal.

wrong it's not 22mm OD or wrong you can't have 22mm OD muzzle attachments?

[bu-bye]

The OD is 25mm and I spoke with DPMS about it and they said it was looked into and is not considered to be a grenade launcher. Its cool to buy and use .

[delloro]

The OD is 25mm and I spoke with DPMS about it and they said it was looked into and is not considered to be a grenade launcher. Its cool to buy and use .

I wanted to get one during the ban, but was told they were 22mm. glad to hear that is not so.

[JAFGO]

I dislike muzzle brakes so much that I registered my M1A as an AW per SB23 rather than remove the flash suppressor and install a muzzle brake. Too flippin' obnoxiously noisy with a muzzle brake.

Like dellorro says, a muzzle brake is not needed on an AR. They did not come into vogue on ARs until after the '94 fed AW ban. After the ban, AR fanatics wanted something to hang off the end of the barrel of post-ban guns for cosmetic reasons and the only legal "something" was a muzzle brake. People bought 'em mainly for looks.

[glock_this]

yeah, the more research I do and read, the more i am seeing that a flash supresor is not bad, but muzzle brakes on an AR are not needed and can cuase more issues than benefits.