Quote History Quoted:
I found an interesting test here:
http://www.vuurwapenblog.com/uncategorized/ar-15-muzzle-device-comparison/
Looks like the Blackout flash hider may be the best for my purposes that is available with a 1/2-36 thread
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Troy makes a very similar flash hider:
Troy Three Prong flash hider
So does JPH enterprises - but, like the Surefire 3 prong suppressor, it's about twice as expensive as the competition:
JPH flash hider
Seekins Precisions also has an open ended 3 ring flash hider, with a slightly different take on the design:
Seeking Precision three prong flash hider
The Strike industries Venom flash hider is also a three prong open end design:
Strike Industries Venom flash hider
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Why mention all these? Because they all perform about the same, and there just isn't much to choose between them other than price and styling. Truth About Guns did a comparison and the three prong flash hiders all performed very well, with very similar numbers. The CMMG Vortex flash hider is right in the mix with the three prong flash hiders noted above, but it's a very similar 4 prong, open end design.
TOG Flash Hider Shoot out
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None of this should be a real surprise as the original flash hider selected for the M16 was an open end three prong design. It was replaced by the more well known bird cage flash hider due to the tendency for the open prongs to snag brush. The design was after all tested and finalized during the Vietnam conflict where jungle warfare was common.
Personally, I'd just spend $12 on a replica 3 prong M16 flash hider and call it good. They were known back in the day (as well as now) to be much more effective flash hiders than the birdcage flash hiders that replaced them. It's the reason why 3 prong flash hiders are so prevalent - the above companies just introduced their own versions of an already known to be very effective design approach.
Three prong flash hider