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Posted: 11/30/2009 11:39:16 AM EDT
| Looking for a nice flash suppressor for my M4. I don't have a lot of knowledge on suppressors. Any suggestions and links to good websites to purchase one?? |
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Looking for a nice flash suppressor for my M4. I don't have a lot of knowledge on suppressors. Any suggestions and links to good websites to purchase one?? Is the end of your barrel threaded? Is there any sort of existing muzzle device there now, and if so, how is it fastened onto the barrel? |
| if you want flash suppression and conpensation, look into the fsc556. It gives great compromise of both. If you want just flash suppression, the vortex and blackouts are the best for the money. I hear the inconel KAC flash hider is really good, but i think its very expensive. |
Unless you are just after a different look (which is completely understandable..it's fun to change shit ), the average guy probably won't notice the difference between the good ol' A1 or A2 and any of the aftermarket ones. The A2 should be what's on yours now. I run an A1 on mine.
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Unless you are just after a different look (which is completely understandable..it's fun to change shit ), the average guy probably won't notice the difference between the good ol' A1 or A2 and any of the aftermarket ones. The A2 should be what's on yours now. I run an A1 on mine.Yep I'm really just looking for a new look. I've got the optics, rails, grips, and all that fun stuff, so I figured I might as well get a nice looking suppressor. Like I said not a big deal. Coming home from Iraq in just over a month, so I'm spoiling myself right now!
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Unless you are just after a different look (which is completely understandable..it's fun to change shit ), the average guy probably won't notice the difference between the good ol' A1 or A2 and any of the aftermarket ones. The A2 should be what's on yours now. I run an A1 on mine.Shoot at night or twilight. The flash kills your night vision; which the Smith Vortex addresses. |
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Most people may not be able to tell the difference in flash suppression between the old style A1 and the newer A2. However, "anyone" can tell the difference between the Smith Vortex and just about anything else on the market. Go shooting close to sun-down or a poorly lit indoor range and you will notice a big flash which will deminish your shooting experience. The Smith Vortex will eliminate 99.9% of the flash (even in total darkness) and looks badass as well. That is why I have them on seven rifles, five in 5.56 and two in 6.8 cal. It even works great on my 7.5" which normally throws a giant fireball with the A2 style FH.
JMHO, MadDog 
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Two of my four AR-15s are not threaded so they are FH-less by design. One of the others has an A2 FH, and on the fourth (16"), I just put a plain thread protector so that one is also FH-less. I don't really see the need for the type of shooting that I do.
Best of luck and enjoy whatever your choice may be. Plus you can change easily and relatively cheaply if you decide to try something different. Not legal advice, MHO, YMMV, etc. |
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I think it only a matter of time until another sort of "Assualr Weapons" Ban or something similar is attempted; If not on a Federal level, perhaps by some of the States. the Feds enacted the '94 ban which sunsetted (don't expect such luck next time around), and some states have instituted their own Bans independently of the now expired Fed ban.
It should not be overlooked that the effect of such bans might be implimented in large part by simple regulation on Fed level. Kass Sunstein, Fed Regulatory Czar, is on record as advocating the widest possible use of regulations to achieve goals impossible to achieve legislatively. These State AW bans are part of the reason why certain Eeeeeeeeeevil features are lacking from some ARs. In any event, every owner of every firearm should consider his/her options. The day when some of these flash suppressors and other things will be available at a reasonable price may not last forever. It is even possible that a day may come when having such things installed on one's rifle may be a matter of life or death. Using the AWBs as a guide to possible future banned items, IMHO firearms owner should obtain those items which suit their needs NOW, (keeping the sales receipt(s)) so as to be "grandfatthered-in in the event of new AWBs or regulations prohibiting such items. No offense, but simple "looks" mean little in terms of effectiveness, and if you lose a gunfight because your good-looking toy wasn't good enough, the money you blew on pure looks will be pure waste–– if you are around to think about it, that is. If you live in a State that has no AWB or the like, and your barrel has no flash suppressor, consider either obtaining a threaded barrel, having your old bbl threaded, or even a slip-on version of a good flash suppressor. You can always sell the unthreaded barrel to some person in a State with a State version of an AWB, so reclaiming some of your upgrade money is possible. That's a nice set of pics, and very informative. I wish the author had tried out an original 3-prong flash suppressor and the A1 "birdcage" FS; they were said to be more effective than the A2 style which came after. One note: Some FS units have a closed portion on their underside which is said to help reduce dust signature when firing prone and also serves as a form of muzzle-compensator "light", keeping the muzzle more nearly where you want it when shooting. The closed portion of the FS does, actually, do these things, but at the cost of reduced flash suppression. That is the primary difference between the two types of Phantoms, and other designs may not be as close as the Phantoms. It's a trade-off, so give it some thought. The other point is that some flash suppressors, like the original 3-prong AR suppressor, and the Vortex, have open prongs which can, and will, snag on things like twigs and vines, often at the worst possible time. Yet another thing to consider, as the open-ended devices mentioned above have good, or better, flash suppression capabilities. |
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As the FH is supposed to primarily aid the user (reduce persistence, enable night vision, etc), why do people always post photos taken from the side? Anyone have comparison photos taken from the shooter's perspective? That's what I'd want to know if I were interested in getting a new FH. I'm a civilian. I'm not trying to hide from enemy fire or anything like that so I couldn't care less about what the side view reduction is.
Rant off. Not aimed at anyone in particular, just wanting to know. |
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As the FH is supposed to primarily aid the user (reduce persistence, enable night vision, etc), why do people always post photos taken from the side? Anyone have comparison photos taken from the shooter's perspective? That's what I'd want to know if I were interested in getting a new FH. I'm a civilian. I'm not trying to hide from enemy fire or anything like that so I couldn't care less about what the side view reduction is. Rant off. Not aimed at anyone in particular, just wanting to know. Well, the apparent flash from the shooter's point of view is generally less than the flash as seen from the side. As a pictorial of the relative effectiveness of the different units, the series above is quite useful. As far as you being a civilian, I can think of a number of scenarios where a civilian-owned FS could come in might handy. For example, if you were ever forced to use your rifle to defend your home some night, and were blinded by your own muzzle flash after your first shot, you might well wish you had installed a flash suppressor. Just something to think about. |
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As far as you being a civilian, I can think of a number of scenarios where a civilian-owned FS could come in might handy. For example, if you were ever forced to use your rifle to defend your home some night, and were blinded by your own muzzle flash after your first shot, you might well wish you had installed a flash suppressor. Just something to think about. This would be a good point if not for the tactical flashlight which has already ruined the night vision. |
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As far as you being a civilian, I can think of a number of scenarios where a civilian-owned FS could come in might handy. For example, if you were ever forced to use your rifle to defend your home some night, and were blinded by your own muzzle flash after your first shot, you might well wish you had installed a flash suppressor. Just something to think about. This would be a good point if not for the tactical flashlight which has already ruined the night vision. Tac lights are great, but their use is discretionary, and subject to the rules of common sense. Take a look at the flash pix above. Imagine you are home in a dimly lit area with enough light to clearly see and ID an intruder(s), but not dark enough to justify using the tac light. Now, go a little further and imagine how effective your second shot will be if you expose your eyes to a beachball-sized fireball like in pic of barrel with no FS. |
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Quoted: As for the vortex well, some people say it "rings" like a tuning fork, and I never liked that the prongs got caught on everything. I happen to like the Phantom 5C1, but that's just me. Everyone likes what they like. I prefer the 5C1 for the same reason, nothing to snag on, fairly cheap, and it has virtually no flash signature. |
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Not much difference between the Vortex and the Yankee Hill Phantom in those pics. In the catalog, they are different by about $25 though. The Brownell's vid below is alot better than a still picture. Though the Phantom works better than the A2, the Vortex is better at flash suppression than the Phantom. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqoUMUkro78 |
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Vortex is very effective but it'll make your rifle sound like a tuning fork. This is true. I find it odd the military finds this an issue in some old documents of Vortex tests, when you consider an extremely loud blast came from the same location just miliiseconds before the tuning fork ping. |
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This is a 16" barrel firing XM193.. The ACC Blackout is about the same as the Vortex. http://4-riders.com/pics/AR/16-inch-XM193ed.jpg I like the Vortex, good price at GTS (Denny's). I'll be ordering another one for the new AR. http://4-riders.com/pics/AR/LMT6006.jpg nice i have the yhm 5c1 on mine
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