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You were thinking about this one... New flash suppresor tests |
You know, I hear that fairly often, but if you take a look at the photos in Randall's link, I doubt you can discern which muzzle flash belongs to which of the two. IMHO, the difference is negligible; a toss up. Just my two cents. |
We were shooting last weekend, a bit after the sun was behind the mountains. There was nothing but a little spark visible on a 14.5" barrel with a standard phantom. The 12" barrel with the A2 was another story though... Same M855 ammo. |
Did the 12" with A2 look similar to that flame thrower in the linked thread? |
| It should be mentioned that the A1/A2 works adequately on 16" and 20" barrels, its only when the barrel starts getting short that you start to see fireballs. I have had an A1 on the end of a 16" barrel, shooting different types of ammo known for their fire-breathing characteristics like xm193. Flash was never enough to cause any problems after dark, such as degrading night vision or obscuring the target through a magnified optic. |
That's the difference between looking at photos and being there for the tests. For some ammo there is virtually no difference. However for other ammo types (Wolf comes to mind) there is a more noticeable difference. The Phantom is VERY VERY good, but the Vortex is a bit better. |
No matter how you cut it, Vortex G6A2 is a better flash hider. As far as price difference you should know better you are an accomplished machinist. you can see the work involved in the Vortex. Phantom is not a bad hider but in the end, Vortex does a better job. |
With the middle finger and a gun pointing at the camera, it make you tacticool.. |
no that just makes me an asshole who hates cameras. 
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True.
From a manufacturing standpoint, the price is certainly justified. The Vortex certainly shows better craftsmanship. It is made from better materials and then heat treated.
If you compare them purely on price/function, a $50 Vortex is not a 60% better flash hider than a $30 phantom. A good part of that $20 difference goes towards the superior materials and craftsmanship. Each flash hider has it's place and it's own market. I just wish I did not eat so many carbide drills making holes in Vortexes. The pre-drilled ones are a love/hate thing for me. I love that they are pre drilled. I hate that they are pre drilled on BOTH sides. You can always tell when a permanent attached Vortex was drilled because you only drill one hole, AND you do it on the bottom. Those pre-drilled ones always seem to index at weird angles, leaving an ugly touched-up weld on top where it stares at you...  
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Not sure if that is agood way to justify performance.. that is like you can buy a Corvette ZO6 and get as good of performance as a Ferrari F430. this kind of remind me of the Tangodown thread that someone stated the price of the grip is not worth the performance. sometime i just find those type of statement to be BS. sorry.. you are a good guy, but i have to disagree with you there. :) |
Ah, but the Ferrarri has style points. So does the Vortex. I like my Tangodown VFG and I like my Deiter too. Is the Deiter that much better than the Tangodown? Probably not from a function standpoint, but it also gets style points! All I am saying is that if you did a blind test and showed people the flash hiding results, that the Vortex does not make a 60% improvement in it's flash hiding ability. I'm not saying that the Vortex is overpriced. You are getting a superior product for the extra $20, no question about that. It's better made from better materials. It's just that for $30, I am quite impressed with the Phantom. I ran one on a dark night on a 6.5" 5.56 barrel that I was test firing. I was fully expecting a fireball, but was very pleased to only see a couple little sparks. I personally prefer phantoms because they don't ring and are easier for me to drill/pin/weld. I sell more phantoms (probably because they are cheaper), but I sell a bunch of Vortexes as well. When people ask me about flash hiders, I always say that the Vortex is the best, it is. I also say that the phantom is a very good flash hider. People sometimes vote with their pocketbook. |
When you're shooting Wolf, I doubt you'll be in a situation where the minute difference in flash suppression between the two will matter (i.e., plinking).
To quote Randall's figures, if you see it necessary to spend 60% more so that a non-critical component on your rifle will be of better quality and craftsmanship, then more power to you brother. I've never heard of a YHM Phantom--and certainly not an A2--failing, so I would imagine that the Vortex, with it's superior materials and craftsmanship, is a bit overkill, seeing as how a flash hider is not a high stress part and is unlikely to fail anyway. To each his own I guess. 
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I have only used the A2 and a couple versions of the Phantom. Never tried the Vortex due to its cost and several reports of tines bending, expanding or breaking. I like the low cost of the A2 and the fact it adds less length to a 16" Brl. 16" plus phantom is just too long IMO. I have abraded the cordura lining in 3 gun cases with the scalloped Phantom and under no circumstances will i use thet model again. For my next 14.5" build I'm going with a Sabre defense extended A2 FS. |
Slick, I also said there is a performance gain from the Vortex that you forgot to mention. I am not that anal as to buying or recommending a product to someone simply because it looks better or better quality. yes, quality is one of my criteria. |
Lee, Mea culpa, I missed that part. What performance advantage would this be, more back pressure? Justin |
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