AR Sponsor
Posted: 5/17/2006 7:11:52 PM EDT
Has anyone tried putting one of the reverse flash hiders like Bushmaster sells here on a mid-length barrel? I think it slides back on a 16" barrel about 4 inches and makes a 16" look like a shorty commando barrel. I want a middy for the reliability and more handguard real estate (I have big hands and want some accessories on there too). However, I really like the 11.5/5.5 XM177 barrel look. I know there are only about 5 inches of middy barrel out past the front sight, so there would be about an inch or less between the sight base and the start of the flash hider, similar to the XM177 short barrel that I like.  What do you think?
|
|
I have one, it works great, looks just like you think. When it was all together I didn't like the looks as much as I thought I would though. It seemed a little front heavy, and looked that way to me. I kept it because the function is sweet. Sorry if it sounds ghey to comment on the appearance of an EBR, but appearance is the only reason to consider a reverse FH. I did build a 14.5 with perm phantom (I need a new FH, well, might as well get a barrell too, well if I'm gonna buy a new barrell, an upper is cheap compared to that, then I can switch easily . . . Heck, if I'm gonna build an upper might as well get another lower and just build another rifle, you know for the truck . . .hinking.gif) The midlength barrel (mine is made by saber) and gas setup is nice. One caveat is that if you anticipate a zombie attack, a bayonet will work on a midlength with an A2 or phantom, but probably won't on a reverse flash hider. The distance from bayonet lug to flashider is just right on a 16" barrel with midlength gas, but the outside diameter of the reverse flash hider is larger than the inside diameter of the hole in the bayonet handguard. Hope this helps. |
Awesome! Both posts are exactly what I wanted to hear. Bummer about the bayonet not fitting it, though. I was hoping to be able to use a bayonet. In case anyone's wondering what the exact length of the reverse flash hider is for future reference, Bushmaster tech support said this in an email to me today:
I just bought one from the EE, and I'm going to get a mid-length upper to put it on soon. I'm trying to wait until I get a better job after graduating grad school this fall, but I can't sleep at night for thinking about my next build.  I already have the DPMS lower with engraved skull and crossbones on the side, complete DPMS M4 stock, YHM flip-up rear sight, and 15 mags that I've been buying slowly over the past two months. I keep finding good deals, and I can't stop!  |
Why not disassemble an extra bayonet (they're cheap enough) and make a new hilt with a larger hole to fit the slip-over? It's the Arfcom way! 
|
Explain the "reverse" part to me, I seem to have missed something in the Bushmaster ad.
|
| "Slipover" is a better name for it. The threads inside the flash hider are just behind the slots, so it covers about 3" of barrel. When installed on a 16" bbl, it makes it look like a 12" bbl + 5" flash hider. IIRC, DPMS makes a 4" version which should save some weight. |
|
I think they misnamed it as well. Bushmaster seems to have changed the name on their listing, but everyone I've seen post about them on here and most online stores still call them "reverse flash hiders": www.del-ton.com/detail.aspx?ID=457 Dont know how they got the name other than the fact that flash hiders normally add on to the barrel length and this one starts at the threads (with a little extra length past the threads) and goes back toward the gas block/sight. In the reverse direction of normal flash hider length? Seems like a stretch...  Some have changed to "slipover" already as I think they should: www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=529331 |
AR Sponsor