Does a flash suppressor effect accuracy???

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Does a flash suppressor effect accuracy???

Posted: 2/9/2006 7:38:11 PM EDT

Ordering a new SPR barrel and I see that it is threaded for a flash suppressor. I remember reading a thread about the loss of accuracy due to turbulence behind the bullet created by the flash suppressor.
Just one question:

B.S or NOT B.S.

Posted: 2/9/2006 7:43:41 PM EDT

[#1]

From what I have gather the majority of them will just affect Point of impact and will not affect accuracy....

Posted: 2/9/2006 7:45:17 PM EDT

[#2]

I just had my match barrel threaded. I will shoot some groups with a M16 FH and a Phantom and post some results. This is my taggage. It may be a week or two before I have time to punch some paper.

You could just install a thread protector. I considered doing the same.

Posted: 2/9/2006 7:47:43 PM EDT

[#3]

Not BS, but it isn't that big of a deal and you probably won't notice. Plenty barrels shoot 3/4 MOA with flash suppressors on them.

Posted: 2/9/2006 7:48:25 PM EDT

[#4]

Walk the line at a NRA Long Range match. You will notice the barrels have no muzzle devices.

Posted: 2/9/2006 8:09:43 PM EDT

[#5]

I had my 20" barrel threaded and a flash suppressor added.
That changed my point of impact 8" at 100 yards.
And it did open up my groups.

But,
I can only tell that the groups are larger when I compare before and after targets
that I shot with my rifle scoped.

With open sights, the before and after targets look about the same.

Posted: 2/9/2006 9:09:29 PM EDT

[#6]

I bought an Oly with a 16" pencil barrel upper without a FS. Would shoot 3/4 - 1 inch groups. Generally 1 inch was the norm. I later bought another Oly with a 16" Hbar with A2 FS. It will shoot 1 - 1.5 inch groups on a good day. Both are unlined barrels, and are acceptably accurate to me, but the plain barrel is clearly the more accurate of the two.

-K

Posted: 2/10/2006 4:39:53 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
I just had my match barrel threaded. I will shoot some groups with a M16 FH and a Phantom and post some results. This is my taggage. It may be a week or two before I have time to punch some paper.

If you can, try a Vortex. The way a Vortex works by, dissapating the turbulence of gas in front of the muzzle, it is "rumored" to actually improve accuracy over any standard flash hider.

Posted: 2/10/2006 4:41:29 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Walk the line at a NRA Long Range match. You will notice the barrels have no muzzle devices.

There's probably more to it than that. After all, they don't need any muzzle devices, especially flash suppressors, and any weight on the end of the barrel can have a negative effect on barrel harmonics. I'm not saying they don't have them on their rifle for valid reasons but I'm betting those are some of the reasons.

Posted: 2/10/2006 4:42:38 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
I bought an Oly with a 16" pencil barrel upper without a FS. Would shoot 3/4 - 1 inch groups. Generally 1 inch was the norm. I later bought another Oly with a 16" Hbar with A2 FS. It will shoot 1 - 1.5 inch groups on a good day. Both are unlined barrels, and are acceptably accurate to me, but the plain barrel is clearly the more accurate of the two.

The only way to really be sure that it's just the flash suppressor that's affecting accuracy would be to try a specific rifle with and without one.

Posted: 2/10/2006 5:24:26 AM EDT

[#10]

If it does slightly change the accuracy, then is it possible that a different load adjusted to the new barrel harmonics could bring the accuracy back?

Posted: 2/10/2006 6:25:56 AM EDT

[#11]

I know a guy who, several years ago, got two of the big fat Bushmaster "fake A2 XM177 slip-over" suppressors, cut them off just at the beginning of the threadline, and installed them that way to get rid of the excess weight, and swears that his bench groups have tighetned up in a manner consonant with the above previous posts. His 'modified cut down' slip-overs look like an A1 FS on steroids. There is a much larger open space around the crown for the flash vortex to remain undisturbed. I guess he was right after all.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Does a flash suppressor effect accuracy???

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