User Panel
Posted: 1/6/2006 6:54:54 AM EDT
I called Ron Smith about the upcoming Vortexes for both the AKM/47 and the AK-74 families. He advised me that the AKM/AK47 14X1 LH is just a few days away from being available and that he promised some will be available to civilians. How many, I don't honestly know, but I suspect no more than 50 or 100 for the time being. Anyway, Ron asked me to pass he's being just about every day about the AK74 Vortex and that he hasn't forgotten us. However, it will be a couple of months before they will available. He also mentioned the FOX News story on the Vortex and the military dragging it's feet on adopting this simple device will air sometime on January 19th.
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Cool.
This fh is El Numero Uno at keeping things dark at the business end, especially when running short bbls. |
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No shit. That's a lot of jack for a flash hider. |
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I'm sure they will be woth every penny. I'll be getting couple to put away.
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+1 I asked the guy making my slant breaks how much $ it would cost to make a batch of these and his reply was a lot less than $75 each |
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Well I get a prototype for asking first. |
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Chop Chop, get to work man ... We want both 14x1 and 24x1.5 and have him leave a ring around the end so they don't get snagged up when we're running through the jungle chasing zombies ... |
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The reason I asked was because the shop making the breaks for me claims to be doing some of the basic cuts for the Vortex and then Smith finishes them off in their own shop. I dont have a clue if this is true or not. Anyways I just asked out of curiousity I have no plans of trying to copy any. I dont need Smiths lawyers coming after me. |
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====== Well, that's retail for civilians, too. That's also a lot of "flash hider", as in good enough for the USA Army's M240H, M14, M14SE, the Canadian Forces' C-8 & C-6, the USN SEAL's & USAF PJ's MK14 Mod O and M14SE and the DOE's M4A1, for starters. This crowd won't settle for some bubba-fried cast piece of forged gouda cheese that might otherwise suffice for the "Hold-my-beer-while-I-shoot-my-SKS." crowd. As to the AK Vortex itself, we are not talking about surplus wares from defunct political systems in which the true cost of production ultimately contributed heavily to the downfall for their socio-economic system. The modern AKM/AK47 Vortex is made principally for a specific and pressing military application that also calls for the ability to employ a sound suppressor. Patented? Need one really ask? |
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Its steel. Machined from a tube. Not rocket science. |
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What is this"Hold my beer while I shoot my SKS" shit? I don't give a rat's ass about who uses it, or the downfall of the Soviet Union. All I said was that is a lot of cash for a friggin' flash hider, and I will stand by that statement. Oh, congratulations on posting the most pompous, condescending load of crap I have read all day. |
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Man, ya'll need to slip over to the '14 side. Damn near required over there to drink the Smith Enterprise kool aid and worship at the throne of the Vortex, all while giving humble thanks that SEI still has time every now and then to build a rifle for a mere mortal civilian. I'm gonna be watching for the FOX story, that oughta be good. I don't know what kind of a deal the gov gets for the Vortex, but unless it's like 10% of retail, I'm quite proud of the mil for "dragging its feet." Depending on the weapon, I'm not sure how important it is to upgrade the flash hider from say, 95% effective to maybe 98% at several times the cost.I rather doubt you'll find any instances where U.S. soldiers have been casualties because the stock A2/240/249/M14 flash hider fucked them over. 'Sides, we'll just be taking them Vortexes off the next time we fight anywhere but the desert, them damn open ended things are gonna catch brush everywhere, and Joe's gonna use them to open ammo crates. |
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And by the way...I searched the patent website and I don't see anything close to it...
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Heres a link of a standard birdcage. I know its not 99.99% effective or whatever a Vortex is but for under $10 it aint bad.
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Read the post again, the military uses it so its worth 40% more. |
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Im considering just buying a 74 style FH. Any one use one of the "vortexs on a AK?" thanks.
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$50 bucks is alot for a flash sup, $75 is freaking insane. Hell, for $75, I could buy a case of beer and about half a case of ammo to shoot with my SKS, not to mention a pack of Marlboros.
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It is very much patented....
www.biggerhammer.net/patents/us05596161__.pdf That patent seems to be an earlier design similar to the smith vortex , so you can bet your ass that the new ones are patented using similar "claims" and design, etc... They are damn good flash hiders ! If you guys don't use night vision, then don't worry about it. Just stick with a birdcage, phantom, krink or bulgy flash hider ( the latter of which are not exactly "cheap" or highly available ) I've got a bulgy flash hider and never used it with my NV and have no real need to right now. I also have a Vortex on my AR, while using NV you cannot hardly see any flash... just a little blip of light. They are kick ass and worth the price... as long as you are not putting one on every gun you own. As far as an AK Vortex.... why would you really even want one my2 ETA: Had to edit what I posted.... biggerhammer lists it as the Smith Vortex, but I read and it said DPMS It looks just like the Smith to me though, despite some external differences..... so I adjusted my first sentence accordingly *The only flash hider I could find on DPMS's website was a 3 prong, kinda makes me wonder about the above patent DMPS 3 Prong Flash Hider "9.95" Might not hurt to call up DPMS and ask them to make up a batch of 14x1 LH 3 prong hiders for 10 bucks a pop. I'm sure they would make great hiders |
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I would pay $75 for the Vortex FH, as long as it came with $65 worth of ammo.
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Lots of AR guys use them. At $50 for an AR and a 2.0"+ length, they are perfect. They reduce muzzle flash on an AR15 to almost ZERO, yes, ZERO flash, even at night. When permanently attached, they'll bring the much-beloved 14.5" barrel up to the legal limit.
TEST THREAD |
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You ought to have a chat with your friend at the machine shop. All Smith Vortexes and Muzzle Brakes are made in house -- completely. He's either feeding you a line or...... |
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He just claimed to do some of the basic lathe work. He also ran off about a 1/2 dozen other big companies that he CLAIMS to supply parts for. It wouldnt surprise me the least if he blowing smoke up my ass about the work he claims to do. |
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That's pretty much what I heard when I coordinated with Smith to build a .458 caliber Vortex. He actually said his dad does the majority of the work building the Vortexes. And anyone who wants to run out and build their own - more power to you... However, I would go look at some of the garage built Vortexes turned out - they pretty much start to mushroon out after some firing. Spooky |
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Spooky - You're quite correct. Ron's dad (Richard) does the initial machining. Final machining, tumbling, heat treatments, parkerizing and QA/QC is all handled by Ron. So you were/are the USAF guy that got the .458 V deal going, eh? Glad I got one while I could. M4gery, M14SE clone, StG-58 FAL, 5.56mm SAM-5 (modded MK46 Vortex) and .458 SOCOM. All of these back home. Grrrr. Getting an ARSR-700 Vortex for my SSG P II over here in GE by a really talented Steyr smith near Muenchen. The unit now has them on their M240Bs and M249s/Paras. Happy campers...especially with NV. Trying to get the M2HB Vortex and bbl threading funded. A tad bit stickier to get past the G-8, AMC rep, etc. Mission funds can work wonders, though As for folks making their own Vortexes -- wouldn't advise that in the least. Last I heard (three months ago TDY in AZ) six parties have or were about to be named as defendants in either or both copyright and/or patent violations. Their lawyers definitely have serious canines. Ouch! |
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We should start a group buy. If not to buy the Vortex, maybe something else. Maybe have something made custom. There are alot of great machinists on the site.
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$75????
I'll just stick with my '74 type break and buy a Romy drum. |
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Vortex AK Group buy? Hmmmm...not a bad idea at all. Kinda like what Spooky130 did with the .458 SOCOM units. Sorry, but I can't handle it from Germany. RRA .458 SOCOM??? So when is that coming out? |
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FOX13 (WTVT, Tampa) will air a story on the Vortex, tonight 19 January at 1100 hours (EST). It will show an M16 and an AK, both with and without a Vortex. Should cause interesting rumblings, considering Tampa is home to USSOCOM and USCENTCOM. Oh, and Ron just told me yesterday that 100 AK47/AKM Vortexes are now being set aside for civilian sales. More later....maybe. AK74/100 still down the road.
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Why in the world do I want to send any money to that asshole?
"NO! Civilians are not worthy of the honor of this flash hider! Only military and police. NOW GET BACK YOU SCUM! BACK!" |
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