AR Flash Hiders?

[Willie D]

I assume that the A2 flash hider is superior in some way to the A1 and the old 3 Prong style. How?

Any strong functional reasons to NOT put a 3 Prong flash hider on an AR build for a little Vietnam era style?

 

[MMcfpd]

Supposedly the A2 FH reduces the dust signature when firing prone. That's about it for a difference between the A1 and A2 flash hiders, as far as I know. I've heard that the original duckbill 3 prong FH was prone to having prongs get bent or broken, but I can't confirm that.

 

[Ridge_Runner_5]

I dont see any really noticable difference between them...

 

[davlandrum]

I always figured they were only there to have something to screw a blank adapter on, since they really don't do much else....

 

[wjkuleck]

Open prongs tend to get hung up on brush, thus, the A1 closed end flash suppressor.. The A2 was an evolution of the A1, with a closed bottom to give a little compensator effect plus, as mentioned above, to reduce the muzzle blasts' kicking up dust.

We (Fulton ARmory) actually offer an A1 clone, complete with three prong flash suppressor:

Some time ago I scored an original AR-15 Model 01 green furniture set and waffle mag, and with the help of some parts from Fulton Armory and Total Silence, put together a credible 01 clone:

Or, just get a late '60's Colt SP1 .

Regards,

Walt

 

[jpwilly]

^^^ Hey where's the forward assist on that jam o matic?

The A2 really does work well, doesn't catch brush, no slots on bottom eliminating muzzle climb and dust...what's not to like!

 

[USMCGrunt]

First came the duckbill flash suppressor on the earliest 601 series. THey worked out alright but they had a tendency to snag on brush and the thinner tines also had a tendency to get sprung out of alignmnet. Later versions still used a prong design but now they were heavier giving it more of a cone-shaped apperance. This made the flash suppressor a little more rugged and less likely to get bent but it was still a brush snagger. Later when the M-16A1 came about, the design was changed to the birdcage design. While some say it was a less effective design in reducing flash, it's closed front end eliminated the problems of snagging brush and getting bent or damaged. With the develpoment of the A2, the birdcage flash suppressor was once more changed to a solid-bottom design with more closely spaced slots on the top. While it still helped disrput the flash (although debated weather or not it was better or worse than the A1) it also had the advantage of reducing the dust signature when fired over loose dirt as well as a slight amount of improved muzzle control when fired on burst. More of the gas from 52,000 PSI chamber pressure wants to go out the top slots which in turn tends to want to push the muzzle downward. Fired on semi, you probably won't even notice the difference though. Today while the A2 is still the standard on the M-16A2 and M-4 carbines, I have seen some units in AFSOC using Gem-tech flash suppressors but the more common one I've seen is the SOPMOD Knights compensator. The Knights compensator is similar in design to the A2 but is slightly longer, has gas grooves around the circumfrence and a notch on the 6 o'clock position to index the Knights suppressor.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I have some new/take offs, Colt A2 suppressors, PM me if you want one cheap.

 

[Tamara]

Unless you are planning on engaging in a bunch of nighttime firefights, there's no real reason not to put whatever muzzle gizmo you like on your rifle.

 

[Slopemeno]

I saw a video that compared flash signature from all sorts of flashhiders, and the original 3-prong was surprisingly effective.