M1A - Flash hider or not

Klondiker

Klondiker

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Alberta for now, back to the Yukon someday
Just wondering what your thoughts are on 'Do you really need a flash hider'?

Assuming you would put a gas lock sight on if you're using irons, but if you're running a scope full time, is there any practical advantage?

It adds 3 inches to the overall length, essentially turning a 22" barrel into a 25" barrel, but does it benefit the civilian shooter?

Here's a with -

DSC_2248-1.jpg


And a without -

DSC_2246-1.jpg


You could cut the barrel down to 18.5 inches, (which I would like to do at some point) but it seems most folks put a brake or a flash hider back on anyway. This would put your overall length back to almost where you started without a brake or flash hider.

Just curios to see what think. Thanks and have a Happy New Year.
 
A trip to the range or on the hunt doesn't require a flash hider, strictly speaking. However, it is part of the original configuration and is characteristic of the rifle. That said, something more functional and practical might be a muzzle brake. There's some good ones out there.
 
It does add a considerable amount to the length of the barrel, catches long grass and twigs and makes noise when it contacts them. It's unneccessary and detrimental IMO. A properly crowned barrel would look fine, but not one with exposed threads. Then it looks incompleted or dismantled.
 
The military specification required a flash suppressor, and the design engineering worked very hard to perfect this pattern. They found problems like bullets striking the interior surfaces of the prongs and nose ring. The sound was louder. The felt recoil was supposedly reduced. All those things mean nothing to a target shooter or casual hunter.

Now ... in the US they have some funked-up Assaulte Weapon rules. One of the bad parts on the classification list are flash suppressors. If a Canadian wanted to make his legal-in-Canada gun resemble a legal-in-US gun, have at it. To each his own. But while Canadians can run and gun differently than our neighbours, let's do it.
 
maple_leaf_eh said:
.

Now ... in the US they have some funked-up Assaulte Weapon rules. One of the bad parts on the classification list are flash suppressors.
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Only in the non-free states - the rest of us can use flash hiders, some of us can even use sound suppressors w:h:
 
I ditched my flash hider and installed a SEI Navy brake. Its not much shorter, but its a little more usefull then a flash hider. I dont plan to shoot at night but I do a LOT of shooting when I go out so a brake would be nice. And, well, it just looks mean
 
I put a Smith brake on mine, because the brake is shorter and does effectively reduce the recoil and muzzle rise. It sure does make the rifle a lot more noticeable when fired. Standing to the sides of it is not always fun. My wife loves waiting until I'm not paying attention to her then letting a string off and I almost jump out of my skin.

I personally don't like a bare muzzle on an autoloader, on a lever or a bolt sure.

That said, for a hunting rifle cut to 18.5" with no flash hider or anything else hanging off the end it's going to be like you have a socom out there.
 
That is my question...what purpose.

For what it's worth, I don't compete with it, I would hunt with it, and I do shoot from a bench. Don't get me wrong, I like the look of FH's. I'm not looking at removing them on my other rifles, just wondering what you think about this:

Realistically, other than good looks, does a FH have a benefit for civilian shooters? Accuracy? Balance? What have you.

I realize I'm probably grasping at straws with the balance thing :)
 
Klondiker said:
That is my question...what purpose.

For what it's worth, I don't compete with it, I would hunt with it, and I do shoot from a bench. Don't get me wrong, I like the look of FH's. I'm not looking at removing them on my other rifles, just wondering what you think about this:

Realistically, other than good looks, does a FH have a benefit for civilian shooters? Accuracy? Balance? What have you.

I realize I'm probably grasping at straws with the balance thing :)
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Beyond taming what may be an obnoxious muzzle flash, most have no practical use for it.
 
I'd like a dummy flash suppressor that slips over the barrel as far as the muzzle, so that it doesn't add any length. It would look like the barrel is 3" or more shorter, when it really isn't.
 
Grizzlypeg said:
I'd like a dummy flash suppressor that slips over the barrel as far as the muzzle, so that it doesn't add any length. It would look like the barrel is 3" or more shorter, when it really isn't.
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If you used the same threads for the castle nut, any machinist "should" be able to inside ream the existing flash suppressor so it attached backwards on the muzzle. I use the conditional form because I forget how big the barrel is behind the threads vs the outside diameter of the splines.
 
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