Understanding Muzzle Devices: Flash Hiders, Muzzle Brakes, and Silencers with Mrgunsngear

Muzzle devices can be confusing for rifle newbies. Accessories like flash hiders, muzzle brakes, and silencers often seem similar to someone who doesn’t know much about them. However, each of these devices serves a different purpose on a rifle (such as an AR-15). Using the wrong muzzle device can prevent a shooter from achieving their desired outcome.

Fortunately, we have an industry pro to help us understand muzzle devices. In this video, Mrgunsngear explains how these accessories work.

What Are Muzzle Devices?

A muzzle device is precisely what it sounds like. These firearm accessories attach to the front of a gun’s barrel (the muzzle). Almost all muzzle devices screw onto the gun like a threaded fastener. Muzzle devices can be divided into three main categories: flash hiders, muzzle brakes, and silencers. Let’s explore the differences between them.

AR-15 Flash Hiders

Short-barreled rifles (SBRs) have many advantages, but they also face the problem of incomplete powder burn. The barrels on many SBRs aren’t long enough to allow the powder in a cartridge to ignite fully, resulting in visible fireballs with every trigger pull. These fireballs can negatively impact a shooter’s concentration, interrupt their sight picture, and interfere with their vision, especially when shooting in the dark.

AR-15 flash hiders can help address this problem by reducing the visible fireballs. However, it’s important to note that flash hiders provide minimal reduction in recoil. If a shooter wants a muzzle device to tame their gun’s kick, they should consider a muzzle brake.

Muzzle Brakes

Some shooters have difficulty hitting multiple consecutive shots on target because of their gun’s kickback. A muzzle brake can help with this issue. These devices keep a gun’s muzzle from rising upwards due to recoil, making it easier to achieve quick follow-up shots.

However, muzzle brakes have their drawbacks. Unlike flash hiders, they can cause a gun to spew fireballs, even through 16-inch barrels. They also amplify a gun’s sound and concussion blast when it fires. If a shooter wants to reduce their gun’s noise, they should consider a silencer.

Silencers

Silencers were once primarily seen in action movies but have become more common among civilian shooters. While silencers aren’t as effective in real life as they are portrayed in films, they still significantly reduce a gun’s noise. They are particularly effective when paired with short-barreled rifles, which typically generate a lot of noise and muzzle blast.

However, silencers have their issues. One noticeable problem is the amount of gas that blows out of the ejection port. Silencers trap expanding gas, which then escapes through the ejection port and can hit the shooter’s face. This can be uncomfortable and distracting. Using a longer barrel can help mitigate this effect.

It’s also important to note that silencers are regulated by the National Firearms Act. Most commonly, buyers must receive a tax stamp from the ATF and pay a $200 fee.

Learn More About Gunsmithing at SDI

Muzzle devices are just one aspect of the firearm accessories a gunsmith needs to know about. A firearm is a complex system with many components that must work together seamlessly. If you’re interested in learning more about these components, SDI can help. Discover the programs SDI offers by clicking here.