View Full Version : 3 prong flash hiders
wild_wild_wes
01-26-13, 02:43
Is there anything inherently "wrong" with 3 prong flash hiders?
There is the original M16 unit of course, but I was browsing a gun magazine and saw a new version by a company (forgot which one) that also makes supressors.
The_Hammer_Man
01-26-13, 02:46
There's nothing "wrong" with them at all. The reason some folks don't like some brands of them is that they "ding" like a bell every time you fire the weapon.
Kinda distracting
Nope. In fact, the one youre referring to, the AAC blackout is one of the best, if not, THE best flash hider available today.
Like Hammerman says, it pings. I dont own one so i cant attest as to how bothersome or neglegible it is.
Nope. In fact, the one youre referring to, the AAC blackout is one of the best, if not, THE best flash hider available today.
Like Hammerman says, it pings. I dont own one so i cant attest as to how bothersome or neglegible it is.
I have a Blackout and a B.E. Meyers. The tuning fork effect is present with both of them, but I rarely notice it while shooting.
AAC makes an attachment for the Blackout flash hider that does away with the effect.
AAC makes an attachment for the Blackout flash hider that does away with the effect.
Interesting. How does it work?
I...... saw a new version by a company (forgot which one) that also makes supressors.
http://www.surefire.com/tactical-equipment/suppressor-adapters/flash-hider-adapter.html
wild_wild_wes
01-26-13, 07:49
I have several ARs and they all have Yankee Hill Phantoms on them. I'm doing a KISS build using a DD 16" LW middy and A1 upper and was considering using the original GI 3-prong, just for variety. But, the military changed the design for some reason, and I don't want to use it if there is some drawback I don't know about.
Interesting. How does it work?
I think it's called a suppressor :haha:
JP
The original 3 prong design was changed because soldiers were complaining about it catching foliage in the thick jungles of Vietnam
Traveshamockery
01-26-13, 10:14
I have a three-pronged Smith Vortex. It pings a bit, but I don't notice when I'm actually shooting.
kaltesherz
01-26-13, 10:32
My SPR/M4 Blackout stopped pinging after shooting it a bit suppressed. Now no ping at all, with and without the can attached
Interesting. How does it work?
My guess is this.
http://www.weaponoutfitters.com/ar-15-m16-1/upper-receivers-parts/muzzle-devices/qd-brake-shield-for-aac.html
http://www.weaponoutfitters.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/_/d/_dsc0309_sq.jpg
I can't recall any ping sounds the three pronged flash suppressor may have made, but I certainly remember catching foliage with it. A time or two I used the prong to break the band on a case of MRE's, and I saw it used as a tool for other purposes too. The M16A1 I had with the three prong flash suppressor had a chrome BCG, it was very easy to clean, it was the only chrome BCG I can remember on a military weapon.
MountainRaven
01-26-13, 11:38
I've gotten the tuning fork sound with SEI Vortex flashhiders and the AAC Blackouts (both mount and non-mount).
But the new SureFire three-prong doesn't make a noise, at least not that I can discern.
I do find it somewhat entertaining, though, that we hit on the three-prong design in the late-1950s/early-1960s (with the Finnish Valmet RK 62) and now, fifty years later, we're going back to it.
My guess is this.
http://www.weaponoutfitters.com/ar-15-m16-1/upper-receivers-parts/muzzle-devices/qd-brake-shield-for-aac.html
http://www.weaponoutfitters.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/_/d/_dsc0309_sq.jpg
15065
wild_wild_wes
01-26-13, 12:22
I do find it somewhat entertaining, though, that we hit on the three-prong design in the late-1950s/early-1960s (with the Finnish Valmet RK 62) and now, fifty years later, we're going back to it.
Reminds me on the recent news stories of NASA going into its museums and storage bins to examine Apollo hardware, and finding the designs to be total perfection. Now they are preparing an original F1 engine to fire again so their engineers can study it. 17 launches with 5 engines per flight vehicle, 0 failures!
The original 3 prong
http://www.fulton-armory.com/images/products/detail/AU075.jpg
The_Hammer_Man
01-26-13, 15:08
If you look at a pic of the original 3-prong M16 FH you'll notice that the prongs are noticeably shorter than the newer FH's
Which means....
No ding :)
halfmoonclip
01-26-13, 15:36
I can't recall any ping sounds the three pronged flash suppressor may have made, but I certainly remember catching foliage with it. A time or two I used the prong to break the band on a case of MRE's, and I saw it used as a tool for other purposes too. The M16A1 I had with the three prong flash suppressor had a chrome BCG, it was very easy to clean, it was the only chrome BCG I can remember on a military weapon.
This reflects what I recall from my time in the service. Only 3 prong I ever had was my rifle in basic; I don't remember a 'ping' (they gave us earplugs but didn't tell us to put them in...), but I do recall the stories about snagging brush in the jungle, and using the rifle as a 'tool' for all sorts of things, breaking banding especially. Going with that were tales of bending the pencil barrels from loads they weren't meant for.
Never even saw another 3-prong after basic; my rifle had been a real M16dashnothing; it didn't have a FA either.
Moon
The vibration is one of the things that I think is supposed to help reduce the flash. Something about disturbing the gas as it exits the bore to prevent ignition.
At any rate, if you're wearing plugs and/or regular muffs you probably won't hear the ping. If your wearing electronic muffs, you will hear it for a second or two after each shot. If you aren't wearing ear pro, then any ringing you hear is just your own ears.
The Phantom by YHM works almost as well as the three prong designs, doesn't have that ping, and is a lot cheaper.
ThirdWatcher
01-27-13, 21:21
... I certainly remember catching foliage with it. A time or two I used the prong to break the band on a case of MRE's...
That's the two reasons I heard for the change to the A1 flash suppressor. I don't remember hearing a "ping" while firing with the three prong suppressor but my AAC Blackout & Smith Vortex equipped carbines certainly do (but it's hardly bothersome).
BTW, back in the day it woulda been C-Ration pallets, et. al. and the M16 barrels were a lot lighter than an M4 barrel (and easier to tweak).
sinlessorrow
01-27-13, 22:27
That's the two reasons I heard for the change to the A1 flash suppressor. I don't remember hearing a "ping" while firing with the three prong suppressor but my AAC Blackout & Smith Vortex equipped carbines certainly do (but it's hardly bothersome).
BTW, back in the day it woulda been C-Ration pallets, et. al. and the M16 barrels were a lot lighter than an M4 barrel (and easier to tweak).
Yep, foliage catching on it and soldiers using it to open MRE's
That's the two reasons I heard for the change to the A1 flash suppressor. I don't remember hearing a "ping" while firing with the three prong suppressor but my AAC Blackout & Smith Vortex equipped carbines certainly do (but it's hardly bothersome).
BTW, back in the day it woulda been C-Ration pallets, et. al. and the M16 barrels were a lot lighter than an M4 barrel (and easier to tweak).
MRE's came out in the early 80's and the M16A2 was issued to my unit around 1985.
The original 3 prong design was changed because soldiers were complaining about it catching foliage in the thick jungles of Vietnam
My father in law said it was because soldiers kept using them as a wrench for the bolts on crates. This would make them bend thuss having to replace them. I wonder what the real reason is.
I can't recall any ping sounds the three pronged flash suppressor may have made, but I certainly remember catching foliage with it. A time or two I used the prong to break the band on a case of MRE's, and I saw it used as a tool for other purposes too. The M16A1 I had with the three prong flash suppressor had a chrome BCG, it was very easy to clean, it was the only chrome BCG I can remember on a military weapon.
I just noticed that I typed A1 after M16. I had several different weapons assigned to me back then and it may have been an M16 not an M16A1 that I recall. The weapon I had in Ranger School definitely had the three prongs, it was also the one with the chrome BCG. One of my more pleasant memories while in Ranger school was going on a resupply one day, when we opened all the ration cases with our flash suppressors. (The main meals were only 5 oz. then and weren't upgraded to 8 oz. until 1988 but that's another thread).
My SEI Vortex pings when I shoot it or brush up against something. It is just part of the design. Any piece of metal with a fork shape on the end will ping if the forks are equal in size and shape. Still a great FH.
ThirdWatcher
02-01-13, 11:39
... One of my more pleasant memories while in Ranger school was going on a resupply one day, when we opened all the ration cases with our flash suppressors. (The main meals were only 5 oz. then and weren't upgraded to 8 oz. until 1988 but that's another thread).
We used to use the ejection port of our 1911's to open a bottle of beer but I sure wouldn't try that now.:eek:
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