The terms compensators, recoil reducers, and muzzle brakes are interchangeable. Luckily, the dreaded Assault Weapons Ban expired. Not many years ago, an AR equipped with a flash hider/compensator or even threaded end was deemed illegal if it was coupled with other physical characteristics such as a folding or telescoping stock, a bayonet lug, or a pistol grip. However, if the rifle is an AR, it quickly becomes the centerpiece of all conversations. Compensators, Recoil Reducers, and Muzzle BrakesĪ bolt-action rifle equipped with a muzzle brake barely causes a second look at a gun show. Still, flash hiders are important for those hunting in low-light situations. Manufactures have made great strides with new and sometimes radical designs in flash hiders - some proved to be effective, others not so much. The next improvement was the birdcage flash hider with a solid bottom to prevent a dust storm when firing from a prone position. The Colt Sporter I, the first commercial AR, had a cone-shaped improved duckbill type flash hider, named for its appearance however, its exposed opening had a tendency to get hung up on brush. Flash hiders have been on AR's since the 1950s. Rule of thumb: The shorter the barrel, the larger the fireball.įlash hiders, originally referred to as flash suppressors, were designed to break up and vent the flash in a sideward direction away from the barrel. Powder not burned inside the confines of the barrel creates the flash at the muzzle as the bullet exits. The trade-off was muzzle flash that increases as the barrel is shortened. After World War II, troops saw the advantages of a short barrel on their issued rifles, especially in jungle combat environments. One of the advantages of long barrels is that all of the powder is completely burned within the confines of the barrel, producing little to no flash. Bear and hog hunters or those who call and hunt predators in low light or at night will find the benefits of a flash hider equally indispensable.Įarly rifle designs had longer barrels than today's modern rifles. The reduced flash also helps keep a shooter's night vision, the ability to see in low-light conditions, from being disabled.

A well-designed flash hider can reduce the 'bloom' caused by the muzzle blast while viewing through night vision goggles. A flash hider for tactical shooters (law enforcement and military) is indispensible - it helps minimize the telltale muzzle flash that can give away their position.

There is much confusion about flash hiders, a very popular component on many ARs today. This comprehensive look at flash hiders and compensators, their function and application, will clear up questions as to whether AR hunters need one or the other, or a combination of both. Many hunters automatically choose an AR with a plain barrel without first considering how a flash hider or a muzzle brake/compensator can help in a hunting scenario. Do flash hiders and/ or compensators have a place on an AR hunter’s rifle?

Muzzle brake vs compensator