AR-15 Flash Hider Shootout
We’ve captured photos AND light meter readings of 32 popular flash hiders for AR-15s or other .223/5.56 firearms threaded 1/2×28!
Full write-up on TTAG here: www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2015/06/jeremy-s/ar-15-flash-hider-shootout/
Big thanks to Sharp Shooting Indoor Range & Gun Shop for not only loaning me a few of these FHs, but for shutting down one of their bays and turning the lights off, allowing me to run this test in a perfectly-consistent, dark environment. They carry many of the muzzle devices you see here plus hundreds of firearms & other parts & gear: www.SharpShooting.net or 509.535.4444.
Flash hiders, compensators, brakes, and hybrid muzzle devices seen in this video (and they’re in alphabetical order in the video also, except for the two baselines/controls) include:
Baselines of A2 Birdcage and Bare Muzzle
2A Armament T3 Compensator
AAC Blackout FH
Battlecomp 2.0
BCM Compensator MOD 1
Black Rain Ordnance Flash Suppressor
Black River Tactical Covert Comp
Daniel Defense Superior Suppression Device Extended
DoubleStar Dragon
Griffin Armament M4SD Flash Comp
JP Enterprises FH
King Armory KA-1222A
Knight’s Armament MAMS
Knight’s Armament Triple Tap
Lantac Dragon
Liberty Suppressors Mystic X
Manticore Arms Eclipse FH
Precision Armament AFAB-556 Hybrid Muzzle Brake
Precision Armament EFAB Hybrid Muzzle Brake
Primary Weapons Systems FSC556
RISE Armament Razor Brake
Seekins Precision FH
Smith / CMMG Vortex FH
Spike’s Tactical Dynacomp Extreme
Strike Industries J-Comp
Strike Industries Venom FH
Tactical Advantage Armory Titanium FH
Troy 3-Prong FH
Troy Claymore
Troy Medieval FH
Witt Machine Directional Brake w/ Spiral Shield
Yankee Hill Machine Phantom 5C2 Support the channel, get free stuff, join live streams, gain early access, and more! https://www.patreon.com/JeremyGunsGear
4:08
The problem with this experiment is that it is really inconsistent. I can shoot 10 shots out of a suppressor or brake and 8 or 9 or the 10 will be no visible flash at all, but the 10th will have enough ot particulate matter to ignite outside of the barrel and be blindingly bright.
And I have certainly had this happen with the A2 before – crazy bright muzzle flashes from outside combustion. Here is an example: the first few rounds were no flash, and then one was https://i.imgur.com/MYRb05t.jpg a giant bright fireball – from an A2 flash hider.
Only testing 3 shots means you are missing that effect most of the time and capturing it some of the time – something reflected in the pretty random results you got.
I really had no idea the A2 was so effective, it seemed like it would be at best average as a freebie.
Also really impressed with the effectiveness of flash hiders in general.
I thought the Vortex would win, JP is really crushing it these days!
You missed one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMumsBd13QI
You didnt test the B.E. Meyers flash hider
Like everyone else has said, top notch comparison video on flash hider performance. This is Source Material Citation quality work.
this is AMERICA as fuck
AAC hands down.
Excellent, about time this was made !
Looks like the tried and true plain old really inexpensive A2 did as well and better than most.
I know a lot about light and light meters and measuring. I tested hundreds of high end flashlights for many years.
The LUX data I see from the lowest LUX reading up to the A2 is so little you would never notice the difference just by watching.
Great video. You gave me the exact information I needed to decide to leave my A2 which is stock on the Smith&Wesson M&P15 Sport 2. No change will be necessary.
I’m going by LUX readings not photos. It really is so little difference from the 1st (lowest LUX reading) to the A2 the human eye wouldn’t see the difference.
Thanks
which of these flash hiders is able to extend my barrel without damaging the handguard it is nestled underneath? I just needed to not damage the last half inch of my barrel
Wow! I have a friend with the border patrol who gave me an AAC flashhider , cause they were switching to something else. I’ve had it sitting in a drawer for a few years , he told me they worked great , I believed him but now that I’ve seen how well they work , I’ll be putting it on my Colt.
Excellent testing. Since most flash hiders are 2-3+ inches long, do you have and data on just raw barrels 2-3 inches longer. My thinking is that if my 16" barrel is going to be 18-19" long with a flash hider, maybe I’d just rather have a longer barrel for added velocity if that barrel’s muzzle flash is not too much harsher than a 16" barrel with a flash hider.
it’s almost like 90% of the tactical crap out there is overpriced and totally worthless.
Excellent work in production and research.
awesome! Have you done an update video, with new ones? It’s five years now.
Seems funny that some were brighter than the shot with the bare muzzle
Stellar work, as usual!
WOW, that JPE is really impressive! How long was the barrel , I must have missed it? I have a 10.5 on my 556 pistol; I wonder if the JPE results will be the same.
Can’t go wrong with a 3-prong
Is the DoubleStar Dragon a flash enhancer? Lol
Спасибо!
YHM Phantom for the win in my book, they are very cheap, made with quality and look great on any build!! Whoop whoop!! I run them on all my builds!
I’ve played hell trying to find some flash hider testing, so thank you. large flash is obviously a disadvantage in low light conditions. But furthermore, i want to see some suppressor flash tests. Have you done any or know of anyone who has? With one of the main advantages of suppression being the fact that a target confuses the direction that their being shot at from when a suppressor is used, it would be nice to know which suppressors produce the least flash as well, since audio is not the only way a target could locate you. Thanks!
I would really like to see what the SI Cloak looks like and where it stands.
This is such an underrated video. Some of the best testing on YouTube as far as a single AR part. Thanks for doing this. Seems like everyone wants to use a comp or brake, which is about the worst option for home defense.
Very definitive test! A2 birdcage it is!
And so the A2 birdcage is the best deal hands down.
Timestamps?
This video needs an update! There have been so many more muzzle devices introduced in the 5 years since
Forgot the best flash hider made. BE Meyers m249f
Audio Note: outdoor scenes, especially with wind, or hand-held camera/mic: put a ‘high-pass’ filter on your audio, somewhere between 80 and 150Hz. Great content, keep it up!
Need some 308 flash hider comparisons !
Awesome work Pal, very well done. Keep up the great content!
This is SUPER helpful. Science-y numbers.
Would love to see this test done every year.
Great video. Thank you for taking the time and effort to make it! 👍
Awesome test! Thank you!
Very interesting!
this man doing everyone’s homework. GG
How long was the barrel???
Do the new strike cloak supposed to be better than the jp and smaller than the venom really nice too
So this is what their racks looked like pre Covid lol
2:32 A2 Birdcage
2:41 Bare muzzle
2:48 2a Armament T3 comp
2:55 AAC Blackout
3:04 Battlecomp 2.0
3:13 BCM Comp Mod 1
3:21 Black Rain Ordnance Flash Suppressor
3:29 Black River Tactical Covert Comp
3:36 Daniel Defense Superior Suppression Device Extended
3:46 DoubleStar Dragon
3:54 Griffin Armament M4SD
4:03 JP Enterprises Flash Hider
4:10 King Armory KA-1222A
4:20 Knight’s Armament MAMS
4:28 Knight’s Armament Triple Tap
4:36 Lantac Dragon
4:45 Liberty Mystic Suppressor
4:53 Liberty Mystic #2
5:02 Manticore Arms Eclipse FH
5:10 Precision Armament AFAB
5:18 Precision Armament EFAB
5:27 Primary Weapons Systems FSC556
5:35 RISE Armament Razor Brake
5:44 Seekins Precision Flash Hider
5:53 Smith / CMMG Vortex Flash Hider
6:00 Spike’s Tactical Dynacomp Extreme
6:10 Strike Industries J-Comp
6:18 Strike Industries Venom FH
6:27 Tactical Advantage Armory Titanium FH
6:34 Troy Industries 3-Prong FH
6:42 Troy Industries Claymore
6:50 Troy Industries Medieval FH
6:59 Witt Machine Directional Brake
7:09 Yankee Hill Machine Phantom 5C2
Thanks for conducting these tests. Compiling timestamps is the least I could do to show my appreciation.
I must have missed it but, what was your barrel length on this weapon?
Great work on this and the comp tests, Muzzle devices don’t get the attention they deserve so I must appreciate the effort.
I did not see the A2 picture in the test but looking at the chart it looks like it preforms very well for a flash hider and they’re so cheap/free
I would love to see you guys (if you haven’t already) do some tests on short barrels, I have a couple of 7.5’s one came with a 4 prong type but with closed ends (I can’t identify make/model) and the other has a standard A2 I can’t help but wonder if there is something better out there.
Everyone says get a KAK can or similar but from what I’ve seen that just makes it more comfortable for the shooter and those around them, they do nothing to hide flash (infact looks like it just makes it worse)
I wonder how these top performers would fair if you put them on a short barrel.
Thanks for the name drop, Bro!
Ah, the good ol’ days…
Thank you for the awesome organization!