KAC Micro Flashcan opinions

[Phaedrus/69]

I realize that with guns, as with so many things, you generally get what you pay for. The KAK Industries flashcans are a lot cheaper than the Novesky "Flaming Pig". Are they worthwhile? Obviously saving a few bucks would be nice but a primary motivation to maybe pick up the KAK is that they make slimmer ones that would fit inside the keymod rails of my AR.

The second part of the question goes to the wisdom of having my barrel cut back and the KAK pinned and welded to bring it back up to 16.25" or so. My idea is to make the rifle a bit more pleasant/bearable for indoor use. The Micro is around 3" long so I wouldn't have to pare the barrel back to much. I think I can live with a little smidge less velocity.

Today I fired my AR at an indoor range for the first time. It was actually the first time I've ever fired a true rifle (ie not a PCC) at an indoor range. It wasn't too bad for me on the firing line with ear plugs and electronic muffs; a bit of a shockwave to be sure. But letting my brother put a mag through it while I stood off axis was kinda brutal. I'm thinking that indoors in my house in the event of a home invasion, where I might not have time to get earpro on, would be...sobering. A flashcan should tame the shock and blast a little bit, right? Maybe stun the target a bit more than the shooter?

 

[wally]

The second part of the question goes to the wisdom of having my barrel cut back and the KAK pinned and welded to bring it back up to 16.25" or so.

Downside is can make it difficult should you ever need to change the gas block.

Also if you should want to add a free-float hand guard some time in the future a pinned and welded muzzle device can make it difficult to install the "custom" barrel nut many of these require, you can work around it by confining your selection to free-float tube and hand guards that work with the standard barrel nut, but its a limitation of permanently attached muzzle devices.

As to any non-suppressor making any gun more pleasant to shoot indoors, if makes a significant lowering of the Sound Pressure Level it is a suppressor by NFA rules.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

True, I can see it would complicate changing the gas block. Is that a legitimate issue? I'm not a longtime AR guy; is that something that's done often? I already have a free float keymod handguard.

To clarify, and I'm sure you know this, a flash can doesn't reduce the sound levels at all. But it does redirect it forward. In practical terms it's the same thing- reducing the blast for the shooter while increasing it for anyone in front of it.

 

[Olympus]

I have used the GunTec slim flash can on several builds and they are a little cheaper than the KAK cans. I don't see the reason to pay more for what is essentially a mini megaphone on the end of your barrel.

Pinning and welding would certainly present a problem down the road if you wanted/needed to change your gas block or gas tube. My thinking is once you get to 16", what's another couple inches? Do a 10.5" pistol/sbr if you're worried about overall length for hime defense scenarios.

 

[Tirod]

I didn't think I would change the AR I built. But, I did, and not having permanently pinned parts on it make the job easy. It took less than half an hour fiddling around with things to take off a clamp on FSB and switch from handguards to a free float.

The aesthetic change was dramatic, it shot just the same. We sometimes spend money on things for looks not function. But that is why a lot of us do get into the AR. We can alter the weapon ourselves, no gunsmith fees for labor or waiting 6 weeks for them to work thru their backlog. We buy parts, ship direct to home, and change things as we wish, even on a whim.

It's why a highly accurate M16 used for Service Rifle matches can cost half of an older piston gun like the M14. The modular design allows changes.

There's also a serious issue working thru the gunsmithing industry right now - ITAR licensing. It would appear that shortening, crowning, and pinning a muzzle device falls under the new definition of what requires licensing, and that is another $2250 annual fee for a gunsmith.

It's easy to see with that kind of overhead that there will be less smiths doing the work, longer delays, higher costs, and AR's that sell with clamp on gas blocks to facilitate doing the work at home. It's the Administrations way of sticking their nose into YOUR business and making it difficult.

Just avoid the hassle and expense of pinning. Getting a flash can under the handguard isn't an evolutionary step up, it's just another aesthetic choice.

As for that can, any linear will do the same job - direct the blast forward. What also needs to be considered is the weight, and larger cans make the weapon muzzle heavy. They don't swing as quickly or handle as well to some shooters. The more extreme version would be like an AR pistol with bare buffer tube loaded down with lights, lasers, and a big can hanging off the 10.5" barrel. It's not only out of balance aesthetically, it's literally muzzle heavy and it creates issues.

Be careful what you ask for, and these days, make choices that let you make future choices and changes without the expense of being forced to work thru a gunsmith burdened with expensive regulatory fees.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

A lot of good points to consider. In this case my ideal goal would be to get the OAL down to the absolute legal minimum (with 1/4" or so wiggle room to avoid Club Fed). Of course, this is only due to the fact that the Administration stuck it's nose into our firearms trusts; it would be nicer to SBR it and cut it all the way down to 11.5" but at this moment that's a hoop I don't want to jump through, and I want something I can use right away not middle of 2017 when the stamp comes back. Getting the flash can under the handguard isn't for looks- it's because I have a 14" keymod rail. It has to go under the guard or I'm making the OAL longer, not shorter.

I suppose I could probably just remove the current muzzle device and add a slim can of some kind. The Gun Tec looks to be five bucks cheaper, I'll look into it a bit as well. I realize no flash can is gonna make an AR pleasant to fire in the house, just looking for any edge I can get if I have to do so someday.

Thanks for all the info and comments, fellas!