What is the best flash hider?

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IdahoFarmer

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What is the best flash hider for a Bushmaster AR-15. I assume different types have different advantages? Recommendations?

Click Here to see list of options from the Bushmaster website.

Thanks for the advice!

Farmer
 
I have a Smith Vortex G6A2 on my RRA Entry Tactical. I'd say it's the best, but then 10 guys would chime in why it's not. It's used by SOCOM, 8620 steel, and I'm happy with it. So far, I haven't had a problem with the open prongs getting caught on Vietnamese jungle brush yet....
 
I have both the Phantom and the old-school, plain-jane A2. Difference is negligible, though the Phantom may look "cooler".
 
the Phantom and the old-school, plain-jane A2. Difference is negligible, though the Phantom may look "cooler".
Click to expand...
The difference is huge.

There was a huge thread on AR15.com a while back (I tried to find it, but it must have slipped into the archive). A guy did some tests, photographing the flash of a shot in the dark, comparing a whole bunch of flash suppressors including the Vortex, two types of Phantom, USGI A1, USGI A2, USGI three prong, and a couple homemade jobs.

The Vortex had very, very little flash. The Phantom had a tiny little puff. All the USGI had a blinding flash. No flash suppressor was just a pic of all white.
 
I'll have to take your word for it as I tried searching for it, also without success. I wanted to post the pics as an example and I thought I remembered the two being very similar, though the memory banks aren't what they used to be.
 
Holy smokes that's a big difference. Looks like the Vortex is hands down the best option available.

Thanks for all the info!


Farmer
 
hold up there a second

the vortex is the best flash hider, hands down and it's what I put on my ARs. HOWEVER, if you're going to attach any doohickeys, like a suppressor, then you probably want to reconsider.

my suppressor is a smith/fisher enterprises can which "quick"* detaches to the vortex. i bought it before the cheap (and probably better) YHM cans were available. if i were buying a can today, i'd probably opt to switch back to the standard phantom style hider so i could put any of a dozen other brands of cans on it.


*their "quick" detach method is probably more aptly named the "feels like a lifetime" detach method when it's clean. if you put many rounds through the can in a session, it turns into the "30 minutes and a hammer" detach method.
 
The best flash suppressor is a can; but barring that the Vortex is pretty good. If you plan to hunt in heavy brush though, the open prongs can get hung up on things.
 
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