[ShootingSight]

I just bought a commercial NM flash hider from Fulton at Perry. When I took the 3 or 4 he had, and fitted them to a barrel, and looked down the end, I had the very definite impression the holes in the flash hidder were not concentric with the hole in the muzzle. Is this normal, or is it just not important, since the ID of the flash hider is so much bigger than the bullet?

By the way, I assume that by boring out the flash suppressor to make it NM, it no longer functions as an effective flash suppressor, as the gas can now follow the bullt downstream, rather than being diffuesd out the side slots. Presumably, diffusing the gas out the side has some destabilizing effects on the bullet, so an NM setup would rather have less effective flash supression, but more stable bullets?

Art

 

[ashooter]

I'm no expert here, but here's my take based on my experience:

I doubt very much if there is much (if any) destabilizing effect of expanding gasses on the bullet due to the smaller internal diameter of a USGI flash suppressor. I've had two M14 type rifles - an M1a with TRW barrel, and my current LRB with a Wilson chrome-lined barrel - and both of these rifles have been capable of 1-1.25 MOA using unmodified USGI flash suppressors.

From what I've heard, the primary reason for the NM reaming was to minimize any chance of the bullet being deflected due to water beading up on the interior surface of the FS (when shooting in the rain). Also the potential for the bullet itself to actually graze the surface of the FS if it was not quite aligned would be minimized.

Like I said, my experience here is only with TWO rifles, but both of them are tack drivers. I sold the TRW/M1a to a buddy of mine and a couple of thousand rds later, it's still giving him 2 MOA or better groups using USGI iron sights - with a scope I'm sure it would still do one MOA... still using an unreamed flash suppressor.

AShooter

 

[m14dan]

My gi one is unmodified and I hunt in rain sleet and snow or whatever conditions present themselves when I hunt. I've never been able to blame a miss on the flash hider yet. My rifle is a sub moa gun easy too with my handloads.
As long as it fits right and an unmodified one is concentric to the bore it's onna shoot fine. I doubt yours will matter if it's off a little. It will matter how it's installed though. DO NOT jam the castle nut on hard and DO NOT jam the setscrew in to the castle nut. There's a trick to it kinda but it pays off down range.

 

[ashooter]

Just curious so I'll reiterate part of the original question:

Does anybody reading this know if reaming the flash suppressor to NM specs affects it's functionality in reducing muzzle flash at all?

I've never shot an M14 in the dark, so I have no idea how functional the flash suppressor is in the first place. Anybody know what it's like compared to a Smith Vortex for example? I have shot AR's and M4's with a2's and Vortex type FS's in the dark, and the vortex type FS is the hands-down winner there.

AShooter

 

[m14dan]

Oh sorry. It depends on the ammomorer than anything I think. I've never seen a flash from mine at night and I shoot quite often at night. My buddy was using his chicom with te fake solid flash hider and aussie ammo and it made a small but noticeable flash. I hope this helps some.

 

[ShootingSight]

If I think back to my thermodynamics (that's a long way back), the way a flash hider works is that the holes in it are tapered. High pressure hot gas goes into the holes, and as the hole diameter increases, the gas expands and cools due to the expansion, so it is less bright by the time it gets out. A BATF approved muzzle break, on the other hand, has cylindrical holes, versus conical ones. Hence the gas in a muzzle break does not cool and drop in brightness.

Presumably, by reaming the flash suppressor, you are allowing some of the gas to flow out the front of the barrel, rather than forcing it to go laterally through the tapered slots at the side. This is why I assume that by reaming it, you are defeating some of the function of the flash suppression.