| Silencers |
Muzzle
brakes |
Compensators |
Flash
Suppressors |
Most modern semi-automatic carbines come standard with threaded barrels, which allows for a variety of muzzle attachments to be installed such as: silencers, flash suppressors, muzzle brakes, and compensators. Many of these muzzle attachments have a combination of qualities of the various types of muzzle attachments listed.
Silencers
Muzzle brakes are devices that divert the gas flow exiting the
barrel backwards, towards the shooter. This imparts a forward
force on the firearm, reducing the felt recoil. Muzzle brakes
and compensators often cause an increase in the audible report
of the weapon, due to an increased gas pressure. Silencers reduce the audible report of
firearms by slowing and cooling the gases that exit the
muzzle. This is achieved through a range of designs
including the use of expansion chambers, baffling, mesh,
and grease that will cool the gas.
These are some examples of a variety of styles of silencers. Notice the lowest picture where an oil filter is adapted to be a silencer; DO NOT attempt to make a silencer without proper licensing and or transfer tax. Learn more about the law regarding manufacture or sale of silencers from the www.atf.gov.
These are some examples of a variety of styles of silencers. Notice the lowest picture where an oil filter is adapted to be a silencer; DO NOT attempt to make a silencer without proper licensing and or transfer tax. Learn more about the law regarding manufacture or sale of silencers from the www.atf.gov.
Compensators compensate for the barrel rise of a firearm caused by the imparted moment upon firing. This is accomplished by some of the gasses that exit the barrel being directed upward to counteract the imparted moment. Compensators often have aspects of muzzle brakes incorporated into their design.
A moment (c) is imparted on the firearm due to the direction of recoil force (a) and the force the shooter applies to the firearm (b).
The image to the left demonstrates the diversion of gas in an upward direct to reduce the affects of muzzle climb. The image on the right is an example of a compensator.
Flash
Suppressors
Flash suppressors reduce visible muzzle
"flash" by dispersing and cooling the gasses that exit the
barrel behind the bullet. This allows the shooter to
maintain a good sight picture in dusk or dark conditions
and aids in the promptness of follow up shots in all
lighting conditions.
As barrels continue to get shorter over the centuries in an attempt to make firearms lighter and more maneuverable, the need to reduce muzzle flash has become more prevalent. With shorter barrels the amount of unburned gun powder that exits the barrel increases. This unburned gun powder burns after exiting the barrel and causes muzzle flash.
The image on the left shows an example of a common flash suppressor and the image on the right shows the affect a flash suppressor can have on reducing muzzle flash.
As barrels continue to get shorter over the centuries in an attempt to make firearms lighter and more maneuverable, the need to reduce muzzle flash has become more prevalent. With shorter barrels the amount of unburned gun powder that exits the barrel increases. This unburned gun powder burns after exiting the barrel and causes muzzle flash.
The image on the left shows an example of a common flash suppressor and the image on the right shows the affect a flash suppressor can have on reducing muzzle flash.