Are "flash hiders" of any use while hunting?

Most of them also serve double duty as a muzzle brake. They help protect the muzzle from damage. My AR's have them. I wouldn't take them off to hunt, but I'd not add one to a rifle that didn't already have one either.
 
A former marine explained the purpose of a flash hider was not to keep the enemy from seeing the muzzle flash, but to shield the firer's vision from losing his night vision during low-light/night firing. If that be true (I do not know if it is...my issue M1 Garand in 1962 BASIC Training did not have one), then it would follow that a hunter would not likely benefit from a flash hider inasmuch as light that dim would not be in normal (legal), shooting hours.
It is notable that during night firing exercises with the M1 (no flash hider), in BASIC Training, I did not lose my night vision and scored quite well on the moonless 100 yard targets.
 
"They help protect the muzzle from damage."

That's about the biggest benefit outside a combat zone. Downside is it makes it more difficult to keep moisture and debris out of the bore.
 
threaded

Many of the prethreaded barrels have a rather lame looking thread protector at the muzzle. The Savage rifles do, likely others.

The flash hider improves looks if nothing else in my eye.
 
Most flash hiders do not work well as a muzzle brake. And muzzle brakes don't do well as flash hiders either. Totally different things.
Like Kilimanjaro says, they're really only effective at night anyway.
Wouldn't bother with either for a Carbine.
 
A former marine explained the purpose of a flash hider was not to keep the enemy from seeing the muzzle flash, but to shield the firer's vision from losing his night vision during low-light/night firing. If that be true (I do not know if it is...my issue M1 Garand in 1962 BASIC Training did not have one), then it would follow that a hunter would not likely benefit from a flash hider inasmuch as light that dim would not be in normal (legal), shooting hours.
It is notable that during night firing exercises with the M1 (no flash hider), in BASIC Training, I did not lose my night vision and scored quite well on the moonless 100 yard targets.
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The Marine is correct, and the reason you didn't lose your night vision is due to the longer barrel of the Garand, which burns more powder and produces less flash than say, an M16 or a Lee-Enfield jungle carbine.

I have Mannlicher-Schoenauer 9x56 with a 17" barrel that I discovered produces a 4' fireball at dusk, but is invisible during daylight.:D
 
When they come pre-mounted on the gun there isn't much choice is there. :D

I don't think its a BIG deal. All it tells me is that the fellow is hunting with a military clone or tactical rifle. What would garner my attention is a semi auto in appearance with a full auto muzzle break. Now something like that would cause me to stare a little to much. Yes indeed. :o
 
My M44 Mosin carbine must throw a flash out about 3 feet.

I'll bet Ivan couldn't hit the broad side of the Kremlin after his second or third shot at night.

Rifle shots, not vodka shots.
 
A lot of hunters here move about in 4wheelers and even in snow machines at times. I have installed a lot of flash hiders on hunters rifles just because they want to be able to carry them muzzle down on a deck with no ill effect to the rifle's crown.
So they are ugly, but they serve the hunter just as well as they do the infantry man.
 
But they are legal in most states.

I understand that you live in a "Weapons of Mass Death and Destruction" state; but most of us do not.
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Legal for hunting.
They are legal here but it's only been in the last couple of years that law was passed
 
Legal for hunting.
They are legal here but it's only been in the last couple of years that law was passed
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...Still not the best argument.
Suppressors are legal for hunting in 38 states. That's still a 76% majority.
 
As I understand it, the principle behind the flash hider is to cool the expanding gasses to a point lower than incandescence which, apparently, a flash hider does. The classic flash hider is familiar to most shooters as a conical affair which seems to do a fair job in cooling the gasses to below that point.

I mentioned that a Garand had less of a flash due to its longer barrel and less excess burning gasses, but, nevertheless, the U.S. issued attachable flash hiders for it.

They still show up from time to time as surplus items at gun shows or eBay.
 
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