Why a flash suppressor on a bolt action?

Someone posted a pic of a Rem SPS tactical ( I think) in another thread that had a 20'' barrel with a flash supressor and it looked really good on that rifle. I think they serve a purpose especially if it was being used in true scout rifle scenerio.
 
This little Remington XP-100R / .223 Rem. with a 14 1/2" bbl. produces a nice little fireball in broad daylight. :D
I thought, for a nanosecond, of installing a 'flash suppressor' on it.
That would destroy 94.36% of the absolute fun of shooting it!

Not that the device wouldn't be effective, depending on if it were strictly to suppress flash or keep it from bouncing off the bench on its bipod, but why would I put one on if it made it less fun?
Threading the bbl. would give me the option to do a lot of things, including putting a thread protector on it, but I still have to ask, why would I do that?
This is a bolt-action, long-range-pistol, and could certainly make good use of a flash suppressor.

On a rifle? Yes, I would want the threaded bbl. for the options, for sure.
Just some comments and questions to think about.

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Why a flash suppressor on a bolt action?
Click to expand...

This seems to be a very odd question because the cartridge doesn’t care if it’s fired with a bolt action, an auto, or a zip gun.

Perhaps someone can explain the difference.
 
A flash suppressor works as well on a bolt action as it does on any action. It performs the same each shot. It is no less efficient or effective on a bolt action than on anything else.

When firing rapidly with a semi auto or full auto it seems to be more effective, but that is an illusion, due to the flashes being so close together in time.

Most of us will seldom be in a situation where a flash suppressor is a clear advantage, but so what? Maybe Ruger put it on there simply for marketing. Its their gun, made the way the think it will be most popular. Again, so what?

Flash suppressors and flash hiders (and there is a difference) have been put on some military bolt actions before. They are more common on semi auto and full auto guns, but one can find examples of bolt guns with them.

As for the "stupid idea" comment about the scout rifle concept, personally, I feel it is a "stupid" comment. The scout rifle concept was, and is, elegant, versatile, efficient and effective.

The one thing it doesn't do is fit well with is current military thinking. If there is one poor thing in the Scout rifle concept, it is the name "Scout rifle", which leads many people to think in terms different from what Col Cooper did.
 
I propose that we rename the Scout Rifle the General Purpose Rifle.

That is what I view my Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle as, and what I think the good Col. Cooper was striving for. I never had the honor of meeting Col. Cooper, very much my loss. I often find myself disagreeing with certain things he said or wrote, but I realize that may be because his and my expiriences are different.

I am not a fan, nor a detractor, of the late John Dean Cooper and view him as one of the giants that helped to propel the firearms and self defense industry to where it is today. He is owed a debt of gratitude by us and, while we are free to disagree with him, we should never forget what he has done for us.

Biker
 
Well, I consider this a practical everyday rifle, would make a good truck gun. Capable of hunting or self defense.
Mistakenly, what most people think of as an ideal end of the world as we know it gun, envolves 100 round magazines and 46 pounds of ammo festooned about thier person. When you are by yourself, say like that F16 pilot Scott OGrady... You better use more stealth rather than take on the world with a civy S.A.W. stand in. By yourself, you can bite off far more than you can chew. Staying too long
Will get you surrounded and delt with by those that ALSO prescribe to " #2 and bring ALL your friends with guns" rule that goes along with #1"bring enough gun".
With a bolt gun, you might give more thought to what, where, when, and how you engage a hostile group.... Which goes further to saving your life than a hundred round drum mag.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.512206,-97.633220
 
Well, I would love to find out if the flash hider is needed, but it is near impossible to get your hands on a GSR, at least where I live. I have a couple of local gun stores that each say that they are getting one in tomorrow. If I can get my hands on one before it is gone I am more than likely going to bring it home.
 
So does BikerRN give the GSR a thumbs up? How's the action and the ergonomics? Does it cycle buttery smooth from the shoulder? How's the trigger? Any regrets?
 
I fail to see why a flash suppressor would NOT be practical on one of these rifles. Is muzzle flash limited to semi or full auto weapons? If it is, I wish someone would have a sit down with my mosin nagant and tell him to quit spitting gouts of flame directly in my line of sight.

The rifle is a PURPOSE built tool, with a specific mission in mind and it has been fitted with the necessary equipment to accomplish that purpose to the best of its capabilities. yes, its tacti-cool, no, most of us will never need to rely on its ability for what it was designed. But that doesnt change the fact that it does exactly the same thing on a bolt action rifle as it does on a semi.
 
Even my 20" version of what meets my needs of a "practical rifle" has a good bit of muzzle flash come dusk.

It is a T3 Lite Tikka in .308.

I find a conventionally mounted optic and a pocket full of five round single stack mags quite practical for my uses. It meets my needs.

A flash suppressor would not be a bad thing though, at the very least to protect the crown when snow or gunk gets inadvertantly in the barrel.

Short handy rifles in whatever configuration the end user desires have always been a practical tool for many outdoorsmen and war fighters.

Today many of those needs are met with the "Recce" concept.

Here are a few pics of my little .308:


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