Interestingly enough, there is a common misconception between flash hiders and muzzle brakes. Although a muzzle brake will, to some degree, disperse the explosion of powder at the end of the barrel, its designed purpose is to reduce recoil.
To understand the need for a flash hider is to understand who this simple & effective muzzle device is for – the shooter. While it is safe to assume that a flash hider's sole purpose is to hide the flash during low-light firing, while also lessening the chances of detection, that would be only partly correct.
When firing a long barrel rifle, most of the powder is burned before the bullet leaves the tip of the barrel; this means that there is very little of a pyrotechnic flash from each shot. However, with the advent of shorter barreled carbines, that same amount of powder does not have the chance to be depleted before it reaches the end of the barrel — the resulting volumetric increase in explosion produces a flash that effectively blinds the shooter and prevents proper follow-up target acquisition.
Designed to fit most .30 caliber carbine barrels with 5/8" by 24 threads per inch, this flash hider allows for night or low-light shooting. The birdcage design, unlike 3-prong flash hiders, are more user friendly as it will not snag on gear or brush & vegetation.
