End of barrel attachments explained.

[Yossarian]

Simple question,

Topic: things that go on the end of the barrels of firearms.

What they are, how they work, and some basic info on their purposes.

Why? I am sick of the misinformation of people who have no clue that they have no clue about proper firearm use or terminology, and most frightening...saftey.

So here are they devices in question;

MUZZLE BREAKS

SUPPRESSORS

COMPENSATORS

SILENCERS (I always thought they didn't exist, at least in the way hollywood likes to through the term around)

Any and all responces welcome


Thanks,

Yo.

 

[Zipperhead]

MUZZLE BREAKS- use the gasses escaping from the end of the barrel to help buffer the recoil. Some of the gasses are redirected in order to lessen the recoil. Most often seen on field peices or tank guns.

SUPPRESSORS- Kind of a miss nomer. By allowing most of the gas to escape in controlled direction it limits to flash observered by the shooter. If you look at a flash supresseor, it doesn't have any slots at the top. This causes the flash to be dirrected down, helping the shooter to observe fall of shot. Most often seen on small arms.

COMPENSATORS- Not sure. Not a term I'm familiar with. Anyone else?

SILENCERS- Chambers inside the silencer help muffle the sound of the shot. Does reduce the sound significantly, but no, not like in the movies. Most often on small caliber and slower projectiles. 9mm for example.

 

[Yossarian]

Not my picture, but here is one of the most famous examples of a "compensator"

The reason I posted the question is to be sure I am on the right page.

On the Thompson it was used to redirect gases exited the barrel to reduce muzzle jump on fully automatic firing sessions.

 

[GHR]

Muzzle brake: A device fitted to the muzzle of a firearm to reduce the recoil perceived by the shooter and, with some types, muzzle rotation. The device consists of one or more holes or angled plates located just before the end of the device that direct expanding gases upward and outward, counteracting the firearm's movement due to recoil. Due to the redirection of the expanding gases, increase muzzle blast is often seen with use of a muzzle weight or compensator.

Flash suppressor: A muzzle attachment for a firearm used to quickly disperse the burning gases exploding from the barrel so as to limit the amount of flash seen by the shooter.

Sound suppressor: A device that attaches to the muzzle of a firearm in order to trap the expanding gases that create the loud supersonic 'crack' of a fired bullet. Suppressors most commonly use a series of baffles in a tube around an extension of the bore that forces the gases to expend their energy in a contained space. Most commonly known as a 'silencer'.

Muzzle weight: Any type of additional material placed near the muzzle in order to counteract the vertical jump of a firearm's discharge. Also called a stabilizer or compensator.

Muzzle shroud: A sleeve that extends beyond a weapon's muzzle and focuses the sound waves away from the shooter.

A sound suppressed gun with subsonic ammunition can give you the capability of operating virtually unheard.

 

[A Can of Man]

Yup, the key is subsonic ammunition because there's not a whole lot you can do about the bullet's sonic boom after it leaves the barrel.

 

[Yossarian]

Good info, it always leaves me satisfied knowing I just learned something new


Thanks agian,

Yo.