AFTE Store - Flash Suppressors for AR-15 Type Firearms

Muzzle flash occurs when partial combustion products from the propellant emerge from the muzzle of a firearm and ignite in the atmosphere. The size, character and color of muzzle flash can vary greatly, ranging from virtually no visible light at the muzzle to a very large fireball. The presence of muzzle flash is a serious problem in firearms intended for military and law enforcement use for reasons that should be obvious. The factors dictating the presence or absence of muzzle flash and its character include barrel length, propellant type and chemical composition, flame temperature, muzzle pressure, gas volume generated by the propellant, exhaust gas products and by-products, adequate mixing of these products with air, projectile type, primer composition, the effectiveness of any flash retardant in the propellant, and the physical characteristics and behavior of the propellant grains during the discharge process. Over the last 50 years manufacturers of military firearms such as the M14, AR-15 and other similar rifles have developed muzzle attachments that attempt to reduce or eliminate muzzle flash. Flash retardants in the propellant are also an important constituent of nearly all military and law enforcement ammunition for these arms.