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Everybody has a flash hider on their AR in some iteration; some are fancy some are utilitarian some cost big $$ some you picked up at the local gun show out of a bin of parts on the table that some shady guy was selling! Whatever your choice is, do you know what it is doing for you? Flash Hiders have come a long way since their introduction, gaining their wide use during WWII. However, they still serve the same purpose, to reduce the muzzle flash and push the incandescent gases to the sides to preserve the shooters night vision.
A lot of companies have their own versions, and their own science behind why and how they do things. Some of these things today look more dangerous than the rifle they are mounted on! Others are just innocuous little pieces of metal that do their job and nothing more. And well some just don’t work!
So it is not often that we get to see a twist on this product that catches our attention, the guys at Rainier Arms have done just that. The one we tested has no fancy name like some of their other products, and it is one of the more reasonably priced ones on the market. But don’t let that fool you, or under estimate this little guy. Expensive does NOT always mean better!
I guess what stands out with this one first is; it does look different from most of the ones you will see on the market, it has a twist to it; literally! The twist is put there to break the plane of the incandescent gasses and flash, causing a bit of vortex effect when the gasses hit it. Which helps to disperse them more quickly and efficiently across a broader area.
What does this mean to you, the end user? Well, it means that someone has built a better mousetrap, and they don’t want your arm or your leg to get it! On Rainier Arms Website, it retails for just $59.
I had to wait for an overcast late evening to shoot this, so that I could get the best view of what it is suppose to do. On the evening, I went to the range I took my standard test AR with me, nothing fancy it just works! And I had this mounted with a fresh crush washer and ready to go. I will admit I had loaded some of the dirtiest powder I had to get that little EXTRA flash! And as I had suspected from looking at this on the bench it does a very nice job of pushing the gasses out over a larger surface area to protect the night vision.
When I was done shooting and brought it back to the shop, I put it away for a day or 2 and let the gunk set in! Then I set to cleaning it! The Black Nitride finish that Rainier Arms uses cleans up very well. I just used a little bit of my favorite cleaner (the name of which has been redacted) and wiped it down, and it looked as good as new!
Pros
- It is a nice “Twist” on an old design with a new approach to an old problem
- The workmanship is top notch with this product
- Easy to install
Cons
- It doesn’t have a fancy name, just flash hider they should have given it a number or something to make it stand out
- Some of the edges are a little on the sharp side, and I think that a few minutes in ceramic tumble would help to brake some of the edges just a little
From Rainier Arms Website
Description:
Rainier Arms Flash Hider is designed to muzzle flash to preserve the shooter’s night vision by directing the gases away from the line of sight of the shooter and to reduce the flash visible to the enemy. Black Nitride finish provides the highest level of durability.
Specifications:
- .223 / 5.56 (1⁄2 X28 TPI)
- Length: 2.2 Inches
- Diameter: .860 Inches
- Weight: 3.0 oz
- Finish: Black Nitride
- Made in the USA
You can purchase directly from Rainier Arms https://www.rainierarms.com/
