Flash cans/Flaming Pigs/Blast Diverters

[314159]

Is there a good reason that these things have to be steel versus aluminum alloy?

I bought a Noveske version long ago for a 16 inch AR-10 project. As always, one of the goals was to keep the thing nicely below 10 pounds. That reason alone kept it off my barrel.

There are other alternatives now, should I consider a KAK or equivalent product made of alloy?

[Norville]

Just a guess, but there’s a lot of high velocity, high pressure gas being redirected here which will likely erode the can. Aluminum would be an option if longevity was not the key concern.


The Black River Covert Comp as about the size of an A2 and serves a similar purpose:

http://blackrivertactical.com/WP/BRT...5-56-p33189471

It works well for me on a 10.5.

[Rick R]

Midwest Industries make an alloy version, however it’s out of stock

https://www.midwestindustriesinc.com...p/mi-bc556.htm

Never used one so I can’t say if a 30 round mag dump would dissolve it or not.

[Pnut]

I believe they are made of steel for strength. I had a closed tined muzzled device. After several thousand rounds, the heat and pressure converted it into an opened tined device… and it was steel! Aluminum could also deform easier than steel. The last thing you’d want is a possibly deformed blocking the path of the bullet as it leaves the barrel.

[MistWolf]

The Black River Covert Comp as about the size of an A2 and serves a similar purpose:

http://blackrivertactical.com/WP/BRT...5-56-p33189471

It works well for me on a 10.5.

The BRT Covert Comp is The Way.

[Shawn Dodson]

PSA and KAK also offer aluminum flash cans

[DDTSGM]

PSA and KAK also offer aluminum flash cans

I have a bunch of KAK flash cans - on 9mm and 22lr PCC's.

I put one on my first SBR when it was in pistol form and I really liked it, replaced when I got my suppressors. It held up to several hundred rounds during the vetting process, but I didn't do a lot of SA mag dumps.

Unsure how it would fare on a high usage rifle.

[OlongJohnson]

Note that some jurisdictions have prohibitions on "flash hiders." It's likely that what a "flash hider" actually is won't be defined in the law, so the easy thing for them to do is go by marketing. If the marketing/cataloging of your "flash can" says anything about hiding flash, it could be a problem. On the other hand, a very similar item for which none of the marketing/cataloging info discusses flash or anything like it may be perfectly OK. Lots of discussion about that on certain regional sites, especially in context of P&W shorter barrels.

[HeavyDuty]

I’ve found the flash can on my 7.5” doesn’t do much for flash, but does redirect blast downrange.

[Paul Blackburn]

Just a guess, but there’s a lot of high velocity, high pressure gas being redirected here which will likely erode the can. Aluminum would be an option if longevity was not the key concern.


The Black River Covert Comp as about the size of an A2 and serves a similar purpose:

http://blackrivertactical.com/WP/BRT...5-56-p33189471

It works well for me on a 10.5.

Do you have any direct experience using this at dark thirty? Wondering how the flash is?