I’ve got a 10.5" SBR. It’s my favorite and my SHTF rifle. I’ve always had the A2 FH on it. Natrurally, I haven’t seen any flash in broad day light (even w/ rapid fire), but I’ve never shot it at night. Some of the pics and videos I’ve seen of a 10.5" barrel at night make it look like a dragon! Heaven forbid I should ever have to use this in self-defense, I wouldn’t want to be blinded. I shoot Hornady TAP for SD. Should I get a better FH like the Blackout or Vortex?
BTW: I know a lot of folks slap a can on their SBR. I’m not that big on silencers.
The A2 is fine if you’re using Mil spec ammo… or high end ammo with low flash powder.
I took My 11.5 out one night an fired it both with an A2 and with NO flash hider at all. I used XM193… a pretty hot load. Without the flash hider there was a football sized flash which was totally manageable… probably the size of shooting a 45 acp with flashy ammo… and not enough to destroy human eye night vision.
WITH the A2 there was maybe a baseball sized flash with the biggest one I could see. The over emphasis on low flash by people on the internut is bordering on absurd.
I like the Noveske KX-3. I ran a 7.5 and the signature and concussion felt by others was horrible. Under advice I installed a KX-3 and it made the biggest difference of all.
Never had a problem with flash at night firing M855 out of a 14.5" M4 with an A2 operationally in Iraq while using NV or with the naked eye. I agree that a lot of this internet “flash” discussion is hogwash.
If you’re that worried about it a SE Vortex is about $60.
None of the ammo you mentioned is particularly “flashy”. The Q3131 is probably the worst, but even then it’s not bad. Honestly, the A2 really does everything you need it to do. You won’t get enough flash to blind yourself at night and revealing your position probably isn’t a huge concern in a civilian self-defense situation.