What's the need for a "Flash Can" for a AR9 pistol?

[Noah_Zark]

These flash cans are being touted as reducing noise and flash for AR9 pistols for both the shooter and adjacent shooters to the sides on the firing line.

But what about non-AR type 9x19 pistols? Glock, SIG, Springfield, Canik, HK, etc? They don't have flash cans, and people have been shooting conventional pistols side by side on firing lines for decades.

I just don't see the need for them on an AR9 pistol with a 5" or 7" barrel. The flash and noise signatures should be relatively the same as for a conventional 9mm pistol. Maybe there's a benefit to a flash can on a rifle cartridge chambered AR pistol, but I think flash cans for handgun cartridge AR pistols are a solution in search of a problem.

Change my mind.

Noah

[RockIsland]

They look cool?

I have one on my 5.56 pistol. It still seems pretty loud to me.

[Emptymag]

I think they are used more often for "extending" the barrel in order to use a larger handguard.
A 5 inch barrel with a 4 inch handguard just seems retarded to me. Where the hell do you put your hand?

On the other hand (no pun intended) a 5 inch barrel and a 7 inch handguard gives you some real estate for gripping and mounting a sight/light/sling.
You don't want a barrel ending "inside" the handguard, so a flash can can be chosen in the length needed to extend that blast out the front instead of where you may be holding it.

[Steve_NEPhila]

Marketing hype. I think they are worthless. A couple of months ago I was taking a carbine class at Sig Academy and a guy was running a "blast warden" on a 5.56 rifle. It did not do a damn thing. On a pistol caliber device I cannot see how it does much of anything. In my opinion... it is all A2 flash hiders or a real silencer. FTW

[Brick]

If the flash can is the so-called flash hider as seen on M14 and M16 rifles and civilian variants, they don't really hide the flash, and don't do much to regulate sound either. What they do is disperse muzzle flash particularly at night so it doesn't completely blind the shooter.

[Emptymag]

If the flash can is the so-called flash hider as seen on M14 and M16 rifles and civilian variants, they don't really hide the flash, and don't do much to regulate sound either. What they do is disperse muzzle flash particularly at night so it doesn't completely blind the shooter.

No. A flash can is not a flash hider.

Some companies more accurately call them "sound forwarders", but yeah, "flash can" is a confusing term.
Maybe that's what the first one was supposed to be? I don't know, but they are not meant as flash hiders.
If anything, they may make the flash extend straight forward, creating a fireball.

Flash hider


Flash can

[P89]

I put a linear compensator on mine.
I don't see the need for one on a 9mm though.

[carwash]

No. A flash can is not a flash hider.

Some companies more accurately call them "sound forwarders", but yeah, "flash can" is a confusing term.
Maybe that's what the first one was supposed to be? I don't know, but they are not meant as flash hiders.
If anything, they may make the flash extend straight forward, creating a fireball.

Flash hider


Flash can

They seem inspired by the Bulgarian 4 Piece Flash Hider which is one of if not the best flash hider out there for Aks anyway... https://youtu.be/OpkbuCjvbJk?t=683
But they're missing the extra pieces which seem to contribute to the magic.

Back to the OP, I think people just need something threaded on the end of the barrel and flash cans look kinda cool IMO.

[Ronin]

I think they are used more often for "extending" the barrel in order to use a larger handguard.
A 5 inch barrel with a 4 inch handguard just seems retarded to me. Where the hell do you put your hand?

On the other hand (no pun intended) a 5 inch barrel and a 7 inch handguard gives you some real estate for gripping and mounting a sight/light/sling.
You don't want a barrel ending "inside" the handguard, so a flash can can be chosen in the length needed to extend that blast out the front instead of where you may be holding it.

^^^This^^^ I have one on my PAK9 so that I have something in front of my hand.

On the other hand, my wife runs and SJC Titan on her Sig 556. That thing is painfully loud for anyone next to her. I bought her an Indian Creek BFD. Makes a big difference in reducing the blast to the sides when practicing at the range. It can be unscrewed when she shoots a match where she wants the full effect of the Titan.

[Emptymag]

They seem inspired by the Bulgarian 4 Piece Flash Hider which is one of if not the best flash hider out there for Aks anyway... https://youtu.be/OpkbuCjvbJk?t=683
But they're missing the extra pieces which seem to contribute to the magic.

Back to the OP, I think people just need something threaded on the end of the barrel and flash cans look kinda cool IMO.

Yeah, I forgot about those!
That and the Noveske Pig (I think that's it's name)

The current batch are visually "the same", but with nothing inside them, all they do is direct sound forward.