M14 Flash hider: Forged vs. Cast

[Solpafisto]

I know this subject has probably been discussed in this forum before, but I don’t lurk here regularly and I couldn’t find it through a search. So, my apologies for rehashing.

An armorer told me that a forged M14 flash hider can be identified by the fact that it will ring like a tuning fork when struck. A cast one (or a forged one that is cracked) will just thunk.

I had a sale go bad because the buyer claims that a cast one will also ring, and the only way to accurately determine is by the shape of the flash hider, most specifically that the sight platform is squared off in a forged one, and "stepped" in a cast one, as described here: (bottom center)

Different's M1A Gallery :: The M14 Close Up

I know that both can’t be true, because I have flash hiders that are from a military source, ring when struck, and have stepped sight platforms.

Thanks in advance for any expert information that anyone can give me on this matter.
-Lori

Information

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[Solpafisto]

Since no one has volunteered any opinions, I will try to simplify my question. Can anyone tell me, from experience, if an M14 flash hider that is cast will ring when struck, like a forged one? That is all I really need to know.
Thanks.

[JohnF]

Since no one has volunteered any opinions, I will try to simplify my question. Can anyone tell me, from experience, if an M14 flash hider that is cast will ring when struck, like a forged one? That is all I really need to know.
Thanks.

Yes, some repro cast suppressors ring when struck. The ones I have do ring when struck. The USGI suppressors I have ring when struck. I can't tell the difference in the ring between the two, maybe I should get my hearing checked. There are other ways to determine which is USGI and repro that are a more positive way to ID.

[HoosierDaddy]

I've had both. The forged one does ring like a tuning fork. The cast one rings but not as true or sweet sounding.

[mparsons]

I do not have any cast but all of my forged ring like a bell

[Solpafisto]

Thanks for all the replies.
In my case, the argument I had with the buyer was not USGI vs. Commercial, but specifically if it is forged, which I told him it was. My suppressor has the stepped sight base, but it also has the square spline ends, narrow suppressor holes, and tapered reamed hole to NM specs. I am sure it is USGI, but could not convince my buyer that it was forged. I'm afraid he may have been trying to scam me all along, because once I told him I would give him his money back, he offered to keep the suppressor if I sent him back half of the price, which he thought was "fair." I didn't fall for that one.

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge, guys.