Garand Flash Hiders

[Jerome Cooper]

I was considering buying a flash hider for my garand and was told that there are two different types; that the device was designed to shield the shooter from the flash at night rather than to keep the flash from being seen from elsewhere. However further opinion is that the use of the hider upsets the harmonics of the barrel and negatively effects the accuracy of the rifle. Is this true? and if so how much (approx) accuracy is lost? Thanx for any info. J.Cooper

Information

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[Mark in Rochester]

from CSP flash hiders


We generally "Lost" them, because they would interfere with the accuracy, enough that you couldn't hit what you intended to, when you used them.

We saw them as unnecessary baggage.

As goo says: ". . . except for collector value."

Gyrene OFC

semper fi

Last edited by Gyrene; 09-11-2009 at 05:25.

[FlightRN]

Good Day,
The cone flash hiders were likely to degrade accuracy more than the later T-37. If there was any play between the muzzle and the locking catch/bayonet lug interface, then you have an occasional flyer. I haven't seen that as often with the later pronged design.

There are at least six original hiders that I have seen. The milled one made by Springfield, the stamped and milled HART versions, a milled one made by the Italian military for their M1D's and West German (NATO part#) stamped one.

If you decide you want a cone style, please be aware that there are 'questionable' stamped ones that have no markings, stamped ones marked EIPRUS MFG CO (or a variation of "surprise" spelled backwards), milled HART that were made from grenade launching bases where the markings and poppet stud were ground off.

Best Regards,
Michael

[Bob Seijas]

Aberdeen tested the hider in late 1944 and found that a loose hider did reduce accuracy in the M1C rifle. But they found that a tight one actually improved it!

[TDH]

The T-37 I had on one of my rifles sure didn't seem to affect accuracy and and it was an after market.

[emmagee1917]

I think a lot of it ( inaccuracy ) was from the hider loosening over firing , difficulty putting it back exactly if removed , and possible sighting in without and then trying with it attached , giving a different POI but not nessessarily larger .
Chris

[Bob Seijas]

Years later when what makes an M1 accurate or not was finally investigated, they found that anything forward of the lower band was critical. Hanging a sloppy hider way up there was nuts. I also remember an article in the GCA Journal interviewing a Marine vet of Okinawa. He said the order was given to fix bayonets but he didn't do it because he couldn't shoot well with it on.