L96/PM Muzzle device

[Micheal Doyne]

It does seem ironic that you are restricted from posting the photos wherreas I freely posted the whole trial report transcribed from poor qualirty microfische film.

Hi Peter,
that is one of the document I would love to read, could you point me in the direction of it?

thanks

[Micheal Doyne]

ah i’ve found it

[Micheal Doyne]

in case it is of interest, CWC/PM 011 was one of the AIs in the original Mod trial according to PL’s summary of the trial finding, and CWC/PM 011 had a flash hider. I have not yet discovered why it didn’t make it to the L96 spec, but i am working on it.

[waco16]

ah i’ve found it

Could you point me in the direction of it, please?

[Micheal Doyne]

Could you point me in the direction of it, please?

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=47085&page=10

This whole thread is pretty interesting. PL’s posts have a summary of the trials results.

[Micheal Doyne]

Pages 63, 92/3, 113 and 268; and I've probably missed some others!

cheers, I had thought these where more dealing with sf trials.

[David TS]

cheers, I had thought these where more dealing with sf trials.

Wasn't that what you were asking in your original post?

The AI PM when not shipped to the MOD seems to have had the a swirly muzzle compensator / dash suppressor.

Did the MOD ever evaluate it

[Micheal Doyne]

Wasn't that what you were asking in your original post?

In part, I am particularly interested in why they didn’t incorporate it into the L96.

I have got as SF evaluated it with flash hiders, and bought some 48 ish (actual number in Steve’s book) pre L96s.

A general service request dated October 82 to gunmakers for a replacement to the L42 was issued and it required rifles to have a flash hider and provision for a suppressor, amongst other things.

The trials report from that request dated April 84 confirms the rifles submitted by AI, BSA, Edgecumbe, and Parker Hale in Jan 83 all had flash hiders and could have suppressors fitted: all be it, as a REME 2nd/3rd line task (i’m not sure how involved a 2nd/3rd line REME task could be?) .

CWC/PM 011 with its flash hider was one of the AIs in this trial , it is in the royal collection, it includes other early features not carried through such as an adjustable cheek riser, and ambidextrous safety catches (the source of some issues). CWC/PM 010 and CWC/PM 014 where also in the trial, CWC/PM 010 was retired due to broken bolt handle.

what I haven’t yet found is documents covering why no flash hider or suppressor requirement was carried forward to the eventual L96 spec.

AI themselves don’t know why the L96 spec didn’t include f/h or provision for suppressor. The MOD didn’t include them in the final spec.

I imagine when (maybe if) found it will turn out to be a pretty boring answer, but for some reason it intrigues me.

[Peter Laidler]

Fearing that this flash eliminator muzzle brake curly swirly thinggy might go on and on and on, might I just comment with my bleedin' obvious hat on? On your third day of music lessons at secondary school, when you're getting into harmonics in some depth, you learn that anything the upsets the natural harmonic rhythm is not good. Like hanging a handkerchief on a triangle. ( So anything hanging onto your long free floating barrel is not good - or certainly not conducive to accuracy in a rifle. However, we do dampen the natural harmonics especially when another shot will be fired immediately afterwards. So if it ain't needed, then don't fit it. Fitting a bayonet is a good example
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As for flash hiders of sorts. There wasn't one on a No4T, nor the L42 - so why bother on an L96? All are one quick random shot rifles, fired from hides. Concealment, the trait of snipers, ensured that unless someone was actually looking AT the hide at the exact moment the shot was fired, the snipers always remain hidden.

Just my thoughts, based on nothing more than gut feeling and experience'

[Daan Kemp]

That thingy on the front of the barrel helps for many things, it also causes the flow of air/gases to increase, disturbing other things. Larger calibres gain more by such thingies I believe, but then the shots are from much farther away. Sniping and concealment can't be separated, as Peter motivates.