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Vietnam 3 prong flash Hider ?

42K views 49 replies 30 participants last post by  Ted Brown 
#1 ·
i found one in my gun parts box ,are they any good -any video testing them to others a1,a2 etc....
 
#7 ·
They were also used to cut the wire on the cases of C Rations.
Not So Much 'CUT'...more like... Twist and Pop!

And I Suspect That Was NOT Good For Them!?

But G.I.'s Being G.I.'s...

GITEN

CAVman in WYoming
 
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#9 ·
Also worked pretty well to open a drink can. Pull tabs and pop tops didn't seem to have made it to Viet Nam. Place the rifle on the can, muzzle down with one prong inside the lip, two prongs on the outside, and slap the buttstock. Opened every time.
 
#15 ·
#22 ·
Old thread resurrected, but DPMS makes a new repro 3-prong flash suppressor. IIRC, their's isn't hardened so be careful opening C-Rat cases or PBR cans with it!
 
#24 ·
Might be able to pick a USGI one up at a gun show for a reasonable price.. I see them all the time at the "big" one out here, but I'm not building an early '16 replica.. Well, yet anyhow.

I'm not an AR expert either, but I'd just re-use the crush washer that is already with the birdcage FH.. If you're building one from the ground up, then you need to supply a crush washer..

I'm with you hammonje, I like the "retro" styling on the AR's.. Except the shortys.. The XM177 type didn't really do it for me. I'm an M4 guy when it comes to the lil' ones..
 
#27 ·


The three-prong flash suppressor on the left is the correct piece for the early Colt 601 M16. This is the style that was said to have the prongs bend. Theres some argument whether they would do this from just firing the rifle or if it was a result of using the flash hider to break wire or banding.

The second one is like the others posted earlier. I believe the big issue with this one was the tendency to snag on brush in the jungle and also to allow water to collect and run down into the barrel.

The third is a Vortex for comparison.
 
#29 ·
Hello Guys,

I'm looking for a 3 prong flash hider to retrofit my Colt Sporter II into "M16 clone". I've found the M16 hand guard, but impossible to find the 3 prong flash hider in France.
That's free and legal here to buy this flash hider.

Could someone sold me a 3 prong flash hider ? I can pay by paypal or bank transfer...

thank you very much for your help !

Maxfr
 
#49 ·
Hello Guys,

I'm looking for a 3 prong flash hider to retrofit my Colt Sporter II into "M16 clone". I've found the M16 hand guard, but impossible to find the 3 prong flash hider in France.
That's free and legal here to buy this flash hider.

Could someone sold me a 3 prong flash hider ? I can pay by paypal or bank transfer...

thank you very much for your help !

Maxfr
Have a few in a box not sure of origin but all are rough but threads are good
 
#33 ·
Eugene Stoner always contended that the three pronged flash hider was the most effective for use on the 5.56 and 7.73 AR platform...even if they did have the annoying tendency to "ring" during firing.

The open ended, three pronged style flash hider was never intended to be used as a tool to break the banding on ammo crates as was so common in the field. That "field expediency" practice caused so many of the problems on the early models.
 
#34 · (Edited)
The 3 prong AR15/M16/XM16E1 flash hider used a split washer. The early split washers had a serpentine pattern on their exterior but the later split washers had a smooth exterior. The below "PROPERTY OF U.S. GOVT." marked early partial fence USGI AR15 pre-model 606 Heavy Assault Rifle M1 marked GX-5686 SERIAL 014728 complete with USGI M2 Bipod is in a DOD museum. The earlier AR15 model 601s used the original 3 prong "duckbill" flash hider with the same serpentine split washer. Note the hole in the face of the USGI M2 Bipod at the lower left corner of the DAS ink stamp. This later 3 prong flash hider is much heavier/more durable in design than the early AR15 model 601 duckbill flash hider. HTH



(L-R) Early AR15 model 601 duckbill 3 prong/late model AR15 & M16 model 601-602-XM16E1 604-605-606 3 prong/M16A1 bird cage/M16A2 bird cage flash hiders with (L-R) early rifle grenade launcher ring/serpentine split ring/ smooth split ring/peel washer/crush washer:

 
#35 ·
FWIW, when I was in the sandbox in 2005, I ordered some A1 birdcage flashhiders to replace some damaged units on GUU 5P carbines. Among the group that I received were two 3-prong flashhiders; one used but serviceable, one with the prongs bent out to where it was essentially straight rather than tapered - both with fresh parkerizing on them! They're still out there, or at least they were...
 
#36 ·
3 prong

They were fine. The problem was and is they would catch jungle growth and cause the soldiers to have to back up jerk them out of the brush ect. This is not good when you are trying to be motionless. To my knowledge this was the only problem the Little rifle had other than keeping it clean. You can stick them into chain link fence and break them loose to unscrew them. Hope this helps, Sarge.
 
#37 · (Edited)
Many if not most of the early pre-M16/M16A1 rifles and carbines went thru upgrade in the 2000s so a lot of AR15 history was lost. But a few early AR15 rifles & GAU/GUU marked carbines were saved intact & are reported to be still in service. Just for reference, below is another serpentine split washer on a very early U.S. PROPERTY CAR-15 model 607 marked GX-5857 SERIAL 014604 with the early 3.5" Colt sound moderator. IIRC, this is another DOD museum piece. My older cousin Tom Boyle (101st ABD LRRP) used these early CAR-15s and had an extremely low opinion of their dependability. He much preferred the Savage U.S. M1928A1 TSMG he used early on or an M14 fitted with selector switch. It puts a smile on his face every time he talks about either weapon. He said he was trained to use the standard M14 rifle fitted with an M2 bipod on AUTO at Ft. Bragg. Even though the CAR-15 had a hard chrome bolt & carrier group, the non-chrome chamber and bore would quickly rust causing malfunctions.

 
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