Flash suppressor for a muzzle loader?

[capt_turk]

Anyone know how I could make a flash suppressor for my 50 cal. Hawkins style rifle? Not interested in a silencer, just looking to hide the flash.

 

[jdkerstetter]

I take it this gun has percussion ignition. Would you like a filter that cuts down on all that smoke too? :haha: :haha: :haha:

Seriously though, if a flash hider were needed, why would it be any different than that on any other gun if you adjusted your powder charge accordingly???

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[BrownBear]

...just looking to hide the flash.

Ever shoot a muzzleloader in low light when you'd most need a suppressor?

I have, and I'm sure you could fashion a suppressor that would work. But do you really want eight feet added to the front of your gun? :rotf:

 

[Billnpatti]

If you have a big flash when you fire your rifle, it is possible that you are putting too much powder in it. If you over charge it, you will blow a lot of unburned powder out the muzzle where it will continue to burn giving a big flash. For a .50 caliber rifle, a good hunting load will be around 80 grains.

Actually I know of no simple way of putting a flash hider on a muzzleloading rifle. You would most likely have to have that done by a gunsmith. But, I'd try adjusting your powder charge first before spending money on a flash hider.

 

[hanshi]

I don't know but it sounds impractical to me. BP blast is notoriously hard to confine.

 

[FishDFly]

Anyone have a picture of a PC/HC flash suppressor?

 

[Claude Mathis]

Anyone have a picture of a PC/HC flash suppressor?

 

[pargent]

I feel a flash suppressor of an M2 should drop straight on .Or if you wanted to be HC one of the British cup throwers may work. :hmm: :hmm:

 

[nkbj]

Oh well. I was waiting on somebody to photograph a musket with a thump keg stuck on it.

 

[Zonie]

While the others are pulling your leg I'll just mention that black powder burns a whole lot slower than modern cartridge powder does.

Those modern powders are pretty much burned up by the time the bullet leaves the barrel while with muzzleloading powder some of it's still burning long after the ball or bullet has gone downrange.

Makes hiding the fire just about impossible.

OK you guys. Quit pulling on that leg.

This other one's almost untouched. :grin:

 

[AZbpBurner]

Heck, I pay EXTRA to get a huge fireball outta the end of some of my rifles.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

Besides any powder that's still burning on exiting the muzzle, there are the particles of all the solid products of combustion (that form the fouling and the smoke) that are still incandescent.

Regards,
Joel

 

[Lonegun1894]

The best flash suppressors I have ever seen have been sound suppressors. I have thought about trying one, but (and this is assuming you're in the US like me) even the tax stamp to make one is $200, and while I don't mind cleaning the powder fouling, I have always wondered that the patch would do hitting the internals. Not to even mention that I have been unsuccessful in finding a HC sound suppressor for my MLs.

On a more practical note, I really think the guys who suggested adjusting your powder charge are on the best track. As an aside, and I am not trying to be a smart alec, so please forgive me if I am off track here. For hunting purposes, muzzle flash doesn't matter. For combat use, I would think that you would also have to deal with the smoke giving your position away, which would be of more concern to me, and would not be aided in any way by a flash suppressor. Also, since the HC scopes are not of any advantage in low light over iron sights, while a modern scope can help, but is off-limits here, I would also ask what kind of low light you're hunting in that would make the flash a concern? I mean, many of us use a german silver front sight blade because it shows up a little easier in early morning and a little bit later in the evening, but that only really buys us a few extra minutes in the morning and evening, but not enough where the flash would be an issue. May I ask what the purpose would be? Just thinking this sounds like a very specialized weapon you're building so if we know the details of your uses for this we may be able to help a bit more, even if this doesn't sound very HC, but we all need a unique toy at times for one reason or another--or no reason other than we just want it.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Gonna take a big'un! This is a light to moderate load.

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[capt_turk]

The question was purely academic. My normal load in my 50 cal. is 60 to 80 grains.

Muzzle flash would be one of the things that would give your position away in a survival situation. In low light, the smoke would not be nearly as noticeable.

 

[rodwha]

I haven't been concerned with the flash, but I have considered redirecting some of the smoke so as to better see where a critter fell or ran.

I've yet to try a small game load so I have no idea if that would even pose any concern.

 

[BrownBear]

I've yet to try a small game load so I have no idea if that would even pose any concern.

Try white rabbits on white snow on a foggy day! Or white ptarmigan on white snow with puffy white clouds in the sky! :rotf:

Even a little cloud of white smoke is too much to see what's going on. Unless a snowshoe hare is running, it's kinda academic for me to have the second barrel if I carry a SxS.

Another point about ML's in low light when you'd need a suppressor for fantasy shootouts. One shot, and you're going to be blinder than blind from the flash. Talk about closing your eyes when you shoot and developing a flinch! :haha:

 

[cynthialee]

But the big flash of burning powder and the billowing smoke are the big draw!

 

[Billnpatti]

When you are not concerned about the HC/PC stuff, it is okay to just fantasize about things such as the possibility of a flash hider on a muzzleloader. Knowing the very nature of a muzzleloader with black powder, I'd say that it is just not even practical. That's not to say that it is impossible but the size of such a flash hider would be ridiculously huge. Don't worry about the naysayers, it is the dreamers who eventually come up with the good ideas. Bill Gates was once a dreamer, too. But a flash hider on a muzzleloader????? I just don't know about that one. :idunno: It's just too much like putting racing slicks on a Model T. :hmm: But, hey, it's your Model T and if racing slicks suit you.....go for it. :hatsoff:

 

[Snakebite]

Gonna take a big'un! This is a light to moderate load.

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That is just too cool. Why would you want to cover that up?? Fire, smoke, stink, that's what muzzleloading's all about!!!

Don't you wanna have fun no more??

WOO HOO!!!