Thread: Suppressors - Am I missing something

Basic physics, every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

1.- Bullet pushed forwards, gun goes backwards.

2. - Fast gases forwards, gun goes backwards (think rocket). No. 1. is easy to understand, but the fact is that "gas has mass", and it escapes a gun at very high velocity!

3. - Fast gases enter a suppressor and are slowed, cooled (read: de-expanded) and released more slowly forwards, gun pushed more gently backwards. All suppressors lessen and soften recoil in this way.

4. - Fast gases are diverted sidewards, gun not pushed backwards or forwards(muzzle brake).

5. - Fast gases actually directed more rearwards, gun actually pushed forwards (rearward deflecting muzzle brake). [NB the effect of "1." still applies.]

Interesting case studies:

- With a flat crown barrel, a fair amount of the escaping gases exit at 90degrees and so do not contribute to recoil.

- Lee Enfield no 5 Jungle carbine, has a rocket nozzle shaped flash hider / muzzle shroud and so even naturally sidewards escaping gases get directed forwards... and thus much greater recoil is felt than when the flash hider is not attached. Not ideal for a very light rifle, but again, in addition to being an effective flash hider it also directs much of the blast away from shooters' ears.

Hope that is helpful.