Preserving Night Vision in Home Defense

There are several aspects to consider when selecting or building a defensive rifle for home protection. In this article Doug shares his thoughts on eliminating muzzle flash and his discovery of the BE Meyers flash hider.

Rifles are becoming an increasingly popular option as firearms for home defense. Particularly with the AR-15’s ease of use, minimal recoil, weight, round capacity, stopping power, and cost… it’s easy to see why. While there are an incredible number of options and accessories you can add to an AR-15, the most important considerations are your ability to see your target and put rounds on it accurately.

Once you’ve taken your first low-light rifle class with a standard A2 “birdcage” flash hider you’ll learn just how much it really doesn’t mitigate your muzzle flash. One simply can’t appreciate a muzzle flash until you have done a low-light shoot with a variety of flash hiders and experienced the differences between them. Given the fact that a muzzle flash can dramatically reduce your ability to see in the dark, negatively impacting your ability to navigate your home and to identify your target(s), this is an important consideration when building your home defense rifle.

As I began my research on flash hiders I found an October 2010 test by the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) which determined a 96% elimination of muzzle flash (5.56mm) by the BE Meyers flash hider. Continuing my research I found a detailed comparison of flash hiders on the Vuurwapen Blog which includes photos of the muzzle flashes (or lack there of) for each model they tested including the BE Meyers model.

Nothing to see here, folks!

Intrigued with the BE Meyers design, and impressed from what I learned in my research, I decided to get one and take it to the range. As darkness fell, my son and I shot our rifles and watched for the muzzle flashes from our respective flash hiders. In sum, in this non-scientific test, the BE Meyers flash hider completely eliminated any visible muzzle flash in dramatic contrast to the A2 “birdcage” which performed as expected. Once finished, I asked my son which one he liked better. To my surprise, he chose the A2 flash hider because he “likes the fire ball.” This, of course, confirmed my plan to put BE Meyers flash hiders on all my builds… including my son’s, which he’ll appreciate when he’s older.

The ability to see your target and engage it are the most important things you must do with your rifle so don’t allow your flash hider to be an afterthought. When protecting your family it’s crucial to maintain every advantage you have, so take steps to preserve your vision by mitigating muzzle flash. I was impressed enough with the BE Meyers flash hider that I will be putting one on my rifles from now on. It has an attractive design, is very easy to install and, most of all, it does its job.

If you want to add them to your defensive rifles, I found the BE Meyers flash hider on the Weapon Outfitters website for $129.95. As I hinted to my wife, they make great stocking stuffers for the shooter in your life.

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Written by Doug Marcoux

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Doug Marcoux

Doug has a diverse background, both professionally and privately, in firearms, self-defense, and tactics… but most importantly, he’s a parent. He writes from the unique perspective of someone whose life involves combining concealment clothing, tactics training, and “everyday carry gear,” with car seats, exploding diapers, and questions like “why did you paint the dog with yogurt?” In our Tactical Parent series, Doug shares his perspective on gear, tricks and tips, defensive tactics, and best practices for parents who take an active role in protecting their family. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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