Muzzle brake and flash hider

Abstract

An improved muzzle brake having a generally upward opening void from which escaping gases create a downwardly directed reaction force and a sloping face on which the propelling gases collide and expand and deflect to either side and upward of the muzzle brake to defeat the natural tendency of the muzzle of a weapon to climb and drift. Below the generally upward opening void, within the floor of the bore of the muzzle is a venturi trough in which a lowered pressure region of propelling gases is created by the high speed passage of the propelling gases down to the bore of the muzzle brake. This lowered pressure region within the venturi trough is still in excess of the environmental pressure exterior of the muzzle brake so that gases within the venturi trough escape through channels directed downwardly and to the left and right of the projectile path. Gas escaping through these downward, left and right deflected channels is adjustable in flow so that any tendency of the weapon to drift left or right or to move downwardly may be compensated for. The muzzle brake has a structural shape which accommodates it to be fitted within a government issued flash hider. Once so housed within the flash hider, further modification is made to introduce retrojet gas escape channels through the walls of the flash hider into the bore through which the projectile and its propelling gases pass. Propelling gases escaping through these rearwardly directed retrojet channels offset the recoil of the weapon. By arraying these retrojet channels, a balanced set of reaction forces is derived which tends to offset transverse movement of the muzzle of the weapon.