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Suppressors Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

Stealth-X

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
May 2, 2008
71
0
45
Corvallis, OREGON
Hi guys. I've seen a couple of videos on youtube where there is a distinct tuning fork type ringing sound after each shot. 2 were AAC suppressors and I remember someone on glocktalk blaming that sound on the older style blackout flashhider/mount (m4-1000)

My questions are: What causes the ringing? Are certain models known for it or is it a fluke possible from all brands/models? If I find that I have it, how do I get rid of it?

Thanks,
Nate
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

The blackout flash hider has 3 fluted fingers on it and the harmonics cause these to "ring" like that , I've heard that the Vortex will do it to but I've never heard it.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

The ringing is from the Blackout flash hider. I have several of them and they all ring. Really bothered me at first--now I don't really notice. When inside the can, it is not as noticeable. If the flash hider has unsupported forks, like the Blackout, they are susceptible to it. AAC used to sell a birdcage flash hider with the older m4-1000's, but stopped because so much carbon built around the front lip when shooting suppressed that can would sometimes stick (as me how I know). Not really that big of a deal, the ringing can't be heard but close to the shooter.

Was just thinking of my Vortex hiders--don't think they ring, but they have unsupported forks, too. We have a mystery...
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

I've also read the video cameras pick up more of the ringing noise than the ear does. Don't know how true this is though.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

So it really comes down to the blackout flash hider and if I don't want the ring I should fork (wink wink) out the extra $50 and buy the muzzle break adapter.

Thanks guys,
Nate
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

I have a yhm phantom QD that I never noticed a ringing with.

I put a tab gear SAS on it, and I didn't realize that it could actually get QUIETER!

I'd wrap that sucker up and I bet it will be quieter.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Stealth-X</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So it really comes down to the blackout flash hider and if I don't want the ring I should fork (wink wink) out the extra $50 and buy the muzzle break adapter.

Thanks guys,
Nate </div></div>

Yup--the Blackout will ring. Period. That said, I wouldn't let it bother you. I don't even notice it now. The M4-2000 Mod 08 is one awesome can.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

shoot a blackout at night and that ring wont bother you a bit. There is NO tell tale muzzle flash at all at night with it.

The BO works and does what its says it does. And for that .... Ill live with some ping.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

Outsyd, I completely agree. I run an AAC blackout on my upper and a buddy shot it while i stood off to the side, couldnt see anything. As for the pinging I cant hear it or just never paid any attention to it.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

Now that makes me want to go shoot my BO at night. Haven't done that yet...
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Joel45</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Yup--the Blackout will ring. Period. That said, I wouldn't let it bother you. I don't even notice it now. The M4-2000 Mod 08 is one awesome can. </div></div>

Mine doesn't ring, for some odd reason, not that I'm complaining.

As Outsyd said, it's an <span style="font-style: italic">excellent</span> flash hider.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

The camera picks up the ringing and makes it seem worse that it really is. I love it - I get a mental picture of pulling Excalibur out of the stone every time I hear it!
smile.gif
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

Red SC:

At first I thought your tag might stand for Red Super Coupe (as in the supercharged thunderbird) of which I've owned two.

Anyhow, just thought I'd throw this out there,
I've read and LOVE Unintended Consequences by John Ross and I've just downloaded Atlas Shrugged to listen to because of your rec.

Thanks for the info guys.

I don't plan on leaving my 762-SD on the sidelines much once I purchase it, so I'm not really worried about how well the
BO FH hides flash.

The ring is sound, and firing suppressed is about minimizing sound, so I am planning on gettign the muzzle breaks instead of the BO. ALSO, I spoke to the owner of Major Malfunction and he said that some people have found that the muzzle break is a big quieter with the suppressor (either lach of ringing or faster release of gasses into the suppressor system? I didn't ask) and also that the suppressor will generally last longer because the Muzzle break acts as a blast baffle and takes the initial beating. THAT is a deal maker. I can replace the muzzle break without class 3 hassles and the suppressor will be used on 3 rifles/calibers so I like the idea of an extra blast baffle that I can easily replace myself, and will have spares of (one on each of the three guns.)

I have to say that I almost got chills when I read the excaliber comment
smile.gif
If it sounded like that to me, I might trash all of the above "reasoning" and get the flashhider!

Regards,
Nate
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Stealth-X</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Red SC:

At first I thought your tag might stand for Red Super Coupe (as in the supercharged thunderbird) of which I've owned two.

Anyhow, just thought I'd throw this out there,
I've read and LOVE Unintended Consequences by John Ross and I've just downloaded Atlas Shrugged to listen to because of your rec.

Thanks for the info guys.

I don't plan on leaving my 762-SD on the sidelines much once I purchase it, so I'm not really worried about how well the
BO FH hides flash.

The ring is sound, and firing suppressed is about minimizing sound, so I am planning on gettign the muzzle breaks instead of the BO. ALSO, I spoke to the owner of Major Malfunction and he said that some people have found that the muzzle break is a big quieter with the suppressor (either lach of ringing or faster release of gasses into the suppressor system? I didn't ask) and also that the suppressor will generally last longer because the Muzzle break acts as a blast baffle and takes the initial beating. THAT is a deal maker. I can replace the muzzle break without class 3 hassles and the suppressor will be used on 3 rifles/calibers so I like the idea of an extra blast baffle that I can easily replace myself, and will have spares of (one on each of the three guns.)

I have to say that I almost got chills when I read the excaliber comment
smile.gif
If it sounded like that to me, I might trash all of the above "reasoning" and get the flashhider!

Regards,
Nate </div></div>

Nope, the name is from my location and my hair color and the nickname that always seems to go along with it. My taste in old vehicles tends towards the opposite end of the spectrum, heavy and slow. I drive a red IH Scout. Contrary to popular belief, IH stands for "It's Heavy".

Atlas Shrugged is a very good read, but it's long and takes a while to get going. A lot of people start it, but quit after getting bogged down in the first couple of chapters. Don't worry, it picks up once the storyline is set. Remember, this was written way back before the microwave generation, when people weren't too impatient to actually sit down and read a novel that didn't have violence and bloodshed on every page. I don't agree with everything Rand says, but she's definitely on the money in most areas.

You're probably right about not really needing great flash suppression. I mounted my flash hider while was waiting on the transfer, and was amazed by the amount of flash reduction. Once the paperwork came back, the only time it gets shot without the can is to show people the difference between suppressed and unsuppressed.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll love it.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

If you want a quick burn, read Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman.

or my blog
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

I've not been too impressed with Ann Coulter interviews and soundbites but all of her books are AWESOME! Except for the one that's just a collection of articles thrown together (don't remember which one that was).

Worth reading.

I'll keep an eye out for Capitalism and Freedom.

No worries about the length. I'm a lowly housekeeper (while in school) and listen to mp3s (never music) while I work.

Regards,
Nate
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

I used to have a few in 5.56 and didn't notice the ringing too much. My friend has a .308 that I saw a week ago and that has a larger .350" flash hider bore like the Vortex 5.56 units which are also .350 bored. The AAC 5.56 one has like a ~.26x" bore or had one in the past anyway (this from memory it was either .260 or .280 and my memory is saying ~.260" from when I measured it but it's been a while). The smaller 5.56 bore with the same OD is going to mean more rigidity and less ringing in the 5.56 unit.

The 308 mount on my friends gun was one of the new sloping flute units which are supposed to reduce ringing. The flutes I believe are a patented appearance feature which have nothing to do with performance of the unit, and less flute means more rigidity. Deleting them entirely would probably be best on that .308 unit. When my friend closed or opened the bolt on his 700PSS the whole rifle would ring like a tuning fork. It was pretty pronounced and rang for a surprisingly long time. So maybe it's more of a .308 BO phenomenon? With the silencer there was no ringing that I could discern, though I had ear protection on. I don't think it's as big an issue when a mount rings when you fire but more of an issue when it rings when you bump the rifle or operate the action- at any rate it's a tolerable mild annoyance. Even snipers aren't generally operating their weapons within 15-20 yards of the enemy when they don't want to be noticed so I doubt it's anything more than a mild annoyance.

The Vortex units I've used I didn't notice it very much with- maybe different materials and heat treatments are the reason.

The obvious source of ringing in all these (BE Meyers, Vortex and AAC) flash hiders is unsupported pieces of steel which vibrate and are flexible. There isn't an easy cure for it outside of materials and heat treatments which won't eliminate it. Material thickness is also weight so it's undesirable as well more thickness probably helps but makes for a heavy unit and eats suppressor volume as well as causes incompatibility with a lot of mounting systems designed around ~.860" OD mounts. The important thing is flash reduction and all three flash hiders provide good flash reduction.

Interesting I put 6000 rounds through an M4 with a phantom flash hider and I recall ringing when I fired [only when I fired] with that too. Apparently the supporting member steel is so thin it still vibrates. Now of course we all know those come apart when used as high fire schedule silencer mounts because that thin supporting material in front gets exposed to too much pressure and heat. This obviously is not a problem with any of the afformentioned open-tined designs.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Stealth-X</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've not been too impressed with Ann Coulter interviews and soundbites but all of her books are AWESOME! Except for the one that's just a collection of articles thrown together (don't remember which one that was).

Worth reading.

I'll keep an eye out for Capitalism and Freedom.

No worries about the length. I'm a lowly housekeeper (while in school) and listen to mp3s (never music) while I work.

Regards,
Nate </div></div>

Well, thanks for the blog hits.

I'm not a fan of Ann Coulter myself.

If you check out my blog , you'll find some excellent resources in the blogroll, including Becker-Posner, Agoraphilia, Greg Mankiw, and many others. Of course, most of them are economics related (because I'm an econ student) but Becker-Posner is shared by a Nobel Prize-winning economist and a 7th Circuit Judge and Agoraphilia by an economist and a law professor.

Don't forget to check out www.volokh.com, either. The Volokh Conspiracy is a great blog as well.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

I have an SPR M4 from AAC. IT pings like crazy. It was actually very loud, not only to my ears but the many that have shot it. I only shoot the gun suppressed I run the SPR on so I just cut the ears off of the flash hider. Sounds great now.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: banks74</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have an SPR M4 from AAC. IT pings like crazy. It was actually very loud, not only to my ears but the many that have shot it. I only shoot the gun suppressed I run the SPR on so I just cut the ears off of the flash hider. Sounds great now. </div></div>

You do realize that you just shortened the life of that can tremendously and probably voided the warranty as well.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

I don't know why it would shorten the life of the can, but even if it does I don't really care. I would rather have a short lived silence than a long term ping. As for the warranty I don't really care either.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: banks74</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't know why it would shorten the life of the can, but even if it does I don't really care. I would rather have a short lived silence than a long term ping. As for the warranty I don't really care either. </div></div>

Lets see here ... the prongs on the flash hider disperse the gas when it enters into the blas baffle of the can, now that you have cut the prongs off you are probably going to errode the blast baffle faster, hence shortening the life of the can.

Must be nice not to have to worry about a warranty and such.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

So your saying a thread on can will last tremendously less than an identical material, quick disconnect can, since how there is no flash hider on a thread on can to disperse gas?

It is nice not worrying about the warranty, and not because I am loaded.(<span style="text-decoration: underline">Because I am not</span>) I just don't care if what I did voided the warranty. I was unhappy with the can and they had no alternatives so I came up with one. One that means I didn't end up selling the can and basically throwing away the money spent on the tax stamp. And loosing money on the can itself.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: banks74</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So your saying a thread on can will last tremendously less than an identical material, quick disconnect can, since how there is no flash hider on a thread on can to disperse gas?

It is nice not worrying about the warranty, and not because I am loaded.(<span style="text-decoration: underline">Because I am not</span>) I just don't care if what I did voided the warranty. I was unhappy with the can and they had no alternatives so I came up with one. One that means I didn't end up selling the can and basically throwing away the money spent on the tax stamp. And loosing money on the can itself. </div></div>

How do you know that the two cans are designed and built exactly the same ?

You were unhappy with the can itself? If you were unhappy with the can why didnt you offer it up for sale? And there is an alternative you know .... its called the Phantom mount.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

It's just not that easy to sell a can. Notice why you almost never see one for sale in the classified section?
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

the last time i heard a can ping......it because of a bullet strike
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Outsydlooknin75</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
You were unhappy with the can itself? If you were unhappy with the can why didnt you offer it up for sale? And there is an alternative you know .... its called the Phantom mount.
</div></div>

Probably because the sunk cost of the $200 transfer cannot be recovered.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Downzero</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Outsydlooknin75</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
You were unhappy with the can itself? If you were unhappy with the can why didnt you offer it up for sale? And there is an alternative you know .... its called the Phantom mount.
</div></div>

Probably because the sunk cost of the $200 transfer cannot be recovered. </div></div>

+1 Problem found and problem fixed
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bacarrat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's just not that easy to sell a can. Notice why you almost never see one for sale in the classified section? </div></div>

Exactly! Plus the $200 loss on top of it. When I talked to AAC back when the SPR m4 first came out, they said they had no alternative mounts. So I improvised. I am very happy with the can now. The suppression level is and always was great. It just used to be followed by the loud high pitched ping. So no more ping + great suppression= me happy with the can now.
 
Re: Ringing Sound from a suppressor (tuning fork)

They are supposed to come with a brake mount for the SPR/M4 someday. Can't wait.