> while flash hiders just make it difficult for authorities to spot the location of a shooter. Flash hiders vent gas to the sides/down instead of straight out

> while flash hiders just make it difficult for authorities to spot the location of a shooter. Flash hiders vent gas to the sides/down instead of straight out so that the shooter isn't blinded as much while firing at night. It does virtually nothing to hide a flash from the person you're shooting at. I get that the articles you've googled say that it hides the flash, but that doesn't make sense logically. It should make the flash a similar size except down/to the sides instead of a cone centered on the muzzle. The gases/gunpowder have to go somewhere. Flash hiders make shooting at night less terrible. > Muzzle breaks actually increase the noise level of a firearm, making more detectable than a stock barrel. Muzzle breaks increase perceived noise for the shooter because the gas is vented towards the shooter and towards the sides. It is not a sound amplifier. It likely slightly decreases the noise in the direction of the muzzle because some of the pressure waves will go sideways/backwards instead of forward. Muzzle breaks make shooting more pleasant with high powered rifles.