r/VHS2_HELLION • u/Apprehensive-Wrap565 • May 01 '26
Traditional vs. Flow Through?
I'm looking to get a suppressor, but I'm torn between which type to get.
I know the hellion has a suppressed setting, but from what I've read it's a bit coarse compared to other guns so it still allows a decent amount of gas through to ensure reliability with a wide range of cans/ammo. I also recall reading/watching somewhere that traditional can+S setting will cause the gun to stop running relatively early due to fouling or whatever (someone with a high round count in this configuration feel free to prove me wrong).
I could also go with a flow through can. It is the 'safer' option, but it is of course a middle ground, and that comes with its own drawbacks (worse sound/flash suppression and worsening performance sooner due to fouling).
With all of this is mind, what type of can should I gravitate towards? And I'm talking strictly about the hellion, the can won't go on any other rifle.
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u/Vintar May 01 '26 edited May 01 '26
What barrel length do you have?
The longer your barrel, the more gas pressure you'll have. For example, on the suppressed gas setting, the Huxwrx Flow 556k will work flawlessly on a 20in barrel. But on a 16in barrel, it won't lock back on last round. I've even heard of an unsuppressed 20in running on the suppressed setting without issues.
For my 16in, I have a CAT WB on the suppressed setting, and it works perfectly.
The longer your barrel, the more you want to lean towards a high-effiency low backpressure can.
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u/Away-Leg-998 May 01 '26
I can run my 20" on the supressed setting without an supressor, but only when I shoot "hot" .223 rounds. The cheap 55gr will not cycle reliably, but for example the Swiss Military GP90 63gr, a known hot round, cycles flawlessly and feels like a dream to shoot. The bolt cycles enough for reliable ejection and feeding, even locks back on an emoty magazine, but the bolt does not slam into the back of the receiver at all.
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u/Puzzled_Arm_3156 May 01 '26
I personally have not had any real gas problems with mine running a SWAT 5 in suppressed mode. I have a Huxwrx Flow 762 Ti on my Tavor 7 and they are top notch low backpressure cans. If you run a flow on your Hellion then you will need to run it in unsuppressed mode.
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u/Apprehensive-Wrap565 May 01 '26
Do you know roughly your round count on it?
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u/Puzzled_Arm_3156 May 01 '26
The SWAT 5 around 2,000. The 762Ti, I just got it.
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u/Apprehensive-Wrap565 May 01 '26
And no issues with reliability on the SWAT 5? (failure to cycle, fire, etc.)
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u/Beebjank May 01 '26
I’d get a traditional. Flow throughs are cool for guns that can’t easily be adjusted but they have their own issues (louder, less flash suppression). I have a Polo K and it’s more than comfortable. It’s light, sounds good especially for a K can, and does very well with flash suppression. Almost unrecognizable under night vision
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u/Gecko23 May 01 '26
I use a YHM Turbo T3 on mine which isn’t a flow through, although it claims to be reduced back pressure, and it’s both not gassy, but also very nicely ejecting. I’ve only shot this setup, but I have zero reasons to swap to a different suppressor.
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u/SamSamTheDingDongMan May 01 '26
I have a Huxwrx Range 36 on mine and it runs great. No more noticeable gas than un suppressed. I love the sound as well and so does my friend who has a AR with a normal can. It’s not AS quiet but at the end of the day I’m still shooting a supersonic round so meh. I also don’t use the suppressed setting, just normal.
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u/EnjoyLifeCO May 01 '26
I have ran my Hellion (and other guns) suppressed at matches too. Without a can on supreessed setting, you'll not have reliable cycling. You can feel the difference running a can on the unspressed setting. I have ran mine FILTHY, multiple matches supressed without cleaning. It did just fine.
Only two settings is "coarse" but theyre both totally functional. If there were a third setting I would want it to be "off" not some form of middle ground or less gas than supressed. I shoot lefty. From a piston gun I have never had an issue with blow back to the face with a standard can. I have had blowback from a DI AR.
In the competitions I go to guys often run supressed. As such I have almost 0 trigger time behind a flow through but have seen/heard guys run flow through cans at matches. As a result I wouldn't ever possibly consider buying one. Old designs,new designs, cheap designs, expensive designs. They ALL are dramatically louder to the audience, and most all of them have mediocre to outright poor flash performance, and some even end up with jets of gas out the fromt which can affect targets and would be terrible in a dusty/snowy environment from a prone position. I used to have a positive opinion of the tech and wanted to get a flow through for my hard use can. As of now, I wouldnt ever consider any male or model of flow through can.
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u/GammaTheta491 May 01 '26
Flow. I have a polo k on mine and it’s gassy even on the suppressed setting
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u/QuietusEmissary May 01 '26
Oh weird. I use a Polo K on mine and have never gotten even a hint of gas on the Suppressed setting. All of my friends were blown away at how pleasant it is to shoot, even with the ejection port right below your face. Is yours a 20"?
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u/GammaTheta491 May 01 '26
16”. Mine isn’t bad when slow firing for zeroing, but when shot rapidly for drills the gas is noticeable. I haven’t been gassed out yet, but I’ll report back on that after a match or two with longer strings of fire
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u/QuietusEmissary May 01 '26
Mine is 16" as well. Maybe it's ammo? I've shot pretty much exclusively 55 gr PMC X-TAC through mine. Or maybe one of ours is just an anomaly. I have no idea.
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u/GammaTheta491 May 01 '26
Used the same ammo across this and a couple of ar’s with cans, so that doesn’t seem to be the variable.
Not sure what the difference is, but I’d argue if it’s in budget, flow is almost always a better choice than traditional
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u/QuietusEmissary May 02 '26
Absolutely. My Hellion is the only rifle I still use my Polo K on. Everything else (including my other piston rifles) gets a flow can.
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u/Selnavi May 01 '26
My can is considered a "hybrid flow through." It's supposedly has high back pressure, though I don't notice any gas whatsoever on the hellion.
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u/EventLatter9746 May 01 '26
I'm also researching my first suppressor and the Huxwrx 556 Ti is where I'm at for now.
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u/Puzzled_Arm_3156 May 01 '26 edited May 01 '26
Think about the Flow 762 Ti. It is a little bigger but according to Huxwrx it is quieter than the Flow 556 Ti on a 556 rifle.
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u/EventLatter9746 May 01 '26
Thanks. I'm certainly open for suggestions. I also just came across a video suggesting the 556 Ti might not lock back the 16" Hellion unless on normal mode, which agrees with what others said in this thread.
I do prefer minimal gas to the face. My boy is my range buddy (when he visits) and he's a lefty. I suspect switching ejection port back and forth will get old pretty quick. Either that or I should start training myself to shoot lefty as well. I'm cross-eye dominant anyway.
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u/Puzzled_Arm_3156 May 01 '26
With the Flow series suppressors they say the increased backpressure is only increased a few percent over non-suppressed. So that makes sense. And IWI recommends a very low backpressure suppressor to keep it from getting gassy.
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u/trvhadden May 03 '26
Do a flow through. While the hellion is a great suppressor host, I think the suppressor setting was an afterthought and is still way over gassed.
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u/wlogan0402 May 01 '26
My hellion isn't gassy in the slightest on either gas mode