Thoughts on muzzle brakes...

Anything that reduces recoil generally increases accuracy. It's your rifle...who cares what anyone else thinks. You have to deal with increased noise but hearing protection remedies that. When you are hunting, it wont matter.

I have seen .270's and 30-06's ported. They shot well and were used by hunters who didn't want the recoil but still wanted the performance of the bigger bullet. I have a friend with a shoulder injury that braked his 30-06 because he liked that rifle and didn't want to move down in caliber.

As to room at the rifle range...I dont like being crowded anyway. If you dont bring ear protection you shouldn't be there. Most guys come over to look your brake over anyway.

Memo: If an outfitter or guide didn't like my rifle...he probably wouldn't like my money either.

Your money, your rifle, your choice...

swede

Cant even stir a little bit??? C'mon guys...nobody else has a brake or two???

swede

[Dagger]

I've got one, they do make a difference when it comes to Kick and muzzel climb, ive got it set up on my SKS [which i'm selling] so not only does it look cool but it has a purpose!

Swede I have a brake on a 7mag from Answer Product it sure does cut down on the recoil but it does have excessive muzzle blast to the sides. You can, when you are huinting, use a muzzle ring instead of the brake because you could blow the guides eardrums out. They are a treat to shoot and I have heard of a lot of varminters useing brakes as well but not ported to the bottom where it would blow dust and debris all over the shooter.

You have a good point cointoss...I neglected to mention that none of my brakes are ported on the bottom for that very reason.

swede

You answered most of your own objections, Swede - how the heck am I supposed to argue when you've already shot me dead in the water?!



Anyway - yeah, I have a 6.5x55 Swede (wouldn't you know?) that sports a QUE brake/tuning product. It's the aftermarket answer to the Browning/Winchester Boss system. Sorta looks like a stainless lawnmower muffler stuck on the end of the barrel, but it works as advertised. It has slotted ports instead of holes, but goes all around in three staggered rows. The tuner is an adjustable band that puts the weight forward or backward on the barrel end to ajdust the harmonics for best accuracy with individual bullet weights, brands and loadings. Its presently set up for 129 gr Hornadys at approx. 2950 fps and will group just under MOA. The felt recoil is sorta akin to a .243 shooting light bullets, almost none. I was after the accuracy angle, more than anything, the reduced recoil was an extra benefit. Don't know how loud it is, because I always wear muffs at the range and just plain don't notice when drawing down on hair in the scope.

Most of the guys at the range always come over to look at the funny lump on the end of the barrel, not because of the side blast.

[Norman Dog]

I don't own a rifle with a brake, yet. I just haven't needed one.

However, I did just acquire a Ruger #1 in .458 Win Mag with plans to open it up to .458 Lott (as I was bragging about in a previous post) and I have been considering my first muzzle brake. My concern would be that of most shooters - getting pounded during range sessions. So, I have been thinking about a removable device like this one. Of course, this wouldn't help the guy with a damaged shoulder.

That definately looks like the way to go, Dog -

I certainly don't blame you for desiring to gain a little recoil protection during benchrest sessions. The accuracy isn't supposed to be affected when the brake is removed and the cap installed. Can't vouch for that, as I've never tried the arrangement.

Be sure to check the thingy's for tightness once in a while - they CAN come loose and do all sorts of undesired things. Guy came to the range last year with one on a shotgun. Guess it was one of those that can be screwed in where the choke inserts go. Anyways, he was acting the know-it-all hero to his admiring guests when there was a strange report. He kept shooting, but the rest of us noticed the brake wasn't on the end of the barrel anymore - in fact, it was laying midway between the line and the 25 yd target line. And, it wasn't by itself. That portion of the barrel where the threads were cut for the insert chokes was gone from the barrel, still attached loosely to the brake. May have been a defect in the barrel thread cutting procedure, but the majority opinion of the rest of us "experts" at the range was that the brake had become loose and took the barrel portion with it when departing the muzzle.

[potato_sniper]

Hey Guys,
I was thinking of braking my Ruger M77/MkII hunting rifle in .300Win Mag. I'm going to wait a little while longer and read up on it a bit more. I was wondering how much they cost and where to get a good one. Does anyone have one on a similar rifle that they can vouch for? I really like the look of my rifle right now, can I get a stainless brake that is about the same outer diameter of my current barrel?

Anyway, I really like the rifle and the way it shoots, but after about six or eight rounds at the range, I start flinching. I guess some of that can be attributed to me getting hit in the face about a month ago with the scope.

Thanks for the opinions.
Jon-Michael

Hmmmmm..........Potato Sniper - Now, that's a new one on me!!

Welcome to the board Jon-Michael, be sure to look around at the other forums and jump in when there's an opening.

Knoxville ought to have several good gunsmiths in the area. Most brakes require threading the end of your barrel to screw on the brake and/or blank sleeve. The smith will be able to tell you what the charges will be. Don't be supprised if it runs over a couple of bills. The Que brake/tuner I have is for either gunsmith or competent home smithys to install. Look them up on the Google engine at the bottom of the forum for their website and home location in Washington.

[pickenup]

I have one on my 1917 Winchester, Ackley Imp 30-06. Looks kind of funny (it is not blued) but works. Getting ready to sell it though. Don’t care what others think at the range.

[Jambo]

anyone have an AK-47? Smith Enterprises sells and AK-47 muzzle brake that has 14mm-1.0 Left Hand threads. That's the exact same threading that FAL has. Now what I'm wondering is the threaded portion on the AK-47's muzzle the same length as the threaded portion on the FAL's muzzle? Anybody know?

Smith Enterprises Muzzle Brakes

[Txquadhunter]

I've got Muzzle brakes on 2 of my rifles. One is a Browning A-bolt 22-250 with the BOSS. Even though the 22-250 has very little recoil I still use The Brake over the CR which swaps the brake for a replacement for those who don't use the brake. It brings recoil down to what a .22mag. The other is a 25.06 with the wieght of the gun plus the Brake It feels like I'm in the Range of what a .223 would prodose in recoil. Another Plus I've learned while Varmint hunting with the uses of brakes you'll more then likely have a 2nd shot. Most Varmints Don't run from the sound of the rifle. They Run more From feeling the muzzle blast. by the brake throwing the blast away from your target they just hear a sound and no muzzle blast felt. I've tested this on a few diff. critters with my guns with and w/out brakes and they few true. Even during peak Time of dove Season I've had em land Between me and my Target or around my target they never spooked off til I swapped my brake out or move to a rifle w/out a brake.

For good install of muzzle brakes that look like they came that way and can bearly see the seem of the new brake to your barrel. If I remember right they can came in blued or stainless. I'd Give Speedy a look over.
www.speedcoshooting.com

[butch lambert]

All, I mean all people are affected by recoil and muzzle blast. Sneak an empty round into your macho buddies elephant gun and watch him when he pulls the trigger. I use custom molded ear protectors with muffs on top of the molded protectors. After being married 42 yrs. I can still hear my wife in the next room as she blows her ears out with hard rock and heavy metal. The barrelman

I still think that the muzzle brake is a great device...I have a 7 remmag that I had done just for kicks...It is a great shooting rifle now...even in shirtsleeves.
I dont break everything that I own...but for the right situation they cant be beat...


swede

Hey LTS:

Reduce the recoil...shoot lighter loads...wear hearing protection, and I'll bet that both the hearing and accuracy problems that you are experiencing will clear up...


swede

Ya know what LTS...I probably need a pellet gun anyway...






swede

[Marlin]

If I ever get a rifle suitable for Elk, I'd truly like a BAR in .338 Win Mag with BOSS.

I always wear hearing protection, even though I am very hearing limited. The softening of the kick would be important to me.

[JohnK3]

I used to have a Remington 700 ADL in .30-06 that kicked me much more than I liked. I took it to a gunsmith who milled the barrel with an integral muzzle-brake. Recoil became much more manageable for me. Hearing protection? I even wear hearing protection when shooting a .22 rifle outdoors.

[45Smashemflat]

I've got a brake on a Blaser .308. It is removeable. The gun weighs a ton, so its recoil is not bad anyway, but the brake coupled with the weight makes it nil - like a .223.

Here's something to think about - a lot of recoil is a function of the ergonomic layout of the entire weapon. I've got a super lightweight .308 Kimber 84M. (<5Lbs) The muzzle flips a bit, but the felt recoil is not bad at all. Why? The gun "fits."

Experiment with other shooter's guns to find the stock deminsions that really work for you and you will be surprised.

[stash247]

Duh! The gun gotta fit ME? 4000 of us out here actually will measure you before we build you a stock, and suddenly, a revelation about recoil/stock configuration?
Do you really think there's a connection between the stock actually fitting the shooter, and percieved recoil?
I shoot several rifles chambered in 375H&H, even to trim the trees, or reduce the jackrabbit population in medina county, and love 'em, cause they fit.
At the risk of offending someone, let me get to the basics; If your stock doesn't fit you, it will hurt,and you can't shoot well, that way.
Far better, IMHO, to pay somebody, to make it fit.

[stash247]

For all you guys considering a muzzle brake, a short infomercial.
Vito Cellini, in San Antonio, Tx, will build you, on a case by case basis, the best you've ever shot.
I watched him unload, set up and fire a (first I'd seen) flattop M-16, on top of the vcr he was recording the action with. Ripped 30 rds thru a silhouette at 50 yards, off the top of the vcr, into a 4" group, in one long burst. Had this been a conventional M-16, 2 rounds would have hit the paper, the rest killed stars.
He's now an old friend, but the brakes he builds are second to none-ask Kleinguenther's; they liked his brake so much, he says they stole it!
I've seen full auto MP-5's shot off the nose of a SEAL, and M-4 carbines, the same way; Check him out.