Re: Holland\'s Muzzle Brake
Just remember that for a break to actually work it has to direct gases against a surface that is perpendicular to the bore so that the effecet of the gasses hitting the perpendicular surface overcomes the tendency of the gun to move reward under recoil. The more of the gasses you can direct against a surface that is perpendicular to the bore the more the brake will negate the effects of the gun recoiling to the rear when fired.
When these gasses are redirected from the normal forward direction and used for braking the more of the "muzzle blast" you will hear because it no longer goes forward but out to the side and to the rear. The more of the total gasses you direct outward and reward, the louder the gun will sound to you when fired, but the more effective it will be at reducing felt recoil.
I'd say that if a brake is "quieter" than another unit that the quieter brake wasn't as effective. If you don't hear an increase if noise then the gasses are still going forward and aren't being used to lessen the recoil. This is only my opinion because I have never tried two different brakes on the same gun.
Like Kirby mentioned above, the Holland is also effective, because of the holes on top, at reducing muzzle lift when firing. Another thing about the Holland design is that it's very effective at recoil reduction but, since there are no holes on the bottom of the brake, there is never any dust blown up when you shoot prone, like there is on models that have holes all the way around and on the bottom.
I do have a Holland QD brake on a Weatherby 7mm mag and it now seems to me like it's about like shooting a 243 win. It now just gives a little nudge rearward and stays right down on the bipod or bags. I can now spot my own hits from 100 yards on out. I wear hearing protection whenever I shoot, in fact when I'm hunting I have a pair of plugs around my neck to use.
I am having a custom gun built and it will have a Holland QD brake on it. Obviously it's not because the Holland is cheaper because the brake will be about the lowest price item used in the gun and the cost of the break becomes a non-issue. It's going on because I think it works better.