New guy muzzle brake question

[Moose hunter]

Im so confused. I have a Ruger M77 Mark2 in stainless laminate in 300 win mag with a Leupold 4.5-14 Boone & Crocket recticle and a Harris Bi-pod. The gun is factory. I have shot the gun on the bench out to 300 yards at the range and have been happy.I want to shoot farther then 300 yards but this is a starting point wich i must feel confident in under hunting conditions (bi pod) before i go for farther shots. What i do not like is the muzzle lift when using the bi pod. On the bench i can bear down on the rifle more to controll muzzle lift. I was going to install a muzzle brake but have read so many neg comments that now i dont know what to do. Magna porting isnt an option as its no longer available in Can. I am willing to wear electronic hearing protection while hunting as even now in the blind the gun is loud. I am sending the gun in to the smith to have the trigger worked on any other suggestions for this gun are welcome. The straight back recoil does not bother me at all just muzzle lift. Another Newb Question will muzzle lift affect zero of rifle from the bench to using a bi-pod where the hold down is different.

Thanks for any help this is my first post. Im sure i will as a few more nb questions.

 

[devildoc]

If you're willing to put up with wearing hearing protection while hunting and having dirt blown all over your rifle when you pop off a shot, I'd say go for it. They do allow you to spot the shot, and less recoil is always better for accuracy. Most of the guys here use them, I don't cause I don't have electronic muffs, and have no intention of buying them. Not to mention the dirt. As for POI shifts from bench to bipod, muzzle lift has less to do with it than the load on the stock, you just have to play with your setup and see what it likes as far as a forward (leaning into the bipod), rearward or neutral load. However you shouldn't worry about the fact that your POI shifts from the bench to the bipod, as long as your rifle shoots well with the bipod. Just set your zero with the bipod if you plan to use it while hunting.

 

[Dead Beat]

check with Shawn at defensive edge He makes a baffle brake that doesn't have holes at the bottom so shooting prone close the ground not a issue. i use hearing aid style that shuts off when the rifle goes off even with my braked 300 rum its not a problem

JIM

 

[ss7mm]

If you're willing to put up with wearing hearing protection while hunting and having dirt blown all over your rifle when you pop off a shot, I'd say go for it.

I "put up with wearing hearing protection" any time I am shooting, whether it is hunting or not. Just a personal preference. I only have two ears and I want to protect what little there is left of them.

I have Holland style brakes on everything I shoot and feel that I probably have less problems with dirt and dust than without them. I don't hesitate to plop my $6K+ gun down on the ground and send 'em downrange and I never have a dust problem I can blame on the brake. If you were using a Vais style brake then you would experience dust problems but I think you'll find most around here recommend brakes without any bottom holes.

As for POI shifts from bench to bipod, muzzle lift has less to do with it than the load on the stock, you just have to play with your setup and see what it likes as far as a forward (leaning into the bipod), rearward or neutral load. However you shouldn't worry about the fact that your POI shifts from the bench to the bipod, as long as your rifle shoots well with the bipod. Just set your zero with the bipod if you plan to use it while hunting.

Right on. Consistency from shot to shot is your goal and experience will tell you what your gun wants. You need to zero it with the method you will use in the field as you will probably find that if will shoot differently from a bipod than from a typical rest/bags on a bench.

I would personally think that you would be much happier with a brake like a Holland, one of Shawn's brakes or one from Kirby, and some consistent steering by you with your gun.

 

[Moose hunter]

Thanks for the help. Will a Muzzle brake help with the muzzle lift. I thought Magna porting was for muzzle lift and the brake was primarily for recoil.

 

[devildoc]

since muzzle lift is caused by recoil, any reduction in recoil will also reduce muzzle lift. That's simplified a whole lot, of course the design of the rifle has alot to do with how much lift there is, but it still gets the energy from recoil.
So short answer, Yes.

 

[James Jones]

I saw a Rem 700 LSS in 300 RUM hsot the otherday that had the barrel ported by Magnport , I mentioned to the owner that the gun still had a big of kick and he started on the rant about how he wasted all that money on the porting and it did nothing for recoil and muzzle jump.

Get a good brake put on and your problems with muzzle rise and recoil will be greatly deminished if not eliminated. The baffle style brakes generaly are the most effective till you step up to the big tank style brakes. The holland brake has three ports on the top of the brake that vent gas out the top and actualy push down on the gun and with some calibers like the RUMs the down force can be so hard that it'll affect the rifle just like the rise does.

As for the Bi-pod issue you need to lear that you rifle was certain needs and wants (like a typical woman) and it will tell you what it likes you can shoot leaning into the pressure of the bipod , or leaning back sort of pulling back on the leg tension or just neutral. At no point should you ever "bear down" on your rifle this will lead to very eritac behavior and poor accuracy , snug it up tight on your shoulder and keep your cheek pressure and in the same spot from shot to shot and if you need to hold the forend of the gun it should just be to pull it tighter into your shoulder.

 

[Moose hunter]

Thanks again. I will tell my gunsmith i want a holland brake when i get the trigger done. I have never fired a gun with such a heavy trigger as my Ruger. What type of electronic hearing protection do you guys use? I searched on Cabellas site and found most of them had bad reviews.

 

[AJ Peacock]

Thanks again. I will tell my gunsmith i want a holland brake when i get the trigger done. I have never fired a gun with such a heavy trigger as my Ruger. What type of electronic hearing protection do you guys use? I searched on Cabellas site and found most of them had bad reviews.

I had no clue which muffs to buy as well, so I went to Cabelas and tried on every electronic muff they had, I had them open the package and put batteries in the ones that weren't out on display. I spent at least 2 hours deciding which pair was the best. I had expected to buy the Peltor's , but ended up buying the Walkers Game ear Power Muff Quads. The only better pair were the Walkers Game ear Power Muff Quad DIGITALs, but $200 more! I used them this season and am still very pleased with the muffs. they are built well and give good directional sound, as well as almost no humm when the wind is blowing.

Some of the muffs were horrible, they didn't seal well, had loose parts, sounded real scratchy etc.

The Walker Game Ear Power Muff Quads had none of those issues. I've had several friends try them and everybody agreed that they are the best they've tried. They are also rated highly on the Cabelas website.

Cabela's -- Walker's Power Muffs and Quad Power Muffs


Good Luck,
AJ

 

[MachV]

A muzzle brake will work but moving the bipod mount back as far as posible and still have it rest on the butt end of the gun, with a sporter barrel you have a lot of room to move it back. Doing this seams to help a whole lot with muzzle lift...even with the little 204.
As long as the gun is going to the smith anyway I would have him put a good recoil pad on it as well..dont ask me why but I can spot my shots a lot better with a good recoil pad VRS that rubber bumper that Ruger calles a recoil pad.
I was going to put a brake on my old tang saftied 7 mag when I first got it years ago but these two modifications have it shooting great and I dont have to contend with a brake..I know I know I should whare ear protection anyway but........

 

[Moose hunter]

I know some varmint rifles come with two sling pins on the stock one for the bi-pod and one for the sling. I could get another pin and mount it farther back. I checked it out and i could move it back about 2 to 3 inches but i have to be carefull that the pin doesnt interfere with the holding of the fore end of the stock for the rare occasions i would take an off hand shot with out the bi pod mounted. Late season moose hunting is walking mile after mile in knee deep snow so i wount be using the bi-pod then. I agree about the recoil pad that comes on Rugers. I mounted a sims recoil pad and it made a difference.

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Bravo 4]

My 338Edge started out as an LSS 338UltraMag, I was gonna send it to Kirby anyways but wanted to shoot my new $700 rifle a few times. I didn't even mount a scope but went outside and popped a few rounds off. To hell with that!!!! That thing with the tiny factory barrel wound have gotten a brake even without the upgrade. The Holland break is awesome, my 12 year old son shoots it with no problem and there is no flying debri when prone. As far as the bench V.s bipod POI change, only one way to find out. I usually just use my bipod and a rear bag no matter where I am, a bipod can be just as steady.