Recoil

[nksmfamjp]

Let me give some perspective....I shoot a 458 Lott without a brake and a 223 with one. Simply put brakes and their features need understood before just jumping on the brake bandwagon.

First recoil. Recoil is the result of the cartridge you choose. To choose a cartridge, I first determine the game to be shot. Let's say elk is my choice. How far? 600 yds max. What bullet? Let's say Accubond. OK. What is min velocity to open up? 1800fps....typical for bonded hunting bullet. For elk, I feel I really need to be in the 1900-1950fps range and probably .284 min caliber, although at higher speeds, I could see 0.264" working.

So, what caliber is that? I just go looking over the ballistic calculators to find the one I want. This got me to 300 Sherman and 280ai. 280ai shows 140gr Accubond good to 650 yds. 300 Sherman should do about the same with 180gr Accubond.

So, the 280ai has a bit less recoil and the 300 has a bit more bullet mass and capability. I chose 300.

So, this is going to recoil just a bit under 300 WM. Can I shoot it? Yea. All day long? Well, other factors need considered. I find stock fit is what should be considered first and foremost.

Stock fit: Is your LOP right? I mean is your elbow pulled just in front on your shoulder to form the "pocket" when shooting offhand, prone, rested? Even when pulling firmly into the shoulder? Is it short enough that when raising your rifle to your face that it just drags on a light fitted sweatshirt?

How does your unkinked neck fit on the cheekpiece? Does the cheekpiece pull away when the rifle recoils back?

Is the rifle balanced? Not the BS mythical balance I read about, but the one where the weight of the rifle is held between the 2 hands well....I generally like a rifle balanced on the front action screw or just a bit to the rear.....especially if my shots that count use a rear rest. Would adding a recoil reducer help that balance? Doe the rifle need an inch or 2 off the barrel to feel right. Does the rifle weigh enough for your goals? Successful long range rifles rarely weigh 7 lbs. I wonder if 10lbs isn't an ideal field rifle weight. My 1917 killed a lot of deer with a 4x Weaver and 12.5lbs of weight.

Grip: Is the grip right for your shooting and carry positions?

These fit details will make the recoil very much more manageable. That is often way better than brake noise in the field.

 

[mwkelso]

I made a few brakes for intertainment. After a few shots I saw a consistent action. I filed a very small grove in the opposite side and Wala it was controled. Then I drilled holes larger and larger in the top until I could see impact at 100 yards even on 20X.

It was a 130 grain bullet at 3,190 feet per second from a seven pound rifle.

I didn't realize how important it is to have a balanced brake, but ran in to a similar issue with the one I had installed a couple months back. Once the brake was balanced peoperly, the barrel pushing sideways was eliminated.

 

[MerlinMc]

This is a great discussion. I never liked any kind of brake for numerous reasons, but most likely because my father didn't like them. Plus they are ear damaging. Then, the very first year the 300 RUM came out I purchased one in a Remington 700 Sendero. (Black Betty) The recoil was tough and I was not able to stay on target. I sent it in to KDF and added a brake and have never looked back. I love it and everything purchased since has a break. Black Betty has harvested over 100 big game animals now and she continues to be active today.

This was my experience almost exactly except with a 300 Weatherby. The RUMs weren't out yet when I made this purchase. My father, uncle and their friends (all gone now) didn't like brakes. Too loud, inconsiderate of others, not used in the military (back then), don't be a baby. When I got the 300, it was very unpleasant to shoot. Others who tried the rifle, including the no-brake advocates, agreed and conceded that it was indeed very unpleasant. Got a KDF brake installed and used it for years before selling it.

Many of my barrels are now threaded so I can install a brake or a suppressor. The later is good at reducing both noise and recoil. One downside of the suppressors is size--they are larger. Both brakes and suppressors cause point of impact changes too, so swapping means sighting adjustments.

All of the PHs in Africa I've hunted with are anti-brake. None of them would turn away business, however, from a client with a braked rifle. I brought one braked rifle on my first trip. Since then, I have brought 375 H&H and 26 Nosler barrels to Africa with no brakes. Both are comfortable to shoot unbraked. I still wear my Sordins.

I like how you've named your 300. We also name our favorite weapons and vehicles.

 

[26Reload]

Shot a bedded buck a few years ago.....329yds.....
65284 norma....142lrab
Saw the hit as the bullet stuck just to the front inside edge of left shoulder and went thru the deer to the back right quarter....
With a scope set at 12 power...off the backpack...on top of a large sagebrush.....saw the impact...and the head of the deer rise and fall back on itself......
no brake.....
If everyone stayed with a low power magnification scope...wouldnt need to worry about most instances of losing site and pic hits........

 

[rgmeddn]

I have to say, when I shoot my 6 Dasher with my suppressor (reduces recoil similarly to muzzle brake), I feel reeeaaallllly stealthy and can spot hits, no problem. It definitely ups the fun factor for me. I recently put a muzzle brake on my 224 Valkyrie......going to shoot it long this weekend. I'm sure I will get the same giggles with that one.

For the experts here, how much of the recoil reduction and shot spotting benefit of a brake is provided by a suppressor in higher calibers?

 

[DJ Fergus]

I think for the average guy who's in good health with out any past or present medical ailments, a brake is not necessary for 6.5 caliber & under unless desired for spotting shots. I do happen to have a brake on one of my 6.5s and it's nice but as far as felt recoil it's not a lot of noticeable difference between it and my unbraked 6.5. Muzzle jump is less on the braked 6.5 but I can still not only hear but see if I hit my gong with the unbraked 6.5 @ 500 yds upon the shot thru the scope. So just for my personal preference, I won't put a brake on anymore of my future rifles in anything 6.5 or less.

 

[Huntz]

I have only had two rifles with brakes on them.Since I now usually hunt with smaller caliber,smaller cartridge rifles ,I can see no advantage in using a brake.I would how ever like to use a suppressor.Different strokes for different folks.

 

[keithcandler]

I put muzzle breaks on everything, I like to see the bullet impact. Electronic ear muffs lets me hear 3x better than humans can hear, so I have a very different hunting experience. Deer grunt, snort wheeze, much more than most would realize, not to mention the smaller bucks like to spar with their antlers often.

 

[gvjm]

Muzzle brakes are like farts, they're such a relief but no one near you appreciates the comfort they give.

 

[Possum Cop]

Have several brakes. I wear hearing protection so that's not a problem. The 300 NM will actually give me a headache from the concussion.

My 338 Lapua has a 20 port brake on it and it gave me the same type of headache so I put a suppressor on it. That makes it pleasant to shoot now.

 

[FEENIX]

Muzzle brakes are like farts, they're such a relief but no one near you appreciates the comfort they give.

This reminds me of Eddie Murphy's Delirious fart game scene.

 

[Nickie.01]

Some rifles and rounds have a different percieved recoil to me. I wouldn't shoot my 338LM in a chassis without a brake, but the 458 in a Winchester Supergrade feels like a shove more than a thump even though it is the lighter rifle?

 

[Deleted member 103481]

No interest here in a long range 30 magnum under 9 pounds loaded. I have lighter ones dictated to shorter range stuff, there is no chance of spotting a shot.

do you have weight brackets you aim for for bigger bored Stuff like 338s

 

[ndking1126]

I can't understand the "muzzle breaks are loud" argument, when we wear hearing protection anyway. Or, "My Guide or PH won't allow MB's." Are you serious? Put your fingers in your ears then! Braked or not, rifles are LOUD

Largely I agree with you. Of course, not all muzzle brakes are created equally. My former boss had a braked AR that absolutely put a hurting (noise and percussion) on whoever was next to it, but I've been next to a fair number of 308, 270 win type rifles with brakes and they didn't seem much different than a non-braked rifles.

As my abilities grow and the distances I shoot at grow, I'm learning the value if spotting shots. Its what I've been working on most lately. Grear post, OP.