Muzzle break miracle

[Engineering101]

I've seen a number of threads recently that say stuff like "but recoil will me more" or "if you can handle the recoil". Why are we even talking about recoil? A muzzle break will make just about anything shootable by just about anybody. A case in point - my skinny little toothpick of a niece, from 430 yards, used my 338 RUM to knock a 120 pound gong off the pegs and the gong has her outweighed! When I asked her later what she thought of the recoil, she didn't remember that there was any recoil. Of course there was but it wasn't enough to get her attention.

The bottom line: They make every rifle easier to shoot more accurately. And it's not just about the big boomers, put a break on a 22-250 and you can spot your own shots.

Before you all tell me that it makes the gun louder, sure it does but this is a long range hunting forum. If you have time to dial up a scope you sure have time to stick in some ear plugs. And if you get in a pinch, you can shoot without hearing protection. I've shot the very same 338 RUM mentioned above (which is about as bad as it gets) without hearing protection. My left ear rang for about 2 hours and the right ear a few minutes if at all. My 357 Mag is much worse and people use those for self defense inside a house!

And for all you guys out there using Chris Long's barrel timing method, a muzzle break has no effect like it is not even there. I got that straight from Chris. So now can we quit talking about recoil? Get out there and support the gun business – buy yourself a muzzle break or two. Thanks for listening – pun intended.

 

[Joe King]

Not every body likes brakes, why put one on when it's not required $400 is a chunk of change for the idea of your rifle being more shootable, but if you can hold moa or better past 1k then why spend the money on that? Would you not be better served spending the $ on reloading components and trigger time.

Depending on the load in my 7mag, with 168gr I can spot my hits every time from 500 out, 180gr forget it, my 22-250 the target stays well within the sight picture at all ranges. If your already driving your rifle well and it doesn't beat the **** out of you, I don't see a good reason for the expense, OTOH if recoil is a bit much by all means get a good quality partition brake. Something like Kirby Allens Painkiller design.

 

[bigngreen]

Not every body likes brakes, why put one on when it's not required $400 is a chunk of change for the idea of your rifle being more shootable, but if you can hold moa or better past 1k then why spend the money on that? Would you not be better served spending the $ on reloading components and trigger time.

Depending on the load in my 7mag, with 168gr I can spot my hits every time from 500 out, 180gr forget it, my 22-250 the target stays well within the sight picture at all ranges. If your already driving your rifle well and it doesn't beat the **** out of you, I don't see a good reason for the expense, OTOH if recoil is a bit much by all means get a good quality partition brake. Something like Kirby Allens Painkiller design.

A good quality brake, installed should not cost more than $250 including the part!!!

 

[sj-pratt]

That's why we don't all drive Chevy's

I personally like shooting guns with a brake at the range, working up loads is much easier for me with less recoil. My personal every day hunting rifle is 11lb 7MM WSM that pushes 180 Bergers at 2995 FPS and its heavy enough that recoil isn't uncomfortable, and while hunting if I can shoot without a brake I do. So even though I make and install brakes I like it both ways if that makes any sense. Sometimes a good brake can bring the best out of a custom rifle just because it brings the best out of the shooter that's pulling the trigger.

 

[Broz]

Joe, your post (especially the $400) leads me to believe you have not bought or used many brakes. Do I understand you to say you feel you will shoots as accurately at 1000 without a brake? I would love to show you the difference one of the newer well designed brakes make in accuracy , comfort and spotting shots. I think you could be in for a pleasant surprise. They are the best $225 I can spend and feel it is a must on most long range rig above 6mm.

Jeff

 

[jkupper]

I'm of the opinion that everyone ought to do as they please. Having said that, I was not able to hold the scope on target with my 7mm RM, so I just sent it in to have a brake installed. It will be my first. I have been able to hold the scope on with my 220 swift, 243 Win, and 30-06, so I never have seen the need to get one before now. I am excited to get the gun back and see how it does! For me it wasn't at all intolerable recoil, just couldn't see the bullet hit, and since I hunt alone more often than not I thought it was a necessity. My $.02

 

[Broz]

For me it wasn't at all intolerable recoil, just couldn't see the bullet hit, and since I hunt alone more often than not I thought it was a necessity. My $.02

Shooting form plays a large part here too. With proper form and a good brake I have seen the holes go in a target at 100 yards from my 300 win and a 200+ gr bullet. For spotting hits (or misses ) good form and a good brake are equally part of the equation. I feel you will be plenty pleased with your up graded 7RM.

Jeff

 

[sj-pratt]

I should have stated in my earlier post that a Titanium installed is only 250.00 I didn't see the 400.00 post

 

[D.ID]

I have bean preaching it since I learned it my self. I have several braked rifles. The wife's first one cost allot and was the nightmare your average anti brake crowd refers to, then got another for that same rifle that was only slightly better, then found an awesome break at a fraction of the cost. Having already got hooked on the walkers game ear from putting up with crap radial brakes, noise is a non issue. The Ross Schuler's brakes run like $75 installed and tame the recoil so well that recoil just ceased to be an issue even for my wife who thinks the 270win kicks so bad she can not effectively shoot it without a brake. Last year she got hooked on my 338 edge and my #2 edge is really her new elk gun so I don't have to share mine. Recoil debates really are silly, I do not brake anything smaller than a 300win, she does not brake anything smaller than 270win. Anything bigger than that we put a break on and forget all about recoil. That said I don't brake the little ones and I don't spend that kind of money on a brake.

 

[Joe King]

Joe, your post (especially the $400) leads me to believe you have not bought or used many brakes. Do I understand you to say you feel you will shoots as accurately at 1000 without a brake? I would love to show you the difference one of the newer well designed brakes make in accuracy , comfort and spotting shots. I think you could be in for a pleasant surprise. They are the best $225 I can spend and feel it is a must on most long range rig above 6mm.

Jeff

NO, Never had a reason to consider buying one, and to be clear I had a memory fart, I've never looked at them hard though. If you guys want put up some links, I'll look probably read the whole site top to bottom.

I've never been afraid of pointing out that I do not care for brakes, or that the reason I don't care for them is because of the total lack of common courtesy exhibited by others in my experience, I'm not saying you do that or that any person on here does that, only that I have been on the receiving end of some asshat setting up on the next bench at and empty range, muzzle blast directed at your face will leave a bad taste in you mouth for that device, I do understand that they have their places and uses. Bigngreen has told me he has found brakes that limit what I have been on the receiving end of, and I would be interested in seeing that for myself. If I ever come to posses a rifle chambered in such caliber that a brake is necessary for me you can bet I will have one. I guess you can relate it to the guy to your left spraying you with brass from an AR. Or you can think of it as the same reason you don't see many braked rifles at shoots where you have a number of shooters lined up at the same time.

If you can spot your hit at the range your shooting then A. you have a rifle that does not produce excessive recoil and B. your form and follow though is good as well wouldn't you say? And recoil is not sufficient to be detrimental to your shooting. I'm not seeing why it's needed. But if it is not needed then would you not be better served with more ammo and trigger time?

 

[bs911]

I'm not an expert, I don't play one on tv, and I didn't even stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night. But the sound issue MUST be considered, especially for the person who hunts with that rifle.

I shot a deer once with a 7mm Rem Mag with a muzzle brake in a situation where I did NOT have the time (or perceived importance of FINDING the time) to put my hearing protection on. My ears too rang for a couple hours.

That kind of ear damage is NOT trivial to just brush off. It CAN BE permanent. It IS cumulative. And once it happens, it can't be reversed. There is no "toughness" factor to prevent, or deal with hearing damage. The "oh, it'll be ok for one shot" is a dangerous mindset to have... for your ears.

I currently shoot a .300 WSM without a brake. Could I shoot better with a brake? I have NO doubts that I could. But I plan to hunt (and hopefully shoot) a lot with that rifle. That part really changes the equation for me.

 

[Pdvdh]

Re: Muzzle Brake Miracle

NO, Never had a reason to consider buying one, and to be clear I had a memory fart, I've never looked at them hard though. If you guys want put up some links, I'll look probably read the whole site top to bottom.

If you can spot your hit at the range your shooting then A. you have a rifle that does not produce excessive recoil and B. your form and follow though is good as well wouldn't you say? And recoil is not sufficient to be detrimental to your shooting. I'm not seeing why it's needed. But if it is not needed then would you not be better served with more ammo and trigger time?

I would never make the decision based on the nuisance some other shooter poses with his braked rifle. You ought to try one. You may be the exception to the rule, but more than 95% of shooters will shoot their rifle more accurately, and with greater enjoyment, if they combine hearing protection with an effective muzzle brake - IMO. Especially when trying to connect on distant targets. This would apply to most .257 and larger caliber high powered rifles. If you're comfortable shooting a non-braked rifle, you'll be even more comfortable shooting that rifle with a brake. A shooter should always wear hearing protection, whether the rifles are braked or not, unless they want to spend the last half of their lives repeating the question "What?"

 

[IdahoCTD]

I'm not an expert, I don't play one on tv, and I didn't even stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night. But the sound issue MUST be considered, especially for the person who hunts with that rifle.

I shot a deer once with a 7mm Rem Mag with a muzzle brake in a situation where I did NOT have the time (or perceived importance of FINDING the time) to put my hearing protection on. My ears too rang for a couple hours.

That kind of ear damage is NOT trivial to just brush off. It CAN BE permanent. It IS cumulative. And once it happens, it can't be reversed. There is no "toughness" factor to prevent, or deal with hearing damage. The "oh, it'll be ok for one shot" is a dangerous mindset to have... for your ears.

I currently shoot a .300 WSM without a brake. Could I shoot better with a brake? I have NO doubts that I could. But I plan to hunt (and hopefully shoot) a lot with that rifle. That part really changes the equation for me.

This isn't even a excuse anymore with things like Walkers Game Ears. You can wear them all the time while hunting and they cancel out the high decibel noise when you need it. Technology is a wonderful thing.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I put a brake on a few of my rifles for an entirely different reason. When I started shooting sporter weight rifles in 300RUM and 338RUM I noticed that the scope would occasionally brush my eyebrow. That's a bit too close for comfort and when shooting from field positions you have less than perfect form. So while the recoil never bothered me, the thought of getting smacked by the ocular lens was enough to convince me to use a brake on the heavier recoiling rifles.