To muzzle break or not to muzzle break

[frostop]

I just got my 33 nosler together and have only fired it maybe 10 times.
It's not the first rifle that I've had a break on but needed on this one!
I put a MBM Beast on it and the back blast is very noticeable!
I have to say that I have never been a fan of a break mainly because of the added noise.

My question is do any of you remove the break for hunting season?
Usually when hunting you don't even feel the rifle go off.

Gary

 

[snox801]

Nope leave mine on. But you could remove it.

 

[cohunt]

I put a brake on my rifles

 

[gusd]

I leave mine on. With or without a brake all my rifles are to loud to shoot without hearing protection. So ear plugs go in no matter if the rifle has a brake on or not.

 

[rharfo]

When I hunt/shoot I protect my ears. Lots of inexpensive hearing protection on the market.

 

[Slick8]

I leave mine on.

I went with a vias brake for just this reason, not quite as effective bit not as harsh on the shooter.

I'm shooting a 7 pound empty weight 30 nosler and while it has a little pop it's very manageable from the bench. I shoot with no forearm contact and very light shoulder contact. Couldn't do that without a brake.

 

[bearcat2]

I've thought a lot about taking mine off for hunting but haven't done it. Mainly because I've never gotten a ring to protect the threads and think about it the night before opening day.

I carry earplugs in my pocket, and always use them if I have time, but a lot of times you don't have time. And those muzzle breaks are an earbreaker. The outfitter I work for has permanent hearing loss and tinnitus in one ear from the one on his STW, and then he had a client muzzleblast his good ear last year shooting a mule deer. Now he has permanent hearing loss in both ears and it is affecting his hunting.

I am getting some hearing loss, but while I always wear hearing protection when target shooting or around equipment I"ve been around equipment, guns, and chainsaws my whole life. Over time that can affect you even with hearing protection, so I can't really blame it on the muzzle brake. Although I remember shooting and elk from prone on a flat tablelike rock with it one day and my ears rang for about three hours.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Every rifle I own (except my varminy AR and a pair of 10/22s) is braked. From 6CM to .300RUM.

 

[willtim]

No brake.

 

[frostop]

I'm sorry, I may have used the wrong words. I said blast, what I am referring to is the air movement back at me. Honestly it was unexpected. I'll just have to get used to it. And yes hearing protection is going to be used.

Thank you for the reply's, just thought maybe someone here may actually take the brake off for hunting.

 

[Troutslayer2]

I took mine off today. I'm going to check zero this weekend and I won't put that thing back on till spring.

 

[memtb]

When I had my rifle built, I also added a brake. It was quickly removed and lost! That was wasted money, as I'm "not" going to hunt with plugs or muffs. If the rifle were being used for varmint hunting or extended range or steel sessions...then perhaps. But as a hunting rifle, with the occasional 10 to 20 rounds from the bench....I'll deal with the 59 to 60 ft/lbs recoil. When hunting.....recoil is a non-issue! memtb

 

[Code4]

If there is any kind of rearward deflection of the 'blast'. It will decrease recoil but at the expense of you wearing it in the face. Ports should face out from the bore line at 90deg..

 

[frostop]

I took mine off today. I'm going to check zero this weekend and I won't put that thing back on till spring.

I would really be interested in what you see as far as point of impact changes.

When I had my rifle built, I also added a brake. It was quickly removed and lost! That was wasted money, as I'm "not" going to hunt with plugs or muffs. If the rifle were being used for varmint hunting or extended range or steel sessions...then perhaps. But as a hunting rifle, with the occasional 10 to 20 rounds from the bench....I'll deal with the 59 to 60 ft/lbs recoil. When hunting.....recoil is a non-issue! memtb

I agree with your statement that the recoil while hunting is a non issue. My thought is to use the brake while practicing etc. and remove it during hunting season. I also would rather not have to use hearing protection while hunting-more often than not I hear the animal before I see it. I may look into something like the walker's game ear ear plugs that help hearing but cut out gun blast.