Whats your opinion on muzzle brakes?

I have made and/or installed hundreds of brakes but was not really a fan and was more in the "if you can't handle the kick, shoot a smaller cartridge" camp. In recent years, I have modified my stance somewhat and feel that if the benefits (recoil reduction and lessened muzzle jump) out weight the consequences (increased perceived noise) for a shooter; he should have a brake. As far as range etiquette is concerned, some people are considerate and some people are not. Whether or not they are shooting a rifle with a brake, they don't change their personality.
 
stubblejumper said:
To all of those people that think that bouncing brass off of the other shooters is an acceptable part of shooting that can't be avoided when shooting a semi auto, there are things called brass catchers that are available. I have used them on both ar rifles and on my acr, and they work very well. They not only keep your cases from hitting other shooters, but they also make it much quicker and easier to clean up your cases. So in fact there really isn't any excuse for the other shooters to be struck by your ejected cases. The people that have played too many video games and are trying to load and fire their semi autos as fast as they can may not be concerned about shooting with any accuracy, so hot cases striking their head or going down thier collar may not bother them, but some people are trying to develop loads, or sight in their firearms with some precision.
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well, there's a couple of solutions you haven't mentioned yet-1- if you know your rifle ejects to the right, take a right OUTSIDE lane that ejuects into a wall or whatever- garands and m305/14 are famous for this

2 if you're inside , same deal- actually I find the worst offenders are in the pistol range- the guys that stick their arms beyond the benchwith their AUTOMATICS
and THEIR brass ends up bouncing off your noggin
 
At what point power-wise can a top exhausting brake be used; e.i. Cutt's Comp or a Ruger MK1 style brake? I'm assuming that the hotter rounds can't use it.
Is a Cutts Comp style a pistol power only thing?
I found the Ruger style to be quieter actually, but that's on 22 lr obviously. At what point is the power too high for these?
 
It is situation and shooter dependent on whether it is going to be the right thing for you.

You gonna call a guy a pussy for using a break on his .260 after he had a debilitating shoulder injury?

Also, not being a #### helps a great deal when shooting around others.

Sometimes think a little is all I have to say to some of the responses on this thread.
 
savagelh said:
So if you bought a rifle with one, eagleeye, would you remove it before you even fired it?
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Absolutely!! And as a matter of fact, I have done exactly that!! I acquired a 7mm Rem Ultramag with a brake on a custom barrel
I had a cap made for the threads, and only fired/did load development after the brake was removed. D.
 
tokguy said:
At what point power-wise can a top exhausting brake be used; e.i. Cutt's Comp or a Ruger MK1 style brake? I'm assuming that the hotter rounds can't use it.
Is a Cutts Comp style a pistol power only thing?
I found the Ruger style to be quieter actually, but that's on 22 lr obviously. At what point is the power too high for these?
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Just how effective a top-vent-only brake can be and at what point the depression of the muzzle becomes too much of a good thing, is dependent upon the bullet weight, muzzle pressure and even the stock design. A high muzzle pressure in combination with too much venting and the butt will nearly hit you beneath the ear. I have built brakes which vented to the side and up and have then vented the top by trial and error until I achieved what I wanted. By the way, the location of the top vent matters as well. If the top vent is before the side vents, the reduction in muzzle jump is much greater as the residual pressure is less if the vent is located further out.
 
My gun My brake deal with it. I had a bad whiplash injury when younger so brakes on antyhing high recoil has a brake At the range I will warn any shooter-spectators to plug up, your fault if you don't comply. Use electronic muffs when hunting too.
 
I have a vais brake on my 308. Not for th recoil but for the accuracy and speed in follow up shots. As for the noise, I do not wear hearing protection while hunting and do not find my ears ringing after taking a shot or two.

Last year at the range I set out my 308 and an older guy commented on the brake before I even took a shot (he picked the spot beside me) I shot a couple and then switched to my 30-06 without a brake and he said the 308 didn't bother him at all but the 30-06 was loud and had a lot of pressure. Obviously out of courtesy I sighted it in and put it away.

I also get my hearing checked annually for work and can hear just fine, before someone says I'm probably deaf anyways.
 
Leeper said:
Just how effective a top-vent-only brake can be and at what point the depression of the muzzle becomes too much of a good thing, is dependent upon the bullet weight, muzzle pressure and even the stock design. A high muzzle pressure in combination with too much venting and the butt will nearly hit you beneath the ear. I have built brakes which vented to the side and up and have then vented the top by trial and error until I achieved what I wanted. By the way, the location of the top vent matters as well. If the top vent is before the side vents, the reduction in muzzle jump is much greater as the residual pressure is less if the vent is located further out.
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Actually, I wonder if a more indirect venting design might not tame recoil and and reduce noise ( directs it up and away from all concerned...except birds).
No expert on brakes, but the Ruger style definitely reduced noise as well as recoil. But in a minuscule cartridge of course. There has to be a point when the energy is too great...always a 'Do not exceed' limit. Just where; and is the trouble, and is the added weight worth it?

It would take a machinist to build & test it...just a thought.
 
All I know is if I see a guy using one at the range I don't want to be at the next bench.
 
Venting upward is desirable on a handgun because the center of the bore and the recoil force is well above the hand so the barrel rotates upward as much as rearward. This is not the case with a rifle; even one with a lot of drop in the stock. As I said, with high muzzle pressure, venting out the top of the brake can become too much of a good thing and may depress the muzzle considerably more than one might like.
On the Ruger 22, there is little pressure and it takes considerable venting to accomplish much. Even with larger pistol cartridges, bullet weight is comparatively high, muzzle pressure is comparatively low and the top venting makes sense. Trust me, on a 338, you wouldn't like it.
 
I can live with brakes at the range, I can live with brass flying around, but I ####ING hate when that ####### shows up and doesn't own a spotting scope and wants to walk down range every 3 minutes to check his target....
 
can anyone post facts about the results of using a muzzle brake....? good, bad or otherwise....
appears many words are being stated without any result...
 
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