Is a brake really a necessity on a .300 win mag?

If it is a range toy get a brake. If it is a range toy and the occasional hunting gun get a threaded cap and a brake that is easy to remove - best of both worlds.

I don't want to leave a range session feeling beat up and if you are going to shoot a lot of 300WM without a brake you will probably feel that way.

Being able to shoot a 300WM or 338LM unbraked does not make you more of a man. Some big boys are really recoil sensitive and some little guys are not.
 
I wasn't suggesting that I'm any more "manly" than the next guy, just stating how little experience I actually have with bigger rifles like this.
I'm definitely never too stubborn or proud to admit when I need help.....And I definitely have a bunch to learn about this bolt gun stuff.
Appreciate everyone 's help on this thread,and I'm looking forward to learning a bunch from you guys.:)

Scott
 
dubltap said:
I wasn't suggesting that I'm any more "manly" than the next guy, just stating how little experience I actually have with bigger rifles like this.
I'm definitely never too stubborn or proud to admit when I need help.....And I definitely have a bunch to learn about this bolt gun stuff.
Appreciate everyone 's help on this thread,and I'm looking forward to learning a bunch from you guys.:)

Scott
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Sorry, didn't mean to imply that I meant you. A lot of guys seem to think shooting with brakes is unmanly or something.
 
Ryan.M.Anderson said:
Sorry, didn't mean to imply that I meant you. A lot of guys seem to think shooting with brakes is unmanly or something.
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No offence taken,Ryan.I hope you didn't think I was getting crusty with you,cause that was definitely not my intention.:)
I can totally relate to what you're saying about some guys being really recoil sensitive;In my younger days I could shoot an old 12ga with a steel buttplate all day long without complaining,but a day of shooting my 870 with the Magpul stock leaves me bruised up pretty good and questioning my life choices...!lol!

Scott
 
If you decide to try one of our brakes, you may use it and abuse it....and if you for any reason are not happy with it send it back for a refund; this offer goes out to anyone on the fence about which brake to exchange for their hard-earned cash;)
 
What experience do you have with calibers of "lesser" power? Such as a 25-06, .308 win, even .30-06? If you can shoot the last 2 with no problem, then the 300winmag will add about 10-15% to the recoil. I have found that 300 winmag ended up being my favorite caliber to shoot. I have never used a brake as my hearing is shot, and I frigging HATE being around anyone who uses one. Just too damn unpleasant and loud. I am 5'9" and 185lbs , and I find it relatively easy to shoot. Now, mind you, I hold on tight to the rifle, because it does recoil a bit. BUT, the weight of the rifle is probably the most important thing. My 300 is a Howa with the heavy hogue stock. It has a good recoil pad also. My gun is not light, and this alone can negate most recoil issues.
I have shot other "lesser" power guns such as my friends Savage Weather warrior in 30-06 and that feels like it has more recoil. It is a lighter gun, and feels like it comes back much more sharply.
I also reload for my gun, using max loads and a 200 grain bullet. So , really, I would just try it first without the brake, and if it becomes too much, get a thick, soft recoil pad. THEN, if that is still too much........(sigh) consider the brake or porting. Really though, if you are as big as you stated, I really don't think you will be bothered much.
Is there anyone you know that has a .300winmag you could shoot a couple of shots from to guage how the recoil feels? I find it almost the same as a 7mm Rem Mag in recoil. (if someone has one of those instead)
 
Insite Arms said:
If you decide to try one of our brakes, you may use it and abuse it....and if you for any reason are not happy with it send it back for a refund; this offer goes out to anyone on the fence about which brake to exchange for their hard-earned cash;)
Click to expand...

That's pretty impressive.If you folks are confident enough to stand behind your product like that,it says a lot.Your Heathen brake has been recommended to me by several shooters as well.
Consider me a customer in the very near future.

Scott
 
Do you need it, no.

I share the opinion of a few previous posts, at the very least have the barrel threaded. I had a 300 WM target rifle I assembled, at 16 lbs. With scope and bi-pod I was pleasantly surprised at how tolerable the recoil was compared to its original form (Stevens 200)...until I sat down at the bench and started working up a load for it. It didn't take much imagination to realize that 40-50 rounds down range was going to be a bit uncomfortable. More than that would beat the crap out of you.

If I was going to do it again there would be a brake on the muzzle.
 
I've braked a few .300s, mostly so I could watch the bullets hit the steel. They are good for that, and will take the recoil down to the joke level.


That's the good news; the bad news is that if you ever manage to let one go without hearing protection you'll probably think that you got shot. Agony doesn't even begin to describe it.


If you're going to do it, do it. Don't do half of it.
 
My 300WM is 8.5 lbs scoped and loaded and I'm 5'10" and 180 lbs. No muzzle brake and I enjoy shooting up to 20 rounds in one session off the bench. More than that starts to hurt. For load development I use a lead sled. The way I see it: if the 300WM barrel is thick enough to take a large diameter thread at the muzzle, it will be heavy enough to shoot without a brake. A 10-12 lb rifle would be just fine. Be warned that a 5/8-24 muzzle might not be sufficient with a 300 WM. Some loads can be making 12,000 psi or greater at the muzzle, according to Quick Load. This can cause belling of the threaded section of the bore. Definitely bad for accuracy. Check out this article at Accurate Shooter: h ttp://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2015/04/muzzle-threading-dont-remove-too-much-steel/.
 
To brake or not to brake. That is the question.

Necessity has nothing to do with it.

A huge decrease in recoil and quicker target acquisition is the main benefit.

Over 50 years I have install several hundreds of brakes. The vast majority of owners were/are happy as hell with them. The vast majority did not use a thread protector. They ran the brake all the time. A few were/are not happy using a brake.

Keep in mind if you work a load up for the best accuracy and sight the rifle in using a brake, that when you remove the brake you change the barrel harmonics and may have to work a different load up and sight in again.

If you plan on shooting prone in the dirt you will want a brake that requires indexing that has no ports pointing at the ground...

A threaded brake installed without permanent Loctite can be removed for ease of cleaning the barrel and/or the brake.
 
if you are recoil sensitive, you may want one. I have a rem. 700 long range in 300wm, all stock set up, and the rifle w/ scope have fairly decent weight. I wouldn't say I will flinch every time I pull the trigger, but the recoil is definitely on the edge of being unbearable.
 
Anyone else get a hard time when at the range with a brake? I’ve had people semi joke and say “how many more shots you going to take” “it’s so loud”, I am a pretty considerate person so usually I’ll switch rifles for a bit but I mean you’re at the range.
 
I've been at the range and had people with brakes set up next to me. They just go about their business and I go about mine. With plugs or muffs it's bearable. Last time I went shooting it was full so I went to the first available bench. When it's quiet I go to the far end away from everybody. Never had a problem and I don't foresee any either
 
I ran one on my modded tikka 308 and loved it. Is it required? No. But I prefer less recoil and being able to stay on target. When shooting a few hundred rounds my shoulder feels better at the end of the day.
 
I'll be getting my first muzzle brake installed this month. After sighting in my 45-70 and Tikka T3 lite in 300 WM I decided to try it. I probably could have gotten by with a better recoil pad but I wanted to try one.
 
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