Muzzle brake

powdergun

powdergun

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
244   0   0
So the barrel is on the way (sendero contour) so next is the brake. I am a bit confused on the sizing ( threads etc...). I don't really want a clamp on and I,d like one that looks like it is part of the barrel.

Any recommendations on a reasonably priced brake to buy and add to the pile of parts.
 
So you have a gunsmith who is going to do the machining and install the barrel? If so, perhaps ask the gunsmith what brake they would recommend. With the right brake for the barrel contour, they can machine the brake to perfectly match the barrel and appear seamless.
 
Here is a brake that is pretty much blended to the barrel contour.

003.jpg
004.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 003.jpg
    003.jpg
    55.6 KB · Views: 274
  • 004.jpg
    004.jpg
    74.4 KB · Views: 274
Here is a threaded removable radial brake on a Sendero.
senderoradialbrake-0.jpg


Here is a threaded removable side port brake on a Sendero.
preview-sendero-indexed-brake-side-view-0.jpg
 
OR4NGE said:
Dont forget area 419 sidewinder. Great self timing. Have good results with lantac dragon as well.
Click to expand...

My issues with the Area 419 is that they have a tendency to get carbon locked. Mines locked up tighter than a nuns you know what - took less than 100 rounds to do it to. The brake gills are sharp as #### too, easy to cut the heck out of your hand if you try to remove/unlock it by hand. Unrefined machining, I would expect the finished product to have radiused/smoothed edges. It also sends more blast/concussion back to the shooter than the Insite brake.

My shooting friends in Utah have also moved on from the Area 419 to the Insite Heathen, as they were experiencing similar issues.

The A419 is a neat design, I like that they have different mounts for swapping from brake to suppressors, but the design needs some tweaking. Overall the Heathen is a more refined product.
 
I run the 419 brakes on all my comp guns, never had an issue with it locking up due to carbon, I just pull it off after a match and clean it. Not sure what you mean about unrefined machining, maybe you got a bad one but all of mine look good. Recoil reduction is great, little to no poi shift when shooting with out it. The design is great your brake will never loosen off from where you set with is something I found all other self indexing brakes have issues with unless you tighten them on with a wrench of some sorts.
 
Brakes loosening are why I avoid brakes that require a wrench to tighten - sucks when they come loose and you don't have a wrench on you, especially during a match. My APA lil b@stard brake always liked to come loose.

I don't have issues with the Insite brake coming loose, but since owning the APA I'm paranoid and snug up all my brakes by hand every ~50 rounds or after every couple of stages so that they don't come loose.

My Area 419 is not a "bad one", it's just like all the others that they produce. I personally think they could benefit from some additional machining - radius the edges or at least softening them somehow would be a nice touch so they aren't cheese graters on your hands. It may be subtle but the quality of the machining on the Insite brakes is better than the Area 419.
 
powdergun said:
So the barrel is on the way (sendero contour) so next is the brake. I am a bit confused on the sizing ( threads etc...). I don't really want a clamp on and I,d like one that looks like it is part of the barrel. Any recommendations on a reasonably priced brake to buy and add to the pile of parts.
Click to expand...

I just want to express my gratitude that you spelled muzzle 'brake' correctly. Kudos.
 
kthomas said:
Brakes loosening are why I avoid brakes that require a wrench to tighten - sucks when they come loose and you don't have a wrench on you, especially during a match. My APA lil b@stard brake always liked to come loose.

I don't have issues with the Insite brake coming loose, but since owning the APA I'm paranoid and snug up all my brakes by hand every ~50 rounds or after every couple of stages so that they don't come loose.

My Area 419 is not a "bad one", it's just like all the others that they produce. I personally think they could benefit from some additional machining - radius the edges or at least softening them somehow would be a nice touch so they aren't cheese graters on your hands. It may be subtle but the quality of the machining on the Insite brakes is better than the Area 419.
Click to expand...

Well that’s your opinion and your entitled to it, and being as big of a fan boy to insite that you are I wouldn’t expect less. I’m looking at 4 419 brakes right now and they all have a radius cut on the port edges, no tooling or matching marks and don’t tear up my hands when tighten or loosening them.
 
Simply my observations after spending my own money on APA, Area 419, Insite and Crux brakes.

I am a big fan of Insite, as they produce great products and do an excellent job building rifles. So I'm definitely a proponent of them.

I do like Area 419 stuff, I have a lot of their products in my reloading room. Just myself nor my shooting buddies have had good luck with their brakes, though I know others that swear by them.
 
Speaking of brake attaching systems, my Grendel SRT is quite unusual. The muzzle has a long external taper; the brake has a matching internal one. One has a left hand thread, the other, right hand. A collar locks them together, having RH threads on one end, LH on the other. When tightened, the barrel and brake are brought together firmly. The matching tapers contribute to locking them together, and also guarantee alignment. Unscrewing the collar forces the barrel and brake apart. The system was also designed for mounting a silencer, although that is irrelevant here.
When I fit a brake, I torque it on, just as I would torque a barrel to a receiver. These are not hand tight, unlike the Grendel system.

001.jpg
002.jpg
003.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 001.jpg
    001.jpg
    94.9 KB · Views: 130
  • 002.jpg
    002.jpg
    91.7 KB · Views: 133
  • 003.jpg
    003.jpg
    89.8 KB · Views: 132
Last edited:
I used to run a Heathen, I switched because I found it doesn't help with muzzle lift, it has equal surface area exposed to pressure on the top and bottom of the brake. Other than that its a great option. Im running a Slim Brake now, tames muzzle lift on my 6.5 a ton, you can clearly see the difference of area on the top vs bottom. May not be such an issue with 6mm's?
 
IMO, a brake's a brake. I like the Heathen because I shoot with partners and we all appreciate the lessened blast.

I used to run Benchmark muscle brake (now called the "tactical") and that thing was great, as long as you were behind the gun! The "Miller" would be a better option.

Powdergun, knowing what your plan is for this rifle, I'd say pick one you like the looks of or talk to the smith you choose and see what he has that he can blend into the barrel contour for you. Even a radial or Vias that is on the low end of recoil reduction are going to lessen the effect by 30%. At the end of the day, it's your custom build and you should be happy fondling her!

Edit: should mention quick, the downside to lower ports and rear facing ports is crud kicking up that can end up in your face and possibly your action if you plan to shoot prone..

P.S. you mentioned thread pitch, 5/8-24 is the most common size for large caliber rifles until you get into real heavy barrels. 1/2-28 for 223, ARs and the like
 
Last edited:
I've tried a lot of brakes, and always come back to the Badger Thrusters. Never found anything more effective then those at reducing recoil and keeping scope on target to see hits. They can be blended to barrels easily as well. They do require more precision work by a Smith to open up/install/time/blend, easy to clean and never need to be removed.
Yes they are not new and tacticool, but they work well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom