Opinions on a muzzle brake
- Thread starter knightcc
- Start date
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
Tell you what. I know two gunmakers very well, one from Canada, one from the US. I'll ask them if muzzle brakes increase the accuracy of rifles, which is the question we're trying to have answered here.
And if you like, I'll even give Mr. Baer a call.
I know how brakes function and what their purpose is. None of the above info you submitted proves in any way that a brake will increase the rifle's accuracy.
Simply put brakes do not increase a rifles accuracy this is why no-one can prove it.
What a brake DOES do is reduce recoil therefore stress on the shooter allowing for more consistant/ accurate shot placement
Originally Posted by guntech
The noise difference in a hunting situation for the person behind the trigger is not very much.
With hunting rifles better accuracy is usually experienced using a correctly installed brake . I have never seen a loss in accuracy.
Less recoil does increase the accuracy of a rifle. It recoils more uniformly and with less violence.
For a short distance the bullet is still affected by the gases exiting the barrel... if these gases can be reduced by accurate diffusion through a brake, they will influence the bullet less... and that can result in better accuracy.
Based on my experience I believe what I posted and this ends my discussion in this thread, the horse is well flogged and dead.
The noise difference in a hunting situation for the person behind the trigger is not very much.
With hunting rifles better accuracy is usually experienced using a correctly installed brake . I have never seen a loss in accuracy.
Less recoil does increase the accuracy of a rifle. It recoils more uniformly and with less violence.
For a short distance the bullet is still affected by the gases exiting the barrel... if these gases can be reduced by accurate diffusion through a brake, they will influence the bullet less... and that can result in better accuracy.
Based on my experience I believe what I posted and this ends my discussion in this thread, the horse is well flogged and dead.
- Location
- Ottawa origanally Muskoka
I've read that depending on the design the brake can either hamper or help.
In some cases the muzzle jump and or recoil is reduced which increases accuracy but a poorly designed or matched one can have too much down force,thus creating muzzle dive,bad harmonic resonance and turbulence in the air which the bullet must fly through.
black powder
CGN Regular
- Location
- Saint Hippolyte
i just sold my BROWNING stainless stalker 300wsm with the BOSS ..with the boss the recoil was next to nothing [also installed a limbsaver recoil pad ] for the price i paid i don't know why browning did not install a good recoil pad instead of the hockey puck ..the noise was horrible i hunted with ear plugs for 6 years ..sold it dec. and ordered a .243 savage weather warrior ,accustock and accutrigger ..
ps. ear plugs [slightly used ] for sale ..
ps. ear plugs [slightly used ] for sale ..
xring_assassin
Regular
- Location
- Rocky Mountain House, Alberta
I had a brake on a 300 win mag 30" heavy RKS barrel made up for long range fun....because it was so fleepin heavy to begin with, I didn't see any group size difference with or without the brake. With the brake ON it though - my ten year old nephew shot it without any whimpering. With it OFF - he got bit and didn't want to play with it anymore.
I shot one coyote with the brake ON and with no hearing protection. Four hours later the ringing was subsiding enough that I could hear myself promising to never do that again.
That is the ONLY SHOT in my life I recall being HURT from.
I shot one coyote with the brake ON and with no hearing protection. Four hours later the ringing was subsiding enough that I could hear myself promising to never do that again.
That is the ONLY SHOT in my life I recall being HURT from.
I am boggled as to how bearkilr does not see the accuracy benifit of the brake. Just boggled. I'd love to hear of a recreational shooter/hunter that experienced worse accuracy with a brake installed and I'm not talking about the guy who's fired hundreds of tuning rounds through the gun then made a modification to the gun. I'm talkin the Gus that shoots 20 shots a year of off the shelf ammo that has poor posture and technique. Brakes dampen the effects of poor technique pure and simple, expert shooters
may not benifit from a brake as they know how to shoot properly and consistently.
Or perhaps his motive is to insinuate that he is such an expert that such devices do not aid in his perfection. Perfect shooter, perfect form and a perfect rifle. I'm envious of this man if this is the case. Us mere mortals need all the help we can get.
may not benifit from a brake as they know how to shoot properly and consistently.
Or perhaps his motive is to insinuate that he is such an expert that such devices do not aid in his perfection. Perfect shooter, perfect form and a perfect rifle. I'm envious of this man if this is the case. Us mere mortals need all the help we can get.
I think bearkilr is NOT questioning the usefullness of a brake in reducing recoil thereby increasing the accuracy potential of the SHOOTER
What he is questioning as am I is the statment that a brake increases the rifles inherent accuracy.
Do not get inherent accuracy confused with realized/ actual accuracy.
You would experience inherent accuracy in a rail gun bolted to a concrete bench where NOTHING would be allowed to move and ONLY the bullet combination is the variable.
Actual accuracy occurs any time you introduce a shooter behind the rifle. In this instance it is shooter mentality, form, ability etc. that will effect accuracy. I do not think anyone can dispute the fact that the less stresses put on the shooter the higher the accuracy potential.
A muzzle brake simply reduces recoil thereby reducing stress allowing the shooter to achieve better accuracy.
I have fired braked rifles,and non braked rifles in chambering with a fair bit of recoil,and I feel more comfortable shooting my unbraked 300RUMs,and 338x8mmremmag,than shooting a friends braked 340WBY.
I find the extra noise,and the gases blowing back into my face,more distracting than recoil.Below are three consecutive groups fired with one of my 300RUM hunting rifles,with a full power hunting load,and a 3-10 scope.I don't feel that installing a brake on my 300RUM rifles is going to make me shoot them more accurately.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
Precisely, thank you for being one of the first to understand.
The only thing I'll add is that a brake will not improve the accuracy of every shooter either, as stubblejumper noted above. Those who are recoil shy or develop a flinch easily would be aided by the use of a muzzle brake.
I have fired unbraked guns where the recoil was uncomfortable to me, namely a 378 Weatherby and a 460 Weatherby, two I can remember off the top of my head. I could see someone adding a brake to these guns to make them more comfortable to shoot, but for myself I'd just choose a less punishing caliber, perhaps something like a 375H&H and 458WinMag.
For me, the added noise a brake produces is far more bothersome than recoil. YMMV
eaglesnester
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I must strongly disagree with those that oppose the use of muzzle brakes. When a break is used, it will give you the opportunity to see bullet trace when long range shooting. (very cool by the way) Try that when you are looking at the moon after you touch it off with out a brake. Almost impossible with out a brake. As for the noise and potential for hearing damage, get yourself a set of electronic Pro Ears or any other brand of electronic sound attenuators. They will attenuate loud rifle reports or any sound above 85db while still being able to hear normal conversation and or deer getting up and bounding away at 75 yards or so. I do not ever shoot without hearing protection even when shooting non magnum non braked weapons. The brake will also improve your shooting. I shoot a 338/378 Weatherby and a 300 Weatherby MK V mag and I can tell you that the brake tames the recoil on the 338/378 to almost nothing. The 300 Weatherby is not braked and it kicks like a sideways mule, I do not mind recoil and do not flinch, but I am here to tell you that the 338/378 is a whole lot more fun to shoot.
Cheers & Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester
When you post some groups fired with your braked 338-378 that match those that I posted from my unbraked 300RUM, you might give some credibility to your claim that a brake improves a persons shooting.After all, you did post that you don't mind recoil,and you do not flinch,so you shouldn't need a brake to shoot any of your rifle accurately.
longbranch*
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Victoria,BC.
Brake?
As to the original question?....No to brakes IMHO. They add noise, muzzle length, weight and expense plus they look silly.
Cheers
As to the original question?....No to brakes IMHO. They add noise, muzzle length, weight and expense plus they look silly.
Cheers
I have fired braked rifles,and non braked rifles in chambering with a fair bit of recoil,and I feel more comfortable shooting my unbraked 300RUMs,and 338x8mmremmag,than shooting a friends braked 340WBY.
I find the extra noise,and the gases blowing back into my face,more distracting than recoil.Below are three consecutive groups fired with one of my 300RUM hunting rifles,with a full power hunting load,and a 3-10 scope.I don't feel that installing a brake on my 300RUM rifles is going to make me shoot them more accurately.
This is an 8 pound rifle yes?
