Whats your opinion on muzzle brakes?

So if someone was to throw your brass back at your head as you shot, that would be fun for you?

I would laugh. When there is 8 benches ad 7 semi auto rifles be it arms sks, or any other semi auto they all spit brass. They are enthusiasts just like me why would I be mad if some brass comes flying my way it is almost expected and when non does I am surprised.

I am a left handed shooter the guy to my left was shooting an ar and 70% of his brass ended up in my range bag that was on the left corner of my bench I laughed he was happy he didn't have to chase it around.
 
LIke I said when we are almost shoulder to shoulder ch!t happens and I keep having fun. and so do 99% of the people I encounter.

I was hit by a few rounds of brass the other day and my first reaction was that was awesome to be hit by a guy shooting to the right of me whose rifle discharges to the right. Made me smile. I still can't fathom how that happened though.
 
No muzzle brake to avoid noise.
No semi auto to avoid ejected brass
No big caliber to avoid noise
No rapid fire to avoid noise
Neighbours wants the range shut down to avoid ALL noise.
 
The only rifle I have a brake on is my 10TR, I've shot it without the brake and will not go back to that. The amount of jump that it had had me having to preposition on the bag after each shot, now the target doesn't even leave the scopes FOV. It is loud and has a pretty intense concussive blast if you're off to the side. And just like if someone else down the line is using a braked rifle, I stick in extra ear plugs under my muffs, I don't have a temper tantrum like a 3 year old and pack up and leave. If someone came and told me to remove my brake because they didn't like it, I would hand them a set of plugs as well and carry on. I definitely wouldn't put a brake on a hunting rifle though unless I planned on wearing ear protection while hunting...

An obnoxious rifle is far less annoying than the guys (as few as they are) that sit there with their ARs, or .22s, SKS etc, dumping a couple dozen mags down range as fast as they can and then leave, leaving their brass laying all over the place and their mostly missed targets stapled to the boards for other people to clean up. Those guys can GFT...
 
I see "moderator" catching on!

Very good.

My first 300 Win had a muzzle brake. It's nice to shoot, but I'm fiercely protective of what un-tinnitused hearing I have left, so it will never see the field. I *always* have earplugs in my pocket.

At the range, I tried to be far from everyone else, and let neighbors know before I started in with it.
 
My AR came with a brake installed, and I left it on for years, until last week.

I have no issue with the recoil of the massively powerful .223, but I did like how steady the rifle stayed when shooting fast strings in competition.

I swapped the brake for a linear comp simply because my son disliked the muzzle blast he was getting hit with. I'd rather give up seeing my rounds hit the target than dissuade my shooting buddy from hitting the range with me.
 
Muzzle breaks are loud. So loud they hurt, not so much you, but everyone around you, loud to the point your ears will hurt 3 days later if not longer. At the range, when guys aren't sitting next to you and you double up on ear protection, sure. It'll allow you to shoot it for load development and what not without the painful pounding. But in the field where ear protection is not always worn or available? Take it off, thread on the cap and learn to shoot it without a break. Or, find a caliber with greater capability with less recoil. Personally, I'm trying to sell my 300 win mag at the moment, it recoils hard and I'm not s fan of shooting it, so I picked up a 260 that's soon to be a 260 ai. A lot of punch in a low recoiling caliber....
 
I can't wait to get this rifle tomorrow. I hope the threads. Are capable of taking a thread protector of some sort. I like compact, handy rifles and the 3 ish inches that this brake adds are probably just going to annoy me.

Your Ruger brake is OEM.... I would ask the owner if he has the compensator and thread protector that comes stock with the rifle... Here is a pic of my .338 guide gun brake as well as what the compensator and thread protector look like... As you can see, the brakes are all standard threads and marked for caliber, so you should be able to order the compensator and or thread protector if the owner doesnt have them..... These are great rifles that are built like tanks....

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Stay classy my friend.

You are mistaken me for someone that cares. I go to the range to shot. dont give a crap about what other are shooting or doing. Never had anyone with balls big enough to come up to me and say anything either.

Usually they come over to ask if they can try my guns.

I sure like my gravel pit.
 
The first time in my life that I have shot with a brake, was a week ago, in .308 win.

It was at a range, seeing 3 other brakes on the line, I did not feel I was offending anyone by firing with it on (read alot here, about sound/concussion effect, prior to firing)

I easily put 4x the rounds downrange that I normally would, without. And felt absolutely nothing worse for wear. Very happy with the change in manners of the rifle.

At the same time, I really can't see any reason why I would want one on anything smaller. Time will tell. As far as strictly reference to recoil, I don't feel the need.

On the plus side, I've scoped out a nice old airfield, that rarely if ever (I have only ever seen one other person there, in over 10 years) has anyone out at it. Nice high banks surrounding it, and you need to mean it, if you are going to go there. About 45 min. from my house. Same as if I go to the nearest range.

Not gonna aggravate anyone there, with a brake. And as a huge plus, I now have a great long range shooting spot, safe and unpopulated.
 
I absolutely abhor muzzle brakes. If I cannot handle the recoil, then I will step down a notch in power.
They are noisy to the extreme, and as Stubble says, they can have a detrimental effect on accuracy when
a load is developed with one on the rifle, and then it is removed to hunt with. D.

Totally agree. i've got damage to my hearing from a combination of being a millwright more than 26 yrs and shooting since a teen.If you can't handle the recoil, the rifle is too much for you. I seriosly doubt hearing protection is fully protecting one from damage from braked rifles.i was next to a guy shooting a braked Thompson center pro hunter and when he fired it, it cleared both benches and felt just like being close to blasting work.I wouldn't be surprised if they are eventually banned from public ranges.
 
question- why do all the REALLY heavy pieces ( ie artillery)wear muzzle brakes?- and have since the 30's?that's my reasoning- mind you I have only the one and it's a 338
 
Used them in the past loud but worked fairly well. But now that I am in a wheelchair I am looking forward to using mine as soon as it comes in. Hoping it'll take some of the kick away from my .270. Who knows I may even be able to stay seated in my char after a shot :cool:
 
Some of mine have them some don't....depends on the gun.

I've been hit by brass and hit people with brass...its not intentional just a side effect of the hobby. As for throwing brass back at the persons head? Realy? Personally if you go and pick them up and hand throw them at the person that's just juvenile and IMO should be enough reason to have a membership revoked more so then using a brake.

Love them or hate them I say whatever it's to each their own.

I see both sides of the debate and can understand the hate but also don't care if people hate them or have them.


Honestly we are all part of the same sport/hobby if it goes bang I like it!
 
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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.
 
I do not care for muzzle brakes in the field, so none of my 'dedicated' hunting rifles have them. As others have stated a well fitted rifle with a good pad does reduce felt recoil.

While I do not classify mag-na-porting as a brake it does reduce felt recoil ~30% with no noticeable increase in sound or concussion. I have used rifles 'ported' for many years.

The rifles that are braked ,that I have, are a 223 Rem in a Tikka Varmint, the scope becomes a video game....watch the bullet trace and impact. Next is a 6mm Dasher, it doesn't need a brake for recoil reduction but the rifle is very stable in the bags and makes long range shooting much easier. Last is a 300 WM Tikka Tactical, at 10.6# it needs a brake if you want to make reliable hits out to 1000 yards,(this rifle doubles as a hunter especially while watching large cut blocks, it is only carried to the 'stake out' location then set up), it is a totally obnoxious rifle to shoot otherwise.

I'm not for banning anything, at the range (the ones around here are lightly used on week days) I am aware that the brake may be an issue for some, especially those who do not shoot much or whose mental discipline is on the lite side. So I sparingly use the 300 in these situations, the 6Dasher and 223 are of no consequence.

If you are not already deaf then double up on hearing protection.

AS a side note, overbore cartridges with >10,000 psi muzzle pressure are as bad or worse than some braked rifles......short barrel 243 Win comes to mind.
 
there's not much brass bouncing around when you have only 3 shots- and when i'm shooting 338 I try to make EVERY shot count- it's too expensive not to
 
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