Whats your opinion on muzzle brakes?

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.
 
heronfish said:
Or be considerate of others. You should try it sometime.
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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.
 
DILLIGAF said:
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.
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You are my hero
 
DILLIGAF said:
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.
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Hoorah!

As for muzzle breaks on a bolt action hunting rifle... I don't see the point. You never feel the recoil in the heat of the hunt anyways. It just makes sighting-in more comfortable and the possibility of a follow-up shot quicker (if you know how to shoot, you wouldn't need a follow-up shot anyways) to each their own I suppose.

Now a semi-auto with a break/compensator makes sense to me.
 
Of the few times I've had a muzzle brake, shooting next to someone, nobody has complained. If it annoys them enough, they'll say something.

I've also been next to others who use a brake, it didn't bother me.

Some of the comments here are funny. If someone has a device that helps them shoot better, why dis them for it? It's their gun, their money and they're the ones using it.

It's like saying why should anyone have power steering on any vehicle? Sure, you can drive without it.....in fact, you're a pussy if you can't handle a little armstrong steering.
 
Shot beside a guy once you didn't let anyone know what he was firing and how loud it would be, everything went quiet for a while and ears rang for a while. But hey, didn't affect the guy shooting, so who cares right.
 
ssapach said:
It's like saying why should anyone have power steering on any vehicle? Sure, you can drive without it.....in fact, you're a pussy if you can't handle a little armstrong steering.
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Well, you do have a point there. Perhaps it just annoys me while looking for a used gun. Especially when it's a very nice pre-64 M70 that they chopped the stock for a recoil pad, removed the sights, and threaded on a muzzle brake and expect you to pay full-pop collector value for it.
 
Eagleye said:
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.
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I agree . . don't like them and would not use one. . If the recoil is too much to handle then look for other solutions . . eg: recoil pad, better fitting stock, shoulder pads for target shooting or if all else fails; less gun. .

If someone beside me, at the rifle range, is shooting with a muzzle break, I pack up and leave.
 
I'm going to see if I can annoy as wide a segment as possible with my answer...

I have a number of braked rifles, and a number without, in a wide variety of power ranges.

When it comes to recoil, brakes do make a difference, but it isn't an important difference to me. Dealing with recoil is more about stance and shooting posture. Get these right, and anyone can shoot almost any rifle (within limits). Get it wrong, and even relatively light recoiling cartridges can wear you down, especially after continuous and repeated shooting.

For my mind, the big advantage of a brake is in keeping the muzzle flat when shooting - preventing the natural tendency for muzzle rise and lateral swing (to the right for right handed shooters, left for left handed shooters). This makes it far easier to keep the scope on target to verify your shot, and also allows for a quicker follow up shot if necessary - especially with semi-autos. (Yes, yes, I know - 1 shot, clean kill, every time, right? Except sometimes not, and anyone can flinch.)

The downside is noise, especially on shorter rifles. And it isn't just noise, but the concussion wave - which can be jarring and uncomfortable.

So, for me, it works out to a blend.

Bolt action rifles, especially with open sights, I'm not going to brake. The benefits don't outweigh the downside. I'm going to need to re-acquire while cycling the action anyway. And even with a scope, I'm opening my weak eye as I fire and will be able to see the effect of the shot outside the scope.

For high volume shooting (think varminting), or cases where a follow up is more likely and/or a case where a follow up is potentially a safety issue (hog hunting, or other dangerous game), I'm going to lean towards a semi auto with a brake.

When it comes to shooting from a bench... Courtesy prevails. I'm fortunate enough that out club seldom has all the benches full, so simply moving an extra bench over makes it tolerable enough for the other people on the line. At the same time, if someone is blasting away with a braked rifle on the bench beside me, *shrug*, oh well. I have good ear pro and it doesn't bother me much. I also have some shorter barrelled "handy" rifles without brakes, that realistically are just as nasty, in terms of noise and concussion, as my rifles with brakes, and yet those don't seem to draw the complaints out.
 
I have never cared for muzzle brakes. I bought a kimber mountain ascent, because I wanted a light weight rifle, and it came with a removable brake. I use the brake at the range only, I remove it when I go hunting. Just remember to check the POI with the brake removed. I haven't noticed any change in accuracy with my rifle and a MA has a whippy barrel.
 
grelmar said:
.... I also have some shorter barrelled "handy" rifles without brakes, that realistically are just as nasty, in terms of noise and concussion, as my rifles with brakes, and yet those don't seem to draw the complaints out.
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Yup. And _EVERY_ shot with an unsuppressed centerfire will damage hearing in unprotected ears. Some more, some less; but all will damage.

As for my muzzle blast disturbing shooters on nearby benches and getting my membership revoked? Really? Have you ever shot next to a handgun in .243?

I love the muzzle devices on my rifles.

I'll give up the brakes when I can attach a sound moderator instead.
 
I hate muzzle brakes. Go ahead, flame me, but they're effective at getting ranges shut down and causing preliminary hearing loss, if that's your thing. Personally, i think there should be a few benches reserved for rifles with muzzle brakes. Sort of like a smoking section, if you will. It's pretty much the same argument as "loud pipes save lives."
 
The only rifle I have a brake on is my 50BMG and that's because it actually makes sense.

One of my AR15's came with a brake, I hated it so swapped it for a regular flash hider.

I always double up hearing protection for everything I shoot, anyway. But brakes are obnoxious and I think that they are unnecessary for the average shooter. If you want to shoot a gun bigger than your current tolerance level, work up to it.
 
Splatter said:
Yup. And _EVERY_ shot with an unsuppressed centerfire will damage hearing in unprotected ears. Some more, some less; but all will damage.

As for my muzzle blast disturbing shooters on nearby benches and getting my membership revoked? Really? Have you ever shot next to a handgun in .243?

I love the muzzle devices on my rifles.

I'll give up the brakes when I can attach a sound moderator instead.
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Try standing behind and just to the side of a braked .30-378. I'll never own a braked rifle while I own a hacksaw.
 
I don't mind them at all. The stuff I shoot isn't huge in recoil but spotting my hits is a huge plus. They are loud but we all should be wearing ear pro anyway. I now wear it even when using a gas lawn mower or rototiller. Cant believe I used to shoot without ear pro on.

Last fall our long range club had a boomer shoot 800-1000 yards. I was placed in-between 2 338 edge rifles with brakes. Was it loud? You bet I had double ear pro on. Did it make me hate life and want to go pout in the truck? Heck no. I love shooting

The only way I would not use a brake is if I can use a moderator.
 
grelmar said:
I'm going to see if I can annoy as wide a segment as possible with my answer...

I have a number of braked rifles, and a number without, in a wide variety of power ranges.

When it comes to recoil, brakes do make a difference, but it isn't an important difference to me. Dealing with recoil is more about stance and shooting posture. Get these right, and anyone can shoot almost any rifle (within limits). Get it wrong, and even relatively light recoiling cartridges can wear you down, especially after continuous and repeated shooting.

For my mind, the big advantage of a brake is in keeping the muzzle flat when shooting - preventing the natural tendency for muzzle rise and lateral swing (to the right for right handed shooters, left for left handed shooters). This makes it far easier to keep the scope on target to verify your shot, and also allows for a quicker follow up shot if necessary - especially with semi-autos. (Yes, yes, I know - 1 shot, clean kill, every time, right? Except sometimes not, and anyone can flinch.)

The downside is noise, especially on shorter rifles. And it isn't just noise, but the concussion wave - which can be jarring and uncomfortable.

So, for me, it works out to a blend.

Bolt action rifles, especially with open sights, I'm not going to brake. The benefits don't outweigh the downside. I'm going to need to re-acquire while cycling the action anyway. And even with a scope, I'm opening my weak eye as I fire and will be able to see the effect of the shot outside the scope.

For high volume shooting (think varminting), or cases where a follow up is more likely and/or a case where a follow up is potentially a safety issue (hog hunting, or other dangerous game), I'm going to lean towards a semi auto with a brake.

When it comes to shooting from a bench... Courtesy prevails. I'm fortunate enough that out club seldom has all the benches full, so simply moving an extra bench over makes it tolerable enough for the other people on the line. At the same time, if someone is blasting away with a braked rifle on the bench beside me, *shrug*, oh well. I have good ear pro and it doesn't bother me much. I also have some shorter barrelled "handy" rifles without brakes, that realistically are just as nasty, in terms of noise and concussion, as my rifles with brakes, and yet those don't seem to draw the complaints out.
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Actually that concussive wave can be a health hazard to shooters at the benches alongside you, regardless of the hearing protection that you wear. Our range did not specifically ban brakes, but we don't allow one shooter to interfere with other shooters, be it bouncing ejected cases off of them, or knocking things off of their bench with a brake, or pounding them with those concussive waves. The rules are simple, you can use brakes, or semi autos, but it is up to you to control your ejected cases, and to not expose the other shooters to those concussive waves. So either you find a bench with nobody next to you, or you shoot when the shooters next to you are not shooting. And as with all range rules, if a member choose to violate them, he faces the risk of having his membership revokes as some people have in the past.
 
Getting hit with brass is half the fun :) Heck it's expected when we are shoehorned in like a bunch a cattle at the shooting line.

Sounds like people just need something to complain about...

Must be the same dudes that tells me I shouldn't run headers and that I should install a muffler and CATs on my HEMI ;) because the noise makes them feel uncomfortable while they drive a minivan.... HAHAHAHAHAHHAAH
 
DILLIGAF said:
Getting hit with brass is half the fun :) Heck it's expected when we are shoehorned in like a bunch a cattle at the shooting line.

Sounds like people just need something to complain about...

Must be the same dudes that tells me I shouldn't run headers and that I should install a muffler and CATs on my HEMI ;) because the noise makes them feel uncomfortable while they drive a minivan.... HAHAHAHAHAHHAAH
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So if someone was to throw your brass back at your head as you shot, that would be fun for you?
 
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