Muzzle brake on a backpack rifle (300 win mag)?

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Doubtful. Have you ever tried that? Regardless, it is shooting and it is loud.

This integrally braked 45-70 is no fun being next to, but there is no reason to sit next to me if it’s too much. Plenty of room to spread out.

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I regularly use both when at the range due to my ability to attract a certain class of individual everywhere I go. There can be 30 bays open and these people with brakes (and those who love to spray and pray) have to sit next to me. I use the same setup on the rare occasions that I don't attract those folks as I do enjoy my hearing.

Thresholds
Single Use Damage: 140 dB
Extended Use Damage: 85 dB

Disclaimer: Easy to cherry pick numbers to "prove" a point. These numbers are "for demonstration only" that are generally in-use. Can easily bump up protection a wee bit as well as reduce noise level a wee bit.

Rifle
308 Win
Brake: APA Little Bastard

Position
Behind rifle
163.2 dB

Hearing Protection
Walkers Razor Pro Digital (over-ear): 23 dB
Radians foam ear plugs (in-ear): 29 dB
35.53 dB reduction (only get about 67-68% net result with hearing protection due to ear bones)

"Net" Loudness: 127.67 dB
Hearing Impact: Damage especially during a WKR range session

This is from the CDC (more accurate than their COVID section):

Noise Source	dB	Hearing Impact
Gas-powered lawnmowers and leaf blowers	80-85	Damage to hearing possible after 2 hours of exposure
Motorcycle	95	Damage to hearing possible after about 50 minutes of exposure
Approaching subway train, car horn at 16 feet (5 meters), and sporting events	100	Hearing loss possible after 15 minutes
Loud entertainment venues (such as nightclubs, bars, and rock concerts)	105–110	Hearing loss possible in less than 5 minutes
Shouting or barking in the ear	110	Hearing loss possible in less than 2 minutes
Standing beside or near sirens	120	Pain and ear injury
Firecrackers	140–150	Pain and ear injury

 

[s1768s]

I only shoot my braked rifle on a range sparingly, if at all. I look for alternative locations for practice as it is loud (for me and others) for sure.

 

[11boo]

I nearly always get a bay to myself. The range is very underutilized, but sure as heck someone always seems to want to join me. Empty bays everywhere.
Last time it was a guy shooting a 300 PRC, with a can.
He didn’t mind my 6.5, we ended up spotting for each other on some long steel shots.

 

[Rich M]

I have joining a private range in my 2023 budget.

This is a guy’s farm and he lets me shoot for $10 a head.

My dad belongs to a range but mainly shoits skeet. $100/yr i think.

 

[donrleonard]

Looks like I’m going to be calling Ruger and asking them to ship me a muzzle thread protector. There’s things I can do to reduce recoil sensitivity. It sounds like there’s not much I can do to protect my hearing in the field.

I remember once I took my ear pro off while walking down range to change a target and forgot to put it back on. I was the only one at the range, so it was only my dumb self that fired a round off before remembering to put my muffs back on. Thank god I had already decided to take the brake off of the 450BM.

I can only imagine how likely it is that I would forget to slip my ear pro on when I’ve got a deer in the crosshairs. Bye bye brake.

 

[Choupique]

If I HAD to have a brake, I'd invest in some electronic ear protection and just leave it in. Walkers silencers were on sale for a little over $100 (I think) a couple of months ago. I bought some and I highly recommend everybody wear some any time they are shooting anything, but extra so for those with brakes.

 

[blacklab1]

Just wanted to get my two cents in. Not all breaks are created equal, some breaks have their ports facing back more then others. Depending on what one you have there’s little to no concussion when you’re behind the rifle, but when you’re beside it it’s pretty miserable. I shoot a lot of 3 gun and all my firearms have breaks as do a lot of other people there. If common sense is used breaks can improve your shooting ability considerably. Most pro shooters use some type of suppressor or muzzle break….. if the rifle shoots soft and flat seeing impact and follow up shots are easier and quicker. Just my opinion though.

 

[josef]

Hearing loss aside, I am always worried about brakes losing timing and causing a POI/POA shift. Obviously there is rockset and crush washers that can help but its one less variable.

 

[donrleonard]

Update. Ruger gave me the thread protector part for free and is overnighting it at my expense. I’ll probably have to zero with the brake on and get some practice in this week before next week’s hunt. But I’ll be able to re-zero without the brake on this weekend. Will post the before/after results here.

thanks again everyone.

 

[11boo]

Update. Ruger gave me the thread protector part for free and is overnighting it at my expense. I’ll probably have to zero with the brake on and get some practice in this week before next week’s hunt. But I’ll be able to re-zero without the brake on this weekend. Will post the before/after results here.

thanks again everyone.

Now I can take the tape off my Ruger threads. Mine is a 6.5 and really does not need the brake, so I wrapped electrical tape on the threads.

E mailing Ruger now. thanks.

 

[donrleonard]

Now I can take the tape off my Ruger threads. Mine is a 6.5 and really does not need the brake, so I wrapped electrical tape on the threads.

E mailing Ruger now. thanks.

Cheers man. PS, which tent is that in your profile photo? Looks sick.

 

[11boo]

Cheers man. PS, which tent is that in your profile photo? Looks sick.

Seek 8 man. Great tent for sure.

 

[donrleonard]

Nice. I’ve got the baby version. Lanshan 1 Plus

 

[donrleonard]

Bad news is that I wasn’t able to do a before and after on the brake. Ruger really came through and got that piece in the mail the same day I ordered it, allowing me to do the inaugural zero with the thread protector in place.

Good news, this thing’s a tack driver. And also a shoulder driver

Ruger American 300 Win Mag shooting 190gr Barnes LRX at 100 yards.

 

[kyle_esquer]

I most archery hunt but when I rifle hunt I have a muzzle break on my 308 and 6.5. I shoot it without ear pro (probably shouldn’t) but with 1-2 shots my ears have not rung afterwards. That may have to do with adrenaline? Not too sure but works for taking longer shots and staying on target for a follow up. Just my $.02

 

[fwafwow]

I most archery hunt but when I rifle hunt I have a muzzle break on my 308 and 6.5. I shoot it without ear pro (probably shouldn’t) but with 1-2 shots my ears have not rung afterwards. That may have to do with adrenaline? Not too sure but works for taking longer shots and staying on target for a follow up. Just my $.02

Welcome to RS! I hate to preach, but as I sit drinking my coffee and listening to the ever present ringing in my ears, my advice is to NEVER shoot without ear pro, especially with a MB.

 

[kyle_esquer]

Thank you! And yes you’re right you shouldn’t but I’m still young and dumb!! Lol

Welcome to RS! I hate to preach, but as I sit drinking my coffee and listening to the ever present ringing in my ears, my advice is to NEVER shoot without ear pro, especially with a MB.

 

[fwafwow]

Thank you! And yes you’re right you shouldn’t but I’m still young and dumb!! Lol

Not throwing stones. Obviously if I’ve got tinnitus, I was (and in many ways still am) dumb.

 

[kyle_esquer]

Not throwing stones. Obviously if I’ve got tinnitus, I was (and in many ways still am) dumb.

No worries at all! Didn’t think you were throwing stones in the least bit.

 

[bowrunner81]

Today I was at the range shooting my SHORT 17 inch 7 saum, and accidentally took a shot with my ear pro off my left ear. Im pretty sure I did some sort of serious damage to it. My hearing sounds like a broken speaker when I hear most noises, its obviously ringing and feels plugged, an I can hear well out of it.
I have accidentally shot with other rifles before without ear pro, but not a short magnum like this. Im wondering if I permanently damaged my ear today.

What was it like when you burst your ear drum? Symptoms, did your hearing/ringing recover?

Did the plugged feeling and the ringing go away?