Muzzle Brake

[Vansomerenc]

I recently ordered a Seekins Precision Havak Pro Hunter 2 in 300 PRC. I would like to get a muzzle brake to reduce felt recoil but try and keep the weight down. I found a comparison of 30 cal brakes from TTAG but saw a bunch of guys on snipers hide kinda ripping the study. Anyone here have some experience to help me?

 

[stiwarrior]

APA "the answer" should fit nicely with thin barrel, I have one in my tikka 30-06 superlite.
kick is pretty much the same as my 243

 

[wind gypsy]

MBM titanium, Christensen side port titanium, terminator, and the new sponsor to this forum from Idaho are where I’d look for recoil reduction with minimal weight added.

The ph’s aren’t particularly light to start. My 300 WM PH1 wears a 419 hellfire and it behaves nicely. An APA little bastard would work nicely too. The micro bastard and answer size brakes are effective but for a 300 PRC I’d want a little more port diameter to help spot shots.

There isn't a lot of magic to brakes. The more surface area on the ports and the more rearward angled they are, the more they reduce recoil. Having steep rearward angled ports also correlates to louder muzzle blast for the shooter.

Some folks offer top ports with the intention of reducing muzzle rize. I'm not sure how I feel about that because it does induce some uneven forces on the barrel. I have one of the APA Gen3 little bastards on a rifle and cant say how much of a difference the top ports make.. That rifle also weighs over 20# and has an MTU contour barrel and is only burning 40 grains of powder so it stays put anyway.

 

[Bubblehide]

There are lots of good brakes out there. But recently , I purchased a 5 port brake from Fierce (good design) but I received a 4 port. I left Fierce a message about it a week ago. I still have not heard back from them.

So I called Fierce this morning and was told they went to a 4 port due to too many complaints of the 5 port being to long. I can see that being the case, as their 4 port is about as long as most would want.

 

[gexpro]

I run the Christensen slayer on my 300PRC Ridgeline. I am very very happy with how much it reduces felt recoil.
Beware, if you shoot it at the gun range.. warn your fellow neighbors.. the side blast is pretty wicked.

 

[HuntnPack]

Muscle Brake. Angled front ports for recoil reduction & 90 deg. Rear port that reduces the concussive blast to the shooter.
(Most important to me)
Ti model Available.

Piercision Rifles - Muscle Brakes

www.piercisionrifles.com

 

[BBob]

The brake test is getting a bit dated but has some good info.

Best Muzzle Brakes & Suppressors – What The Pros Use

This article covers the muzzle brakes and suppressors the top 170+ precision rifle shooters in the c...

precisionrifleblog.com

Muzzle Brake: Summary of Field Test Results

This post summarizes the eye-opening results for the massive muzzle brake field test I’ve worked on ...

precisionrifleblog.com

 

[Vansomerenc]

So I am strongly leaning towards a APA Lil Bastard. Trying to decide between Gen 2 vs Gen 3. Also brake color. My barrel is blasted stainless. Brake color options are black nitride, raw stainless or blasted stainless for $35 fee. Anyone have pic of a black brake on their stainless barrel? Thoughts?

 

[BBob]

I use many APA LB Gen 1’s, basically a Gen 2 but cut to fit instead of self timing. They do fine. I have rifles with Surefire, Area 419 Hellfire, and have used many others before. Surefire is not as effective as APA LB or Hellfire. Hellfire and LB close enough I couldn’t tell the difference.

Not the best pictures but it happened to be out on the bench. The Hellfire is black nitride.

 

[wind gypsy]

So I am strongly leaning towards a APA Lil Bastard. Trying to decide between Gen 2 vs Gen 3. Also brake color. My barrel is blasted stainless. Brake color options are black nitride, raw stainless or blasted stainless for $35 fee. Anyone have pic of a black brake on their stainless barrel? Thoughts?

black looks fine. Blasted looks fine. Raw stainless with a rattle can finish looks fine. Here’s my ph1 with a 419 hellfire.

 

[buzzyb]

I have a kampfield brake on my 300 mag works great

 

[DontHuntWA]

Area 419 hell Fire is great, also Ap’s gen 2 LB. smith seems to prefer the apa.

 

[gelton]

I have had a Seekins ATC Muzzle Brake for the better part of four years and never had it installed on my Weatherby BackCountry 300WM.

However, I have a plate and screws in my neck and last week while I was shooting I jarred my neck and have been stoved up ever since. My days of lightweight magnums are limited so after hunting season I think I am going to switch out the Leupold for a Nightforce and finally get the brake installed.

Between the extra pound or so from the scope and the brake hopefully, it will tame it a bit. The Seekins brake doesn't get high marks but as stated above there isn't a lot of magic to brakes, the difference between a 40% reduction in recoil or a 50% reduction in recoil would hardly be noticed IMO.

 

[grahambiel]

I have a PVA backcountry brake which I’ve been really happy with. Supposedly directs more of the blast away from the shooter but I’ve never shot it without ear pro so I can’t vouch for that but it significantly reduced the felt recoil on my a bolt and only weighs about 2 ounces

 

[Dayv_33]

I would say the APA LB has been the most effective brake I have tried, definitely loud and correctly named

 

[wind gypsy]

I have had a Seekins ATC Muzzle Brake for the better part of four years and never had it installed on my Weatherby BackCountry 300WM.

However, I have a plate and screws in my neck and last week while I was shooting I jarred my neck and have been stoved up ever since. My days of lightweight magnums are limited so after hunting season I think I am going to switch out the Leupold for a Nightforce and finally get the brake installed.

Between the extra pound or so from the scope and the brake hopefully, it will tame it a bit. The Seekins brake doesn't get high marks but as stated above there isn't a lot of magic to brakes, the difference between a 40% reduction in recoil or a 50% reduction in recoil would hardly be noticed IMO.

The difference in recoil between the seekins ATC and something like the little Bastard or 419 hellfire is obvious if you try them both on a 300 mag.
My havak ph1 came equipped with ATC, it now wears a hellfire and there was no mistaking the difference in recoil, ability to stay on target, and noise at shooter between them.

 

[gelton]

The difference in recoil between the seekins ATC and something like the little Bastard or 419 hellfire is obvious if you try them both on a 300 mag.
My havak ph1 came equipped with ATC, it now wears a hellfire and there was no mistaking the difference in recoil, ability to stay on target, and noise at shooter between them.

Thanks for the input...interesting though that the Hellfire has less noise to the shooter even with more aggressive porting...seems like the opposite would be true.

 

[wind gypsy]

Thanks for the input...interesting though that the Hellfire has less noise to the shooter even with more aggressive porting...seems like the opposite would be true.

I didn’t mean to infer the the hellfire is better in regards to noise, it’s definitely louder (worse).

 

[OSU Fisher]

I have 6 different area 419 hellfire's. They work great and their adapter/self timing system is very easy. Also their customer service is top notch. I recently had a little screw up (completely my fault) they took care of me and Got me what I needed at no charge. Something like it or the little bastard is where I would look

 

[PA Hunter]

There are lots of good brakes out there. But recently , I purchased a 5 port brake from Fierce (good design) but I received a 4 port. I left Fierce a message about it a week ago. I still have not heard back from them.

So I called Fierce this morning and was told they went to a 4 port due to too many complaints of the 5 port being to long. I can see that being the case, as their 4 port is about as long as most would want.

I absolutely love my Fierce CT Edge & brake on it!!!