Muzzle brakes

[Travis Bertrand]

So do all you guys that have the "loud" breaks hunt with ear plugs in all the time. Obviously it's no issue and I always have hearing protection at the range but I have never used any while hunting. I like to be able to hear hooves clacking on rocks or brush rustling and twigs breaking. I am just fearful that I would be presented with a quick shot and blow an eardrum if I forgot to put in ear plugs.

I'm switching to a muzzle brake this year and will run earplugs for sure. With that said, even if I wasn't going to a brake, I would run ear plugs. I've never killed an animal with ear plugs in and wish I couldn't say that. I wish I cared more about my ears then as I do now. You only have two and they don't get better...

 

[GKPrice]

One of the main reasons I haven't considered a brake is due to the noise increase that most report. However, with a reduction in recoil and minimal to no increase in decibels, I might reconsider. I don't mean to question your integrity or be of offense but is there any quantifiable documentation or demonstrations of a sound comparison between stock and on of these brakes?

Brad - Not sure what you're asking ? I've owned more than 5 of them and have led numerous customers and friends to him since the early 90's when I first discovered him and his brakes - "quantifiable" ? I can clearly tell the difference with each I've had on one of my rifles and I can say the same for each of my referrals - I'm not a gunsmith or far reaching vendor, just a guy with too much time on his hands and a lot of friends and friends of friends - Generally speaking, I don't like brakes,(I prefer shorter barrels not longer) - "way back when" 2 of the guys we shot PD's with were LE and swat members who had all of their rifles conventionally braked and we quickly learned to stay away from them - Darrell Holland is a pretty good friend and a great gunsmith but I dare say that his brakes are as loud as the rest albeit a brilliant design for reduction - Look up <muzzlemaster.com> Rich has drawers full of factory brakes he has replaced and that I've seen with my own eyes- he lives 7 miles from me

 

[GKPrice]

i'm switching to a muzzle brake this year and will run earplugs for sure. With that said, even if i wasn't going to a brake, i would run ear plugs. I've never killed an animal with ear plugs in and wish i couldn't say that. I wish i cared more about my ears then as i do now. You only have two and they don't get better...

too bad everyone cannot listen to those words of wisdom - my tinnitus says so too ......

 

[GKPrice]

The muzzle master will screw on and off the gun, so the best comparison is to shoot it with and without the brake. That is all the convincing most guys have needed to decide they want one.

WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT FOR AN EXPLANATION ??! he also now makes a "tactical" version sans holes on the bottom for prone, etc (Rich is a long range shooter too)

 

[colonel00]

Brad - Not sure what you're asking ? I've owned more than 5 of them and have led numerous customers and friends to him since the early 90's when I first discovered him and his brakes - "quantifiable" ? I can clearly tell the difference with each I've had on one of my rifles and I can say the same for each of my referrals - I'm not a gunsmith or far reaching vendor, just a guy with too much time on his hands and a lot of friends and friends of friends - Generally speaking, I don't like brakes,(I prefer shorter barrels not longer) - "way back when" 2 of the guys we shot PD's with were LE and swat members who had all of their rifles conventionally braked and we quickly learned to stay away from them - Darrell Holland is a pretty good friend and a great gunsmith but I dare say that his brakes are as loud as the rest albeit a brilliant design for reduction - Look up <muzzlemaster.com> Rich has drawers full of factory brakes he has replaced and that I've seen with my own eyes- he lives 7 miles from me

I was just curious if anyone had actually documented the sound level difference. Perhaps a video with a decibel meter and firing the gun with and without the brake.

 

[GKPrice]

I don't hunt with ear plugs in my ears. I do try to remember to put them in when I shoot, but it doesn't always happen. If I was a brush hunter, I would take the brake off for that situation.

Justin - I think that is about as honest an answer as most can give to this question - I've carried fold up muffs in my day pack for years but about the last thing I think of when I spot quarry is digging them out, I did, just this last week, pick up 2 models of those plugs with the neck band to try (from Sanderson Safety Supply $6 apiece) - Without question I would not keep any brake on if stalking or brush hunting either - I don't have them on all my rifles and I'll be seeing Rich in the next few days to talk to him about a new one, I like the looks of that Micro Bastard and I'm going to talk to him about a shorter version of his

 

[JustOneMoreShot]

I have several types of ear pro that I carry with me in the field. I have rubber plugs on a plastic neck band that stays behind my hear and at the ready while stalking game. It only takes a second to pop in. If I have adequate time I prefer to roll the foam plugs and get them well into my ears before the shot.
The triple finned rubber plugs go in really fast but do not offer as much sound reduction as the cheap foam plugs.

 

[Rucker61]

I use the Mini Magnum Muscle Brake on my Tikka .300 WSM. I had the smith turn it down to match the barrel OD. Feels like it kicks less than my Tikka .308 now.

 

[dieNqvrs]

How does magna port compare?

 

[MRidge]

I'm probably with Ryan on the deafness scale. Shot a lot of bench rest growing up, and hearing protection just wasn't heard of.
As I stated earlier, the brake on my .280 is brutal without hearing protection. Due to that, it sits in the safe, and is going to be a donor platform for a 6.5-06AI.

 

[KMD]

My 'smith turned a Badger Thruster down to .750" and it works great.
As noted above, APA brakes are excellent & a Micro Bastid would be a honey on a light contour barrel.

And "heck yeah" for opting for a side port style over a radial brake, for anything other than bench shooting.

My coyote rifles aren't braked, but when we're out calling, I wear SureFire Sonic Defenders. Got a couple styles, EP3s & EP7s. They are comfortable enough to wear all day, can converse with them in, and they take enough spank out of the dB blast enough to not have your head ringin' too badly at the end of a day.

Big game/LR from stationary position, wear a full set of muffs.

When wanting to keep weight down, I throw the SureFire SDs in a shirt pocket, or wrap a Howard Leight Quiet Band around the neck, and go...

 

[GKPrice]

How does magna port compare?

Magna Port ..... if it increases the muzzle blast I haven't been able to detect it myself - not too much (if any) recoil "reduction" but definitely tames the muzzle JUMP - make sure a qualified "Magna Port" technician does it - On my first lightweight 338 Win Mag it cured the muzzle jump and the scope started "touching" my forehead under recoil (very unnerving) til I moved the Leupold ahead a squidge, then all was good (still kicks though)

 

[In God We Trust]

I have a VIAS on mine but others have already stated the downfall of that break. I try to wear hearing protection when I am taking a shot at an animal. Last year I had to stalk in on my bull as a nything over 200 yards wasn't feasible because of the terrain. I found a rock to lay out on and another large boulder was on my right so it formed a rock wall. I had to take a quick shot so no hearing protection. After I shot I thought my ears were going to start bleeding! The noise from my .300 WM was crazy. I will make sure I put plugs in before I do that again.

 

[1buckslayer]

In my years I've never hunted with hearing protection. It just doesn't work and if you use electronic muffs they're actually illegal in some states. I started with a 7 mag with a multi hole radial brake, and I also use a 30-378 with a radial brake. Any guide will cringe when he sees the thing, cause it puts all the blast in your face. The very worst are side port large open chamber style like surefire brakes. If its just your hunting rifle, the best thing to do is leave the brake off. Your not going to be plinking all day with it

 

[LaGriz]

[ATTACIn stalled a H=CONFIG]24702[/ATTACH
Installed a "quiet Brake" on my Kimber Montana that did reduce the .325WSM recoil to a level close to that of my .280 Rem. The resulting muzzle blast is far from quiet! In 2010 while hunting in Wyoming, I took a shot at a "yote" with no ear protection. I think my ears were ringing for the rest of the hunt and then some! If I had to do it again I would install a removable style brake for range work, with a threaded cap for hunting. I find that recoil while in a hunting situation not being much of a problem. However, while sighting in or doing any load work, the discomfort was enough to make me flinch with anticipation. Bad habits that lingered when I shot more mild calibers.

Anyone have any thing to say about this kind of brake?

LaGriz

 

[LaGriz]

View attachment 24703
Once again with the attached pic.

 

[bhylton]

I still cant see it?

do you or anyone else for that matter see significant POI changes or velocity changes with a brake? Basically if you used a removable brake like you say for hunting, would your rifle perform the same on the hunt (no brake) as it did the day before at the range (with brake) ?

 

[GKPrice]

[ATTACIn stalled a H=CONFIG]24702[/ATTACH
Installed a "quiet Brake" on my Kimber Montana that did reduce the .325WSM recoil to a level close to that of my .280 Rem. The resulting muzzle blast is far from quiet! In 2010 while hunting in Wyoming, I took a shot at a "yote" with no ear protection. I think my ears were ringing for the rest of the hunt and then some! If I had to do it again I would install a removable style brake for range work, with a threaded cap for hunting. I find that recoil while in a hunting situation not being much of a problem. However, while sighting in or doing any load work, the discomfort was enough to make me flinch with anticipation. Bad habits that lingered when I shot more mild calibers.

Anyone have any thing to say about this kind of brake?

LaGriz

Been hearing exactly the same thing for years now - I just checked my friend Richard Buss's <muzzlemaster.com> website and I'll admit he has not updated a very poorly done informational on his muzzle brakes - I will be chatting with him tomorrow about a new brake for a 338 and I'll mention it to him - If the muzzle "crack" is any worse than an non-braked rifle I have never been able to detect it - I've mentioned his "baffled" muzzle brake numerous times on this forum but it just seems to fall on deaf ears (no pun intended) but that's alright I guess, just means no waiting time for my jobs .......

 

[GKPrice]

I still cant see it?

do you or anyone else for that matter see significant POI changes or velocity changes with a brake? Basically if you used a removable brake like you say for hunting, would your rifle perform the same on the hunt (no brake) as it did the day before at the range (with brake) ?

Not likely - the norm is to rezero after removal

 

[direwolf]

I'm 100% sold on Rich's design. I have his brakes on all my hunting rifles including 2 semi auto 338's. Why not. Greatly reduced recoil, directional venting to prevent barrel jump, no increased noise and tunable to tweak the accuracy on your favorite load. I hope he does well with his business because I'm a customer for life.