Suppressor vs Muzzle Brake for Long Range Hunting

[General RE LEE]

I threw my APA Little Bastard on my 20” Tikka 308 shooting 178 ELDX and forgot how easy it was to spot hits and misses at 600 yards.

I like my suppressor, but the recoil impulse makes spotting impacts more difficult than a brake.

For long range hunting, especially hunting alone, do you prefer a suppressor or brake to spot hits and reactions?

I’m starting to lean towards a brake. It’s significant enough I’m considering buying some in ear hearing pro that I wear an entire hunt.

 

[BigAl!]

A good muzzle brake will outperform (aka reduce recoil impulse) the best suppressor. So while it's easier to spot hits with a MB, it can certainly be done with a suppressor. A lot of comes down to shooting fundamentals. Cartridge and weight of rifle play a part as well. Aka easier to spot impacts with a 6.5 creed than with a 300 WM provided that both are identical setups.

 

[General RE LEE]

A good muzzle brake will outperform (aka reduce recoil impulse) the best suppressor. So while it's easier to spot hits with a MB, it can certainly be done with a suppressor. A lot of comes down to shooting fundamentals. Cartridge and weight of rifle play a part as well. Aka easier to spot impacts with a 6.5 creed than with a 300 WM provided that both are identical setups.

Agree although it’s pretty tough to spot hits with a healthy charge from a 6.5 PRC and a factory Tikka stock, even with a can.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

Suppressor. And it’s not even close. I absolutely loathe a brake these days. The one gun I still use a brake on will be getting a suppressor hopefully this summer and I’ll do away with the brake on it.

 

[SDHNTR]

I have brakes on nearly all my guns, and I would gladly swap them all out for suppressors in a minute if I could.

 

[TxLite]

Suppressor without a second thought

 

[JGRaider]

Another suppressor vote here......brakes suck.

 

[Brucebarker024]

Suppressed for sure. I use a brake on my comp gun and hate it. I’ll take a can hunting every time.

 

[6.5x284]

Supressor here as well. I switched to a can on my match gun too and loved it. I didn’t know how bad I hated the brake concussion until I shot day 1 at a match with a brake and day 2 with a can. No headache, everything just felt better, and wasn’t as bad of recoil as I expected. I still have a couple of brakes for very specific circumstances but they are rarely used.


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[id_jon]

I'll never shoot a brake again if I can help it. But also 6.5cm is my version of a magnum.

 

[24valve]

Suppressed every time, and I used to shoot braked rifles.

Animal reaction is another factor to consider, they react much differently to suppressed shots in ways that often allow for more follow-up shots.

 

[cowdisciple]

How about one of those new TBAC "reduced recoil" suppressor/brake combos?

 

[cuerro viejo]

Suppressor 99% of the time. The 1% is just Mexico and Canada where it’s illegal

 

[Adamsfj]

Suppressed whenever possible unless illegal like when I hunt Canada as stated previously

 

[JohnJohnson]

Suppressed every time.

 

[199p]

Deppending on the size on the case

under 7prc run a can on everything
7prc had a can with a suppressor last baffle
above 7prc running a brake

 

[Dmoua]

Brake for me.

 

[Matt5266]

Supressed ..... all day every day

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I use brakes or go without a brake or suppressor. Suppressor is just added weight and length for hunting, you still need hearpro and I don’t think there is much difference in how big game react to a supressed vs unsupressed rifle. Animal behavior and reaction to a shot is more about pressure. If they haven’t been shot at recently or ever, they rarely spook after the first shot. If its later in the season, they are more likely to take off.

 

[MaraviaDave]

Suppressor: good for low recoiling, high round count, training (practice) rifles.

Brake: good for high recoiling, low round count, hunting rifles.