DYI Muzzle Brake in Action

[el gordo2]

Moved from gunsmithing forum....



I made this DYI muzzle brake and a thread protector for a 6.5x284 of mine last week. Later in the day I decided to shoot and video it for grins. It was shot with a Canon 60D in video mode, not great but it's ok.
The effectiveness of the brake is pretty impressive, it's a night and day difference.

While viewing it in editing mode I was able to get a couple of stills capturing the bullet exiting the brake.

Just wanted to share these.......

A different angle and shot....

 

[BGE541]

Would the R to Left twist of the Ports negatively effect the Right hand rotation of the projectile? How did it do?

 

[Jumper]

Really cool pics. Nice brake too.

 

[el gordo2]

Would the R to Left twist of the Ports negatively effect the Right hand rotation of the projectile? How did it do?

I am really not sure how it would effect the bullet one way or another. You can see the bullet has left the barrel as the pressure/blast follows it. This brake has a left to right helical from the shooter's position. The rifle's pet load is a 142gr SMK and Reloder 22 but I am running low on both of them so I tried another. It was a random book load using a 107 SMK and Varget. Just shot a couple of 3rd groups and it shot under 1/2" @ 100yds with them. I have not tested the brake vs thread protector to see POI change if any yet.

A phone pic of the target sorry it is sideways....

 

[BGE541]

Maybe I am looking at it wrong but in the photo the brake appears to have ports going from "upper left to lower right" or would seem to suit a left hand twist barrel. (Going against the rotation of a RH twist barrel) Make note I think the brake looks very nice and the pictures are vey high quality I am simply (guessing) from an engineering stand point (I am NOT an engineer). Either way please keep us posted when you try it out at farther range.

I am really not sure how it would effect the bullet one way or another. You can see the bullet has left the barrel as the pressure/blast follows it. This brake has a left to right helical from the shooter's position. The rifle's pet load is a 142gr SMK and Reloder 22 but I am running low on both of them so I tried another. It was a random book load using a 107 SMK and Varget. Just shot a couple of 3rd groups and it shot under 1/2" @ 100yds with them. I have not tested the brake vs thread protector to see POI change if any yet.

A phone pic of the target sorry it is sideways....

 

[shooter.dm]

Very cool pics

 

[pawprint2]

Going with rotation, going against rotation, not rotating, looking at your targets....the proof is in the pudding!! I think you done a beautiful job, and your photos are coooool, I'd love to see more, and with a couple of slower powders, just so we can learn how the gas flow at the muzzle is effected by the burn rate-you seem to have the skills to do it! I'd bet everyone would learn something from them, I know I would. Thanks for the great post.

 

[565fitter]

very cool shots

 

[Unknown]

Until this posting, I had never thought about the barrel twist and how it relates to the twist of a muzzle brake's ports (if at all). It would be an interesting exercise to and shoot the same rifle with both right and left hand twist brakes. What I would be interested to learn is whether having the twist of the brake going with, or against the twist of the barrel changes anything. Perhaps, one way helps accuracy or velocity, and the other hurts it...or nothing happens.

 

[deadeye]

Until this posting, I had never thought about the barrel twist and how it relates to the twist of a muzzle brake's ports (if at all). It would be an interesting exercise to and shoot the same rifle with both right and left hand twist brakes. What I would be interested to learn is whether having the twist of the brake going with, or against the twist of the barrel changes anything. Perhaps, one way helps accuracy or velocity, and the other hurts it...or nothing happens.

Within my ability to test - nothing happens.

I have tried many different shapes, style, sizes, and materials (including the direction of both slots and holes) - other than the noise, point of impact change, and percent of recoil reduction - I have seen no difference in accuracy or speed.

Just my findings - your mileage may vary.

Dan

 

[Unknown]

Deadeye,
That is great info, and something I have long wondered about. Thanks very much for the research, and for sharing your info. Very few people have either the time or resources to do such research.

 

[Lrush]

I don't think the rotation of the ports would matter since the bullet does not contact the brake

 

[malinkyhoy]

nice work.