Retune Load After Removing Muzzle Brake?

[Cardboard Assassin]

I use a 5 port brake on my 6BR but as there are some F Class events coming up which I want to use the rifle in I will have to remove the muzzle brake.

I found a great load for my 6BR in its current configuration (it was pretty easy - 6BR is not hard to load for in my experience) that shoots consistent sub 0.25 MOA.

What have folks found when they removed a brake from their rifles - did the same load still work or did the load need tweaked a little to find the sweet spot again?

I'm thinking it will need a little adjustment (seating depth is my guess) as removing the brake will probably affect the barrel harmonics to some degree but this gun really isn't fussy for loading so its hard to know. To be clear I will be installing a thread protector when the brake is removed (for obvious reasons).

 

[roostercogburn98]

My inexperience speaking here, as I have never used a brake. I’d be more inclined to think it would be a nominal shift that could be corrected with scope dials? Wouldn’t think there would be a need to start over with load development

 

[spife7980]

It may or may not, it certainly won’t be optimized if you change from your current configuration, I’d certainly to check before the comp if you want to be competitive in it.
I forgot my can for half of day one at a match and my dasher was a shot gun, confirmed it was bad at the zero range. Put a can on in the afternoon when it was delivered to me and went back to shooting well.
Tune it how you’ll shoot it.

 

[Cardboard Assassin]

My inexperience speaking here, as I have never used a brake. I’d be more inclined to think it would be a nominal shift that could be corrected with scope dials? Wouldn’t think there would be a need to start over with load development

If that is the case that wouldn't be terrible.....

 

[Cardboard Assassin]

It may or may not, it certainly won’t be optimized if you change from your current configuration, I’d certainly to check before the comp if you want to be competitive in it.
I forgot my can for half of day one at a match and my dasher was a shot gun, confirmed it was bad at the zero range. Put a can on in the afternoon when it was delivered to me and went back to shooting well.
Tune it how you’ll shoot it.

Yup, agreed.

I think I will load up some ammo and take the gun (complete with brake) to the range and verify with a group or two (should be a formality - it is a tack driver) then remove the brake / fit the thread protector and shoot another group or two.

If the groups open up I'll play around with seating depth to get it back in the sweet spot for when I take the brake off.

 

[mick243]

Adding or removing mass from the end of the barrel can change the group size and point of impact…. Barrel tuners work by moving a mass back and fourth a tiny amount.


just removing the foresight from my winny mod70 barrel had a significant impact on load tuning

 

[short_mag]

My 6BR‘s would change a little when the brake came off and on. Group size seemed pretty similar and maybe a 1/2 MOA adjustment max.

 

[Cardboard Assassin]

My 6BR‘s would change a little when the brake came off and on. Group size seemed pretty similar and maybe a 1/2 MOA adjustment max.

If it works out like this I'll be pretty happy. Don't mind the adjustment between brake on and off so long as the group size stays small and it doesn't become a shotgun.

 

[Sparticus14]

I use a 5 port brake on my 6BR but as there are some F Class events coming up which I want to use the rifle in I will have to remove the muzzle brake.

I found a great load for my 6BR in its current configuration (it was pretty easy - 6BR is not hard to load for in my experience) that shoots consistent sub 0.25 MOA.

What have folks found when they removed a brake from their rifles - did the same load still work or did the load need tweaked a little to find the sweet spot again?

I'm thinking it will need a little adjustment (seating depth is my guess) as removing the brake will probably affect the barrel harmonics to some degree but this gun really isn't fussy for loading so its hard to know. To be clear I will be installing a thread protector when the brake is removed (for obvious reasons).

With my 6CM POI shifts .2 or so mils. Groups do open up a bit. So depends how serious you are about how you do in the F class match, where accuracy requirements are at the top end are pretty high.

 

[Cardboard Assassin]

With my 6CM POI shifts .2 or so mils. Groups do open up a bit. So depends how serious you are about how you do in the F class match, where accuracy requirements are at the top end are pretty high.

Thanks for the info.

Sounds like some rifles are more fussy than others when the brake is removed. Testing is the only way to be sure so I will leave it on for my next trip to the range to verify all is still well then take it off and see what happens, then adjust if required.

 

[Vodoun daVinci]

Yup. My 6.5 CM is a completely different Beast with the brake on/off. Not only the POI changes by the entire load needs to be reformulated to get group sizes back. With a brake my best load is a 147 gr. Hornady ELD-M running 2930 fps and "factory" OAL - brake removed with the same bullet and OAL the smallest group size comes when running 2800 fps.

Only testing with tell you what you need to do *but* like has already been mentioned, this is how barrel tuners work by moving small weight changes on the barrel. Adding/removing the brake for me is like starting load development from scratch.

VooDoo