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Which muzzle brake and why?

popapi

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 18, 2008
491
3
Oklahoma City, Ok
Guys for a 300wsm #3 Bartlein which brake would you use between a Vias, APA Micro Bastard, or Badger Thruster from the bench to a hunting rifle off the ground? OAN if there's anything You feel that's better please chime in! Thanks
 
I don't have any experience with the ones your looking at but you may want to look at a Muscle Brake as well.
 
i have a Vias on my 300wm , brakes great, sucks hard on noise and ground dirt blast. New barrel is getting Holland or Miculek (both closed on bottom)
 
I have a 4 port muscle brake slab on my edge, it kick like a .308 and there is no problem with dirt or debris being kicked up as it port to the sides only.
 
Ive had the Vais on two rifles. A 7mag and 300RUM. It is a very effective brake but it does blow dirt around in the prone.
As you know, I am building a similar rifle (same caliber and barrel) and will put the micro bastard on it IF I brake it...which I probably will since it will be a 7.5lb+/- rifle. APA will be building my rifle.
 
RHutch this is the rifle I'll be braking been it will be a light weight build was wanting a good brake to be turned down to match barrel but looking for a small brake that's effective.....the micro looks VERY interesting along with the Muscle which I've never heard of until now...
 
So you want the break to match the barrel profile?
What's the barrel diameter at your proposed finish length?
 
If your not going to be shooting multiple strings of rounds in a match and all your going to be doing is punching a few holes in parchment or poking at a deer here and there, then forget about a brake.. The .300WSM doesn't recoil all that bad.. If you plan on layin' it down, just like RHutch said, what is your proposed finish length..? I know a #3 Bartlein at 16.5" is damn there .75" in diamater.. (Latest project)
 
As per matching the barrel contour I would like for it to but it really doesn't matter or have to match. Looks like right around .670 @ 25-26" in length. We generally shoot EVERY Sunday so it will get shot a lot along with hunting......wasn't gonna brake it until Mr. Gradous said I may need to being I'll be shooting the heavy 200+ grain bullets....
 
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I have a Ross brake and it works very well.

I emailed him what diameter I needed it tapered to, and had the brake in 2 days.

For $45. It's a stupid good deal

20130708_170634_zpsf6275059.jpg
 
I have an APS Pain Killer on my .338 and it tamed the recoil down tremendously. You could put rounds down range all day without shoulder fatigue. Lots of options out there to choose from. Good luck.

Painkiller Muzzle Brakes

I've heard really good things about these. I am going to try the small painkiller on my next build. It will be a #3 contour bartlien chambered in .300wm.
 
I have a Ross brake and it works very well.

I emailed him what diameter I needed it tapered to, and had the brake in 2 days.

For $45. It's a stupid good deal

20130708_170634_zpsf6275059.jpg

+1 on a Ross Schuler brake..same design as a Darrell Holland for a fraction of the cost.
 
i recently had an APA fat bastard brake installed on my 300wm. the difference between the factory savage brake and the APA was amazing. the rifle recoils less than a 308. my wife that weighs in at 108lbs can shoot the rifle all day long with no problem.
 
I got the same brake. He contoured it to my barrel size for free. Very nice brake, very fast service. Just as good if not better than the $100+ ones.

I have a Ross brake and it works very well.

I emailed him what diameter I needed it tapered to, and had the brake in 2 days.

For $45. It's a stupid good deal

20130708_170634_zpsf6275059.jpg
 
I own or have owned rifles with these brakes: APA, Vais, Miculek, Badger FTE, Elite Iron (standard on McMillan Tac 300), Shrewd, and a few others. Most effective with minimal dust storms are APA Little Bastard and Badger FTE. Out of those two I would for sure go with APA. While the Badger works great, I have a Surgeon Scalpel 7WSM with a heavy varmint fluted barrel (over .900 at 26") and the Badger still looks big on that heavy barrel. It would completely overwhelm a smaller contour. The APA Little Bastard is a much cleaner look and extremely effective at managing recoil.

Josh
 
I have a Jerry Miculek, with my 223 it seems to have more concussion over the Vais. To eliminated the dirt from the bottom holes of the Vais, i tapped and put screws into the bottom holes. Didnt affect performance at all and keeps me clean.
 
ross shuller brake. cheap and very effective. I have one on my .308 and one waiting for my 6.5cm to be done. he will turn it down to match your barrel.
 
APA little bastard all the way. Everybody else just want to copy but can't. There's a lot more going on in his design than just ports.
 
I do not think that the APA will be a viable option for you with that #3 contour. They recommend a .750 muzzled diameter so unless your barrel will be 18" or shorter you would be below that recommended diameter.

https://www.americanprecisionarms.com/products-page/muzzlebrakes/little-bastard-brake/
Spoke to the owner Jered and this is the brake he recommend for the #3 I'll be using!!!
https://www.americanprecisionarms.com/products-page/muzzlebrakes/micro-bastard/
 
Ross Schuler gets my vote. I installed a couple for a guy a couple months ago and was impressed with them. Great quality and extremely affordable. I shot his 308 that I built and it did a good job of reducing recoil. If you are finishing a #3 that long I would order it 9/16x24.