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why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

M

mattlewis

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 7, 2010
64
0
49
Elizabethton, TN
here's the scenario:

buddy of mine is getting into LR shooting. he bought a nice custom 300wm. it weighs about 12lbs. he is a shooter, and will certainly put a lot of bullets downrange. typically 10-20 per range session. the rifle has no brake.

no extensive workup has been done. just about 25 rounds, couple different charges, nothing serious.

the recoil is what it is. i'm sure most of you can easily imagine. not horrible, but not able to stay 100% behind the scope after powder ignition.

the question:

he has two people he trusts tell him he didn't need a brake. one said it could "mess up the barrel harmonics". under what situation would you NOT want a brake on a 300WM?
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

1) because you have a suppressor instead
2) because they are noisy and not allowed at certain shoots

All my rifles have them, along with thread protectors for when I don't want them on.

That talk about undesirable harmonics is a bunch of bullshit.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

1) You shoot with friends (they're loud and have a muzzle blast)
2) If your brake has ports on the bottom it kicks up junk on the ground when shooting prone
3) Brakes aren't allowed in many competitions
4) They're really loud

But...I still prefer a brake on anything larger than .22LR
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

if the recoil doesn't bother him i don't see a need to add a brake. why not contact the smith that built the gun and see what he has to say about it.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

I'm a bitch. I need a brake on a 300WM.

A good brake properly installed won't hurt accuracy at ALL. For a heavy hitting caliber, tends to improve, as you have less flinch and anticipation.

Why not have a brake?

They're obnoxiously loud.

They blast your partner.

They kick up dust/debris.

They make your rifle longer.

NRA doesn't allow them.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

when you are hunting or you are at the range. a muzzle brake will direct the blast and sound back towards you, not something pleasant to experience while hunting without hearing protection. at the shooting range you will not be everyone's best friend, especially to those on either side of you, when you are shooting a magnum with a brake on.

the general consensus is that muzzle brakes have little if any affect on the accuracy of the rifle. not sure about barrel harmonics though.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

Brakes on larger calibers can actually be dangerous if you are too close. I have a video of a 416 barrett muzzle blast tearing a pop can in two like it was made from paper.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mattlewis</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> under what situation would you NOT want a brake on a 300WM? </div></div>
when you can run a suppressor.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

+1 on Turbo's post.

I think the only reason I wouldn't have a brake is if it weren't allowed at a shoot. Our local F-class club does not allow them.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

Lead. At less than $1.00 a pound...add lead. Especially in the fore end. It can be made removable. 5 or 10 pounds of lead will make it more bearable for practice. Remove it for go. Configure it as a bag riding sled. JMHO
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

so there is absolutely no inherent accuracy issue with a brake.

plain and simple, they reduce recoil, and increase sound and redirect muzzle blast.

either you want one or you don't. sound about right?
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

They're really loud
They add length (I have a shorty for a reason)
They are only allowed in some events if that's your thing
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

I don't like them. They're loud.

Alone, in the field, I can comfortably shoot my 308 all day with just plugs. With a brake, even with muffs <span style="font-style: italic">and</span> plugs, it's still annoyingly loud.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

"under what situation would you NOT want a brake on a 300WM?"

When you're at the range, all the lanes are filled, and there is a guy on each side of you who has paid his dues to enjoy shooting at the range.

They will not enjoy shooting at the range.

Just a wee bit of consideration for others . . . .
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

Keep in mind, there are quick-detach brakes available to consider. The Badger FTE and R&D Rapid brake are two that come to mind. Great for the field but easily removable for NRA events or courses where shooters are in close proximity. I have the FTE on my 308 and it takes all of about 30 seconds to take it off before an F-Class match.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

Tell your buddy to man up or put a pillow behind that rifle. My friend shoots a .300 win mag for F-class and will shoot between 50-100 rds in a session. His loads are not light either shooting a Berger 210 VLD at 2950 FPS.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

I messed up once and shot my '06 with a muzzle brake without my plugs in, it felt like someone shoved a screwdriver in my ear! When I hunt I don't wear hearing protection which would be very bad with a brake.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

Sorry to hijack the thread but ive heard about negative effects on the scope. And wondering if any of that has any truth to it.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

Actually I figure they are easier on scopes since they reduce the recoil.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

Thats whati first thought and then i happened across a few articles talking bout it and wasnt sure so figured id ask here.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

The original question was: <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mattlewis</div><div class="ubbcode-body">under what situation would you NOT want a brake on a 300WM? </div></div>I don't want a brake on that caliber when it has vents on the bottom of it.

On a 12lb .300 Win Mag you'll want a brake.

 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

If brakes screwed up scopes, then I should've bought iron sights for my Windrunner.....


I have had zero trouble with the scope on my 50BMG.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: halcyon575</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If brakes screwed up scopes, then I should've bought iron sights for my Windrunner.....</div></div>LOL! Nicely put.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

hunting...breaks are not needed i own up to a 416 rigby big game rifle and it has no break and is fine for its purpose, it really does depend on the purpose of your gun. I do however love seeing breaks on .223s and .243s haha. for the bigger cals it allows you to stay on the gun through impact and makes sense in a most target shooting cases, but for the smaller cals, the break craze has gotten out of control IMO.

Your friends 300 for the purpose of target shooting, I personally would have went with a break.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: skinney</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
when you can run a suppressor.</div></div>

I second this..:)
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

I had a brake on my .300 win mag.

I got it because my scope had 3" of eye relief and would just barely touch my face every time I pulled the trigger.

The brake stopped that problem and made the gun easier to shoot accurately (without the off putting scope touching my face problem).
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

When I started shooting seriously I had a 300WM with a break. When I replaced it with a 300WSM I went without a break. I found that the noise from the muzzle break caused me to flinch more than the recoil from the non-breaked rifle.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

As per the harmonics issue. The only way a brake would affect accuracy is if it's loose & rattling around. Then you would get inconsistent harmonics & unpredictably. Outside of that, the brake will only change the harmonics, so the rifle may shoot differently with & without it. But consistently either way. IE, the poi might be 1/2 min lower at a given distance with the brake than without, but it will group the same. If your buddy adds a brake he should re-work his dope, if he is going to shoot sometimes with a brake & sometimes without, then he'll probably want to keep separate dope for with & without, or at least be meticulous about noting in his data book what info is with & what is without.
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

10 - 20 rounds in a session is NOT alot of rounds

fclass shoots are 66 rounds at least

and most of the comps are 50-100 rnds
if they allow mags in the first place

have him get it threaded and a good brake... i like the removable muscle brake from benchmark barrles..

for hunting he can always remove it and put on a thread protector
but for shooting anything fun.... he will never regret a brake

period
 
Re: why would you NOT want a muzzle brake

I do not have a break on my .300 sporter, the ability to hear in 5-10 years out weighs any advantage for reduction of recoil, IMHO. I would use a suppressor if I could use one where I hunt.

Good luck

Jerry
 
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