Witt Machine Clamp on MuzzleBrake?

[demolitionman]

Anyone used them? Are they dangerous? Do they stay put? Maybe you can convince me not to try one?

I'm dealing with a bit of muzzle flip, and recoil on a pre-2003 .308 model 10 Heavy barrel Savage. The gun itself is pretty light as its bedded into a Boyds Tacticool stock, and I'd like to keep it around as a low-buck long range loaner gun for friends to use if the chance came along, but I do really need to tame the recoil. I'm loading 175smk's ontop of 43 grains of Varget and have shot to 800yards with success, but after 10 or so rounds the recoil just kills the mood. I don't really think this gun is worth spending alot for a threading job and got looking into the Supressed Ruger built by WITT machine and noticed they also manufacture a CLAMP ON brake for 90 bucks.........feedback?

 

[Tyler Kemp]

If you can clamp tight it should be fine. I've got buddies who have had several clamp on brakes and if you clamp them tight they hold.

 

[demolitionman]

If you can clamp tight it should be fine. I've got buddies who have had several clamp on brakes and if you clamp them tight they hold.

Thanks for the feedback Tyler. I guess for the price, it's worth a try.

 

[Tyler Kemp]

Thanks for the feedback Tyler. I guess for the price, it's worth a try.

We've stripped several bolt heads, so have good tools and hardware ready.

 

[Steel head]

The one I had fit and worked quite well.

 

[noisewaterphd]

I don't like to talk bad about products unless they are pretty bad, which this isn't...but... They work ~ok~. The outside of your barrel isn't concentric to the bore, so they have to be rather oversized to prevent strikes which means they aren't quite as efficient as they could be. They are big and terribly ugly. Besides, it doesn't cost that much to have your barrel threaded and get a proper brake.

 

[solson]

I picked one up last summer during one of their sales. I have no complaints, I put it on a Rem 700 LSS in 300 RUM, tamed the recoil pretty well. Followed the instructions on measuring the barrel, has a nice snug fit and clamped down fine, no issues.

 

[Quarter Horse]

I've got three. Two are for non threaded barrels and one is for a threaded barrel and has a crush washer. The thread on has been the only problem. I will be ordering a regular washer set for the thread on.

 

[mattc51]

I have one on that exact same gun as you. Cut my barrel down to 20" from 24" and had terrible barrel rise. Measured my barrel with a quality caliper and the muzzle brake has not slipped off yet. Yes they are big but they do work and keep your scope on target. More of a slight push back and less up movement so now I can track my shots in the scope. Mine is a savage 10 in an xlr element stock coming in at about 13 lbs.

 

[dannySH]

I have them in two 308 rifles, around 3000 shots between both without any problems, the look ugly though.

 

[Strykervet]

It just clamps on? No gimmicks or anything else to keep it put? I'm guessing the barrel is just smooth. I'm not a fan of anything that doesn't thread on, but were it me and I wanted to keep it cheap, set screws will allow you to drill dimples so it'll "grab" better. I'd look for one of those or else find one you can modify. I can say they tend to work for some of the .50Beo crowd, and if that won't blow it off I guess nothing will. My Beo has a post-94 barreled upper and had no threads --despite it being a test mule for the army (I got to keep it after testing).

But I have to admit, I have no experience using anything like this. It just seems like to me you'd never be able to exert enough force to lock that down vs. the force applied by the load, especially over time --it'd always be shooting loose, you'd always be fucking with it. I could be wrong, but if the brake works like it's supposed to then it's supposed to have a pulling action to mitigate recoil. That same pull will pull it off the end. I've seen the same thing happen with clamp on gas blocks on AR's (which I also pin or thread but on occasion have used set screws and dimples).

What I'd recommend, if not too costly, is to have the barrel ported --like a Boss brake maybe? That's something that can be done on a mill and wouldn't require barrel removal for threading on a lathe. It'd probably have to be broken down though, no stock.

Threading barrels can be cheap though if you find the right place, and if you aren't using a can on this then having them done "less than perfect" isn't gonna matter much with just a brake. That'd be the best way if you could pull it off.

For a clamping brake on a .308, it'd have to be damn tight and I bet it would be fugly as shit.

Oh, since you said it's a cheapo rifle, considered a brake that fits snug and then just tack weld that on? Doesn't matter the brake, it can be threaded even, provided it slips over the muzzle with or without some fitting. I've actually done this before when I drilled out most of the threads on a AR flash hider, hammered that onto an AK74bbl. and tack welded it in place. It never had a problem and cost me maybe $2.00. The factory threaded sight assy. that includes the threading for the barrel was VERY expensive for what you got. Said fuck it and turns out it worked better that way.

Good luck, just seen some wild shit in my day, YMMV, but I tend to push my weapons on occasion and I expect them to function flawlessly. If they don't, they get rebuilt or parted out.

Also, make sure the clamp isn't putting too much force on the barrel if you still decide to use one. The last couple inches of a barrel are by far the most important part of the barrel and lend much of the downrange accuracy to the bullet.

 

[eicas]

I’ve had mine on my .308 now for prolly 600+ tounds with no issue. Measured the barrel per instructions and torqued to spec with a dollop of locktite. Its been removed twice now for cleaning and reinstalled without issue. Witness marks on bottom inspected prior and post to every session. From the naked barrel, it required exactly 2 clicks left of windage to rezero. Removal and reinstall has not changed that. YMMV.

 

[demolitionman]

Got a chance to shoot it with the Witt clamp on brake for the first time tonight. Gun needed three tenths adjustment on windage and that was it. It was shooting about 1" groups prior to clamp, it's now easily shooting 5 shot .5" center to center groups. Wow. And the reduction in recoil is substantial. All in all it's worth every single penny and it has far exceeded my expectations. This gun went from being a pita to shoot to being a pure joy thanks to this Witt clamp on brake. Hope I never end up shooting it off the end of my barrel!

 

[Adam81]

Got a chance to shoot it with the Witt clamp on brake for the first time tonight. Gun needed three tenths adjustment on windage and that was it. It was shooting about 1" groups prior to clamp, it's now easily shooting 5 shot .5" center to center groups. Wow. And the reduction in recoil is substantial. All in all it's worth every single penny and it has far exceeded my expectations. This gun went from being a pita to shoot to being a pure joy thanks to this Witt clamp on brake. Hope I never end up shooting it off the end of my barrel!

I have one a 300 wby mark V ultra lightweight. It works great on that rifle. My 3 shot groups dropped from about an 1” to around 3/4” just from less recoil. It also got rid of the muzzle rise I would get being that the rifle and scope only weight around 8lbs. I’ve probably put 200 rounds down the barrel since I installed the brake and no movement in the brake. I wouldn’t worry about it flying off while you are shooting it.