Muzzle Brake on a Centrefire?

Free-2-Flow

Does anyone use a muzzle brake on their centrefire rifle?

I was thinking of getting one for my 308.

Do they reduce recoil? But in turn make the rifle less accurate?

Really like the look of them.

alanmc

Isn't that what they're for - reducing recoil by expelling some of the gases rearward and to the side?

I've never shot with one before, but I've heard other shooters complaining that they can be unpleasant for the guy shooting beside you.

I don't think they adversely affect accuracy. But they can increase the sound.

deerhunter1

Free-2-Flow wrote: »

Does anyone use a muzzle brake on their centrefire rifle?

I was thinking of getting one for my 308.

Do they reduce recoil? But in turn make the rifle less accurate?

Really like the look of them.

they are quite good at reducing recoil and improving accuracy due to reducing recoil,however as the other post said by expelling gasses sideways can make it louder and extremely uncomfortable for anyone shooting either side of you,if for hunting then it is ok but on a range with someone shooting beside you,well that is a different matter

Pkiernan

Just get a decent moderator like a Hausken.
You'll get amazing recoil reduction and you won't deafen yourself and anyone else on the range!

It really is horrible shooting beside someone e with a a brake.

tac foley

Anything that directs the gas back around the shooter - this is what the muzzle brake does, 'pulling' the muzzle instead of pushing it- is going to make noise and re-direct the muzzle blast. Most of them operate in a fan-shape - around the shooter, but dreckly at anybody beside him/her.

Try shooting within ten feet of a .300WM to get the real 'benefit' of a good brake - second-hand.

Back before the ban I had a Thompson Contender single-shot pistol in .45-70 Govt and 7mm BR calibres. Both had a a JSK brake on them that would clear the scopes off the adjacent shooting bench at eight feet...

tac

270WIN

does anyone here use one for hunting? i have thought about one for a 270

cookimonster

I shoot a light weight .243 and had it cut for mod (wildcat) which sorted out the muzzle climb, kept me on sight picture and certainly reduced the sound level.

My new acquisition, a . 270, has an inbuilt muzzle break, this was bought for hill stalking as it is a featherweight model, but has a fair old bark off it. I couldn't wait until the up coming season so I took her out on one of my sections and dropped two deer with it in less the 10 seconds of the first shot. First deer went down on the spot, the secound glanced up and went back to grazing less the 15 yards away. A third closer to the secound only ran when his secound buddy went flop. Morale of the story, I wouldn't shoot one with out some sort of hearing protection but out at 110 yards and beyond the deer don't seem to mind the excessive noise.

Make sure your stalking buddy or spotter is well back behind your shoulders or you'll soon find it hard to intice someone out.

tac foley

Watch -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haFUYdpl36M

Note that the range is otherwise empty.

I wonder why that should be?

tac

Pkiernan

I'm curious as to why someone would choose a muzzle brake over a moderator.

Vegeta

Pkiernan wrote: »

I'm curious as to why someone would choose a muzzle brake over a moderator.

rifle balance, hanging something off the end of the barrel, even a 250 gram moderator, is just a big downer for rifle handling.

cookimonster

Pkiernan wrote: »

I'm curious as to why someone would choose a muzzle brake over a moderator.

On my particular .270 the muzzle break was incorporated into the rifle to alleviate recoil on a intentionally lightweight rifle. This was latter discontinued because customers wanted something quieter. All this before moderators were being used by hunters (1960-ish).
Today magnum calibres can be seen sporting them especially where moderators are neither legal or practical- mountain / high altitude hunting.
I can't remember off hand what my .270 rifle weighs but let's say 6lb, now add a 40-42 mm scope with no whistles and bells, a light weight sling and nothing else but 4 rounds. Now you have a truly light weight that you'll haul up and down the mountain side as far as your legs and lungs can carry you. I've taken the .243 + 3-12 x 56mm scope + Wildcat mod + Bipod up and down the same hills, I can do it, but I'd rather not.
I've some small experience with magnum calibre being shot from shorter barrels particularly for driven hunts and they too are loud and with the exception of semis like to let you know your firing them (although shots fired in anger don't register compared with range work). I believe longer barrels (22 inch plus) don't have the same muzzle blast, but many still chose to fit them with a muzzle break.

tac foley

You can put a muzzle brake on an open-sighted rifle for game, and yes, there ARE places that you shoot with open sights. Does Africa come to mind?

Try putting a moderator on a bolt-action rifle in .458WM or .500NE and STILL looking over open sights...

tac

German pointer

Pkiernan wrote:

I'm curious as to why someone would choose a muzzle brake over a moderator.

Some people can't get the mods licenced

German pointer

I use one on a .270 and find it great. I have no sight picture after a shot without it but with it I can see the bullet strike deer.

freddieot

I have a moderator on my 308 which I use only for Target Shooting. Very good at reducing recoil, which is the main reason I got it. The sound reduction is a safety bonus.

An MB would do the same thing for recoil but on a range you will lose friends very quickly...

gunhappy_ie

freddieot wrote: »

I have a moderator on my 308 which I use only for Target Shooting. Very good at reducing recoil, which is the main reason I got it. The sound reduction is a safety bonus.

An MB would do the same thing for recoil but on a range you will lose friends very quickly...

Im not very well liked as is so I dont mind :P

tac foley

freddieot wrote: »

I have a moderator on my 308 which I use only for Target Shooting. Very good at reducing recoil, which is the main reason I got it. The sound reduction is a safety bonus.

An MB would do the same thing for recoil but on a range you will lose friends very quickly...

It depends what kind of target shooting you are doing with regard to moderators.

tac

madmac187

I'm using one on a 308 for target shooting, I'm the guy you don't sit beside in MNSCI lol I love it tbh. I do have a hausken mod, love it, but it's not for the range it gets hot too quickly when the barrel does not, I have a heavy barrel. I do get far less kick but god help you standing to the right of me. I do have access to 600m old army range and my Dad learned about the thump when standing to the right.