Pros and Cons of Muzzle Brake on Hunting Rifle

[SmTx]

On a .308 hunting rifle unless you're 100lbs soaking wet or the rifle is 5lbs I would not do it.

[TXBRASS]

All APA brakes:



Top one is the .45-70 and bottom 2 are .308's

[rvd]

Brake= Loud as he11, less recoil
No Brake = not as loud, more recoil

This, pick your poison.

[gatorgrizz27]

People argue about brakes as much as they do about football teams. There’s no reason to run it with or without 100% of the time, they go on and off in 10 seconds.

Use it when you’re sighting in, practicing, or with a kid in a box blind. Wear ear pro. It will keep you from flinching and allow you to become a better shooter.

Take it off when you hunt in the field. You don’t have to worry about the muzzle blast and you’ll never notice the increased recoil with an animal in your sights. Most brakes have zero POI shift.

[sendit]

All muzzle brakes do is to redirect the high pressure gas coming out of the muzzle when a shot is fired.

Without a brake of some sort you have high pressure/heat hitting atmosphere. Like a small jet it pushes the muzzle back towards the shooter at a high rate....that’s recoil. The sound is somewhat directed away from you.

With a brake redirecting gas/pressure you don’t have that “wall” effect. Gas is diverted through the ports perpendicular to the muzzle helping reward push and also muzzle climb. With thus the sound is directed through the ports and towards the shooter somewhat making the gunshot much louder.

Many different makes and models to choose from. A brake on a 308 does help if you are doing extended target shooting with recoil and maintaining a sight picture but in a hunting situation a brake really isn’t needed. You could always take the brake off while hunting and replace it with a thread protector while hunting. If you do, make sure you shoot the gun with and without as there may be a poi change.

[billinkb]

Brake= Loud as he11, less recoil
No Brake = not as loud, more recoil

And when shooting off of a bench, wear safety glasses. The dust will blow in your eyes.

I was impressed with the recoil reduction on my 7 mag.

[WhiplashTX]

I find the radial brakes no where near as obnoxious as the ported brakes. The angled back ported brakes reduce recoil a bit more so pick your poison. I recently got my silencer and while test have shown the recoil mitigation is minimal, I was really impressed, especially with the lack of muzzle rise.

[HuntForHorns]

You will be sorry if you get one. I won't even get one on my 375 H&H because it makes them too loud to shoot. You cant wear earplugs while you hunt.

[TexanDuke]

lotta good info guys, thanks for replies, leaning towards not running one

[glen]

You can’t take them off and on as it changes barrel harmonics. I guess it would depend on hunting style. 100 yards who cares. If your stretching the gun then you can’t change harmonics

[kmitchl]

If you shoot a lot off the bench get a brake. I don’t see the value for the limited shots when hunting unless you are on a MLD lease and have a bunch of doe tags.

[TXBRASS]

as it changes barrel harmonics.

Not true.....



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[Bruiser]

So the blast literally makes plugs mandatory?

from a 20 inch barrel would you take a shot if required without plugs in?

should always wear earplugs yuo are doing damage

[Bruiser]

You cant wear earplugs while you hunt.

you can and should

[sendit]

Originally Posted by glen
as it changes barrel harmonics.

Not true.....

Yes it is true.
Any change will change the harmonics of a barrel. It can changed with a particular load or in this case the addition of a muzzle brake. It adds weight to the muzzle which will change the harmonics. Effects of harmonics can be positive, neutral or negative. You will see the effects usually in group size or POI.