Ear Protection. -- Muzzle Brakes

[Blkram]

Good points whitesheep.

I have found several animals in the woods by smell when hunting; moose, elk, and bears in particular. Even easier after rains when the bush is wet. As Cheyenne says, you can also detect changes in the weather and find animal food sources to hunt by scent, throughout carious times of the year. We just do not use our noses as much as we used to eons ago, and rely more on our sight and then hearing today.


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[Thebear_78]

I've smelled bears many times before seeing them. They have a very specific scent


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[mcseal2]

I have one brake on a rifle. It's the Rifles Inc built M70 Winchester in 300WM. It weighs 7lbs 4oz with the scope and mounts. I wouldn't want to shoot it without the brake, with it there is no issue. Recoil is less than my light 270, probably similar to my 10.5lb 264 win mag or 9.5lb 25-06. They call their brake the quiet slimbrake and it does seem a bit quieter than some I've been around.

I had a flinch I spent years correcting and I don't want it back. I shoot the smaller, heavier, guns for most of my hunting but there are times when I want the 180gr AccuBond instead of a lighter bullet. I got the 300 to be my elk rifle for the rest of my life, but will use it for moose and steep country muleys also. Maybe bears someday too.

I carry foam earplugs in the side pocket of my Kuiu bino harness. If there is time I'll put them in before the shot, if not I just shoot. Most of the time on western hunts I can get the earplugs in.

I always use ear protection when practicing with any of the guns. I shoot enough at coyotes from the feed truck and stuff without protection I want to be careful not to erode it any faster than I already am.

 

[JD338]

At the range, I use custom molded ear plugs. When a braked rifle is involved, I also wear muffs.
When hunting with a braked rifle or handgun, I use the ear plugs. To date, I have always had time to put them in prior to the shot.

JD338

 

[maverick2]

I use the same hearing protection at the range as I do for shooting trap (inside the ear suppressors).

No hearing protection while hunting.

No muzzle brakes on any of my rifles. (Don't like shooting with them, nor being around them when someone else does.)

If I had a rifle that recoil made it difficult to enjoy shooting, my preference in lieu of a brake would be to lay out the cash for a suppressor, particularly if I could use it on more than one rifle. Based on cost though, I'd probably be more apt to install the same recoil reduction system as is on my Trap gun if that particular rifle was going to be around long-term. (My "trap" shotgun came with a "Clyde Slide" system. It's been fantastic for recoil, allows the comb to stay stationary against my face instead of traveling with the action, and has added benefits in that it allows me to customize comb height, length of pull, and pad height/angle to "fit" exceptionally well.) For the $450 investment, it falls between a brake and suppressor in cost and makes shooting very enjoyable.

 

[Blkram]

Interesting device! Nice piece of wood too!


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[tim629]

1. do you use the same ear protection when hunting that you do at the range ? when hunting groundhogs yes, big game no

2. what ear protection do you use when hunting ?
groundhogs: ear plugs + ear muffs (usually) big game: none
3. does any of you use muzzle brakes on your rifles when hunting ?
groundhogs I thread on the muzzle brake big game I take off the brake



on the school topic: in PA hunters ed was part of our 6th grade curriculum, you could opt out if you/your parents wanted to but the PA Game Commission brought in a teacher for a week I believe probably an hour a day and taught the class. Historically with a split season growing up in south central PA the school was closed for the first 2 days of buck, then first day of doe. By the time I was old enough to hunt it was a combined season so just 2 days off

 

[Vince]

1. do you use the same ear protection when hunting that you do at the range ?

No
I wear electronic muffs at the range over my hearing aides.

2. what ear protection do you use when hunting ?

My hearing aides stop dangerously loud sounds from damaging my ears.

3. does any of you use muzzle brakes on your rifles when hunting ?

Two of my rifles have muzzle brakes.
They are non removable so I hunt with them on my rifle.


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[Darkhorse]

I do not normally use ear protection for hunting. I always use hearing protection any time I shoot when not hunting. I use the foam ear plugs and ear muffs at the same time.
I do have one rifle with a brake. It's my Browning Stainless Stalker in .300WM with the BOSS. I took a lot of time and ammo to get my rifle tuned in using the BOSS but I ended up with both deer and elk loads coming in under .500 consistently, sometimes a good bit tighter than 1/2". I've had that rifle since '97 and I wouldn't have it any other way. Another benefit is the recoil reduction.
I don't hunt with anybody else and the times I've had a guide we discussed before hand the noise and blast from the BOSS.
When I do go to the range I try to go when it's not crowded and if someone sets up near me I always give them fair warning.
Now, due to the brake, it's not my favorite rifle and only gets out of the safe for a big or important hunt. For powerlines or fields I shoot my unbraked 7mm Mag. For the woods I use my .308 or my .44 Ruger Carbine, or a flintlock.
The brake is only a tool I use for certain situations and I like it. Others don't but that's our choice.

 

[elkeater2]

Back to the OP's questions ----
1. Yes
2. Walker's Game Ear Ultimate Power Muff Quads
3. My son's .300 Wby has a brake, and I hunt with him, and we go to the range together.

I just hit the magic 70 year milestone, and have a lifetime of outdoor experience, both shooting, working, and recreational. I have used some sort of hearing protection when range shooting for a long time, but haven't or didn't for much of the other times I should have. I was a snowmobile test technician for five years, cut big timber with big saws for another five, ran every piece of equipment at big surface mines, and spent time in the service in the 60's. Now, I do have some measureable hearing loss - just enough to bug my wife and make bugling elk & gobbling turkeys (at a distance), and little electronic beepers difficult to hear.
The muffs are a recent purchase and it is too soon to rate them. They are a little bulky, but don't interfere with my cheek weld when shooting. The four mics aid direction location and the separate volume and frequency controls work well. The sound cut-out works great and I can crank up the volume more than I need. The whole idea is to protect and enhance what hearing I've got left. I'll do a product review after I get more hunting experience with them. I look forward to being out with my grandkids and daughter and being able to say "There's one! Over there! Can't you hear that??" :grin:
EE2

 

[ozarkpugs]

Use a brake shooting and swap for a linear comp when hunting ,the Troy linear has been my favorite but my new Apr 6.8 sports their short stream line linear and it looks great . Check and adjust for any poa changes

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[ozarkpugs]

Quick add to previous post ,ear protection target shooting and electronic protection in blinds / shooting house also

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[AFG270]

1. do you use the same ear protection when hunting that you do at the range ?

2. what ear protection do you use when hunting ?

3. does any of you use muzzle brakes on your rifles when hunting ?

1. I use plugs and muffs at the range.

2. I carry plugs when hunting, but don't always have time to use them.

3. No muzzle brakes, yet.

I have a severe hearing loss from both work and shooting in my younger days with no hearing protection. Protect you hearing as much as possible, because although hearing aids help some, they don't bring your hearing back to what is was. I have nothing left to amplify in my right ear so hearing aids do not help. It is a real handicap.

 

[mwess1113]

Muzzle brake on my 6.5 SAUM. Note the earplugs hanging in the pic?

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