Muzzle breaks

[Greg Nolan]

This morning I went to my shooting spot in the El Dorado National Forest to do my 400 and 500 yard sight in with my 338 RUM and 375 RUM. The post is under "reloading" as is the 300 yard post.
My ability to shoot groups isn't much and the rest has to do with the ability of BDC and B&C ranging bars. The big thing was the difference between the rifles, braked and un-braked.
The 375 RUM cut my eye on two seperate trips. Yes I got the elk but I looked funny in the picture and it ached. The 338RUM love tapped my eye on several occasions also but never a cut. I had to re sight several times making sure the rifle was firmly planted in my shoulder before I shot. Yes I got the elk but only because she hadn't seen me and just stood there browsing with her head behind a small tree. This time out they were both braked. No fear of the scope cut, No fear of the recoil if I didn't have the rifle embedded in my shoulder. It was great. My shots were the best I could do based on my shooting platform or stance. Quick shots are no longer a problem with the powerhouse calibers. Now I have to brake my 7MM RUM and the 300 WBY Vanguard. They love me too! :twisted:
Of course this is IMO. I don't sell muzzlebrakes.
Good Hunting
Elkhunt :grin:

 

[JD338]

I guess I have been lucky. I have never been scoped by my 338 RUM but I have been scoped twice by my 280 AI.
Both times I bleed like a stuck pig.

JD338

 

[Greg Nolan]

JD338
Yah! And I can't blame the scope or the rifle for the loose hold that caused it :evil: I've tried sunspots and the rotation of the earth on it's axis but nobody will buy those excuses either :lol: I do like muzzlebreaks. I have to because I like big, powerfull calibers and very dead game animals. I have found that the faster, smaller calibers such as 7MM RUM, 300 WBY, etc. are as or more likely to nail me. Faster recoil I believe.
Good Hunting
Elkhunt :grin:

 

[Powerstroke]

Greg,
Excellent to hear about the better outcome. I just put a break on my .300RUM with the same results... groups certianly tightened up.

Tiz one benefit about a Zeiss :grin: nice rubber ring around the scope to prevent the "half moon cut"


When I was a young one :wink: I was shooting at a deer with my Dad's 7 Mag. I was always taught / told from day one to pick up the brass, never leave it laying around. It's just always been one of those things where I never eject a shell without actually taking it out (not letting it hit the ground even when shooting at game ) Well, lessoned learned as I took that empty shell out and stuck it in my mouth and held it around the rim with my teeth.
needless to say after a chipped tooth and cut in the top of my mouth I'll never do that one again.......

 

[barge]

I am glade to hear the breaks are working out for you. Did you have to reajust your loads? My brother had to have neck surgery and has just had some brakes installed but is not to where he can shoot them yet. Should be able to in two or three more weeks.

 

[JDMAG]

Powerstroke,......... OUCH! :?

 

[FOTIS]

Yup! I tell you with all the 378's 416's 460 Bees I have worked on.....I learned to love them. Electronic ear muffs work well for hunting!!! :lol: :lol:

 

[Greg Nolan]

Sorry to hear about the chipped tooth
The gunsmith removed the scope so I had to re-sight anyway but I have never seen any other change in load or accuracy from them. I never had the Zeiss or any other scope actually ring me. It's the darn hinge on top of the Butler Creek flip up lense caps that have got me. I,m pretty sure the scope would have done the damage if it hadn't been "padded" by the hinge I did shoot my elk in Wyoming last year with the 375 RUM and I believe I shot 5 times at the elk total. She was running flat out for the safety of private land. I never did notice any problem with the noise but I was pretty pumped up and it was open country. The times I have had a 3 day ringing reminder have been when a tree or rock face was next to me to reflect the sound. OW!

 

[SJB358]

I shoot a mild by comparison Model 70 338 Win Mag, with the BOSS. I don't know if I would like it as much if it didn't have the recoil reduction. I can shoot it like my sons 243 on the bench. Plus, it is one of my more accurate rifles I own because I can shoot it so easily. We use brakes on all of our rifles at work, and we wear ear pro with them all. I have just gotten used to them. The only rifle that doesn't have some kind of break is our 308 long guns. Even our M4's have a small compensator on them. I think brakes allow guys to use bigger guns if they want, without paying a penalty of booming recoil. Scotty

 

[Greg Nolan]

Ditto

 

[Ridge_Runner]

I love brakes, especialy the Holland QD type, I can watch my bullet impact through the scope with any of my braked rifles.
I have 2 extreme range rifles, they both weigh 15#, the 7mm Allen is braked, it burns roughly twice the powder of my 6.5 Gibbs which isn't braked (will be in the near future) and the recoil is so much less than the 6.5 its crazy. I watched the bullet trace through the scope (20x) for 1.6 seconds and saw it impact a deer at 1350 yards, lil bit louder but worth the noise.
RR

 

[Greg Nolan]

Ridge_Runner

That's an awsome discription of a long range shot on a deer.
I have seen a 308 caliber bullet travel to 600 yds in my scope but the range you're talking about is beyond my comprehention.
Good Hunting
Elkhunt :grin:

 

[hardpan]

Greg,
I use them on a lot of guns, from my wifes .257 wby mag to the .300 wby mag. They definitely slow the bullet, so I would measure muzzle velocity, and shoot at some long targets if possible. Having said that, I get about 10% slower and the kick is far less. IE the gun shoots 3300 fps without and 300 with. I tend to use a velocity chart and check at 100, 200, and 300 yds. So far, I have not noticed a difference in getting a gun to group.

I like the extra speed, so on my personal 257 wby mag and on the .264 win mag, I don't use a break at all.

Best of luck,
Hardpan

 

[Desert Fox]

When you burned 95 grains of powder, you need brakes like this one on my 338 Lapua.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

Greg,
I use them on a lot of guns, from my wifes .257 wby mag to the .300 wby mag. They definitely slow the bullet, so I would measure muzzle velocity, and shoot at some long targets if possible. Having said that, I get about 10% slower and the kick is far less. IE the gun shoots 3300 fps without and 300 with. I tend to use a velocity chart and check at 100, 200, and 300 yds. So far, I have not noticed a difference in getting a gun to group.

I like the extra speed, so on my personal 257 wby mag and on the .264 win mag, I don't use a break at all.

Best of luck,
Hardpan

How can this be? the bullet has left the confines of the muzzle before the pressure gases reach the brake. Have never saw a brake slow down MV unless the barrel is shortened for its installation.
RR

 

[hardpan]

RR, please let me clarify my comments. Basically, I was discussing the brakes on my rifles.

There are 2 types of muzzle brakes. The added brake like the weatherby accubrake claim not to reduce velocity, as they are slightly larger that the barrel and the bullet should pass cleanly through them, but on the 3 rifles that i have it does reduce it a bit. 5% or so. the other brake is one that is ported directly into the barrel, which definitely reduces muzzle veolcity.

I can see that a system could be designed that in theory would not reduce muzzle velocity, but I have not seen one in action yet. However, muzzle brakes are not that popular around here, and the 4 that i have all slow the bullet a bit.

Check it out with a good chrono with 10 shots with and without the break. and then you will know for certain on your rifle. that is what i did with my rifles.
Hardpan

 

[.405]

My Browning A bolt .375 H&H has the boss system.I don't find the blast and noise as objectionable on it as I do with other smaller high velocity rounds.
The rifle is very light weight and would still kick quite a bit. I like a .375 to weigh about 9lbs,so I put a mercury recoil suppressor in the stock.It now feels about like a .30/06 off of the bench.Nice little rifle ,plus it is stainless steel.I don't know what I need with a .375H&H, but I got one. 8)
Oh, and I have yet to be cut by a scope.I am very careful about eye relief and I try not to crawl the stock.

 

[Greg Nolan]

I've had a couple of Savage 116s with the muzzle brake cut into the barrel itself an yes that does slow the velocity because it, in effect, shortens the barrel. The muzzle brake does not aid in velocity for the 2 inches it takes up. It bleeds pressure. But I wish I'd kept the two rifles. 338 and 270. But then I used the money to buy the 375 RUM and it's provided my family with elkmeat for 5 years now. I guess that's a good trade after all! :wink:
Good Hunting
Elkhunt

 

[jhunter1010]

ridge runner-

it has always been my understanding that a bullet continues to accelerate after it has left the barrel, for about 5 feet or so due to the gasses behind it :? i believe a muzzle break would decrease velocity, but not by 10%

so yes, i am dissagreeing with both of you :lol:

 

[hardpan]

Jhunter,
I had not heard that about the gasses. Can you explain it a little more? It might provide some insight into a shooting situation I find myself in,
Thanks,
Hardpan