Muzzle Brakes - Necessity??

[fgw_in_fla]

I saw an old timer shooting what appeared to be a 22WMR with a long, fat barrel & a muzzle brake. I didn't think a 22WMR would need a muzzle brake.

What is the primary function of the muzzle break.... I mean besides driving the guy wacky next to you on the firing line.

I thought it was to reduce recoil on most larger calibers. Is there something I may have overlooked?

Thanks,
Frank in Fla

[82boy]

What is the primary function of the muzzle break....
Answer Reduce recoil.

Muzzle breaks work best on small over bore calibers. 22/250 come to mind. But they are also affective on any caliber. If there was not restriction on shooting class, I would place a muzzel break on ever gun I would ever shoot.

[nsaqam]

I on the other hand will never own a rifle short of a .50BMG with a muzzle brake.

Despise the things completely.

I'd like to see them banned from public ranges or at least relegated to the very end of the firing line with a wall between them and the rest of the benches.

[fgw_in_fla]

I have to kinda sorta half agree with nsaqam..... It never fails. I always manage to end up next to the guy with the muzzle brake that almost seems like it's "aimed" at me. It rattles the wax in my ears, knocks my spotter out of focus, Scares the bejeezus outta ya when I'm lining up that million dollar shot.

Although I have considered modifying one of my '06's. For some reason, one of them is tolerable with recoil & the other actually hurts to pull the trigger. Especially with a hi charge of RL-19 & 180's.

This weekend was a classic example of it. Nice tight shooting but I had to ice down my shoulder when I got home.

Maybe I'm just getting a little soft ::) ........ And old.... And fat...... And senile ....ANd.. What was I talking about?.....

Frank in FLa

[blom]

Are you sure it wasn't a tuner?

[bsekf]

I was in the "not necessary" camp until I acquired a 260 with a SSS brake. You can see the bullet impact through the scope, especially nice when you are shooting steel. Now I am in the 82 Boy camp. I did some research and found they do not have a negative impact on accuracy, in fact some thought they had a positive impact. They tend to keep your shooting area neat and tidy and keep unsolicited advice to a minimum. ;D

Bill

[darkker]

Muzzle brakes are what keep a Ma-Deuce from ripping your shoulder off.
Other than that application, they are a horrible idea.
Seems in my country Muzzle brakes are on guns that their owner doesn't want to shoot. But WILL shoot because he wouldn't dare admit it kicks too much for him.
Case in point a local @$$-bag likes to bring his 300 Weatherby with a brake to the local rock-chuck shoot. Will the gun work? of course it will.
However he shows up, gives us all 1 shot of artillery; ALL of us AND THE ROCK CHUCKS go home with headaches.

[BobT]

Do you guys that hate brakes wear hearing protection?

I spent an afternoon not long ago shooting next to my SIL who had a Savage LRH in .300WM with a brake, I really wasn't bothered by the noise but I wear plugs and muffs. If hunting with a brake on a rifle then I wear ear plugs and will not shoot without them.



Muzzle brakes are what keep a Ma-Deuce from ripping your shoulder off.


Just so you know, a "Ma Deuce" (Browning machine gun, .50 caliber M2) does not have a brake and is not fired from the shoulder.

Bob

[nsaqam]

Of course I wear hearing protection at the range.

It's not just the noise, it's the blast and concussion and no amount of hearing protection can shield you from that.

[snowgetter1]

They tend to keep your shooting area neat and tidy and keep unsolicited advice to a minimum. ;D

Bill


That is funny. I love brakes.

[skypilot]

Not a fan of muzzle brakes for clients during guided hunts on foot, especially when hog hunting.

I use a brake on a .223 when I am hunting alone from a hide and covering a wide open farm field of several hundred yards.
The brake gives a great view thru the scope of the dirt splashes and therefore makes any follow up easier.

My Pappy raised me better than to take a muzzle break to a public range ;D

[cgeorgemo]

My Pappy raised me better than to take a muzzle break to a public range ;D

+1

[nsaqam]

My Pappy raised me better than to take a muzzle break to a public range ;D

+1


Plus 2!

I wish more Pappy's raised there children with such respect.

[fgw_in_fla]

It almost sounds like the general concensus is in agreement.... more or less.

I have no love for brakes. I've been lining up a shot & have a guy next to me 3 stations over banging off shot after shot at 1/2 second intervals whilst I watch the site picture fuzz in & out with the rhythm. I've been shooting while the shooter next to me fires off shot after shot after shot & blow my writing pad & other light weight stuff off the benchtop.

I 'spose they have their place. Just not on the end of my rifle. If there was more benefit & less concussive blast, I'd have one. Considering the way my '06 rattles my brain, I have considered it on that rifle only.

ANyway, thanks for the input guys. I'm obliged to y'all.

Frank in Fla.

[Blue Avenger]

Sometimes when we are on the line, we have to put on our Big Boy Pants. ;D
OR GET OUT THE BIG HANDGUNS!! Payback can be fun also! :)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v675/gcidso123/funny%20pic/emocons/square-med-select.gif

[sniper15545]

People install muzzle breaks on smaller calibers so they can see the bullet impact, And as far as banning them from public ranges maybe you should join the left who just want to ban anything to do with firearms because I think there is enough trivial laws and bans in this country already!

[82boy]

Sometimes when we are on the line, we have to put on our Big Boy Pants. ;D

+1

[stangfish]

If there was not restriction on shooting class, I would place a muzzel break on ever gun I would ever shoot.


Amen!

[cgeorgemo]

And as far as banning them from public ranges maybe you should join the left who just want to ban anything to do with firearms because I think there is enough trivial laws and bans in this country already!
Why does politics have to be injected into a discussion on courtesy to others on a shooting range?
Muzzle brakes are not the problem it's people using them and not being considerate of others that is the problem.
I've done enough weapons firing in my life with loud noises and distracting conditions to never want to put up with it again if I don't have to.



Sometimes when we are on the line, we have to put on our Big Boy Pants.
Pithy response follows...
Maybe you should take off your entitlement hat and consider the fellow shooters you are sharing the range with.

[bootsmcguire]

Personally I like all of my brakes and plan on adding a few more. I try to respect other shooters as much as possible, if I arrive first then i try to choose a bench on one end or the other so others that come can go to the opposite end. If they are there first, then I explain I have a brake, and if they mind (and are nice in their response) then I wait or shoot something else until they are gone and if they are a P.I.T.A$$ about it then I pull out the Braked-458WM.

Ok not really but I think about it every time ;).

We have to consider our fellow shooters whether we have the brake or they do.