Muzzle brakes.

[lomfs24]

I have, or rather my kid has a 25-06 Stevens 200 with the stock 25-06 sporter barrel from Stevens. And it's a little much for him right now. What are my options in terms of brakes? With a sporter barrel what's out there for brakes. Most of the brakes I see are way larger diameter. Since it's a temporary fix anyway, I wouldn't really be opposed to a clamp on brake if there was a reliable one that actually worked. I don't want a flash suppressor, I want a brake.
I could re-barrel it and go with a heavier barrel but then it would be too heavy for him to carry. What about the old school process of porting the barrel?

[sinman]

Use your barrel and a vais style break tapered or turned to barrel diameter. Pretty easy job.

[358Hammer]

In my experience Magna Porting really did not do much for me except to stop muzzle rise.

A brake or a silencer type brake are far superior. There are any number of good quality brakes out there. I would choose one that has been hardened or is made out of a harder material so the erosion effect of the hot powder and gasses do not erode the brake..

Neal

[HUNT 24/7]

These are a great brake

Muscle Brake
http://www.centershotrifles.com/sales/

[tammons]

I say forget the brake and buy a used duramax stock and download some 80 gr barnes TTSX bullets to about 3000 fps.
In a 8# rifle the recoil should be under 8#.
9# rifle about 6.5# of recoil.

Zero at 200, 1.5" max ht at 125 yds, 2.5" low at 250, 6.5" low at 300.
950 FPE at 300 yds.

Not sure how much a brake would reduce the recoil anyway with a 25-06
but I dont care for brakes so...

[lomfs24]

tammons, if it was my rifle I would agree with you. 25-06 really has a very manageable recoil for an adult. But when you put a 60# kid behind an already light rifle, the kid gets a kick out of shooting it. (Pun fully intended) It's probably a rifle he will shoot for years to come and he's already got some work into the customization of it and I thought the brake would be a nice touch and make it more enjoyable for him to shoot. Last thing I want him to do at 10 years old is to develop a flinch or a distaste for shooting in general. But it's a rifle he can shoot, with a brake, and be very comfortable with it until he wants to get a different rifle later on. And since it was the first gun dear ol' Dad gave to him it's a rifle he can someday give to his kids. And if it has a brake, they will be able to shoot it too.

The muscle brake looks like a good option, can they be turned down enough or at least tapered off to somewhat look like they halfway belong on a sporter barrel?

[nova1194]

I had a gunsmith install a vias style brake on my 7 mag and had him make a thread protector at the same time, that way if you dont want to use the brake anymore you can screw the protector on and it looks like a regular barrel again.
just remember brakes are very loud and you will get more of the concussion from the muzzle blast thrown back your way.

Mike

[tammons]

IMO, if it has a tupperware stock, a duramax stock will probably do more to reduce felt recoil than a brake.

Reduced load I mentioned with a 80 gr TTSX at 300 yards is more than enough for deer out to 300 yards
and it cuts the recoil 1/2 over a factory load.

My issue with brakes on a hunting rifle is you better not ever forget your hearing protection.
One shot with a brake without hearing protection will permanently damage your hearing.

Not sure if there is a screw on brake that will look decent with a sporter barrel.
Most of mine have been on heavier profile barrels.

[k80skeet]

Breaks really work!! And is the only way to go for what you are trying to do. You will be very happy with the results!!!

[lomfs24]

Thanks for the vote of confidence skeet! I realize there are a million and one things I could do to this rifle, I could get a new stock, new barrel, change the caliber, put on a brake, change the trigger, put on a recoil pad put on a bigger scope, but in the end, if I want to sell it, it's still a Stevens 200. I think that a brake is a good way to put a little money in the rifle and make it shoot decent without putting thousands of dollars in it.

[tammons]

Brakes do work, but just not for me on a hunting rifle, unless it has a ton of recoil.
I dont even feel recoil anyway when I am hunting.

Even with that, I had a 458 WM loaded up full tilt with 600 gr solids, and felt no need for a brake, but that was with a Duramax stock, which make a huge difference IMO, but 60# of recoil is about my upper limit.
Now with a 460 weatherby, I would have a brake, no questions asked.

I dont think you have to spend 1G.
Reloading and or adding weight is pretty much free and a used duramax stock is probably less than a properly installed brake
and its a really nice stock to boot.

I have read that a braked 25-06 has about the recoil of a 223 which sounds interesting, but the 25-06 is a very loud round
and a brake is going to make it a lot louder.

[bhod1]

I am an avid 25-06 owner, I have shot a truckload of deer with one. Having been through teaching my own kids, I would vote against the brake. My BIL has an A-Bolt 270 with a boss, kicks like a 243, but the concussion and noise are nearly intollerable. Neither of my kids wanted to shoot it after the first 3 shots.

Honestly I think your best bet would be to get a nice soft recoil pad, and find someone to make some reloads for you. You don't have to get super expensive bullets. A 100gr flatbase SP form Hornady loaded down to about 2800 fps will kill any deer or antelope. Just may have to limit the range down to 250yds or so.

[TORCHRIDER]

How about selling it and buying a 6mm?

[lomfs24]

I think I got the information I need to get a brake. Thanks to everyone who gave information about brakes.

[Tracer]

I am totally against muzzle brakes especially for young kids! It only takes one time and the young man can LOSE his hearing or damage it badly in the inner ear, if he forgets putting in his ear plugs or wearing his ear-muffs. Then the ringing in the ears starts and never goes away......called Tinnitus {NO CURE EITHER!!!)

Now for less then $40 dollars, you can give hime a PASTV RECOIL PAD that fits his shoulder, then he can fire a bigger rifle even if need be. It will make that 25-06 feel like he is firing a .223 caliber. I did this with all of my children growing up and never had any problems with recoil bothering them or flinching because of recoil.