Originally Posted by
creedman6.5
My take is this: a rifle, or any gun for that matter, is a tool. Not a conversation piece, visual accessory, or anything more than a tool which serves a specific purpose. That being said, I run a brake, or can on every long range rig I've got. The reduction in recoil allows me to spot my impacts through the optic, and even see the trace of the bullet in some cases. I'll be wearing ear protection wether my rifle has a brake or not, so noise has no bearing in my reasoning or decision. I choose the brake for increased accuracy, better spotting, never need to crimp my loads due to recoil reduction, and there's other advantages as well. Much faster and more accurate follow up shots too. Even on a .223 ar, it takes a minimal recoil and completely eliminates it. On my creedmoor rigs, it takes a .243esque recoil down to light .223. It's noticeable, and completely worth it. If I was shooting a big magnum rifle, there's no way I'd run it without a brake.