Quote Originally Posted by trentcwwilson View Post
I'm not new to the game of long range shooting. At 100 yards, barrel harmonics wouldn't change my POI 4" unless the front action screw was majority loose. It's not, torqued down to spec. As far as a chrony, I'll only buy quality equipment, and that means the MagnetoSpeed V3. I've tried the standard models and they have issues I don't have time to deal with.

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Actually, adding a brake could make that much of a change in POI. So could just adding weight like a shaft collar to the front of your barrel. Unless you have a "Truck Axle" profiled barrel with near zero deflection through the firing process, extra weight will make some significant changes.

The fact that your group size decreased by 25% pretty much negated any effect of a loose action screw. I'd re-zero, move your target out a couple hundred yards, and shoot again. If you see a group at the longer distance that is only enlarged by distance (use angular measurement rather than inches to compare) you are just seeing the beneficial results of extra weight on the front of your barrel. A lot of shooters who don't like brakes merely add "Tuners" to the front of the barrel and some add weight as simply as clamping a split shaft collar on the barrel.

FWIW, I saw similar results when I added a brake to my 6.5 Creedmoor. The action is mounted in an MDT TAC-21 Chassis, action screws torqued to spec, a Heavy Palma profiled barrel. When I added the Benchmark Tactical muzzle brake the POI shifted a good 3" but group sizes at 100 yards now average Sub 1/4 MOA. This is a phenom that's well recognized by those that shoot with suppressors as well.

If you plan on shooting both with, and without, the brake, just have zero's for each condition.

If you have ever seen animated diagrams of what happens in a rifle barrel when fired, or any of the High Speed Video's of same, you'll understand the role of a piece of weight on the end of a barrel. If you haven't seen the video look some up on YouTube. You may be shocked to see how much that solid action and barrel flex, even if it's firmly secured in a beefy stock, bedded and all.