6.5x47 Lapua Recoil

[Phil3]

I am building a 6.5x47 rifle, and am undecided on a muzzle brake. I know it is a personal thing, but if I provide some tolerance examples, maybe that will help understand where I am at and whether a brake is for me and the 6.5.

Very Tolerable:
12.8 lb. AR-15 in 223, w/53 grain bullets.
6mmBR NBRSA benchrest rifle. Heavy gun.
65 lb. NBRSA 1000 yard gun firing (I think) 300 Weatherby Mag). Effectively, no recoil.

Stout Recoil (no more than this):
Remington 308 varmint type rifle. Modest weight as I recall.
Howa 308 varmint type rifle. Modest weight as I recall.
Cooper 6mm Remington. Modest weight as I recall.
Savage BA110 338 Lapua Mag (w/muzzle brake). Big and heavy.

Unacceptably Heavy Recoil
AR-15, 50 Beowulf. Fairly light. I did not want to shoot it again.

Muzzle brake for me or not on 6.5x47 Lapua? I would be shooting next to other people, and under a roof. Not a competition gun w/restrictions on brakes.

Phil

 

[CharlieNC]

Recoil is much less than 308. I suggest you get it threaded for a brake to add later if you need to. I added a brake to help spot shots, and it helps for that.

 

[dkhunt14]

The brake really settles them down. So you can see shots and so the gun doesn't get upset from recoil. Real important when it comes to benchrest. Even the prairie dog and groundhogs hunters put them on to spot shots with a 22-250 and smaller. Matt

 

[dogdude]

With a good recoil pad it won't be a problem, I have bad shoulders but with a Limbsaver pad the 6.5x47 is Very nice to shoot.

 

[hpshooter]

My 6.5x47 lapua weighs 15 pounds, the recoil is very light when shot off a rest and rea bag. However, 50 rounds off the bench or from prone is telling on a 69 year old shoulder. To me the recoil is between that of a 12 pound .223 gas gun and a 13 pound .308 bolt gun when shooting 140 grain bullets at 2850 FPS.

The advice to thread the barrel for a brake is sound. It is easy to do during the build and allows a brake or a suppressor, which really seems to tame the recoil to me, when and if you so desire. A thread protector can be fitted at the build.
Wish that I had treaded mine but I built the guns as a prone long range high power rifle and didn't see a need to do it.

 

[jlow]

The brake really settles them down. So you can see shots and so the gun doesn't get upset from recoil. Real important when it comes to benchrest. Even the prairie dog and groundhogs hunters put them on to spot shots with a 22-250 and smaller. Matt

This is exactly right, and is in fact the ONLY reason why tactical shooters have a brake on their 6.5 and 6 mm guns i.e. so that they can see their misses and can adjust for the following shot. The uneducated shooters at the range who complains about their brake and how the recoil is not so bad and they don't need a brake don't know what they are talking about...

 

[Phil3]

Thanks. Judging from these comments, I will opt for the muzzle brake. I tend to fire a fair number of rounds during a day at the range, and want to feel comfortable doing so. Thanks. Phil

 

[DHuffman]

The 6.5 Lapua I shoot weighs over 15# recoil is very mild but I was wishing I would have braked it to spot hits out past 400 on the prarie dogs yesterday morning. 300 yards or less and you can spot the hits/misses much farther out not so much.

 

[slm9s]

I don't like brakes on cartridges under 7mms. Yes, you can spot shots easier, but the noise and muzzle blast isn't worth it in a 6.5x47 IMO.

(though you didn't say if its a sporter wt hunting rifle, vs 15lb tactical rifle)

 

[dkhunt14]

I wear Gold Ear electronic muffs and I don't mind any brake. The noise levels of any gun is high enough that you should be wearing hearing protection. Especially when shooting any number of shots. Once your hearing is damaged it is not reversible. Matt

 

[Preacher]

Put the brake on, you'll like it !!!

 

[Dan Boone]

I don't shoot he 47L, but I do shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor a lot. The recoil is not much more than a 243. As for needing a brake, the above advice is sound. But I HATE them on other people's guns at the range. They are extremely loud to anyone nearby and the concussion is distracting to other shooters.

 

[flatlander]

I don't shoot he 47L, but I do shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor a lot. The recoil is not much more than a 243. As for needing a brake, the above advice is sound. But I HATE them on other people's guns at the range. They are extremely loud to anyone nearby and the concussion is distracting to other shooters.

Every time I read a post like Dan's, it reminds me of how fortunate I am to be able to shoot on my own range. Whether the blast from the brakes on my rifles is loud or not doesn't matter to me, as there's very seldom anyone else there for it to bother. However, I shoot precision rifle matches at a club with a covered 600yd firing line, and am grateful for all the guys who run suppressors on their rifles, as I do. I never approach that covered line without roll-up foam plugs under my muffs, and even then, the more effective brakes rattle the fillings in my teeth. The ability to spot my own hits & misses is critical during matches like these, even when the guys watching with spotting scopes try to help call your shots. If they're not right in line behind you, what looks like a miss to the right can actually be off to the left - just really hard to call on such small targets if you're off to one side or the other of the shooter.

 

[JBO]

I am building a 6.5x47 rifle, and am undecided on a muzzle brake. I know it is a personal thing, but if I provide some tolerance examples, maybe that will help understand where I am at and whether a brake is for me and the 6.5.

Very Tolerable:
12.8 lb. AR-15 in 223, w/53 grain bullets.
6mmBR NBRSA benchrest rifle. Heavy gun.
65 lb. NBRSA 1000 yard gun firing (I think) 300 Weatherby Mag). Effectively, no recoil.

Stout Recoil (no more than this):
Remington 308 varmint type rifle. Modest weight as I recall.
Howa 308 varmint type rifle. Modest weight as I recall.
Cooper 6mm Remington. Modest weight as I recall.
Savage BA110 338 Lapua Mag (w/muzzle brake). Big and heavy.

Unacceptably Heavy Recoil
AR-15, 50 Beowulf. Fairly light. I did not want to shoot it again.

Muzzle brake for me or not on 6.5x47 Lapua? I would be shooting next to other people, and under a roof. Not a competition gun w/restrictions on brakes.

Phil

I have R.A.D's on almost all of my rifles and they're great ! They're not cheap, worth every penny to me. IMHO they're best on the market and I've tried others. People shooting next to you will also like you more too.

 

[DHD]

I think you've received enough info to make you decide to put a brake on your new rifle.

On my 6.5's (2 each Creedmoor and 47L) I don't have brakes and wish I did. The Creedmoor's are heavy pigs so recoil isn't an issue, but spotting hits/misses is a problem at close range. The 47L's are around 10 pounds +/- so recoil isn't an issue either, but spotting a hit is not happening unless I'm shooting 600 yards on steel, and even then I have to get back on the scope quick.

I've put brakes on every rifle built since the 6.5's and never regretted it.

YMMV but I doubt it........

 

[AckleymanII]

No brainer for me, put a brake on it.

Williams has the most effective muzzle break that I have ever fired, and I have a flock of Different kinds, you want a break with expansion chambers in it for extreme reduction...ever think that a 7 mag sendero could kick less than the same rifle in a 22/250? Deer shot early in the morning can be seen with the water vapor flying off of them and mist of blood as the bullet exits on the off side. Ever see the skin ripple from bullet impact on a deer? Williams break will get you there on a 7 mag, and I do wear the Peltor tac 6 ear muffs that fold up very small.

A std harrells will make the vast majority of people very happy, no kidding, and you could not find nicer people to deal with.

People at the range should wear adequate ear protection, which often includes ear plugs and ear muffs, and with electronic ear muffs and ear plugs, you can hear normally with plugs in and muffs on....those with ears...let them hear!

 

[Ringostar]

I have R.A.D's on almost all of my rifles and they're great ! They're not cheap, worth every penny to me. IMHO they're best on the market and I've tried others. People shooting next to you will also like you more too.

I just installed a RAD system on a 284. It's amazing how much it reduced the recoil. They cost a little more than a brake, but you don't have the extra noise.

 

[Dan Boone]

Every time I read a post like Dan's, it reminds me of how fortunate I am to be able to shoot on my own range. Whether the blast from the brakes on my rifles is loud or not doesn't matter to me, as there's very seldom anyone else there for it to bother. However, I shoot precision rifle matches at a club with a covered 600yd firing line, and am grateful for all the guys who run suppressors on their rifles, as I do. I never approach that covered line without roll-up foam plugs under my muffs, and even then, the more effective brakes rattle the fillings in my teeth. The ability to spot my own hits & misses is critical during matches like these, even when the guys watching with spotting scopes try to help call your shots. If they're not right in line behind you, what looks like a miss to the right can actually be off to the left - just really hard to call on such small targets if you're off to one side or the other of the shooter.

Just for the record ....... I'm not against brakes. They are a wonderful tool that do what they are designed to do. But the concussion from they is very distracting. Muffs, plugs, whatever does nothing to solve the concussion situation.

 

[LR Hunter]

With the right style of muzzle break (muscle break) the shooter doesn't feel any of the concussion from the muzzle blast. The blast is directed straight out to the sides and not back at the shooter or at the ground. They are also very effective for recoil reduction. The mini magnum 3 port on my 28 Nosler makes the recoil feel less than a 22-250, and that is with a 195 Berger at 3100+ fps and over 4000 ft-lbs energy out of a 8.5# gun without optics.

 

[DennisH]

If the rifle is heavy enough, recoil shouldn't be an issue. I have a Varmint rig, app weight 11lbs, I shoot it all day with no issues. Very accurate and one of my favorite.