How effective is a muzzle break?

[ChrisNZ]

Make it louder? No.
100 decibels is 100 decibels.

You are confusing the sound energy level with the sound pressure level reaching the shooter's ears. Most brakes make the report far louder to the shooter

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

You are confusing the sound energy level with the sound pressure level reaching the shooter's ears. Most brakes make the report far louder to the shooter

Regardless, one hurts a hell of a lot more than the other.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

I like a Brake for, Sage Rats, Coyotes and Rock Chucks, on my .22-250 and 6 XC , Varmint Rifles, to keep the Muzzle rise, DOWN and be able to, see the Hits ! And wear, Ear Protection, ALWAYS !
On our, 6.5 PRC, 7mm Mag and .270 WSM,. 24" barrel, Hunting Rifles, they are, NOT for US ( Not Necesary with, 160 grain or, Less Bullets, IMO ) One Shot, One dead Elk / Deer and we usually have, a "Spotter" watching, the shot !
We Hunt with, "Walking around", 7.5 Pound, Hunting Rifles, 200 yd Zero's and they are, "good" to 750 Yards with, our "Dial- up" scopes. The only Recoil, "pain" is Working up, a Load on, the Bench after that, Recoil AIN'T an Issue when practicing,.. Sitting / Prone / Standing !
SOMETIMES, you DON'T have Time, to put Muff's on, when Hiking and,.. a Deer or Elk,. jump's up !

 

[ChrisNZ]

If the report hurts, your ear protection is clearly inadequate. Take it from one who knows- I'm a retired audiologist.

As for hunting without ear protection, I understand the practicalities. I'm lucky to have various custom in-the-ear electronic plugs which totally sort this issue.

 

[243winxb]

Suppressor reduce recoil & allow us to hear into old age.
If your a left hand rifle shooter, brakes, auto loaders are a problem.
I take the bench all the way to the left, so i am looking at the wall. Still have to move if a 50 bmg shows up.

Brakes/suppressors not allowed in NRA competitions

Some do work better then others. The drilled round hole, seems to make the most noise. .

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

If the report hurts, your ear protection is clearly inadequate. Take it from one who knows- I'm a retired audiologist.

As for hunting without ear protection, I understand the practicalities. I'm lucky to have various custom in-the-ear electronic plugs which totally sort this issue.

I wonder if you can answer a question for me. I wear Resound aids with in ear mic buds. When I turn of the aids I can't hear anything much. I have tested them at the range, and they seem to really deaden the sound.

My question is are they good enough to wear as hearing protection?

 

[Lone Hunter]

This was in today’s bulletin. Maybe it might help shed some light.

Linear Compensators — How They Work & Advantages vs. Brakes « Daily Bulletin

In this interesting video, Brownells Gun Tech Caleb Savant covers the topic of linear compensators, aka blast diffusers or linear blast devices. These are quite different in function from a typical muzzle brake and they are NOT a sound suppressor. Unlike a traditional muzzle brake, a linear...

bulletin.accurateshooter.com

 

[ChrisNZ]

I wonder if you can answer a question for me. I wear Resound aids with in ear mic buds. When I turn of the aids I can't hear anything much. I have tested them at the range, and they seem to really deaden the sound.

My question is are they good enough to wear as hearing protection?

I am assuming you mean RIC aids which have the processor behind your ear and a fine wire going down to the receiver in your canal. Most RIC (receiver in canal) aids use a highly vented dome to deliver the amplified sound which is largely the missing high frequencies. If yours are acting as slight ear plugs when switched off, that clearly tells me you have very little or no deliberate venting. One question- the "buds" you have- are they soft and removeable, or a permanently-attached custom moulded item? A picture would tell me straight away

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

I am assuming you mean RIC aids which have the processor behind your ear and a fine wire going down to the receiver in your canal. Most RIC (receiver in canal) aids use a highly vented dome to deliver the amplified sound which is largely the missing high frequencies. If yours are acting as slight ear plugs when switched off, that clearly tells me you have very little or no deliberate venting. One question- the "buds" you have- are they soft and removeable, or a permanently-attached custom moulded item? A picture would tell me straight away

The buds are soft and removeable. I take them of every few days and blow air through them to clean them. When my aids are turned off, I can hear very little sound. Can not hear enough to understand what any is saying. These are only two years old and were very expensive. The aids have the microphone in the ear canal. I don't see anyway for sound to get past the buds as it is a very snug fit.

 

[ChrisNZ]

If the mics are in the canal, you probably have ITCs or CICs.
I think by the sound of it you have very little or no venting in the shells. That's why they are acting as some sort of earplugs, DEF not the case for 90% of users with RICs. Again, I really need a pic to comment further. Price has nothing to do with it.

 

[RussellJ]

Just bought a Savage Timberline in 7mm Rem Mag and it came with a muzzle break installed. Will it actually reduce felt recoil or just make the gun louder? Thanks group, James

I have an 8lb 1986 Remington Custom Shop 700 300 Win Mag that I purchased used. The original owner had a local gunsmith install a muzzle brake on it. The muzzle brake turned this gun into a pussycat to shoot.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Everyone knows when you are shooting a large caliber rifle with a brake you
are by law required to find a bench next to a benchrest shooter and time your
trigger pull to be just a millisecond ahead of theirs.

Their hair, if they have any should look like this.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I have a 338 wm TC venture, synthetic stock. Just over 8# scoped. I shot 6 mid range hand loads, during break in, stopped because just too much recoil. Summer time, tee shirt on a bench with sand bags. My lgs made a custom brake that I can shoot prone with bipod and not get dusted, like to shoot that rifle now. Just wish it didn't need so much powder. Recoil is noticeably less than my M700 30/06.

 

[Jacks Grampa]

Shot it yesterday with and without the muzzle break. The break stays.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

I am assuming you mean RIC aids which have the processor behind your ear and a fine wire going down to the receiver in your canal. Most RIC (receiver in canal) aids use a highly vented dome to deliver the amplified sound which is largely the missing high frequencies. If yours are acting as slight ear plugs when switched off, that clearly tells me you have very little or no deliberate venting. One question- the "buds" you have- are they soft and removeable, or a permanently-attached custom moulded item? A picture would tell me straight away

 

[David Milisock]

I have 4 rifles with brakes, all are semi-auto CQB firearms. When firing at rates at 3 shots in 2 seconds or faster, aimed fire or point shooting the brakes greatly improve groups. No ifs ands or buts!

 

[harro]

Twenty Five years ago nobody I knew wore ear protection unless they were at a Gun Club and had to obey the Range rules .
When out hunting it wasn’t even considered in my circle of acquaintances.
But technology improved and when electronic ear protection arrived on the scene at affordable prices they began to appear in my hunting circle .
Times have changed an now I don’t know anyone who doesn’t use hearing protection of some kind when shooting Shotgun/ Centerfire , 22 rimfire still seems to bring out the “ old school “ in some people though.
Muzzle Brakes are perceivably louder when in the immediate vicinity but my ear protection takes care of that anyway so I’m a convert to the muzzle brake .
The recoil reduction and ability to see impacts is a big performance benefit that outweighs the noise problem .
I will add that I usually shoot alone while hunting and target shooting so innocent bystanders aren’t really a consideration . If I am in a situation where others are around then I try to be considerate and not ruin there day .

 

[ChrisNZ]

Yeh, those are RICs Nick and they've got the small size domes on them so you must have very small canals if they are having an earplug effect switched off. Most users of these can park them turned off and their hearing is virtually identical to unaided.

While you clearly notice some earplug effect, I'd near guarantee the degree of protection wouldn't be up to the job for a decent centrefire.

BTW, those are "receivers" in your ear, the two mics are in the main unit.

 

[Mike TackleBerry]

I have a Area419 Hellfire and it does a amazing job at eliminating the recoil, I'd say at least by 40%.

 

[No i deer]

Try it with and without the brake once you've developed a load with the brake on then you'll see the difference..
Tames the recoil down so much aswell as the muzzle flip..
For snapshooting timed details shooting quick you need the rifle too stay on the target rather than jumping around..
Personally I prefer the brakes that send the blast rearwards being ported on an angle rather than 90 degrees..
Even less recoil..
I use a T3 terminator,a Roedale and 1other brake.
Similar angled ports just different designs.
All very efficient at reducing the recoil.