Muzzle brake on varmint rifles

[Ackman]

From research here some guys seem to use MB's on their varmint rifles for helping spot hits and potential misses. Just wondering what brake seems best suited for 223's. I'm tempted on a new barrel, just it needs to have no ports at the bottom as I also shoot prone off a mat occasionally.

Depending on barrel weight, it'll take more than just a couple extra pounds to get it where you want it. We went through all that stuff years ago, before brakes were a thing. A plate with diver's weights bolted on, or lead filled pans in addition to adding shot to the stock. It was unwieldy stuff. I filled one factory stock so full of shot that it broke when I dropped it. Always funny to read the negative stuff people write about brakes. Brakes are definitely the way to go and most of my guns have them, even heavy barrel .223's that weigh 16-18 lbs. The gun goes off and doesn't even quiver, much more fun to shoot and see the whole show. Noise isn't a worry to a shooting partner, you're not elbow to elbow and both are wearing ear protection (or should be) anyhow, right?

 

[sdbob]

Brakes have there place but not next to me in a prairie dog town all day. The concussion is what gets me. My group of friends has gone the other way and shoot suppressed.

 

[AckleymanII]

I bet the suppressors need cleaning often, shooting on dog towns?

 

[sdbob]

I bet the suppressors need cleaning often, shooting on dog towns?

A dirty suppressor is a quiet suppressor!!!

 

[urbanrifleman]

When I go shoot at the range I notice most people shoot brakes that have massive side ports. These are quite offensive to the side, I could understand that. The Tubb doesn't do that. It doesn't seem to be as bad.

 

[Mark W]

Brakes have there place but not next to me in a prairie dog town all day. The concussion is what gets me. My group of friends has gone the other way and shoot suppressed.

You and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum. The concussion from my rifle or a shooting partners doesn’t bother be at all. It’s not like we’re set up 4 feet from each other. To me a suppressor would be a waste of money that I could have spent on other things.

Like I said before, some of us are just more sensitive to the blast from a brake than others. I don’t think we can tell anyone how they will feel shooting a braked rifle until they try it for themselves.

I’ve only ever met one guy in person who claimed to hate muzzle brakes. He also hates black rifles, magnum cartridges, and pretty much anything else that he’s not into himself.

 

[Larryh128]

You and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum. The concussion from my rifle or a shooting partners doesn’t bother be at all. It’s not like we’re set up 4 feet from each other. To me a suppressor would be a waste of money that I could have spent on other things.

Like I said before, some of us are just more sensitive to the blast from a brake than others. I don’t think we can tell anyone how they will feel shooting a braked rifle until they try it for themselves.

I’ve only ever met one guy in person who claimed to hate muzzle brakes. He also hates black rifles, magnum cartridges, and pretty much anything else that he’s not into himself.

Once you own/shoot a suppressor, your opinion will change. Only thing I'm bummed about is I didn't buy 1 years ago.

 

[redrockranger]

You and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum. The concussion from my rifle or a shooting partners doesn’t bother be at all. It’s not like we’re set up 4 feet from each other. To me a suppressor would be a waste of money that I could have spent on other things.

Like I said before, some of us are just more sensitive to the blast from a brake than others. I don’t think we can tell anyone how they will feel shooting a braked rifle until they try it for themselves.

I’ve only ever met one guy in person who claimed to hate muzzle brakes. He also hates black rifles, magnum cartridges, and pretty much anything else that he’s not into himself.

Add me to the list. My guess for those that don't mind setting next to a braked rifle wait a few years for the damage to show up.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Add me to the list. My guess for those that don't mind setting next to a braked rifle wait a few years for the damage to show up.

This baffles me. Are you not wearing hearing protection?

 

[redrockranger]

This baffles me. Are you not wearing hearing protection?

Yes plugs for sure and muffs most of the time also. I wear hearing aids now for 5 years. There is bones around the ear that transmits noise also. The tinnitus is unbelievable .

 

[Mark W]

Once you own/shoot a suppressor, your opinion will change. Only thing I'm bummed about is I didn't buy 1 years ago.

I’ve shot them on others rifles a few times. Nothing at all against them, but I just wasn’t nearly enamored enough to warrant the spend.

 

[urbanrifleman]

I wear PLUGS and MUFFS. Always.

 

[searcher]

I ALWAYS wear hearing protection and can't imagine not using a brake. I don't worry about "the spotters ears" as I don't need a spotter. All the guys I shoot with use them - with good hearing protection. We also don't set up right next to one another. The big, side discharge brakes are the most effective and the small, slim radial brakes being the least effective - though that is all that is needed to keep the smaller calibers (like .17 thru .22 CAL) with a manageable after-shot sight picture. When one sets up next to a braked 50 BMG at the range, I can surely understand the dislike. The small varmint calibers are not even close to that kind of punishment - especially when you set up at least 50 feet apart.

 

[snert]

Snert, you run those light weight rigs

Mine weigh 22-41pounds.

I have bad hearing, brakes just tear me up even with plugs and muffs on. Yeah you will get one side of the truck to yourself AND I won’t go with you again.

What did you say?? (I once touched off a 22-250 over a truck roof as my partner spotlighted out the passenger window. He ain't never forgiven me)

 

[JSH]

Lol, we might be kin some how.
Did about the same thing, buddy was sitting in the cab and I was leaning across the hood and touched off a 454 at a coyote. I said he thought the windshield was gonna come in.

I will tote my heavy rifle and custom ear plugs.
I just never could get a good check weld with muffs.

I did as others here with the Choate stocks, fill everything with #9. I even filled the barrel channel on a couple of them, ended up with an epoxy shot bar that can be removed if so wanted. That got me to 41 lbs in one rig.

 

[Justin B]

Once I shot suppressed I never looked back. Makes a day on the ground rats so much more enjoyable

 

[odysseyshooter]

Yes, I've found muzzle brakes useful on many of my varmint rigs, mostly used them on 22-25o's and larger rifles. When I was shooting a light sporter in 222 rem. which weighed around 8 pounds with scope I had to work hard in keeping my view of the target and I needed to adjust my grip and hold. I finally had a brake installed and then it was like my 22 Hornet in recoil and jump or less, but I of course could hit my targets farther than the Hornet. Now I just love my 17 Hornet and no brake needed.

I remember back in the 80's when I was putting together varmint rigs and wanted to get a brake installed on my custom built 220 Swift so I could see my hits. But only one company at the time was advertising brakes and that was for big game rifles, I finally convinced the company to install one on my Swift and boy did it make a difference , of course I always used ear protection and so did my shooting partners so we were good. Most shooters and custom rifle builders considered me crazy for wanting a brake on my varmint rigs back in the 1980's as brakes were not common at all. But as time went on they were accepted and for years now, a real wanted feature and seem common on varmint rigs.

I wrote a bunch about my initial muzzle brake experiences and it is in my book "A Varmint Hunter's Odyssey" by Steve Hanson
cheers
steve

 

[urbanrifleman]

Yes, I've found muzzle brakes useful on many of my varmint rigs, mostly used them on 22-25o's and larger rifles. When I was shooting a light sporter in 222 rem. which weighed around 8 pounds with scope I had to work hard in keeping my view of the target and I needed to adjust my grip and hold. I finally had a brake installed and then it was like my 22 Hornet in recoil and jump or less, but I of course could hit my targets farther than the Hornet. Now I just love my 17 Hornet and no brake needed.

I remember back in the 80's when I was putting together varmint rigs and wanted to get a brake installed on my custom built 220 Swift so I could see my hits. But only one company at the time was advertising brakes and that was for big game rifles, I finally convinced the company to install one on my Swift and boy did it make a difference , of course I always used ear protection and so did my shooting partners so we were good. Most shooters and custom rifle builders considered me crazy for wanting a brake on my varmint rigs back in the 1980's as brakes were not common at all. But as time went on they were accepted and for years now, a real wanted feature and seem common on varmint rigs.

I wrote a bunch about my initial muzzle brake experiences and it is in my book "A Varmint Hunter's Odyssey" by Steve Hanson
cheers
steve

Books. I remember those things.

 

[BradY]

The noise isn't a big issue when your shooting a 223 next to guys that use 243's. Yes we all wear hearing protection. And suppressors aren't legal here so it's not an option. Are bolt on brakes worth looking at with the current barrel to see if it's worth getting the new one threaded? Rifle is a tikka T3 varmint with a custom thumbhole laminate stock. Recoil is no issue, it's more the muzzle flip that you lose sight of the target for a split second. Usually back just in time to see it fall but don't see the hits. I'm going back to 40gr bullets in the next barrel with a 14 twist. 8 twist I have better luck shooting 55's and they definitely flip more at the muzzle

 

[Dgd6mm]

Check out Muzzle Brakes and More, Nathan's brakes are the best, especially the self timing ones.

Don Dunlap