I run a local match for our club and it's a 300 yard "varmint" shoot where most shoot from a bench. Lately we have got a lot of newcomers showing up and shooting everything from AR223's to big caliber stuff. It's open to any and all calibers up to .308 but the issue were having is with muzzle brakes. How do I deal with them? Several shooters have been complaining about the back blast from them. Some are so bad they are actually knocking stuff off other benches. I don't think it's fair to ban them across the board because some shooters have developed their loads with them in place. Looking for ideas to not piss off anybody and prevent losing my good shooters that don't want to shoot around them.
Running a local match,... how to deal with muzzle brakes?
- Thread starter Lefty Trigger
- Start date
DirtySteve
Gold $$ Contributor
Letting them continue to use brakes may result in the others no longer shooting the match.. Could build a movable blast shield or barricade to place between them.. Maybe have one relay with everyone running a break on that relay....
Mulligan
Silver $$ Contributor
We have grouped the obnoxious brakes at one end of the line more than once.
Had one shooter using a 338LM improved necked down to 7mm with a reallly loud break……. He was always on bench one. Nobody on bench two.
He does not shoot with us anymore but the rest of the gang is still there and having fun.
Good luck
CW
Had one shooter using a 338LM improved necked down to 7mm with a reallly loud break……. He was always on bench one. Nobody on bench two.
He does not shoot with us anymore but the rest of the gang is still there and having fun.
Good luck
CW
Just my 2 cents but you'll lose more shooters due to brakes than you keep with allowing them. I'd make temporary accommodations to brakes by putting them on one end by themselves but tell them that they are welcome but brakes aren't allowed and give them a little time to tune for shooting without it. Club match rules are up to the range and/or the match director. If thats you, it's your call but brakes are tough to shoot around under cover and from a bench, for anyone nearby. Nothing against brakes...Love em but not for bench shooting under cover. If they like the game, they'll do what it takes to play. If not, they weren't gonna stay long anyway. It's a tough call but there's only one good answer in the long run.
RetiredArmy
Gold $$ Contributor
You could have all the braked shooters in the same relay and the non-braked in another. That way the ones who don't like muzzle brakes (me included) can get off the line and away from them.
Bill
Bill
We deal with this every week. We have a barrier on wheels that we put between all the brakes and the non-brakes and the wheels let us easily move it. Been doing it like this for years and no issues and people with brakes are grateful they have a place to shoot and life goes on. On most of my prone platforms we actually screwed barriers on each side so every bench with them are brake approved.
jackieschmidt
Gold $$ Contributor
Muzzle brakes are a major problem at a Benchrest Match. It’s that simple.
I know they are allowed in 600/1000 yards, but both major Sanctioning Bodies, NBRSA and IBS, do not allow them in Short Range.
If someone shows up at a Tomball Club Match with a muzzle brake, in the past we try to segregate the shooter with a bench or two between him and everybody else.
We have only had a few ever show up. You try to be courteous, but the fact is, the shooter with the brake is the one being discourteous to the other shooters.
For next year, the rules will state that no muzzle brakes. It will be the responsibility of any shooter wishing to attend a match to know this.
I know they are allowed in 600/1000 yards, but both major Sanctioning Bodies, NBRSA and IBS, do not allow them in Short Range.
If someone shows up at a Tomball Club Match with a muzzle brake, in the past we try to segregate the shooter with a bench or two between him and everybody else.
We have only had a few ever show up. You try to be courteous, but the fact is, the shooter with the brake is the one being discourteous to the other shooters.
For next year, the rules will state that no muzzle brakes. It will be the responsibility of any shooter wishing to attend a match to know this.
DonkeyHote
Gold $$ Contributor
At my club Atglan no brakes allowed for bench rest silhouette to 500 meters.
They let them shoot first time , Benches are full so there is no other option.
They let them shoot first time , Benches are full so there is no other option.
riverwolf1
Silver $$ Contributor
We have had a few show up, and I usually put 2 benches between those with breaks. I think another option is to put them on a separate relay by themselves.
DaveTooley
Gold $$ Contributor
I had a similar problem at a match. I went along with plywood as a barrier. I shouldn't have. The effects of the concussion lasted for days. No one should be subjected to permanent damage just to shoot a match. This was a brake with rearward angled ports. From day one we never allowed rearward angled brakes in 1K and 600 yd. comps.
I absolutely hate them. The worse are the AR guys that shoot 10 to 20 rounds in rapid succession. The blast in deafening and I wear double ear protection, plugs and muffs.
I simply cannot do any precision shooting work when these guys show up. I just yield the range to them and leave. I cannot afford to waste scarce components on non-fully productive range sessions. I am fortunate because I am retired and can go to the range during the week and thus encounter significantly less members.
As far as matches, while I never shot competition rifle except for 3 position rimfire eons ago, I can't imagine a serious shooter doing their best with that kind of blast next to them. In my opinion, it would ruin the integrity of a match creating an unfair advantage to guys having to shoot next to them versus those who don't have to. I would ban them or have all brake guys shoot the same relay.
I simply cannot do any precision shooting work when these guys show up. I just yield the range to them and leave. I cannot afford to waste scarce components on non-fully productive range sessions. I am fortunate because I am retired and can go to the range during the week and thus encounter significantly less members.
As far as matches, while I never shot competition rifle except for 3 position rimfire eons ago, I can't imagine a serious shooter doing their best with that kind of blast next to them. In my opinion, it would ruin the integrity of a match creating an unfair advantage to guys having to shoot next to them versus those who don't have to. I would ban them or have all brake guys shoot the same relay.
Greg@wfcustom
Gold $$ Contributor
We “discourage” shooters bringing rifles with brakes to our “bring what you want” shoots, and they are verboten at SR Registered BR matches.
I watched a yahoo shooting a 338 LM at the 1000 yds Nats 2 years ago. I was two bench’s over and it was blowing the lid closed on my shooting box.
Imagine what the guy between us was going through! Don’t like them, never have. Even my 416 Hoffman is bare barreled and that puppy needs a brake!
G
Monte F
Silver $$ Contributor
At our long range varmint match we allow them, but they are usually radial style with mid size cartridges and we have space between the shooters (prone position).
When someone shows up at our F-class matches with a brake, we stick them to one end with some space between the rest of us. We like to include and welcome new shooters, but explain to them they are not allowed per the rule book and ask them to remove them if possible next time.
When the 50 cal. shooters have their match, you can hear the clamshell brakes on the far side of the range. I do not volunteer to work as an RSO for that match due to the constant blast behind them while shooting.
I have seen two 18 inch pipe wrenches on the checkin table at the SWN one year to assist anyone that showed up with one installed.
When someone shows up at our F-class matches with a brake, we stick them to one end with some space between the rest of us. We like to include and welcome new shooters, but explain to them they are not allowed per the rule book and ask them to remove them if possible next time.
When the 50 cal. shooters have their match, you can hear the clamshell brakes on the far side of the range. I do not volunteer to work as an RSO for that match due to the constant blast behind them while shooting.
I have seen two 18 inch pipe wrenches on the checkin table at the SWN one year to assist anyone that showed up with one installed.
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