Whats the deal with muzzle brakes on everything these days??

Most of my rifles have brakes on them. Why take a beating if you do not need to? My first brake was on a .460WBY mag. It worked so well, I decided everything needed one. If class rules allowed, even more rifles would have them.:D
 
It does seem a little curious that we go to a publicly accessed SHOOTING range and then seem put-out by "loud noise." While I can understand exactly whatthe OP is describing, everything at the range is shockingly, critically, and obscenely -LOUD.-
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I understand your point, but there's loud and then there's LOUD. Trying to shoot next to a rifle with a brake can be intolerable, even with muffs and plugs. When it starts blowing the brass off the bench, that's when I draw the line.
 
I beg to differ...did you buy one firearm and simply stop with that?
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That's a choice, not a disease.

The CDC is already notorious for being anti gun, and wanting to advocate for strict control to stop the "epidemic" of "gun violence"
 
I have two 24 inch barrel Savage .308s. One came with a muzzle brake and the other didn't. The muzzle brake adds two inches to the 24 inch barrel.
Basically, they are the same rifles except for the muzzle brake on one.

They shoot essentially the same with respect to accuracy, but the one with the muzzle brake does not jump up as much on recoil so you can get back on target more quickly, although it doesn't matter much with a bolt action.
There is just a slight difference in felt recoil but it is almost not noticeable to me unless I am really trying to feel the difference.

And yes, the one with the muzzle brake is louder for those nearby.
Personally, I prefer to shoot the Savage without the muzzle brake for some reason.
 
I have two rifles with brakes on them, one a 308 cal PTR91, the other a SVT40. I find that the brakes make a difference in perceived recoil and muzzle deflection.

Since the PTR was purchased as my 3 gun rifle, these factors are important to me. The SVT40 recoils less than my SKS, as measured by the Mk1 Mod 0 standard issued shoulder.

The added benefit to shooting muzzle brakes is that the sudden spike in air pressure tends to clean out my sinuses too.

I too detest the raining shower of hot brass from my neighbors on the range. But I guess that's the price we pay sometimes. I have found that a friendly suggestion to the shell shucker that he give me a moment to fire between his volleys is typically well received, if politely requested.
 
Some brakes work well--and some are just gangstah tacticool that don't do much of anything at all.

All that said--if you get one don't just assume that just because they say it will fit your firearm properly it will. I've had brakes with varying degrees of bore oversize machined into them as well as other dimensions that were slightly off. In one case a clamp-on style brake was machined with incorrect barrel taper and circumference dimensions--imagine my surprise when upon firing the brake made it over half way to my 100 yd target. A baffle strike could have a far worse outcome.

Most public ranges I've been too it's anything goes unless otherwise posted in the regs. I agree with "expect the big bangs" and really not reasonable to complain about it. On the other hand, I do go out of my way to be considerate of most shooters, but if I'm there first and am testing ladders of reloads or breaking in a new weapon--tough luck--especially if it's a first come, first-serve range--I almost always select the least popular days and am usually there at sun-up.

Big bangers at the range are the least of my worries--it's the nimrods who walk onto the range while it's hot--or charge their weapons in the pits while the range is cold and everyone else is setting up/retrieving targets--that I worry about, along with the first timers waving their brand new AR's around wondering why it won't shoot.
 
You put a brake on an SVT-40? :eek:

I don't know if that's blasphemy to the milsurp crowd, but its certainly ...disrespectful. :rolleyes:
 
I think a lot of the guns coming from the factory with brakes are using the threaded barrel as a "supressor ready" selling point
 
44AMP said: You put a brake on an SVT-40?

I don't know if that's blasphemy to the milsurp crowd, but its certainly ...disrespectful.
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I think it was the folks at Tula arsenal who installed it. It is original to the rifle anyways.

 
I finally got to the range this last weekend,,,

I finally got to the range this last weekend,,,
There was a young man there with a Mossberg 702 Plinkster.

It had a muzzle brake installed from the manufacturer.

A muzzle break on a .22 rifle. :eek:

Sheesh, what a world.

Aarond

.
 
I think it was the folks at Tula arsenal who installed it. It is original to the rifle anyways.
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OK, never mind, I thought you meant you put an aftermarket brake on the SVT.

I always thought the brake on the SVT-40 looked really cool. A miniature of the one on the SU-152 "animal killer".


Did you put a brake on the PTR-91? I don't think they come with a muzzle brake. I had an HK 91, and it didn't have a muzzle brake. It has a flash suppressor. They do look similar to muzzle brakes, but the function is different.

And within muzzle brakes, in general, there are two different "types". The oldest type I know of is the "Cutts Compensator", found on versions of the Tommygun. I also have this kind of brake on a .458 Winchester (I got it that way). It has slots on the top, to compensate for muzzle climb. This type of "brake" only reduces muzzle climb, not overall recoil.





That's the .458.

The other type is the common type today, where the gas is directed out the sides (and sometimes also the top) to reduce the recoil. The holes/slots have an angle so the gas pushes against the brake (reducing recoil) as it vents.

Brake on a .45-70 Contender

A flash suppressor has holes or slots, (often all the way around), without the angle for the gas to push against. All they do is break up the muzzle flash (change its appearance).

Extra credit question: Anyone know the main tactical benefit of the muzzle brakes on WWII era tanks?
 
Extra credit question: Anyone know the main tactical benefit of the muzzle brakes on WWII era tanks?
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I assume that it's a self-cleaning system to remove all the dead bugs from the front of the tank, collected on long highway trips on summer evenings where the volume of moths is quite heavy.
 
Extra credit question: Anyone know the main tactical benefit of the muzzle brakes on WWII era tanks?
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They make the bore look bigger?

More places to hang your dirty laundry?

Fastest way to skin a cat?

Doubles as an attachment point for lifting Jeeps out of the mud?

Pre-chews your bubble gum?
 
The muzzle break is to stabilize the shot in "follow through" to the next shot. In war use it can minimize the flash in the late afternoon and evening. My Colt Competition 5.56 has a horizontal, side to side break.
 
My main shooting buddy uses them on several of his weapons. I have to walk away when he shoots them. I guess, to him, anyway, they look cool..... I have very different tastes but I have refrained from telling him that I despise muzzle brakes. I don't particularly like modern military/ para-military weapons with their plastic stocks, rails, and umpty-nine attachments anyway.... but I can tolerate all except the muzzle brakes.
 
Guns are addictive. The CDC can start with that premise................................Oh, heck then we'll have the DEA and FDA trying to regulate us........................scratch that idea.............................
 
Extra credit question: Anyone know the main tactical benefit of the muzzle brakes on WWII era tanks?
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Frankenmauser,
#1) yes
#2) yes
#3) ahh, I guess, if you can get the cat to stay there...
#4) Noo! Never! Always use one of the shackles on the hull for attachment points. Using the gun puts too much strain on the gun mount.
#5) ? I have no idea! :D

The main tactical benefit to the muzzle brake seen on WWII era (and some later) tanks is the benefit it gives for a faster follow up shot.

And it has nothing to do with the recoil reduction. It has to do with the gunner's ability to see.

Look at the tanks which have the brakes. The gun barrels extend well past the front of the hull. Muzzle blast kicks up a lot of dust, which generally obscures the gunner's sight until it settles. The muzzle brake, with a solid bottom, directing a good portion of the blast to the sides, kicked up a LOT less dust right in front of the tank, allowing the gunner to see his target again, sooner, and deliver a faster follow up shot, if needed.

That same effect that makes it so painful to be on a bench on the next lane when a braked rifle is fired, was a combat advantage at one time.

Today, our tank sights can see through dust, smoke rain, sleet, hail, snow, and dark of night to deliver the mail. So the beneficial effect of a brake kicking up less dust and debris isn't needed anymore.


That's an interesting set up below the 45-70
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The scoped barrel is .22 Hornet.
The short barrel is 9mm Luger. And it only looks short, in comparison, it's a 6" barrel.
 
flash hider

I bought a bolt rifle with a threaded muzzle, ..gosh..never had one of those before!

So....there's this point out there where I can attach....something, easily. So I did, a flash hider, just because. Doesn't matter a hoot to anything I shoot at, and I'm not worried about being detected by the enemy. But the flash hider seems to "complete" the rifle, and it does look better w/o that knurled ring out there at the muzzle. And the flash hider (GI A2) serves well to protect the crown.

Brakes....they are loud, and from a shooting house, or from a covered bench, obnoxious and abusive, not for me.
 
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