Does a Muzzle Brake effect accuracy ?

[Wayne S]

Planning some projects and one being to see if a muzzle brake effects accuracy. I have 2 Contender bbl's 1 7 MM and 1 30 Cal. that I can remove the brakes, So I thought it might be an interesting test.
Anybody have any thoughts on this ??

[303Guy]

I would say if anything it would improve accuracy by damping barrel vibration with the added weight. The design might also deflect the muzzle blast back onto the boolit before it clears the brake and that wouldn't be good but might do nothing anyway.

[tomme boy]

Yes. It affects the overall length of the barrel so the harmonics will change. Also it can make the rifle more fun to shoot so you can shoot it better without the flinch factor.

[lathesmith]

Yes...and No. A properly fitted muzzle brake will change your point of impact, and you may have to work up a new load--maybe. In other words, your barrel's "likes" and "dislikes" may change, this could effect which loads work best in your barrel.

And, as others has pointed out, if it's a hard recoiler, you should be able to handle it better, as the reduced pounding you will take will often help you shoot better.

lathesmith

[462]

This is a timely thread.

I have a 1901 Carl Gustav M96 that has a threaded muzzle, and I bought a muzzle brake/flash suppressor for it. A few weeks ago, it so happened that I did some 50-yard, back-to-back, with-and-without accuracy tests, and was quite amazed with the results. Without the device installed, the five-shot groups were acceptably small, but with it installed the groups were reduced to five-shot ragged holes.

Not being able to come to a definite reason for the why of it, I asked a member who has much rifle testing experience. His though was that the device evens out the gas pressure as the boolit exits the muzzle.

I plan on doing further testing.

[Casting Timmy]

Muzzle brakes can negatively affect accuracy if made wrong or worn out. I like talking to this one guy a lot becuase of all his experience and knowledge with gunsmithing. He was given a rifle in exchange for some other work he did that wouldn't shoot right. The muzzle brake was worn out from shooting and the rifle needed to be recrowned. He made a new brake and recrowned the muzzle and got it back to shooting small groups.

His tip to me with muzzle brakes was drilling the holes slightly off center so the blast wants to tighten the muzzle brake and not work it loose. Then you don;t have to remember about carrying around a brass rod to tighten it and can remove it by hand for cleaning. He just unscrews his by hand and puts it into a jar of cleaner to get it clean after shooting.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

Based on three trips to Africa in the past four years, I can tell you trackers do NOT like to see them. Point a braked rifle at the game, and watch them scurry back behind you twenty feet or more like greased lightning.

On varmint rifles/calibers it is neat to actually see the target react to the bullet impact.

Rich

[Cap'n Morgan]

Liked already pointed out, if properly fitted a muzzle brake will if anything improve accuracy, but it will also change POI to some extent.

[RED333]

I have a Saiga in 7.62x51 with a 18" barrel, barrel whip was real bad, re-sight on the target was slow. So, I put on a "Big Chubby" and man what a diff it made.
Most if not all whip was gone, re-sight is much better now.
As far as accuracy, it did not change any that I could tell.
I am not a "Sharpe shooter", I do like shooting a LOT.
I can get 2" groups at 100yrds, and 6" groups at 300yrds, on VERY GOOD DAYS, that are few.

[Bloodman14]

O.K., here's a convoluted question; my Yugo SKS came with a standard grenade launcher, which I removed and replaced with a Tapco muzzle brake (along with a few other Sec. 922 parts to maintain legal status). According to Sec. 922, I must leave the MB on the barrel "except for short periods" (What the heck does that mean?):confused:. Sec. 922 also states that the MB must be welded on in a permanent fashion!:roll:

So, to my question; how do you guys get away with installing/removing MBs willy-nilly, while SKS types must be affixed permanently?:target_smiley:

[tomme boy]

As long as you have your 10 USA made parts you can leave it anyway you want. Look up what parts are needed to meet the 10 for the SKS. I think they are talking about welding it if you are going to leave it in original configuration.

[JeffinNZ]

Only the accuracy the guy shooting next to you. ;-)

[mpmarty]

My 7.62X51 Saiga doesn't care. It shoots the same with or without the brake.

[303Guy]

What Jeff is saying is we don't like brakes so much in our parts. We have no need for them, we can have suppressors. A well designed suppressor probably works better than a muzzle brake. Don't you guys envy us? And I'm not being smug - I wish y'all had the same freedom.


Muzzle brakes can negatively affect accuracy if made wrong ...

Without the device installed, the five-shot groups were acceptably small, but with it installed the groups were reduced to five-shot ragged holes.My thinking is the brake can strip the muzzle blast away from the boolit or directed it back onto the boolit/bullet. The latter one would be "made wrong".

I made a small device which would be about the size of a muzzle brake and cut the recoil by a substantial amount but it also cut the muzzle blast by a substantial amount. I wonder whether it would pass as a muzzle brake in your country?

This is it.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-303F_edited.jpg

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-300F_edited.jpg

It was an interim measure. The barrel went halfway into it. It was amazing!

[JeffinNZ]

We have had to install some decent sound baffling walls and materials at our club to counter the effects of the muzzle brakes. The big .338 Lapua can to intriguing to be around.

[frankenfab]

Only the accuracy the guy shooting next to you. ;-)

Good one!

If at all possible, I like to have the brake screwed on the barrel, and the barrel bore indicated in on a lathe when the exit hole is bored to final diameter.

[GabbyM]

I’ve shot prairie dogs for three full 12 hours days straight on several trips. Next to guys using brakes on 243 Win and 308 Win 26 inch barrel rifles. Can’t tell any difference with my hearing protection out on the open prairie which soaks up gun blast. On a range with those steel roofs it’s another matter.

Electronic ear muffs are probably the best invention in shooing sports in the 20th century. What really works 100% is to use ear plugs then the electronic muffs over them. Just turn the volume up a bit more.

If you’re right handed install an ear plug in your left ear. Under the muffs. That’s the one turned toward your guns muzzle and the one that gets blown out first. My tinnitus was tested last winter. I’m now up to a 71 decibel high pitch ring in my left ear. Less in my right ear. I can not use a telephone up to my left ear. Or ride in a car sitting in the right seat and more than half hear the driver to my left. A couple of decades of hearing that in your head 24/7 will make a believer in hearing protection out of you.

[wallenba]

I have one T/C 14 inch barrel with one on it, a 7-30 Waters. It's extremely accurate. It's also the only barrel I have that will give me an extremely bad headache after an hour of shooting.

[Rick459]

http://rvbprecision.com/shooting/adventures-with-muzzle-brakes.html

[yondering]

I've only found one case where a muzzle brake is bad for accuracy - that is with paper patch bullets in my 35 Whelen. Evidently the brake catches the paper as it's coming off the bullet, and ruins accuracy.

Other than that, I really like using muzzle brakes.

[yondering]

http://rvbprecision.com/shooting/adventures-with-muzzle-brakes.html

Hey, that's a great article! Thanks for the link.

[XWrench3]

for many reasons, yes it can effect accuracy and the point of impact. if it makes a large difference negatively, be sure to check and make sure the bullet or boolit is not hitting the brake itself as it "flys" thru the brake. if the brake is not installed perfectly centered, this could happen. there is normally 0.010" on each side of the bullet for clearance. so usually, most of them are installed with no problems. but gunsmiths are people, and can make a mistake like every other human on the planet.i have only had one installed, and it came out fine (45/70 Gov't Marlin GG), i did have to work up new loads, but to be honest about it, that thing used to try to jump out of my hands on every shot before WITH FACTORY LOADS. trying to shoot high velocity loads was absolutely ridiculous! so i never really got good with it before the brake.

[Echo]

Wow. Great article!

[JesterGrin_1]

I know this might sound BAD but I am seriously considering adding a SHREWD Muzzle Brake on my 35 Whelen when I have the Chamber made into a 35 Whelen AI? The Bad part from what I understand is that by doing so is not conducive to cast boolit shooting? But that is Ok as I would probably regulate this rifle to jacketed only and use my 358 Winchester mainly for Cast Boolits. :)

This is the 35 Whelen. :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/SHAKERATTLEROLL/Marlin%20XL-7%20build%20to%2035%20Whelen/35Whelen4.jpg

[tomme boy]

What is the reason that you can not use cast boolits with a muzzle break. I shoot them out of my 308 all the time. It has a MB.

[leadman]

I shoot cast thru several guns with brakes with no problems.

After seeing a couple of the guys shooting speciality (bolt) pistols at very long ranges with brakes on and my personal experience I would say the gun with a brake can be as accurate as without.

[JesterGrin_1]

From what I have read the Muzzle Brake is a wash as to accuracy. And the ability of the Muzzle Brake to significantly reduce felt recoil and muzzle rise is the main aid that enables one to achieve better accuracy.

But either way it does seem as if the Muzzle Brake is a plus.

Well except as I have read NOISE lol.

[stubshaft]

It did on one of my 7BR barrels.

[boltons75]

I have a savage 116fsak, 300 win mag, it's the model with their "adjustable" brake on it. Not really adjustable, just allows you to turn it on or off with a simple twist. I have honestly never shot it with out the brake open though.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

[gunseller]

Many years ago I purchased a Winchester Mod, 70 in 375 H&H that had been Mag na Ported. It had no sights on it so I installed a set of factory sights. The only way I could get bullet inpact close was to have the frount sight all the way left and the rear sight all the wat right. It shot good groups. Sense it was going to be my open sighted 375, have a good scoped 375, I decided soming had to happen. Had a friend of mine,gunsmith, cut 2 inches of the barrel. This removed the Mag-na-Porting. Sight came back to center and group size stayed the same. Left side had both slots cut in the groves and right side had 1 slot in grove and 1 in lands. Never liked porting or brakes and this just helped maintain my conviction.
Steve

[tomme boy]

I have a break on my 308 win. and it will shoot into the 0.200" The main thing with a break is having the right person to put it on. There is more to it than just threading the barrel.