Quote: I do recommend a muzzle brake for your gun - BUT - only for use at the range and with double hearing protection (plugs and muffs). I dont recommend that you hunt with one.
If you are going to hunt without a muzzle brake,make sure that you sight in without the muzzle brake because brakes can cause a change in point of impact.My own recommendation is to try a better recoil pad first.Because of the extreme muzzle blast and noise that a brake causes,I will not own another one.
Posts: 3104 | Location: alberta,canada | Registered: 28 January 2002
Ditto Savage and Stubble, A muzzle break should be the last resort only. Try lighter bullets, Better recoil pads, Mercury recoil reducers, fiberglass stock etc. before you give up and buy a muzzle break........DJ
Posts: 3976 | Location: Oklahoma,USA | Registered: 27 February 2004
If your not sure on what type of muzzle break you want maybe you should check on have the rifle mag-na ported no threads to worry about. I have no experience with this in rifles but i can tell you it calmed my ruger super blackhawk .44 magnum revolver alot, with its 4 5/8 in barrel. I just ordered a ruger compact rifle in 308 winchester it weights in at around 5 1/2 to 5 3/4 pounds 6 1/4 with scope. If the recoil on this is to much i would consider mag-na -porting.I can also say that a top quality recoil pad can help alot also. I have used the Pack/ decelerator pad on a 45/70 with heavy reloads and on my .338 win mag i was more pleased with a kick-eez pad. Good luck Tanoose
Posts: 869 | Location: Bellerose,NY USA | Registered: 27 July 2001
Take a look at www.tttmissionfirst.com for muzzle brakes. I have tested three of their brakes on a 7 mag., and they do make the rifle more pleasant for target work or load development. They are nicely machined units. Then use the plain barrel with thread protector for hunting.
Posts: 122 | Location: Halstad, MN USA | Registered: 24 October 2001
check this site out he does very good work I have one on my 338 it works great . you can shoot this gun with one hand at the bench and not think anything of it . but it is a bit loud you will only forget your hearing protection 1 time . Bob http://www.muzzlebrake.com/
Posts: 116 | Location: N.J. | Registered: 24 September 2001
I am a fan of muzzle breaks and have quite a few. Hart will install and contour one for you for a fair price. My gunsmith can also install any break you want if you need a smith. I will also agree that hearing protection is a must.
My take is this (YMMV) if you are hunting in a close up situation where your movements to put the muffs on would be a sticky proposition,..then you can use a smaller caliber in that close quarters for which you wont have to use the break,..or if you are hunting at say 50yds or more,..as long as you are slow and smooth,..you can put the muffs on before shooting and not give yourself away.
I have a KDF on a pencil barreled 338RUM and it is VERY EFFECTIVE!!!!!!!! But I don't need a 338RUM for a 100yd shot,..so putting on muffs is a no-brainer as my distance will probably be no less than 100yds and the game won't know the difference anyway. Not to mention for like $100 you can get a set of muffs that reduce blast and amplify soft noises.
Look at KDF, VAIS, OPS Inc, Hart, Answer systems, Que, Holland, etc.
Posts: 1496 | Location: behind the crosshairs | Registered: 01 August 2002
A friend has fitted ear protection that looks like a large version of the old in the ear hearing aids. He got these for pheasant hunting and still uses them after a few years. Neither has he lost them in the field.
I really should have checked something out like this for hunting as my hearing is worse than ever.
Back to the muzzle brakes. I was at the range last summer when a member was sighting two braked 300 mags for an oryx hunt in New Mexico. The noise was intolerable. I put in plugs and muffs and even then it was so bad that I don't know how he could stand it. It seemed even worse in back of the shooter than to the side where the only empty bench was that day.
On top of that he was taking the brakes on and off and checking the targets! He had shot up quite a few boxes of ammo and it seemed as if he would never get done.
Another thing to consider is a silencer/brake. They may be legal where you hunt. They are in my state.
I can just imagine it now, a 338 Lapua that's quiet and does not kick! A club member has a silencer on a 308 and all that you hear is the bullet going down range and it's impact.
A final thought is that Browning makes or used to make the BAR in 338 WM. That should kick less than a bolt rifle. One with a Boss CR might shoot well enough. <-- Ugh. It hurt to type that.
Call Walt Sherman 850 878 9563 and ask him about your requirements. He is installing a brake that is very good and looks nice. While you are at it, asking him about bedding and tuning you rifle with whatever load you want to use. He does excellent work and is very good on Mausers and W70's. Ku-dude
. Bob 
http://www.muzzlebrake.com/
