The initial test of the .375/.338 Win Mag barrel with Mike's brake is now complete and we have another contender (no pun intended) for the most fun you can have with your pants on.

Heretical claims aside, there is NO MUZZLE JUMP with this brake, and the noise ain't half bad either. I'd guess the recoil reduction is on the order of 50% as the kick with Barnes 235's was no worse than my 30-06 shooting 165 grainers. The push is straight back and VERY easy to control. I don't think this barrel is going to be coming off for the foreseeable future...

I only had 18 rounds of 4 different loads to sight it in with so I didn't shoot any actual groups, but I did confirm that you can definitely stop a charging bowling ball in it's tracks with this caliber. If you're closer than 25 yards, however, you'll have chunks landing on you. Some of the pieces went 30' or more in the air, and the debris field was well over 100' wide. The kids were certainly impressed.

Mark Dumais

I concur Mark,

I can actually feel at times the gun being yanked forward on my 358 Bellm barrel. Sometimes smacking the inner surface of my trigger finger.

Brake is very functional with an unnoticable profile.

Regards

Mark,
I dare say that an average .30/06 with no brake will actually sting your shoulder more than that .375 will. Try it next time you are out to the range. Shoot an unbraked '06 or .308 after shooting the braked .375 and see if you don't feel more sting in your shoulder with the .30.

The .375x .338 Win. Mag and the longer necked .375 Epstein cartridges have always intriqued me, and they are quite pleasant to shoot with the brake. I'm just looking for an excuse to do one for myself!

Look at the energy figures for the .375 sometime. They are right up there! I don't doubt it rearranged a bowling ball quite well!

Meanwhile, call me a wimp, I am sneaking in a 1-12" twist .25 cal. 20" Contender barrel for myself this time since I have not had a carbine length big game barrel for well over a year since Jules got mine.

Keep having fun.

Mike

Guy Malmborg is lurking here tonight, and I want to give him credit for some of my thinking on muzzle brakes.

Guy is the one that turned around my thinking on brakes with his H.T.G. Porting, which he did for me for many years in customers' barrels and a few of my own.

I just wanted to get away from having the bullet in contact with the ports as it is in his system and Mag-Na-Port. Thus, I started boring out an expansion chamber inside the barrel.

Guy also installs brakes, including the clam shell type. So since I don't see him posting here yet, I'm posting for him! Come on, Malm, jump into the fray here.

Mike