The "on-off" brake on my .338 Savage 116 is getting very difficult to move. Can anyone describe how to dis-assemble it for cleaning and lubing?

(I just went and checked it, and it is impossible to move now.)

I do not have one of these, but was thinking of getting one. Other than the hard to move problem how effective is the brake and what caliber are you shooting? Are you seeing good accuracy?

Hello, Mohunt.

My Savage 116 is a .338 Winchester Magnum, and I've only had it for a very short while, like three months or so. However, I can say that the muzzle brake is VERY effective. In shooting several different calibers at the range on the same trip, I'd say a .338 factory 200-grain load feels about like a 150-grain .30-06. It's very comfortable indeed. I haven't fired it without hearing protection, so can't really say what the noise level is like.

I was shooting the Savage today, along with a Super Grade .338 Model 70, trying out a few different cast-bullet loads. The Winchester was giving me some decent groups for first-try with a couple different new-to-me mould designs, but the Savage was simply horrible. From FIFTY yards, I had some cast-bullet groups well over six inches in diameter, while the M70 with the same loads was cutting one-ragged-hole with some of the same ammunition.

Fortunately for my peace of mind, I had a few W-W factory 200-grain jacketed loads along. From the bench, I put five of these into less than 1/2" center-to-center from the 50 yard distance. I reckon that'll do, for what I need.

There'll be a lot more cast-bullet experimenting to do, but I'm hunting elk this fall with this Savage and Nosler 210 Partitions. The cast loads are just for grins and giggles.

If my Savage has permanently de-activated its "on-off" feature for the brake, at least it IS jammed in the ON position, where the brake is working.

I would strongly encourage you not to fire it without hearing protection. They are painfully loud and I would think the odds of suffering measurable hearing loss are high.

I have a Savage 116 in 300 win mag with a brake like yours. All it should need is a few drops of a pentrating lubricant. The manual reccomends you dont use grease etc.. on it. Regular CLP or Kleen Bore TW25 B is best. Put a drop on each hole in the brake. Let it sit and penetrate for a minute, and it should turn easily. If it still wont turn drill a 3/8 inch hole in a block of wood and cut it in half. Put the brake portion of the barrel in a vise with one piece of the block on either side of the barrel to protect the finish. If that won't free it up you better see a gunsmith.

Lube the brake with CLP when your done shooting and turn it on and off a few time to ensure the lube gets insdie the brake. Use a Q-tip to clean out any carbon etc.. that shows up in the holes in the brake. I've shot 500 rounds through my rifle and this procedure has worked well for me. You could also stand the rifle on end and let the muzzle brake soak in some powder solvent for a few minutes.

My rifle is fairly accurate. With good loads I averagfe 3/4 inch groups if I do my part. It will shoot 1 1/2" to 2" groups with almost any load. I've never tried any cast bullets, but my reduced loads with H4895 hover around 1 1/4".

They are sure as heck noisy--was at the range one day and a guy sat down at the bench next to me with one. First couple of shots it was closed, but when he opened it, that was the end of my shooting next to him. It was painful!

Thanks for the replies.

I strongly suspect that the seizing-up is a result of shooting some cast bullets, with the vapor residue settling-in and gumming up the works.

One thing we've learned about firing cast loads in rifles is NOT to clean the bore once it's "conditioned" for the cast loads. My M1 Garand has, on occasion, fired over six hundred consecutive rounds without ever having the barrel cleaned...the rest of the working parts got some attention, though. Even after that many rounds, the bore itself didn't NEED cleaning. It seems obvious that I won't get away with such shenanigans with this Savage.

With regard to the noise, my hearing is not very good now, in my early 60s (ask my wife!). The elk hunt will be in northern Alberta around November 1, so it will at least be cool if not outright cold. My wife recently gave me a top-grade set of stereo electronic shooting muffs. It occurs to me that by using these muffs for hunting, I get better hearing due to the amplification, AND protection from the fierce muzzle blast, AND.... my ears will stay warm! Seems like a heck of a deal.

I believe I'm gonna stand the rifle on its muzzle in a jar of penetrating oil for a day or two. There's absolutely NO movement in that brake, even using padded vise-grips.