I have a Rem 700 in a .300 win mag with a factory installed muzzle brake and it shoots great but when I shoot the gun with the thread protector on the groups get bigger.

I thought it was my shooting but I was behind a .338 Ultra with no muzzle brake recently and she grouped under an inch when I shot it so I ruled recoil problems out.

The thread protector fits fine and threads on nice.

Any suggestions?

The barrel is vibrating differently. The brake and the thread protector have different effects on barrel harmonics. You will most likely have to develop a different load for when you shoot the gun without the brake to get optimum accuracy.

I have thought of making a brake that had a rotating sleve over the ports. In the open position the holes in the sleve match the holes in the brake. In the closed position the holes do not match and therefore block the gas. Put a detent for the ipen and closed positions. Best part would be not changing the mass on the end of the barrel. I would imagine fouling might be a problem in freezing it up though. Maybe douse the works in anti seize grease? So many projects, so little time. Might make one except I hate brakes.

I agree with Frank.
It is barrel harmonics.

Try a Limbsaver Barrel De-resonator.

Even if your gun groups well, it should improve it. Quite the neat item.

http://www.cliffsgunsmithing.com/Catalog_Limb_Saver_RE.htm

-Spencer

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
The barrel is vibrating differently. The brake and the thread protector have different effects on barrel harmonics. You will most likely have to develop a different load for when you shoot the gun without the brake to get optimum accuracy.

Make sense;develop a load with muzzle break on,out another one...

You can also make a thread protector with the same mass as the muzzle brake. I've been doing this to allow people to compete in events that don't allow brakes with their braked rifles. That way it's simple to switch back and forth without the zero changing or needing two different loads.

Scota45-70,
Your about 10 years to late, Brockman guns makes the quite brake that works exactly as you describe...

The two guns I have shoot the same with or without the brakes, same POI and same size groups for all practical purposes..

it is harmonics and if a barrel has not been stress releaved the normally won't perform both ways, but the simple act of turning the barrel should, in fact, stress releave it I have been told...?????

Magnum61
You didn't say want the difference in accuracy was.

The difference in accuracy is from about .75" with the muzzle brake to about 1.5"w/o the brake. So it literally doubles. POI use to change with another load I used the same way but with this current load it doesn't, but don't get me wrong I want to send some more down range to prove it one more time for my curious mind.

I shoot Barnes XLC XBT 180gr. bullets now. When I hunted the first time I found a load that shot well with the non-XLC Barnes in the same bullet. I wanted to see if I could get more velocity out of that bullet which I did, 200fps more, 3218fps campared to 3015fps with the non-coated.

Maybe a try with the Triple-Shoks who knows?

Does anyone know a gunsmith that I could get a stainless thread protector from so that I could match the mass of my current brake if I provided a weight or the brake itself so they could have something to match it by?

quote:

Try a Limbsaver Barrel De-resonator.

Even if your gun groups well, it should improve it. Quite the neat item.

Where's it install??

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Scota45-70,
Your about 10 years to late, Brockman guns makes the quite brake that works exactly as you describe...

So does Savage, my 116FSAK in .300 RUM has one of these brakes. It makes no difference , open or closed, groups are the same and velocity change is negligable to non-existant.