I hate to be so petty, but it's driving me crazy and getting worse all the time. It has risen to the level of becoming a "pet peeve".

The device used on the muzzle, to provide a braking action, used to be called a muzzle brake, exclusively. This always seemed correct and unmistakable, but, evidently, I was wrong.

More and more people have misused / misspelled the term, and it seems to have become OK to call it (write it) as "break". To be true to the definition, I guess it must be capable of breaking your muzzle, but I've never seen one broken and wonder exactly how that would work, and also how a rifle would perform with a broken muzzle.

I just passed it off as a common error, but now, it appears everywhere and even the manufacturers of muzzle braking devices are apt to spell it either way, and at one such site, I saw it spelled BOTH ways.

So, my question is:

What in the hell is it (really), and why is the chosen term used as it is?
Why is it named for however the correct spelling / usage is applied?

Thank you in advance,
Ed

It is a brake. By venting gases, it 'brakes' the movement of the muzzle as the ejecta travels out the muzzle.

Spelling it 'break' is incorrect, and indicative of either ignorance (that means not knowing better, for you ignorant types ), a poor education, a lazy mind, or poor typing skills.

Ducking for cover,
George

Yes, it IS a "brake", and it IS one of my own pet peeves too. This is a technically-oriented activity, and having technical terms "creatively spelled" sometimes makes one wonder about the quality of the advice being given.

How about "varmit", which is also seen all over the place? I know where the missing "n" letters go after being omitted from "varmint", by the the way....they are inserted into the the word "turret" to make the mis-spelled word "turrent" when describing a certain type of handloading press.

....and "Hornaday", who was a prominent biologist and NOT a bulletmaker named Hornady.

Oh well, everyone's heart is in the right place, even if all the letters aren't....

Regards from BruceB (aka Bren Mk1)

It is a "brake" for recoil similar to brakes for a car. However, it could also be considered a "break" due to the possibility of breaking your eardrums.

Glad to see it isn't just me being persnickety!

I specifically look for this term when reviewing a 'smith's ad copy. If he can't bother to spell something correctly (or find out how), he's not detail-oriented enough to be trusted with my project. Sorry guys, I expect you to be more careful than that before you'll get my work!

I'm standing by for the jillions of testimonials defending those wizards with 8th grade educations who perform works of art ..... and those who'll spell check my post!

Redial

I used to get a little exercised over this, but now I try to see that muzzle break can possibly mean an interruption in the barrel close to the muzzle. I know that the brake (I defintely prefer this spelling) offers a braking action of the recoil due to the gas venting, but really, lets reserve our outrage for unsafe shooting and reloading practices. Mike.

Glad you brought this up, it is also one of my pet peeves!!! It is most certainly a muzzle brake. I'm sure the term muzzle break was conjured up by some liberal to annoy us hard core shooters!!!

[ 11-06-2003, 07:19: Message edited by: bowhuntrrl ]

I got yelled at when I pointed out to a guy who was being an obnoxious ass that his service weapon used a "magazine" and not a "clip", as he had stated (the guy was a police officer). I guess they don't teach them the difference at whatever school one goes through to become a policeman. I'm not perfect, but I try to follow the old rule that it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt.

I would be kinda reluctant to send my rifle to a smith to have one installed when he didn't know how to spell what he was doing. It sends quivers up my back also. Many of the folks mis-using the term are self professed educated people too.

[ 11-06-2003, 17:43: Message edited by: beemanbeme ]

eshell, I suppose you could say that when you put one of these on your barrel, you have "broken" it! But I agree, the thing is there to apply the brakes to the recoil. Hence, muzzle brake.

I also get really upset by folks who don't know the difference between "to", "too", and "two"! I realize this is pretty petty, but sometimes a misused "to" makes you have to pause, or even re-read a sentence, to realize what the guy was trying to say!

[ 11-06-2003, 18:52: Message edited by: eldeguello ]

Actually, in this instance it would seem particularly important for users/advocates of muzzle brakes to be able to spell (and read) well, considering that they will quickly become unable to interpret the spoken word and thus become rather exclusivley dependent on what is written.

Ile admitt that ceeing someperson mispel wurds an yuse bad gammar. just inferiorates me

You boys have a point, and without question, a much more laid-back life than my own to afford the time it takes to discuss such a topic, but it's humorous none the less.

While we're at it, add "duck tape" and "roap" to the list.

We all make mistakes in our spelling, however, we should try to do better. If a non shooter would want evidence to put down the shooting world as being less intelligent they could just cut and paste some of the spelling errors on these pages. Too bad there isn't a spell check device for these posts.

Bob257

My favorite Speler.

http://www.bestofsanfrancisco.net/marktwain.htm

Bob257; Fortunately for shooters, bad spelling is a universal condition and evident on liberal forums to the same degree; especially when PWI. (Posting while intoxicated: a condition which I sometimes fail to avoid myself). Hell, I don't even know if I spelled "fortunately" right. Personally, I think "spell check" has done more to degrade my spelling skills than anything; now I push a button instead of think.

[ 11-06-2003, 21:25: Message edited by: tiggertate ]

"Orientated" makes me want to lock and load when I see it in a post or hear it used by someone who ought to know better. There is no such word, people!!!

I probably have mispelled it, since until this post I had forgotten that there were two different spellings for the different meanings. Since i only have one rifle with a muzzle BRAKE, and won't get another one (it works all right, but I would rather have less noise and more recoil).

Sometimes I mispell easy things, like hte or ilke. I get ahead of myself typing and get carried away. I used to not even take time to capitalize when typing things that weren't "important".

You know what bugs though, when something is spelled in a weird way by a company and they expect you to know how to spell it (like when you want to find their website) how about Conetrol? :-)

But by far we all have to admit, the most annoying spelling thing in all of this forum and everywhere else is people who PURPOSELY type in a way that makes their posts/documents etc. more difficult to read. We have a couple of members here that do it, I don't even to bother word one of what they post, regardless of the topic or how valid/valuable it might be. somebody that takes time to make my life more difficult can screw themself.

:-)

Red

I got my first spell-checker from Mrs. Klassen in 1964 when I was in the 1st grade. I got subsequent improved versions over the next twelve years from various teachers in various schools on various continents. I've never had a problem differentiating between brake and break. How many of us say "dye-sect" instead of the proper "diss-sect", hmmm? That's another one that makes me want to lock and load.

Rootbeer,
You must be a science teacher too! My pet peeve is when people say "irregardless" instead of regardless or with irregard. If you translate their statement it would mean without without regard. Ah yes, the little things that bother us.

Bob257

Like a favorite Sunday comic of mine:

Father goes to school to see why his son is having trouble in English class. Talking to English teacher:

Dad: "Hello, I'm Bobby's Father"

Teach: "Oh, hello, I are his English Teacher"

Dad: "Huh?"

Teach: "Oops, did I say that wrong?" Oh, I IS his English Teacher!"

Dad: "Uhh look, Bobby seems to be having trouble with his English lessons."

Teach: "Yes, he do not seem to grisp the intimacies and biorithims of the langrage!"

Dad: "Are you sure you're qualified to teach English?"

Teach: "What, are you imputing my quantifications? Why, I've got a edjumication certificut from a big college back east somewheres!"

Dad: "Hmmm, I think I see the problem now."

Teach: "Maybe you'd like to talk to our principal" (who walks in)

Principal: "What are going on here?"

Bob257...
No; I'm just a trucker with nine years of learnin' after high school and one who has always had a desire for wanting things to be done correctly, properly, completely and with class. "With class" is what does it-- that's what separates people into distinct groups. Consider the difference between a French chef at a fine-dining restaurant and a frycook at White Castle. Both can put a burger on your plate but the frycook cannot prepare you a meal you will remember months or years later. I feel so disillusioned sometimes... it seems class has gone the way of a promise and a handshake anymore. Eight years of Clinton will be with us for a long time, I dare to say...

Rootbeer: I take exception to one of your points. I have eaten once at White Castle and the experience will never go away. Ever. No matter how hard I try to forget.

[ 11-07-2003, 19:40: Message edited by: tiggertate ]

tigger...
Sorry for my poor choice in analogies.

Oh, you should not have started this. It is also one of my pet peeves.

1. An administrator does not "administrate" they "administer"

2. What ever happened to the "-ly" on the end of adjectives and adverbs? We did NOT travel light (or lite), we traveled "lightly".

3. What about conjugation? We was....NO! (And I don't care what "we was" doing when "we done" it. Wrong again.)

I'll stop there, my blood pressure is rising.

You guys crack me up!! Try living with a woman who spent twelve years proofreading legal documents and you'll a small hint of the occasional earful I get over some of these biorythmic overstatments of the Kings English!! Big News! Lawyers can't spell worth a damn!!
Ron

I usually don't notice these things if I understand what the person is writing.

I should be surprised that I make so many in grammar, word use and spelling, I always got great marks in English. I guess it just didn't stick well.

But I do remember the trim to length for my 06 off the top of my head, and the first middle and last name of the girl that i had a crush on in the 7th grade.

very selective memory.

Red

I really don't care about mis-use of words if the writer's using it to purpose or is making a point that transcends the medium. If you've managed to see many of my posts around here, I can't be too critical about spellers either. I do know that some of the smartest, most capable people I've associated with in my 50 years were commercial divers and superintendents who for what ever reason couldn't spell rope but could make a P.E. look like a fool offshore in less than 30 seconds (if he deserved it). Those who can, do; those who can't teach; yada yada yada. Red: I remember my 3rd grade girl friend. Before my Maker, her name was Adele Lust. All these years I've wondered if she lived up to the promise.

[ 11-08-2003, 04:06: Message edited by: tiggertate ]

The first girl I ever noticed was named Joni Rietz. I was in the first grade, at Berney Elementary School in Walla Walla, WA. She was blond and had blue eyes. I wonder if she is a fat, wrinkled, croaky-voiced, boozehound old hag by now. I hope so-- she dissed me for Don Pelo (that bastard). So who was your first girl, posters?

I jist caint beleeve that yu gies our stil taukin abowt thiss.

Right on, Boltman!!!

A clip is used to load a magazine. The magazine may or may not be detachable.

And don't even start about bullets, cartridges, shells, cases and hulls!!!!!!

[ 11-08-2003, 05:31: Message edited by: Duckear ]

Irregardless of my last post, I will continue too load Hornaday shells into the clip for my AK until someone gives me a muzzle break for it.

[ 11-08-2003, 05:34: Message edited by: Duckear ]

Well....there is no hope for our society. All the standards that preserved the meritorious aspects of civilization have been relaxed beyond recovery. Perhaps Jeff Cooper should be required reading in elementary school.

I swim fairly well, but I find my groceries damp after I cart them off the "isle."

Certainly there can be little confidence in the work of a "craftsman" who cannot distinguish between "brake" and "break."

Seen for many years, on multiple signs, even after written complaints, at the intersection of I-20 and 408 in DFW: "Authorized Personel (sigh) Only"....

Right now it would be possible to teach English Literature and composition out of Tolkien with some hope of a receptive audience.

[ 11-08-2003, 15:47: Message edited by: Bubba John ]

Beer.

That's the only word that should never be misspelled

beer; B-U-D-W-E-I-S-E-R

Next word please!

I'm told that Andy Jackson once said " it's a dam pore mine that cen't think of thre or fore weys to spel eny wird"

Personally, my favorite pet peeve is people who insist on calling Leupold scopes "Lee uh pole" in stead of "Loo pold". Guess I have too much time on my hands :-)

Rick