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Brake for Lightweight 338 Lapua Improved

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surgeon260

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
202
I need some expert opinions on what brake to choose for a new rifle. I am building a hunting-weight 338 Lapua Improved, hoping to push 300 Bergers around 2900 fps (N570, 26" barrel). The rifle should be right around 12 lbs ready to hunt, maybe a little less. I am definitely thinking about the recoil of this setup. I currently have a heavy Lapua Improved I built for stationary shooting - it weighs in at around 24 lbs. I shoot the heavy rifle almost exclusively with a TBAC 338 Ultra suppressor. It is a joy to shoot with the can, but I think the weight is a big factor in keeping the recoil manageable.

The two brakes I am considering are the following:

-TBAC 338BA: modest sized two port brake for the sole reason of allowing me to use my suppressor
-Terminator T3: one of the very best Lapua brakes on the market and a proven recoil killer

I definitely prefer cans over brakes, and I would LOVE to be able to use my suppressor on this new rifle. I hate the concussion of brakes. However, I am concerned about recoil. Even my heavy rifle with the can still maintains pretty significant recoil energy, and my shoulder feels it after a long bench session.

So, which brake would you go with? Is it reasonable to shoot a lightweight 338 with a can, or should I abandon that notion and just go for maximum recoil reduction with the Terminator?

Appreciate any advice you have.
 
My 338 NMI is very close to the weight of your rifle goal. I shoot 300 OTM at 2920 in a 28" barrel.

I don't have a .338 specific can so I use my SiCo Hybrid 46. Not as much volume as a big 338 can but I can't justify the cost for a single rifle that is used solely for hunting.

I shoot mine primarily braked with a SRS Ti Pro 5 brake at .990" diameter. It makes it tolerable but after about 30 shots it still becomes not as pleasant to shoot.
 
The can will be fine for hunting purposes and MUCH nicer to deal with, aside from the weight. It will kick more than a braked rifle will, but the lack of concussion is worth a bit more recoil in a hunting situation. You're not there for a long range session; you're there for a shot or two and a lot of hiking.
 
I agree 1000% that the can will be nicer to deal with, I am just concerned about 416 Rigby levels of recoil. Load development won't be fun!
 
I have ran the Terminators on my 338's from the start but now most of them have a Ti- Pro 3 , 4 or 5 on them .
They are the Best I have found !

My guns range from 10.2 pounds up to 15.7 .
338 Rums and the 338 Edge !
250 gr bergers @ 2997 ft.per.sec, 24" barrel
300 gr bergers @ 3029 ft.per.sec, 30 " barrel
The 24" carbon barrel 338 Rum is my Favorite for hunting ! But I'm in Michigan right now .
If I was heading back to Montana my 26" 338 would be set up ! Just for that 1200 to 1500 yard shots ! Boom !!

No experience with a Can .

Rum Man
 
My 5 port does really well at recoil reduction in the 338 without having a pile of concussion hit you in face. The first port is 90 degrees which redirects the majority of the blast away from the shooter. The proceeding ports are angled to further reduce recoil. Heres a video of it on a 10.5 lb with optics 338 norma improved while fireforming brass with 300 gr bergers at 2700 fps.




I have the brakes on sale right now as well as everything else on the website.

www.piercisionrifles.com
 
Terminator T4 on this 338 Lapua imp.
IMG_1552.jpeg

Terminator T3 on these 338 Rum's
IMG_3770.jpeg

IMG_3460.jpeg

APA fat bastard on these 338 Edges
photo 1.jpeg

IMG_7287.jpeg

The APA, Terminator, and the SS or TI Pro brakes are all very similar in design and effectiveness. I saw them each arrive to market in the order I've listed them. Any of the 3 I would use for the considered build. A self timer would be useful if you want to switch to a suppressor. That said, I much prefer the recoil impulse management of the brake over a suppressor on a lighter big magnum build, especially on a 338 Lapua improved. The 3 I would consider for the build in question would be the Terminator T4, APA fat bastard, or the Pro 5.
 
Jepp577 said:
That said, I much prefer the recoil impulse management of the brake over a suppressor on a lighter big magnum build, especially on a 338 Lapua improved.
Click to expand...

Can you say more about that? I am trying to get a better sense of what the recoil is like with a can on a lightweight magnum build. I would love to hear more about your experience.

Thanks for the reply.
 
I run an Omega 36 on a 12 lb 338 NM and the recoil is ok. I wouldn't want to do a 50 round range session with it but it's great for hunting. I've run a 4 port muscle brake on it and could shoot it all day. The 3 port ASR brake is no-go on that big of gun. The recoil impulse with the can is much longer than typical magnums.

I have a 6.75 lb 338 NM with a 5 port 1" diam SRS TI break and it tames it right down. I would feel comfortable running a 4 port on it, or going with a smaller diameter. It has an Airtech recoil pad on it which really helps. Great combo and much more packable than a 12 lb rig.
 
surgeon260 said:
I need some expert opinions on what brake to choose for a new rifle. I am building a hunting-weight 338 Lapua Improved, hoping to push 300 Bergers around 2900 fps (N570, 26" barrel). The rifle should be right around 12 lbs ready to hunt, maybe a little less. I am definitely thinking about the recoil of this setup. I currently have a heavy Lapua Improved I built for stationary shooting - it weighs in at around 24 lbs. I shoot the heavy rifle almost exclusively with a TBAC 338 Ultra suppressor. It is a joy to shoot with the can, but I think the weight is a big factor in keeping the recoil manageable.

The two brakes I am considering are the following:

-TBAC 338BA: modest sized two port brake for the sole reason of allowing me to use my suppressor
-Terminator T3: one of the very best Lapua brakes on the market and a proven recoil killer

I definitely prefer cans over brakes, and I would LOVE to be able to use my suppressor on this new rifle. I hate the concussion of brakes. However, I am concerned about recoil. Even my heavy rifle with the can still maintains pretty significant recoil energy, and my shoulder feels it after a long bench session.

So, which brake would you go with? Is it reasonable to shoot a lightweight 338 with a can, or should I abandon that notion and just go for maximum recoil reduction with the Terminator?

Appreciate any advice you have.
Click to expand...

I "crunched" some recoil #'s……at 12# the recoil won't be too bad, but it will get your attention from the bench.

At a decent carry weight, let's say 9 pounds (a lightweight for a magnum) it will generate 9 ft/lbs more than my rifle. Anymore than 20 rounds at a bench session, WILL NOT be very pleasant! This is one of the very few times when I may agree with a brake!

Good Luck with finding a brake that you'll be happy with……shop for good ear protection while your looking for a brake! 😉 memtb
 
i very briefly owned a 338 RUM. The radial brake it had wasn't cutting it so I put on a MBM super baby beast 2 5 port brake. Recoil was mitigated to a shootable level (I'm relatively recoil sensitive after a slew of shoulder injuries) but the blast was unmanageable for me. Especially at a covered shooting range. I quickly learned that I would take a hard whack on the shoulder instead of a forehead splitting concussion.
 

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