338 Ultra Mag and 338 Lapua Recoil

[Brent]

Dakor,

You might reconsider, and your view on this might change some what. Consider this...

My Son, Brad, he had just turned 11 years old in 2000 and was just getting started with a new 308 Win when I took him on his first LR hunt. He could shoot well and I was confident he could kill Moose out to 400 yards with a bipod and rear bag, usually about where we'd begin to see them from the hill overlooking a swamp I hunted.

Brad couldn't shoot his rifle very accurately off-hand yet as he was still a pretty spindly youngster not filled out much. Well, he got himself a nice big old bull with a 59.5" spread about 6:30am 2nd day of season 200 yards below where we slept, I got my fork horn Bull at 640 yards a couple days later with my 416 Wby.

I could set my kids up with 30/338 Lapua Imp in 10-12 lb. rifles for LR hunting... if they had muzzle brakes on them. This would immediately extend their range and capabilities in the field over the acceptable but mediocer cartridges they now use. This is the big advantage to many people, muzzle brakes open doors that might not ever be opened, or would take years to anyway.

In my Son's case, he took a nice Bull when really the gun was still quite a handfull for him. The bipod and bag setup allowed him to be very proficient with something that otherwise was very limited in usefulness to him yet... I see a muzzle brake sort of accomplishing the same thing for many, just in a different way I guess.

I'll never forget the look on that kid's face when he killed that Moose. With a rifle he could hardly keep all shots on a pie plate at 50 yards off-hand and bitched about it being to big for him yet, he managed to kill his first Moose at four times that range just with the aid of a bipod when he was youngster. I wasn't real surprised about it, but he sure was, both of us were totally thrilled to say the least!!

[ 05-19-2004: Message edited by: Brent Moffitt ]

 

[dakor]

Brent I guess I can see your point with a kid and I am happy for you both that he shot a dam fine Moose at long Range.

I guess the main reason I feel that way about a brake is because we had a guy that had one on a 280 that hunted with us one year and decided to touch one off about 6 ft away from us

After my ears quit ringing for about 20 min I asked him what the hell do you need a Muzzle brake on a 280 for ? His reply I dont like the kick this from a guy who shoots a 3 1/2 inch 12 gauge for ducks and geese. So I told him in a nice way

if he ever shot that dam thing that close to me again he would be going back to the truck with the barrel wrapped around his neck. If you have ever been on the wrong side of a brake wich I am sure some of you have you would understand.

 

[Guest]

Dakor, I don't like brakes for the same reason as you. A lot of guys put them on rifles that do not make sense like your 280 example.

I was at the range and a guy was saying that he wanted to put a brake on his 7mm rem mag. NOT the Ultra Mag, just the regular old 7mmm Rem mag. I personally thought this was point less. I hear a lot of guys are putting brakes on 300 Wm's. In a hunting situation this makes no sense to me. Most of these guys aren't even long range hunters so they don't even practice that much where they might need some relief from shooting a lot of rounds.

Now, with regard to big rounds. I can see with the 400+ cals if people want to put a brake on because of the punishment involved. This also brings me to another point. Lets say Mr. 280-with-a-brake or Mr. 7mm or 300WM-with-a-brake go to africa. They plan the trip and pick up a 458 lott for this hunt, of course they put a brake on it. Problem is this rifle with a brake is more than the others they've been shooting with a brake.

I tend to agree with brent's example of the girl who was shooting well because she didn't have a pre-disposed notion about recoil. A lot of guys have this fear going in so they tense up and develop a flinch whether justified or not. My buddy has a .358 (.308 necked up). He makes it sound like a .460 Weatherby the way he talks. His father gave him the rifle because HE thought it had too much recoil. THe seed was planted when he first was given the rifle. The imagined heavy recoil became a reality....like a self-fullfilling prophecy. When he shot my Muzzleloader he said "This thing has a kick!". That was only 100 grains of pellets too! I think I'm going to let him shoot my 338 lapua....without a brake...we'll show him kick!

 

[dakor]

I hear you John I know guys that put them on 243's 22-250's what the hell is the point? I mean if you want to see that hole appear in the paper use a 223 or smaller I dont get it

I have a Savage 7mm STW with a brake you can turn off and on now I think I have shot five shots with the brake on and it is to dam loud even with muffs on. I guess it is up to the person it is a some what free country if you want a muzzle brake by all means put one on I dont have to like it but who cares what I like

I might not understand it but hey that is what makes the world an interesting place.

 

[Guest]

I finally shot the 338 Lapua!

3 shots with 250 hornady's, no brake, no scope.

10.5 lb rifle.

Recoil was no problem! Glad I didn't put the brake on.

I figure with another 1.5 lb's at least with the scope and shooting the 300 smk, it should be about the same recoil.

You guys had me second guessing, but its OK.

I offered to let my 15 year old nephew shoot the final shot, but after hearing it go off in an indoor range....he declined and went back to his 22.

My brother messed him up when he took him trap shooting with the 12 ga (bruised shoulder)... but I'll get the kid back on the horse!

 

[Imortal Wombat]

a while ago my brother (at teh time about 10) was shooting a .45-70 prone, and while shooting i noticed that he was being moved backwards about 1-2 inched everytime he shot, but it didn't seem to bother him, he shot about 20-25 rounds in fairly quick succession. What sort of recoil does a .45-70 have, a rough figgure will do as i have no idea what load, bullet weight etc... it was shooting.

 

[trader388]

Immortal,
http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

That should give you a general idea. Depends on the weight of the rifle, how much powder, weight of the bullet, and the velocity of the bullet...and probably other factors.

 

[dakor]

I went with a 375 H&H recoil is not bad at all and it will kill anything I am going to shoot out to 500 yards. Besides I wanted to show those little 338 lapua's and Ultra Mags who is boss.

Just kidding.