LV,
It may be true I shoot larger rifles more often then most but I will be honest, I HATE recoil. I have gotten so used to having no recoil that I simply do not tollerate it anylonger. I can live with it and shoot well with a certain level of recoil if I have to but I do not like it at all.
Thats one reason I designed my Painkiller muzzle brake. I can live with muzzle blast. Having shot the 50 BMG and my larger 510 AM for many years, I have pretty much become numb to muzzle blast.
I beleive that many preceive muzzle blast as recoil when they shoot a rifle with a muzzle brake even though there is much less slap on the shoulder, they often feel it more on the forhead, nose and even in their mouth(yes I have had some customers say some muzzle brakes make their teeth hurt!!).
I do not believe that is the case here but eveyone does feel recoil and experience muzzle blast differently. Some have such a hard time mentally getting used to no recoil that they have a hard time shooting a rifle well that has a muzzle brake installed until they get their brain retrained.
As far as your XP-100 idea. We have tested alot of big XPs up to and including the 338 Lapua. In the 30 cal bore with a 17" class barrel, the 300 Dakota is about max as far as useful velocity increase over smaller chamherings. In 7mm, its the 7mm Dakota class chamberings.
In 338, the 338 RUM is pretty big. It will work and work well but your on the limits of where any useful velocity gains can be had over smaller chamberings.
Larger chamberings then these can certainly be used but you will not get much out of them over the smaller except increased muzzle blast.
One word of caution, If you use one of these large, high capacity magnums in an XP barrel 18" or smaller with a muzzle brake with a rearward rake on the ports, BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL when you shoot it, not only yourself but also bystandards, everyone needs to have eye protection as there WILL be unburnt or burning powder coming out of that muzzle brake, trust me, I know this to be a fact. Its not as big of a problem with 30 cal and larger calibers but it will happen still. Not a matter of if something is coming out of the brake, only a matter of if anyone will be hit by it.
Muzzle brakes work AMAZINGLY well on these short barreled handcannons. The muzzle pressure is such that they work dramatically more efficent then even a rifle with a brake installed. The lightweight of the XP also adds to the effectiveness of the brakes.
Another word of caution, for any XP larger then 308 Win class, the stock needs to be properly reinforced to be able to survive the recoil stress of these chamberings. With a chambering the size of a WSM or larger, you need to put steel reinforcements behind the recoil lug support pad and make sure to use a heat treated, thick recoil lug or it WILL bend on you. Depending on the stock material, you may also have to reinforce the grip with a threaded steel rod as well.
Have fun!!
