Browning XBolt brake alternatives

[cohunt]

Do you have a photo of it? How does it perform?

Performs excellent, reduces recoil of my 7mag down to a 6.5cm in my opinion....the stock brake did help a little but the mbm bb is lightyears better-- here is a close up pic for ya from the side

 

[Holycity73]

Performs excellent, reduces recoil of my 7mag down to a 6.5cm in my opinion....the stock brake dod help a little but the bb is lightyears better-- here is a close up pic for ya from the side
View attachment 154639

That's great!

 

[Danehunter]

Since i really don't use my Browning radial brake I have though of tapping the holes on the bottom holes to fit very short Allen head screws. This is so it would not kick up dust when prone and to reduce barrel lift.

If I screw it up (pun intended) it's OK because I don't use it for hunting.

Eric B.

 

[sconnierider]

Straight Shot Gunsmithing. Terrific folks to work with. Have one on my Steyr Pro Hunter. Brake pic is here; https://tiptopwebsite.com//view_ima...ptopwebsite.com/photos/ssgcustomrifles/21.JPG

Website is here; https://www.straightshotgunsmithing.com/page14

 

[Bigeclipse]

I say that because the brake is nothing but a piece of thin walled pipe with a few holes drilled in it. There is nothing in the construction of it to grab gases or to help arrest the rearward movement of the rifle. Interestingly enough, the exit port on my Browning brake would accommodate a 340 WBY even though it's on a 6.5 barrel.

I sent the brake to a well known manufacturer of brakes who told me he didn't believe that it was possible for it to reduce recoil at all. IMO it's essentially cosmetic.

I'd like to hear from one of our (LRH) posters/sponsors that has experience in manufacturing brakes. Maybe he could share his opinion on the effectiveness of the Browning. factory brake.

Google radial brakes. You will find plenty of tests showing what I have described. Even though the opening at the end is large and then has a ton of small walled holes there is still material for gases to grab onto. I'd say at worse your brake is giving you at least a 15% reduction but most radial brakes are in the 20-30% reduction from all my research. The point is a good muzzle brake should be able to reduce down by 40-50% so compared to that, yes they stink but you are still seeing a recoil reduction I bet. Just not very noticeable.

 

[Holycity73]

I'll chime in on radials...
I have a Jarrett with one of their brakes. They work. Yes. As well as a directional ported? Not even close. My personal favorite is the Insite Heathen.
The browning brake although noticeable, is weak by comparison. It's also being mounted on a sub 7lb rifle, so there's that.

 

[mdk777]

two points:
A GOOD muzzle brake will reduce from 70 to up to 85%.

I hate companies that make their stuff proprietary just because.
Muzzle brakes and silencers have fairly common threads(some variation based on barrel profile and caliber)
Making your own threads is total BS...and the reason I own no Browning.

PS, years ago the standards for PC upgrades was likewise fairly standard.
HP and Apple made everything from memory standards to Power supply unique.

Reason I still find in hard to understand why sheeple flock to APPLE.
Their kit is made to fail, and impossible to repair (sealed, locked, soldiered memory batteries etc. etc. etc.)

Long rant....TLDR

Buy a Tikka instead of browning.

 

[nimrod_gn]

The APA Little B*stard brake is one of - if not the best brake out there and I believe they make one that will fit the X Bolt read this: https://precisionrifleblog.com/2019/09/29/new-apa-gen-iii-little-bastard-muzzle-brakes/

 

[Danehunter]

#1 on APA Little Bastard. Got one on my 6.5 CM Ruger Precision Rifle.

Eric B.

 

[FEENIX]

Do you have a photo of it? How does it perform?

Nathan has quite a few videos and comparison with other MBs on his site https://muzzlebrakesandmore.com/testing-videos

I have a 4-port beast (self-indexing) for my .264 WM.

 

[257Tony]

two points:
A GOOD muzzle brake will reduce from 70 to up to 85%.

I hate companies that make their stuff proprietary just because.
Muzzle brakes and silencers have fairly common threads(some variation based on barrel profile and caliber)
Making your own threads is total BS...and the reason I own no Browning.

PS, years ago the standards for PC upgrades was likewise fairly standard.
HP and Apple made everything from memory standards to Power supply unique.

Reason I still find in hard to understand why sheeple flock to APPLE.
Their kit is made to fail, and impossible to repair (sealed, locked, soldiered memory batteries etc. etc. etc.)

Long rant....TLDR

Buy a Tikka instead of browning.

Tikkas are the iPhone of the hunting world, change my mind.

 

[Holycity73]

Tikkas are the iPhone of the hunting world, change my mind.

That's hillllllllarious.
That being said, I own Apple products and two tikkas.

and I'm not even gone argue that one!

 

[mdk777]

well its not a closed system
Tikka T3x CTR 6.5 Creedmoor

Standard threads
20 or 24 inch barrel
10 round magazine

guaranteed MOA

Less than a grand

Checks all my boxes.

standard rail for any scope / system

Close to an AR system that you can get in a hunting rifle.

So, not a Remington 700, but just about as universal in its ability to take add on or modifications.