Got to disagree with the statement that a good brake will enhance "accuracy". That is probably the biggest sucker marketing ploy around and one that has never been proven in any scientific manner. It might help a certain rifle and guarantee that is the one that they will show pictures of and will "hype" results as the norm with every gun. But it has not been shown to be true. It will often cut recoil to the point the "shooter" can shoot better groups but that is not the gun. That is shooters skill/lack of and nothing else. Chris hit it exactly.
Basic reloading facts are a load must be tuned to the barrel harmonics for any barrel with brake or without brake. A brake or a barrel extension changes the barrel harmonics moving you closer or futher away from a tuning node for that load.
To understand this concept you need look no further than the BOSS system. Browning found that removing 1/16" off non-shooting barrel suddenly made it a shooter. Why, it changed the barrel harmonics. The BOSS system basically shortens or lengthens the barrel by changing the length of the brake which alters the harmonics tuning nodes to match your load. Remember Boss comes with a non ported end with each system.
People with fixed barrels adjust the load to to match the barrel harmonics. Simple matter of matching load to harmonics. Most adjust load to barrel, Boss adjusts barrel to the load.
Anyone doubting this can run simple test with Audette or ladder method and pick the best brake in the world and tune the gun without the brake at say 300 yds. Take the same load and reshoot now with the brake and there will be a noticable negative difference in the braked group. Now retune the gun with the brake and then reshoot the gun without the brake at the same longer distance and the non braked group will be worse. You simply match the load to the barrel harmonics and if you change the harmonics by adding or taking off a brake and you need to retune. That is if your gun has a match grade barrel and chamber to be able to shoot nice tight groups.
$4000-5000 1k BR guns are being built and shot with $30 Harrels, $60 Hollands and $170 Vais brakes on them.
Many 1k BR shooters are anal rententive on reloading and extracting that last .001" to the point of weighing primers, measuring powder with$600 scales to the .01 grain and even cutting kernals of powder, using $800 Juenke machines to spin test bullets and cases. They test all the time and can tell you exactly what makes better shooting guns and what does not.
Do you really think a top 1k BR competititor would scrimp on a brake if it really gave him that extra .001 to win?
Now all that said, the brake has to be installed correctly just like your chamber must be reamed correctly. Any error there is the fault of the smith and not the brake.
IMHO guys that market $400 "anti-torque/anti-large group/you can't miss" brakes are laughing all the way to the bank while suckering the guy who just wants to shoot better.
BH
Now if that is not stabbing the sacred cows of some, oh well!
[ 05-12-2004: Message edited by: BountyHunter ]
