Fake Browning X Bolt brake ???

[Varmint Hunter]

I just brought home a new Browning X Bolt Hells Canyon LR rifle in 6.5 Creedmore. Overall, a very nice looking rifle with a few smart features.

The first thing I noticed when removing the muzzle brake was that the thin walled brake had no baffles or machined-in design for redirecting gas. The inside of the brake was nothing more than an oversized empty tube with holes around the circumference. The end where the bullet exits measured .340" which seems very large for a .264" bullet. I'm rather curious to know just how well such a simple and oversized brake works. Anyone have any experience with one?

I removed the bottom metal and adjusted the trigger down to 3lbs as indicated in the owners manual. Unfortunately, there was no indication as to what the proper torque should be for reassembly of the action screws. . Does anyone know?

 

[IdahoCTD]

I'm not sure what models have the weird M13 x .75 threads on the barrels/brakes but some have that and some have 5/8x24. Makes no sense why they went M13 x .75 when 1/2x28 is almost the same diameter. The factory brakes are pretty crappy.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Fortunately, I really don't need a brake on a 6.5 Creed but the Browning HC-LR is a fairly expensive production rifle. How much would the production cost be on a more comprehensive brake? It looks like that brake would fit on virtually any of their rifles in any caliber. Ridiculous

 

[257Tony]

It's a standard design radial muzzle brake, looks pretty much the same as every other radial brake I've ever owned. Same design as the brake on the Christensen rifles, which a lot of guys swap out for their Slayer side port brake, not because the radial doesn't work, mainly because the side port is better for prone shooting in the dirt.

 

[300sendero]

100 rounds out of my western hunter and my muzzle brake separated at the first set of holes. Walking to look at my target about 75 yards down range I see something fun lay laying on the ground and pick it up. It was my muzzle brake or what was left of it. Mostly 127 Barnes out of a 26 nosler. I havnt contacted browning about it.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

100 rounds out of my western hunter and my muzzle brake separated at the first set of holes. Walking to look at my target about 75 yards down range I see something fun lay laying on the ground and pick it up. It was my muzzle brake or what was left of it. Mostly 127 Barnes out of a 26 nosler. I havnt contacted browning about it.

It's almost not surprising when you consider just how thin the brake walls are. IIRC they were about .070".

Anyone know about torque specs for the two receiver screws?

 

[J E Custom]

I just brought home a new Browning X Bolt Hells Canyon LR rifle in 6.5 Creedmore. Overall, a very nice looking rifle with a few smart features.

The first thing I noticed when removing the muzzle brake was that the thin walled brake had no baffles or machined-in design for redirecting gas. The inside of the brake was nothing more than an oversized empty tube with holes around the circumference. The end where the bullet exits measured .340" which seems very large for a .264" bullet. I'm rather curious to know just how well such a simple and oversized brake works. Anyone have any experience with one?


They don't work very well. While testing brakes the un baffled designs were the least effective of all the raidals. the recoil reduction ranged anywhere from 20% to 35% at best.

Brakes that are machined directly into the barrel are often built the same way and are just as ineffective. on lesser recoiling cartridges, 20 or 30% will help a little. On heavy recoiling cartridges It doesn't
make enough difference to tame the beast.

The best radial brake we tested, produced recoil by 51% (This was significant) and the increase could be felt. I have since designed a radial that can compete with the ported brakes, and depending on the cartridge, produce 60 to 70% recoil reduction if available in the cartridge. (Some cartridges may have a 50/50 powder to bullet ratio and dont have the potential for a higher recoil percent).

Vias makes a very good radial brake that does what is advertised (40 to 45%) that is readily available, Or I can put you in touch with the person that builds my brake designs if you PM me (I only build a few one of a kind brakes for friends, and just like to design.) to date the new design has reached 74% on over bored cartridges.

J E CUSTOM

 

[YZEATER]

This is not good to read. I'll keep an eye on my 28 nosler and now a 6.5 cm.

 

[Snyper708]

It looks like that brake would fit on virtually any of their rifles in any caliber. Ridiculous

It's not ridiculous from their point of view.
It costs them a lot less and it works just like the others.

 

[J E Custom]

100 rounds out of my western hunter and my muzzle brake separated at the first set of holes. Walking to look at my target about 75 yards down range I see something fun lay laying on the ground and pick it up. It was my muzzle brake or what was left of it. Mostly 127 Barnes out of a 26 nosler. I havnt contacted browning about it.

This is the reason I am anal about barrel wall thickness and brake diameter. Even though the pressure at the muzzle is less than Peak pressure, brake have been known to fail and barrels have split when the barrel wall thickness is less than needed.

The engineered minimum thickness(Measured from the grove to the minor diameter of the thread) Is .137. I like to round off to the safer side and use .150 (.013 thicker)

There has been lots of discussions about this and failures continue to happen. It is hard for me to believe it happens with a factory installed brake, but it sometimes does. Sorry it happened to you but glad you came away unscathed.

Sometimes people want looks over function and cut a brake down below a safe size to match barrel diameter. This reduces web strength to unsafe thicknesses.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Varmint Hunter]

JE,

Thankd

This is the reason I am anal about barrel wall thickness and brake diameter. Even though the pressure at the muzzle is less than Peak pressure, brake have been known to fail and barrels have split when the barrel wall thickness is less than needed.

The engineered minimum thickness(Measured from the grove to the minor diameter of the thread) Is .137. I like to round off to the safer side and use .150 (.013 thicker)

There has been lots of discussions about this and failures continue to happen. It is hard for me to believe it happens with a factory installed brake, but it sometimes does. Sorry it happened to you but glad you came away unscathed.

Sometimes people want looks over function and cut a brake down below a safe size to match barrel diameter. This reduces web strength to unsafe thicknesses.

J E CUSTOM

JE,

Thanks for all the helpful information. I may try the Vais if I use a brake at all.