Muzzle brakes...

I don't want to hi jack this thread I'm just trying to figure out what it is that makes a break work effectively so that I will know what it is that I am looking at buying .
 
The Hawkins Tank ST brake is basically made for this sort of application. Straight ports that are tuned to lower recoil, but do not have angled ports that cause a ton of shooter concussion.


TankST-logo.jpg
 
The Hawkins Tank ST brake is basically made for this sort of application. Straight ports that are tuned to lower recoil, but do not have angled ports that cause a ton of shooter concussion.


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Do you any Ti brakes with 5 x 90deg ports that are not self-timing? I'm not convinced that I want a brake that has screws to hold it together ...
 
These are self timing brakes. They are designed to be torqued on with a torque wrench after timing them. The set screws are an extra measure of security so your brake doesn't move. We've been running these are PRS and NRL matches for the last year. Rock Solid!

Here's a video that should be informative:

We also make gunsmith install Ti brakes in 2 and 3 port designs. .875 and 1.0" diameter. They need to be opened up for caliber and timed. Also straight ports.
 
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Jerry,

I have one of your Assassin brakes that was "tuned" to a .338 Lapua. Boring the through hole bigger in the back to smaller in the front to "tune" a brake means your having to direct more gas to subsequent ports because they are inefficient. You claim it reduces 98% of gas recoil so when I prove my brake reduces more recoil where does that put mine? 110%? I really don't care about calculated numbers. I care about how one brake directly compares to another side by side on the same day. I have thousands of dollars worth of brakes from other manufacturers and I constantly prove their claims wrong so it's nothing new for me. I've done this long enough I can pretty much tell just by looking at the ports in a brake how it's going to do. Very rarely am I surprised even a little bit. Most people overlook the simplest things and the rest just don't test enough, or at all, to know what does what. I'll have plenty of test videos coming out soon to dispel more myths.
 
I have a 4 port MBM 'lil beast on one rifle. It works very well. I haven't experienced anything blowing back in my face or an unusually loud report. Sounds the same to me as it does without the brake. Just don't leave any small items on the bench or you'll be picking them up off the ground. I don't get a dust signature so I'm happy. My scope does move off target at closer ranges but recovery is quick and impacts can be spotted at surprisingly short range.
 
So then when you are designing a brake do you need to consider the number and diameter of the holes to handle the expanding gas's as well as the angle that they are machined . Some are at a 90 degree to the gas flow some are at a rearward angle and some have a combination of both , some have only ports to the side , some have ports on the top and sides , some have ports top ,sides and bottom straight and some are angled . What is the optimum angle for recoil reduction as well as felt concussion and noise to the shooter . From past experience of nearby explosions the concussion does internal damage to the person receiving it .

The answer is equal and opposing, at 90 degrees to the bore centerline causes the least unnatural deflection.

The number, size, the shape and the spacing all have a role in how effective the brake is in certain applications. The are designed to handle the volume of gas for a certain for each cartridge to get maximum performance for different needs.

These differences in all categories are what make a brake best for the need and use intended. Any time you fire a weapon without hearing protection you risk or do damage to your ears whether it is braked or not. Some brakes are louder to the shooter and some to the bystander depending on the design but they all produce more sound than the ears can safely handle.

Also what we have found, and can prove, is that brakes with non apposing ports can and do apply uneven forces on the barrel and stocks. Brakes have ports that have apposing and equal
Ports don't impart unequal forces on the weapon because if they are equal and opposite they cancel the force of each out. So whether they are side ports or radial they work equally as well as long as there are the same shape port apposing it.

We just tested a brake design with the ports favoring the top and again saw some unequal side effects and detrimental results. When the video is finished it will be posted for everyone to see what happens when unequal forces are applied with this design.

J E CUSTOM
 
How does a suppressor reduce recoil as much as a brake when the gas is not evacuated? I know gas is diverted sideways but it's still contained in the can which is attached to the gun. Are brakes with blast shields still efficient?
Shep
 
Jerry,

I have one of your Assassin brakes that was "tuned" to a .338 Lapua. Boring the through hole bigger in the back to smaller in the front to "tune" a brake means your having to direct more gas to subsequent ports because they are inefficient. You claim it reduces 98% of gas recoil so when I prove my brake reduces more recoil where does that put mine? 110%? I really don't care about calculated numbers. I care about how one brake directly compares to another side by side on the same day. I have thousands of dollars worth of brakes from other manufacturers and I constantly prove their claims wrong so it's nothing new for me. I've done this long enough I can pretty much tell just by looking at the ports in a brake how it's going to do. Very rarely am I surprised even a little bit. Most people overlook the simplest things and the rest just don't test enough, or at all, to know what does what. I'll have plenty of test videos coming out soon to dispel more myths.

I would like to see a design that could produce 99 % but there is only so much you can get out of 100 % of the available gas recoil.

I would concede to anyone that can do it and would learn something from it. I can tell you from experience that just because one of my brakes can produce that much efficiency on one cartridge doesn't mean it will on another of the same caliber with different powder to bullet ratios because it wasn't tuned for a different cartridge. That is the reason I don't make a generic brake to sell retail. I just make them for friends and members for best performance of their rifles.
My brake are one of a kind for that one firearm.

I don't knock other brands for a reason, it serves no purpose and doesn't change anything. I prefer the actual recoil numbers because they are the most accurate in my opinion. and feel like comparing one against the other because it only tells you that one is better than the other not how much actual recoil it is reducing. It also tells me how to tune the rifle as it will be used with all the accessory's Like the scope, by pods, type of stock and many other things added to a rifle.

You also mentioned the boring of the baffles, they are never the same from brake to brake so the concept is just that, A concept. The engineering of and using the right sizes of ports, spacing, angles (If any) the machine quality, the use, the cartridge, the caliber, and many more variables that have to be included to properly tune a brake for optimum performance are what makes the difference.

The brake you have is for one load and rifle combination and will only reach it,s potential performance with that combination. again, that the reason they are tuned (For a specific rifle cartridge combination not a generic caliber.

Don't worry I don't make brakes to sell commercially and don't ever plan on it I just like making them for friends and members that want a custom brake for their custom rifle.

Our philosophies on testing and design are different so we are not in competition for the best brake as far as i am concerned, and if anyone comes up with a better brake I applaud him because the membership is the winner not him or me.

I am not the enemy, Just someone that Is trying to improve something that is misunderstood and taken for granted that can really help many people to shoot better. 👍

J E CUSTOM
 
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Let me just start that I have been using muzzle brakes since 2003 and I am a big fan of it and thankful we have plenty of choices to choose from. For recoil, "I" personally would like to see an "actual" test with sensor(s) to measure the "actual" force generated by the rifle set-up on the buttstock (where felt recoil exists) area in FT-LBS. In addition, measurements on muzzle rise and concussion. I know that this kind of testing requires serious capital investment and knowledge base esp. when the MB designer is not equipped for it.

Regardless of the testing approach, the "NUT" behind the trigger remains the biggest deciding factor/critic. Despite this, the MB designers/makers continue to improve their products. I am a big fan of innovations and continuous process improvement, so kudos to all MB designers/builders. Speaking of design, this is where side port design (non-radial) has an advantage over radial design. The radials have very little room for improvement. Yes, I acknowledge the "if it is not broken why fix it" crowd. I am very thankful that we have choices. Gotta love America for this! JMHHO ... 😇;):cool::p. Cheers!
 
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