Muzzlebrake?

[400classelk]

Looking at re-barreling my 300 Rem. ultra mag. to 338 Edge. Want a muzzlebrake but have know experiences with them. Can I shoot with out hearing protection for a quick shot like a elk at 100 yards etc.

 

[4xforfun]

I have yet to see a braked gun that was safe to shoot with out protection.....I won't do it....ever!!!

 

[Ernie]

Looking at re-barreling my 300 Rem. ultra mag. to 338 Edge. Want a muzzlebrake but have know experiences with them. Can I shoot with out hearing protection for a quick shot like a elk at 100 yards etc.

Even the noise from a non-braked barrel will permanently hurt your hearing.
I agree with 4x!

 

[bigbuck]

I have a 300 rum as well and I've shot it without any hearing protection but now I have a defensive edge break on it and I love it . Kicks like a little .243 and I load the 210 bergers, really at the very most it kicks like a .308 shooting 150 grainers best thing I ever put on my rifle with that said I hunt thick timber as well for our white tails so I just picked up a band-it ear plug it hangs aroung your neck until your ready to use it just pop it in and WAAAAM . I would never shoot this rifle without protection using a muzzle break.

Bigbuck

 

[Chas1]

300rum also w/o brake and will not shot it without ear protection. I agree w/previous poster to use pop in ear plugs just before shot however, If I'm going to be doing any repetitive shooting ie-range then I use ear muffs...I want to protect my hearing as much as possible.

Interesting story: July 4th 2008 went to friends place in GA and shot a bunch of different weapons 410 & 12 gauge shotguns, 30-30, 30-06, M1A, 22, 223-AR (left 300rum and ear protection at home) 357, 38, 40S&W and 45...Had all ball except for the 45colt. Nothing bothered my ears until the 45 colt and for whatever reason...it hurt...go figure...any thoughts?

 

[bigbuck]

300rum also w/o brake and will not shot it without ear protection. I agree w/previous poster to use pop in ear plugs just before shot however, If I'm going to be doing any repetitive shooting ie-range then I use ear muffs...I want to protect my hearing as much as possible.

Interesting story: July 4th 2008 went to friends place in GA and shot a bunch of different weapons 410 & 12 gauge shotguns, 30-30, 30-06, M1A, 22, 223-AR (left 300rum and ear protection at home) 357, 38, 40S&W and 45...Had all ball except for the 45colt. Nothing bothered my ears until the 45 colt and for whatever reason...it hurt...go figure...any thoughts?

I agree with you I use ear muffs when shooting any rifle for load development or just having fun only when I'm hunting do I use no protection on unbreaked rifles

 

[Autorotate19]

I have a muzzel brake on my 300 RUM and I have jumped elk and shot them without hearing protection and didnt even notice the sound.... I think it depends on how much your bloods pumping. I have got in lots of arguments about this issue before. If you have time though I would use hearing protection but anytime you dont have time to put plugs in I wouldn't worry about it. gun)

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I have a muzzel brake on my 300 RUM and I have jumped elk and shot them without hearing protection and didnt even notice the sound.... I think it depends on how much your bloods pumping. I have got in lots of arguments about this issue before. If you have time though I would use hearing protection but anytime you dont have time to put plugs in I wouldn't worry about it. gun)

I've got to disagree with this recommendation. Ask anyone (else) who has fired a braked rifle, even once, without hearing protection and see what they say. Most will tell you that their ears rang for days. It is important to remember that hearing damage is PERMENANT. A single unprotected blast will cause permanent damage according to my hearing doctor.

I will shoot an unbraked rifle once or twice without hearing protection while afield biggame hunting. However, if I'm carrying a braked rifle, especially one of the newer designs which vent blast rearward, I would not even consider dropping the hammer without using plugs or muffs, not even once.

On the range I use hearing protection while shooting everything/anything, even the lowly 22 rimfire.

Just my 2 cents

 

[bosstom]

I shot my uncles braked 300WM one time without hearing protection and I couldn't hear much for three days, from that one shot I now have permenant hearing damage with constant ringing in the ears. That was back in 2003 and I have lived with this ringing for six years and it still drives me CRAZY.

 

[Autorotate19]

I dont want to argue but all im saying is I wouldn't let hearing protection screw up my once in a lifetime shot at say a 30" buck or a monster bull. Sometimes there isn't time for it. Iv had my ears ring before and it isn't fun. Whenever im shooting anything on the range I always wear plugs or muffs but I guarantee anyone who is a serious big game hunter blew their one chance at a monster just because they were worried about their ear plugs being in would be really bummed... or I at least would. In some cases their isn't time for it. Most of the time I would say a shorter range shot and you jumped him out of his bed, etc..... If there is time I would definately wear some. I know im not the only one because my buddy has the same gun and he agrees with me. Just my personal opinion.....

I also have a question though. Say you took your brake of and threaded the thread cap on. Would it change your point of impact? I mean in this same situation I described I dont think I would notice the recoil anyways. So if this doesnt change the point of impact then maybe this could be another solution to the problem.....

 

[tmmcampbell]

What?????:d

 

[400classelk]

When I shoot at at the range. I where plugs and muffs but when I'm tracking A bull Elk in the timber or rattling for whitetail's I don't. Just always seams that in the moment of the shot brain shuts out the sound. Long range shot I where plugs. I just can't be hiking threw the woods with ear plugs in. Do all muzzlebrakes send the sound back to the shooter? If so how much difference? I have never had A problem with recoil but calling your own shots better sound nice.

 

[Autorotate19]

I totally agree with you and that what I was trying to explain. As far as which brakes shoot the gas back at you? Im not sure which ones do it but it seems like my weatherby accubrake might be one that kinda does. I know it sucks shooting it off the ground with the brake. My christensen arms brake seams better about sending the gases more forward. Im sure all these other guys know way more about them than I do. I know the next one I ever get wont have vents on the bottom side.

 

[Sako7STW]

ovastafford, I agree with you, I took 3 shots at an elk with my braked STW with no protection. One guy in our party had wounded a cow and (i had a tag as well) she came my direction to my surprise. I wasnt about to let a wounded animal go because i had to wait to put ear plugs in. I had to shoot as she worked through trees and had to shoot when i could. there was no time to do anything but watch her. If I would have taken my eyes off of her as she moved we would have never got her.

Infact i have to say I have never hunted with plugs but I have been thinking seriously about some of the muffs that increase your hearing but block noise when the shooting starts.

I almost forgot....The Weatherby uses a brake thats design is very similar to that of the KDF (I think thats the letters??) brake. It is designed to direct the gasses backwards to help counteract the reward motion of the rifle to lesson kick. I have the KDF on mine. The best thing about it is downwind of the shot the critter hardly hear it, thus giving you better chances at a second shot if you miss. When the critter does hear it it sounds like it is coming from somewhere else.