Looking forward to seeing the results of your research. Cal Hundreds of hours have gone into this research, and the tests I conducted are built on advice and feedback from some of the most respected experts in the industry. The rifle kicked less and jumped less than my buddy’s 6.5-284 with a JEC. But, I’ve always been in the red on this website. I was going to do something similar, but decided to go big. And make no mistake, they are all loud. It is easy to spot. I feel a heavy sense of responsibility to my readers. That seems to align with what you’re saying about the M4-72. Thanks, Russell. Thanks for sharing it with me. Honestly, my writing style doesn’t lend itself well to blogs or online format. I attached a laser to the rifle, and placed a target at 25 yards that had a grid of 1”x1” squares on it and an aiming point. I finally got my brake. We’ll see. Thanks for sharing your experience, Bill. Sorry I could be more help on that! It is a lot of work, and it’s a commitment to stay independent. For years competitive shooters have asked us to develop a brake for the off-hand, run-and-gun, "Gas Gun" competitor. Mark Deros, the designer of the brake, believes when those 1st and 3rd baffles are machined away from the bullet path, it allows more gas to expand and hit the 2nd and 4th baffles, which he calls “wind sails.” Most of the work is done by the 2nd and 4th baffle. And there may be a slight increase in muzzle velocity with a brake, but it would be very small. Gen 3 Brakes. You recommended the JEC or APA brake, how do they compare to the blast tamer? Though my experience is very limited, I haven’t seen anyone else attempting to provide this type of data driven analysis. I appreciate the encouragement. Brakes create a lot of pressure. The length does come into play, especially if the longer brake has more baffles or more surface area (like the Center Shot Rifle’s Blast Tamer models … the 30 caliber model I tested was longer and had 4 baffles, where the 6 and 6.5mm versions were shorter and just had 3 baffles). Both the Blast Tamer and Impact Precision have straight 90 degree baffles, so the blast patterns will be similar. The brake-attached version doesn’t suffer from that problem as much. Hope this helps, buddy! I do want to point out that I had to infer the results for the JEC and Tubb muzzle brakes on the sound test, and the same for the Badger Ordnance FTE Muzzle Brake on the staying on target test. What? The suppressor is just the overriding priority in their mind, and it probably should be. i know, im just day dreaming . The difference between brakes was significant, with some more than twice as loud as others! Thank you for taking the time and money to do this stuff. Multiple bore size available from .223 cal to 50 BMG. Muzzle Brakes–Bertalotto's Test Results. Gen 3 Self Timing Muzzle Brakes At APA we are known for solving big recoil problems, not small ones. I appreciate the feedback and suggestion. So that is an example of why you’d see the lighter green bar on some of the brakes. Unfortunately, the answer is probably “it depends.” (I know, I hate that answer too.) The Gen II have a slick integral locking nut feature, but other than that … they’re identical. When not controlled properly, your shots will not only be inaccurate but may also not be as straight. Joe. Thanks! Yes, sir. Unfortunately, I hadn’t heard of their company before today. It provides fresh insight into the competition, shows what works well, what doesn’t seem to be working, and what precision shooters are looking for. A greater distance between baffles also seems like it would lower the pressure and allow more gas to be redirected off the bullet path, which would make it more effective at reducing recoil. Thanks, Joseph. Thank you for all you do! The tolerances on the integral locking nut have to be really tight, so it’s more complex to make … and therefore costs more. I had Little B* brakes in 6mm, 6.5mm, and 30 caliber. - Page 2 - Long Range Hunting Online Magazine, What Muzzle brake - Long Range Hunting Online Magazine, I'm Finally A True American !!! - Utah Wildlife Network, How to measure the effectiveness of a muzzle brake? Both are pretty awesome! https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-308-muzzle-brakes-compensators The guys this weekend that were next to me on the line when I was shooting my Sako .308 with a Lil B* brake were not happy with me! Perhaps if you’re a benchrest shooter you might notice something … but for us practical/tactical guys … it’s likely in the noise, and you wouldn’t miss a target because of it. I love the creative, pragmatic approach. I have a few other tests that I’m excited to get to. I haven’t tried any of the shrouds, so I can’t speak to that. The dirtier the brake is the harder for it to get rid of the gas efficiently. 1 inch). I didn’t think any of these brakes affected my accuracy. Part of the motivation behind my thoroughness was in hopes that I’ll be able to buy an even better muzzle brake for my rifle 2 years from now! August 21, 2015 338 Lapua to 50 BMG), because both of those seem to get you in a totally different type of product. Well, Heath, I couldn't disagree more. Do you have any experience with the brake from Precision Armament? I’ve also been looking at the Mack Bros. brakes since they can be used in conjunction with Templar suppressors. Might be interesting to see. Staying as close to possible to original point of aim was my primary concern for followup shots on groundhogs. Currently it is $24 on Amazon and this is why I feel it should be included. That’s what makes these tests better. It would seem someone or persons with anechoic and supersonic flow experience ought to be able to model a muzzle brake that might be quite impressive once some basic designs were scoped and the chamber/shape were tuned for optimum performance. Also, I took your advice and took the Accuracy 1st course twice. He wanted to be able to provide that data. I love my job. Another great brake is JP rifles Recoil Eliminator it works great also. MDT Muzzle Brakes for bolt action rifles. This test focused on muzzle brakes designed for precision rifles in 6mm through 30 caliber. I will probably publish that stuff at some point on here. However, if maximum recoil reduction is a must, you may want to read on. The amount depends on how dirty they are. But I did take a high-speed video of each muzzle brake in a way that illustrates the blast pattern (direction, angle, etc.). Gen 2 Brakes. View All. Here is a quote from Todd that illustrates his approach: One should understand that a lot of the formulas out there are not correct. It’s my way of giving back to the shooting community, and promoting this sport I’m so passionate about. I won’t be testing additional brakes any time soon. I’m planning a custom build and this will help greatly. I haven’t ever noticed a measurable amount of variation in muzzle velocities between different muzzle brakes. So again from me, thank you. Nice work mister…nice to see that my photography / laser test method still holds value. The brakes can be used as is, or painted/coated with any of the gun coatings commercially available. I assume you are referring to Jeremy’s AR-15 Muzzle Brake test over at TheTruthAboutGuns.com. I have shot all kinds and the AR30 just seems to sit there when you pull the trigger,,,ugly and loud but I bet it tops the list..All the Ar30’s brakes I have shot were the original bolt on top ….. Roger. I hope you can still learn something from the test. There is a balance. First, regarding your Ultra-7 / Ultra-9 decision. Just a quick glance of the brakes seems to suggest that the best brakes are not those mated to a suppressor. Thanks, Adam! The 7” Ultra suppressor is crazy light, so I may use it in matches when I get it in … but for the past 3 matches I’ve shot in, I ran a muzzle brake. I actually used the locking nut (aka jam nut) that came with the JP brakes. I don’t want to get caught in the middle of their differences, but it seemed like the honorable thing to do. They really have to be generalists. I may do another test in the future focused on AR-15’s or large magnums (i.e. I’ve tested a lot of designs, and at this point I probably have a better feel for that than most. It’d be a gamble, and I bet even if it is better than all of these … it would be marginal. I’ll paste their response. OPS Accuracy Tuning Brake – I’m clearly a research nerd, and when I built my first custom rifle … I did a ton of research on every part. While the aesthetics may be hard for some to get past, I wanted to know just how effective it was compared to these other designs. In what order would you suggest reading the Litz books? I don’t have any experience with them, David. I’m sure you’ve seen vuurwapenblogs take on the 5.56 muzzle devices in the AR market niche. He seems like a nice guy and was very helpful. Why it Stands Out to Us Muzzle brakes aren’t just for .223 or 5.56 calibers. Thank you for your feedback! The bottom line is to deal in absolute fundamentals, measure them, and remove all the assumptions. I may do another test in the future focused on brakes designed for AR-15’s or large magnums (i.e. And of course…offer our suggestions based on your budget. Does the length of a muzzle brake matter as far as recoil reduction goes? This may sound foreign or hard to believe, but it’s the way it is. While I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all “best” muzzle brake, I know many readers prefer some type of overall rating. But boy is it ugly. Field Tests & Studies, Reviews & Field Tests, Suppressors & Muzzle Brakes Thanks again! So far we have beaten everything we have tested it against but after reading you study I have to say you guys did your homework. Filter. forgot to put the link: https://www.cadexdefence.com/products/weapon-accessories/muzzle-brakes/. Of course brakes that have holes 360* will kick up more dust but I’ve shot next to people that had to stop shooting for a longer time than most to let the dust settle. But, the Terminator design seems very similar to the American Precision Arms Fat B* brake, except with flats on top and bottom. Design efficiencies have allowed for a faster target acquisition where muzzle rise is virtually eliminated. Installation. Great for the shooter but if you have people on benches next to you the will definetly hear it, and feel it when you take a shot. I also attended the one in Lampasas, TX–a bit closer to my home in Waco. I want you to know how much I appreciate your efforts. As soon as I have the cash, I’m going to get one. So I hope this can give new insight. Why no flash test — am I missing something? That the shooter perform better with less recoil is known. So similar in fact, APA specifically asked me not to include it on the test. I bought one from Brownells for $27 not that long ago, and it works great. i.e – can the brake be installed by the shooter without special tools or does a gunsmith need to perform the installation? Lol. Muzzle brakes are controversial. All Titanium coming in just over 2 oz. Glad you’re finding it helpful. However if the performance isn’t there I wouldn’t want to waste my money. I was talking to some of the engineers over at Applied Ballistics recently, and they were referencing that book for a few things. By that, I mean are you able to just order it and thread it onto your barrel without the help of a gunsmith? 1. Sure, Matt. SUMMARY The SUS-TAC Muzzle Brakes are made for a few different rifles. As the protocol remained the same as before, we’ll keep the description of it quick. Sorry! This is a test comparing my muzzle brakes, a T-3 Terminator, a T-4 Terminator, a Little Bastard, and a Fat Bastard brake. At this point, I’m still in the red (i.e. I don’t think the result would be any different. I just love your approach and attitude to these projects. Gen 1 Brakes. I took the 378 and a win. At least that is my theory! There are thousands of designs out there … I can’t test them all. This is one method of quantifying rearwards recoil energy. Particularly for rifle owners who are looking for a proper muzzle brake, we have hand-picked some. That was true for all of them except the Tubb Precision Muzzle Brake, which is only available in a 3/4×28 thread. The quality, fit and finish is excellent! I find all of my rifles are more pleasant to shoot with a muzzle brake. I'm not diminishing the great work you and so many others have done; it's just the curious mind that early on caused a young girl to dive deeply into applied mathematics and thermal dynamics. In just don’t wanna waste my money again on something that doesn’t work great. I didn't think it made the gun much louder from my perspective, but I wasn't standing off to the side where it's supposed to be bad. It would have disappointed me a little if that really was it! It was just as skinny as the Shrewd or OPS brake, but it was actually effective at reducing recoil. Any who, just spitballing. That is the standard thread pattern for cartridges in that 6mm through 30 caliber range, so that makes more sense for your 270. So those first baffles could be integral to the suppressor, or to the muzzle brake within the suppressor. Apply Blue Loctite or removable thread locker to all 4 bolts. I told Zak about this test that I was doing and he actually drove down (several hours) to test his new line of suppressors on my recoil test system. It’s be incredibly valuable, because they’re not only so expensive … the time you sink into them for the tax stamp doesn’t allow the typical “try it and trade it” mentality that you can take on some rifle parts. He has upgraded since then, but still had this in a drawer. I agree. The included lock nut allows you to move the muzzle brake in and out on the muzzle to tune vibrational nodes. The procedure for this test was the same as the previous brake tests. The recoil event happens in approximately 1/100th of a second, which is 10 times faster than the blink of an eye! I may do another test in a year or two, and if/when I do that … I’m thinking about asking my readers to vote on what muzzle brakes should be included. By the way fabulous job on this test. The sound data to the side of the rifle (mil-spec standard testing) didn’t have many surprises … but the sound data back at the shooter’s ear was interesting. We’re all just trying to figure this stuff out, and help the shooting community. Pete Gould is the instructor and does an awesome job. I’ve declined everyone to date. No gunsmithing is required. I probably won’t even make it to the range over next several weeks, because I plan to throw all my free time at publishing the results. Yes sir. Did you just get them as close as possible or did you do something different? – Todd Hodnett. Not only utilizing reduced recoil data…but looking at side blast, decibel readings, and reticle movement. Best Rated Muzzle Brakes & Compensators - Top Rated Muzzle Brakes & Compensators and User Ranks Of Major Brands! I can understand the confusion on the pricing chart. His latest innovation is the Radial Baffle brake, which Darrell says “trap the gas and divert it around the shooter in a rearward direction, increasing the recoil reduction over a 90 degree exhaust pattern. It has some fundamental differences from any brakes I’ve seen. Gen 1 Brakes. Gen 2 Brakes. Or crowdfund your time, so that you could take non paid time off. Could you point me in the direction of the jam/locking nut you used for the brakes that were not designed for one? 1/2×28 threads are typically used for smaller calibers (like 223), so if I were you I’d buy a thread adapter to make that 5/8×24. A Data-Driven Approach To Precision Rifles, Optics & Gear. It seems to fit well in that post. Wish I had one in my hands already! Thanks for the extensive testing of brakes. So I’m afraid I can’t give any recommendations for the kind that clamp around the barrel. Hide Filters Show Filters Caliber Created with Sketch. Hunters like the look of it, because it can be blended to match the contour of the barrel. The L30 Heavy Metal was strapped to the test rig, which was free to slide on a plastic table. . Align the muzzle brake with the barrel, and slide it on until it is flush with the starting of the first muzzle brake chamber (approx. I was impressed with the West Texas Ordnance muzzle brake, especially based on it’s size. - Page 2. FEATURES; COMPARISON; SPECIFICATIONS; AVAILABLE COLORS; VIDEOS ; FEATURES; Ultra-solid Stainless 416. Your testing and research are things It makes moving the brake from one rifle to another simple, and you don’t give up much (if any) in terms of aesthetics. I promise if you read that, you’ll be way ahead in your understanding than 99% of the guys out there. They may be great, I just don’t have any experience with them. If someone applied modeling and CAD to this area, they might end up with interesting results. It could be at least a compensation for your equipment costs. I do like the look when they appear to be integral to the barrel, but not at the cost of performance. If you knew that you could custom design for individual rifle and cal. So I wasn’t able to use it on all of the rifles. Can’t wait to share them with everyone. He thought a few percentage points difference in recoil reduction may not make a huge difference (or help you get more hits), but a brake that can keep you on target can be a big advantage. Again, thanks!! There are lots of factors in long-range shooting, and it’s easy to blow one out of proportion and completely ignore other factors that matter more. I hope that it provides a lot of insight into one aspect of precision shooting that has been largely neglected in terms of objective comparisons. 92 Comments. The only drawback for me was my model’s lack of a suppressor. I’ve fired it next to the Muscle Brake, which is identical to the Blast Tamer in your test, and the ports on the top did make a noticeable difference for muzzle jump. Set Descending Direction. The Shrewd certainly doesn’t perform in the same league as these other models. I would have used it more if I’d had it. I don’t have any plans to test additional brakes in the near future, but I’ll try to keep that in mind.