I've been hunting with braked rifles, even non-magnums, almost exclusively since the late 1980s. I wear comfortable in-the-ear-canal noise-dampening hearing protection all the time. No regrets.
I agree with Jordan above. Being able to stay on target, even to see the reaction on impact (even, sometimes, discerning a clean miss vs. a hit) is well worth the extra noise to me.
Invest in good hearing protection. IMHO, don't worry about the brake.
In my experience, POI may or may not be affected, when replacing the brake with a thread protector, depending on the rifle/load.
I agree. I use brakes on both of my centerfire hunting rifles and am able to see the reaction on impact. I wear electronic ear muffs, so noise is not a factor. However, I hunt exclusively from tree stands, so I don't see any disadvantages in using a brake. I have heard that they are rough on scopes, due to the way rifle recoil is affected but don't know that for sure, as I only use my hunting rifles during deer season.
