I have decided to add a muzzle brake on my rifle. Curious to those that run brakes which one do you recommend. For those that are “anti-brake”, I respect your opinion but I have decided to give it a try. Easy fix if I don’t like it (cut & re-crown). This is for my hunting rig not a bench queen, so I want something that’s complimentary with shooting prone and other field positions. The rifle has a Bartlein # 19 contour which is supposed to mimic a Remington Mag contour.
Give Ross Brakes a try. Ross Schuler builds some awesome side port brakes that really tamed my 300RUM. I was anti-brake before this but now I’m a believer. Ross offers all the standard thread pitches and will even contour the brake to your barrel profile as part of the cost. Only $37 to your door for a contoured stainless brake cannot be beat. rossbrakes.com
I have a couple of brakes from Ross and they're great if you're looking for a seamless brake that needs to be machined to be indexed properly. If looking for a self-indexing brake, an Area419 or Insite Arms Heathen would be a good choice.
I've got several of Ross's brakes and really like them, they're a good value. One think you might want to check is the barrel contour, that #19 might be too light to thread and maintain enough shoulder for the brake. You don't say what it's chambered for, there are minimum thread diameters you should adhere to depending upon bore size.
Just called Ross probably buy his 4 port .875 OD brake and have it gradually tapered to be seamless... for reference the Bartlein barrel mic's dead nuts 0.700 at the muzzle and is chambered for .338 win mag. Ross suggested to have the barrel threaded to 9/16 x 24
Well I got some loads worked up for my 300 RUM today. 220 ELDX with 89 grains of Retumbo. To be perfectly honest this was the first time I have ever shot a 300 RUM and did not know what to expect. The Ross Schuler brake tamed this rifle to a pussy cat. Recoil was nothing. I can now say the Ross Schuler brake is very effective in reducing recoil.
Well I got some loads worked up for my 300 RUM today. 220 ELDX with 89 grains of Retumbo. To be perfectly honest this was the first time I have ever shot a 300 RUM and did not know what to expect. The Ross Schuler brake tamed this rifle to a pussy cat. Recoil was nothing. I can now say the Ross Schuler brake is very effective in reducing recoil.
$37 for a brake is a very good price! I'm assuming that is just for the installation?
I've seen several brakes at the range. I am thinking of getting one in the near future. I have found a local smith just 40 miles away. He does good work. Just need to get over to do a face to face,
My two cents: if you are going prone, ports up and to the side...not bottom. And...wear your ear protection. I have felt muzzle blast from as far as 8' away at the range.
I see no real reason not to brake if that is your desire.
My 700, 300 RUM just got a KDF brake installed two months ago. It reduced the apparent recoil ZERO. It still kicks the ever loving hell out of me, to the extent that it tore my ear muffs off on a couple of shots. It’s just crap. It’s crazy, but the same brake is on our son’s Rem 700, 300 Win Mag and it is truly a pussycat.
My gunsmith installed both the brakes and later told me he was not a fan of KDF brakes.
They are supposed to be good brakes and I was expecting a “30/06’ish” level of recoil but was sadly mistaken. It’s still a beast. On or off, subjective recoil is identical.
You only live once, but...if you do it right, once is enough.
Look up Fat Bastard, Muzzle Brakes, easy to install on threaded barrel, if your barrel is not threaded try Witt Machine, clamp on also easy to install and they work very well.
I have KDF muzzle diameter brakes on my .300 Weatherby and my .375 RUM. The felt recoil of my .375 RUM was intolerable (to me) before I had the brake installed. With the brake, my .300 Wby kicks about the same as my .308 Win. The KDF brakes have holes all around the barrel, including the bottom, and I have shot both of these rifles extensively from prone positions both hunting and at the range without any problems. Yes, they kick up a little dirt and grass, but it hasn't been a problem.