Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles best muzzle brake

I am considering building something like a 338 Win Mag, but honestly, am only interested if I can find a good muzzle brake. For me, that much recoil needs to be tamed down some. The problem is, I'm really not a big fan of muzzle brakes due to the increased sharpness of the rifle's report. I understand they're are no brakes that are truly quiet, but I have read about Gentry's Quite brake and their claims it is quieter than other designs. Maybe this is like asking to have your cake and wanting to eat it too. Does anybody have any recommendation based on experience with brakes?

Here is an in-depth test from 5 years ago:
https://precisionrifleblog.com/2015/06/24/muzzle-brakes-field-test/

I will also say that a lot of people like the Fat/Little Bastard and Vais Brakes (http://www.muzzlebrakes.com/) gets a lot of love too.

Another option is Kampfeld. Karl does 2 different styles of brakes along with other amazing work.

No loudeners for me, ever again.

If I absolutely must have recoil reduction, it'd be a suppressor.

Hickman Rifles in CO Springs makes the best brake I have used. I tried a bunch of different brands before finding this one

Earl makes the brakes in house

Vias, Litltle B from APA, or Holland. (Bench, PRS, hunting)

Are all top of the line

www.muzzlebrakesandmore.com

He built a recoil sled and has videos testing his vs. other brakes.

I had one on a Ruger 450. Exceptionally effective on recoil, but hell on the ears. Bought a TAMR lineal comp. type brake this year. Not nearly as effective recoil wise, but I can shoot it with no ear protection with no issues at all

I had multiple braked rifles when I was younger, then phased out of them due to a few noisy situations my ears havent gotten over. Anyway, I just had a lwt .300 WSM braked by Karl at Kampfeld and it is very nice. I would recommend it for a a hunting rifle. For a heavy barreled gun, I like APA's.

^^^^^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^^^ memtb

^^ME TOO^^

Well why not? It’s like power steering on a vehicle!!! 🤣🤣

Never got tinnitus from power steering.

Ya, never had my eardrums blown the fuuck out from manual steering either. 🤣

Thanks for the replies. I'll look into these. I'm not a fan of increased noise, but also want a light rifle that is comfortable to carry and shoot. Have to make a compromise somewhere I guess.

gatekeeper, everyone has different comfort/ tolerance to recoil. Depending upon “how light” you desire the rifle, it can be “tamed” without a brake, for bench-work! In a hunting situation, recoil is lessened (with the possible exception being prone) using field positions, few rounds are fired, and recoil is generally a non-issue.... without having a brake! My wife has taken several head of game shooting prone with her sub (barely) 9 pound, “non” braked, .338 WM. It all comes down to what you see as comfortable/tolerable. Try you chosen rifle from the bench and in replicated field positions “without” the brake, if you’re not comfortable ....try one of the mentioned brakes!

I worked with a friend’s 8 MM Remington Mag. with a Gentry Brake....it was pretty tame, and probably offered “less” noise than conventional brakes. But, I’m pretty certain that it “did not” give maximum recoil reduction.....and was still to loud to hunt with, without ear protection! JMO. memtb

I would suggest having the barrel threaded for a removable brake. You can put on the brake for extended range sessions. A good brake will reduce ~40% (or more) of the recoil from the 338WM. That would put it In unbraked 30-06 territory. Maybe a bit lower. I would suggest double hearing protection when shooting with the brake on. Earplugs underneath ear muffs.

For hunting, I would remove the brake and put on a thread protector. Probably still suggest at least earplugs. I hang a pair around my neck so I can slip them in when I start preparing to shoot.

Didn’t see an answer I was hoping for brake with decent reduction & decent noise level. Suppression nor legal in CA - they would prefer all hunters be deafened frankly.

Daughter’s fiancé new 300 weatherby beating him up in load development & if he buys one I don’t want to be deafened. I have a custom braked 7 Mag that is loud but not horrible gunsmith doesn’t do them any longer.

If you have a brake, you are going to be hunting with hearing protection. If you don’t, you suffer the consequences.

Brake+hearing protection is better on the ears than no brake, no protection.

In my opinion, a brake lets you see hits in hunting/glassing situations where plenty of time is there to look animal over and slip in hearing protection which honestly takes a second. Busting through the brush with a braked rifle is probably not the best idea.

If you're worried about the recoil from a .338 Win Mag,go to a .338/06 instead.