r/canadaguns • u/terp312 • 23d ago
Buy recommendations Looking for a brake recommendation with low concussive blast
*Edited. Fellas, this is not a post about hearing safety. I am alive to the risks. Those are my risks to take on or to mitigate. This is a post about brakes recommendations. Yes, they are louder, they will be tested with ear pro compared to bare muzzle before I go hunting without ear pro. Your concern is appreciated, but stay on topic, please.
I am in the market for a brake to go on my 308 win bolt rifle with the following characteristics, listed in the order of importance:
1) Low concussive blast
2) Muzzle jump mitigation
3) Recoil reduction
4) Length/weight.
The rifle is used for hunting (so shot spotting and low concussive blast are important as I hunt without ear protection) and for practicing at the range (so recoil reduction is somewhat important but low concussive force is at a premium, as I can mitigate felt recoil in other ways).
I've been doing a lot of theoretical research and have zeroed in on PVA Jetblast (3 port) Ultralight. Based on the SabLab testing I got onto the Jetblast and then realized they make an ultralight, but I can't seem to get my hands on it in Canada.
A friend suggested that I try IBI Tactical 3-Gill. They advertise the first port at 90 degrees reducing backward blast, but I can't seem to find any reviews, and while everyone can advertise things not everyone can achieve the same results.
Are there any other brakes worth looking at based on my priorities?
Don't care where the brake is made, as long as it's available in Canada.
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u/swift_gilford 23d ago
as I hunt without ear protection
I'd argue this is a problem. More than enough options on the market with electronic ears (muffs and in ears) that there really isn't an excuse to not be wearing them especially if you care about your hearing down the road.
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u/terp312 23d ago
I am yet to find something that is even remotely comfortable for me to wear all day, at least within my budget
8
u/swift_gilford 23d ago
I use Peltor Tactical Sport's (albeit they were like $150 when i got them) for like 5+ years now with the gel ears. I can wear these all day and reguarly do at day comps and courses. A lot of the time i forget i'm even wearing them.
For hunting it's nice cus they just act like earmuffs and you'd be surprised how much they pick up on the low end.
1
u/terp312 23d ago
Do you find them to fit ok with rifle shooting? I have been looking at them, but they seem a bit fatter than my slim walkers that I currently use, so I've been on the fence about them for a long time, especially for range use
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u/swift_gilford 22d ago
Yup, this is the only earpro i use and i use it when i'm doing my long range stuff (F-class, nrl, prs style matches) as well as hunting. 0 issues.
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u/BrotherLefthand 23d ago
Isotunes and Axil are very comfortable to me. Definitely affordable.
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u/terp312 23d ago
Axil seem to have very mixed reviews. Never heard of Isotunes, that is for the lead.
2
u/BrotherLefthand 23d ago
I have a set of old Axil GS. They still last all day, but audio quality is definitely poor compared to new earbuds. Otherwise, they work great. They protect my hearing from gun fire reliably.
I recently got the Isotunes Calibers and the sound quality is great! The battery life isn't as good as they claim, but I get a full day of use.
I replaced the Axils because the audio quality was poor and I prefer the independent earbuds. I can't speak to new Axils, but I sure do like the Isotunes.
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u/swift_gilford 22d ago
My only issue with in-ear earpro is that it doesn't protect your outer ear which is part of how you hear as well. All of our hearing isn't just through the ear canal, it is also bone conductivity, specifically behind the ear.
I'd let it slide for hunting as you aren't doing a shoot-a-palooza. But actual rangedays and comps i'm using full coverage.
15
u/Parking_Media 23d ago
Active hearing protection kicks ass. Especially compared to being deaf.
I personally loathe muzzle breaks because I shoot a lot at ranges.
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u/sometimesifeellikean 23d ago
I shot a large bear from inside a pretty solid blind one day. It was odd to me that I didn't hear the bear stumble down the hill after he took the shot. Since then, I always leave muffs in the blind because I didn't realize how much that shot took out my hearing that day. It all came back after however long, but it was super clear to me why I didn't hear him scrambling thru the bush afterwards.
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u/Lumindan 23d ago
You should probably hunt with hearing protection since we can't get suppression here. The brake will do what you listed but it'll also be even louder.
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u/terp312 23d ago
If an opportunity permits I do put ear plugs in, but it's just not practical in my personal experience to hunt with ear pro for that one shot I may or may not take
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u/Lumindan 23d ago
Depends what you run. I wear swatcoms (which are similar to sordins) and they give me more situational awareness than going naked.
One shot (especially on higher caliber centre fire) is entirely enough to permanently damage your hearing.
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u/terp312 23d ago
I can say with confidence that the odds of me hunting in over the ear ear pro are exactly 0 for many reasons. I appreciate that it works for some people, but that's just not my case
6
u/Lumindan 23d ago
Hey it's your life.
I have an MDT hunt brake and it works great, not super heavy either.
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u/terp312 23d ago
Did you find it helps.woth the muzzle jump at all? I briefly looked at them, but ended up dismissing them due to more aggressive angled ports, which I expect will increase rearward blast, and didn't really look at the muzzle jump side of things with them
2
u/Lumindan 23d ago
Yeah I tested my hunting rig both with and without it. Its angled but it did lower the muzzle jump a good chunk.
Plus it didn't need shims which is a nice bonus.
The blast is more, sideways than towards the rear from what I could tell.
2
u/terp312 23d ago
Super, thanks for sharing!
2
u/Lumindan 23d ago
The downside, it's not cheap.
Also the magnum version is apparently very different in design in case you wanted one for that size.
6
u/Mirin_Gains 23d ago
You shouldn't be hunting without ear-pro, especially if you throw a brake on your rifle.
I wear my Sordins all day - but maybe ear bud type could be better for you. The enhanced sound got me my trophy WT.
I have the OE radial on my Tikka BTW and it makes it hard for my friend to spot shots because he gets blasted by concussion.
5
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u/SpectreBallistics Spectre Ballistics International (Verified) 23d ago
IMO a brake on a hunting rifle is not ideal. You're taking a few shots, not 100. Any muzzle brake will have a large concussive blast. That's just how they work. It's physics.
You're looking for something that doesn't exist.
I have permeant hearing damage from shooting a rifle with a brake once without hearing protection. It sucks. Do not do it. This was a simple 90 degree ported brake. No where near as loud as our Hex Brake, which has 3 baffles and is 90 degrees.
I would go for other options on mitigating recoil. The biggest one is making sure the rifle fits perfectly. Wrong scope height and LOP can make a rifle kick much worse.
3
u/Omega_Shaman 23d ago
Linear compensator?
1
u/terp312 23d ago
Might be what I actually want. Got any particular suggestions?
2
u/Omega_Shaman 23d ago
I have an S&J one from True North Arms on a short barreled rifle that works great.
1
u/terp312 23d ago
Do you find it actually counteracts vertical muzzle jump? It's not obvious from the design, without any top venting ports, that it would achieve that. Also did you find any adverse impacts on accuracy of your rifle with this design?
1
u/Omega_Shaman 23d ago
I didnt notice any accuracy decrease. I've only had muzzle flip with really hot loads with the rifle.
But I mean I didnt do a double blind placebo trial on 14 different muzzle devices either.
The only other thing I've heard is that linear compensators can kick up leaves outdoors for hunting if lying prone.
Its $60 though you cant go wrong.
1
u/terp312 23d ago
I appreciate it! At this price point it's almost worth it to get it just to see for myself if I notice any improvement. Great lead!
2
u/Omega_Shaman 23d ago
I would put them on all my rifles if they had more calibers. Perfect for the range.
3
u/King-Moses666 23d ago
I cant seem to find the original video. But Demigod Precision shared a snip it about it last week. The video compared several different muzzle breaks and measured their “felt blast” on the shooter, for the sake of minimizing brain damage from big muzzle breaks and prolonged/repeated exposure.
The Demigod Comp Break measured under damaging levels, while still providing incredible results. But it is loud.
1
u/terp312 23d ago
Thanks, I'll check them out. Might be one of those cases where I can't have my cake and eat it too Re the noise issue haha
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u/King-Moses666 23d ago
Unfortunately in Canada since we cant have Suppressor Breaks. Your either gonna get a really good break that is really loud, or a quieter break that doesn’t work as well.
3
u/DevSquidMarra 23d ago
Not sure if this will be helpful but I put the mdt brake on my 300 win mag, significantly reduced recoil and muzzle jump. I always shoot with active ear pro on and I couldn’t tell the difference in sound with the ear pro on. As far as concussive blast I have no idea lol
2
u/Murray3-Dvideos 23d ago
The radial brakes u see on alot of hunting rifles are surprisingly tame in regards to concussion and sound. They reduce recoil effectively, but do nothing towards directly reducing muzzle jump. The biggest issue i have with them is that they blast the ground beneath the muzzle pretty good, kicking up alot of dust and grass when shooting prone. Most of the fish gill and chamber brakes out their will be very concussive. But in return they do work better then the radial brakes.
1
u/terp312 23d ago
In my personal experience radial brakes are good at nothing other than reducing felt recoil. No use whatsoever for my use case. I appreciate that everything is relative and there will be some extra concussive blast, but some brakes are better at it than others, hence the post looko for hands on user experience with specific models
2
u/Murray3-Dvideos 23d ago
Id say they do 3 out of 4 for your criteria quite well. Hence the recommendation. They make .300 win mags shoot like .308s.
1
u/terp312 23d ago
I haven't noticed OE Tikka reducing muzzle jump pretty much at all, compared to the bare muzzle. Perhaps other radial brakes are better, but made me wonder about the overall design utility, and of course there is the taking a blast of dirt to the face aspect of it when shooting prone
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u/Murray3-Dvideos 23d ago
Nah I think they are all the same in regards to muzzle jump. Of course reducing recoil in itself will reduce muzzle jump as well simply because of the human structure. Sometimes chamber/fish gill brakes dont actually concuss the shooter, but do concuss the shit out of everything around them. I got a Area 419 brake on my new .308 hunting / target rifle. Its touted online as being one of the most effective muzzle brakes on the market. Ive only shot a deer once with it so far, it was like minus 20 (so the air was dense and sound doesnt travel as far), like yourself i was hunting without ear pro, like most people I've know do, but I was wearing a Ushanka styled hat with the ear flaps down (for some sound protection). Took the shot standing in a clear cut, my ears didnt ring, felt generally fine afterwards. Had i been standing next to a tree, wall or extreme slope, my ears might have been ringing. That brake really concusses its immediate surroundings. My buddy's hate sitting next to it, I hate shooting it in confined spaces. But in the open its bearable.
2
u/Acceptable_Visit_115 23d ago
The thing you described doesn't exist.
Any brake will be concussive. The brakes work because they redirect the gas. Basic physics. You can't change that.
Also for a bolt action hunting rifle I personally wouldn't even worry about muzzle jump or whatever. Get 'er done in one shot. If it's a semiauto you can at least argue about follow-up shots.
Non-concussive brakes simply don't exist. A simple slant compensator can reduce muzzle flip without inducing concussion, but offers no recoil mitigation as a result.
TLDR: recoil reduction comes with concussion. Basic physics.
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u/terp312 23d ago
Thank you, I will look into compensators. As for the concussion, I did not mean "none", I meant "less relative to other models in the market that are more focused on recoil mitigation"
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u/Acceptable_Visit_115 23d ago edited 23d ago
I have a V7 Titanium micro brake on my .223. It reduces muzzle flip to zero while only adding minimal concussion as the ports are small. It also weighs next to nothing as it's titanium.
It has 1 row of ports to the side and 1 port to the top. The port venting to the top reduces muzzle flip, while the ones to the side reduces recoil and adds the bulk of the concussion. The top port is relatively large per se (same size as the side ports), hence the good muzzle flip reduction. I loved it so much that I bought a second one for my .22 pistol - even if it didn't have much recoil, it still had a decent amount of muzzle flip, which was entirely removed by the brake.
So yeah, I would shop around based on their appearances. The bigger the top holes = the less muzzle flip; the bigger the side holes = the less recoil but more concussion.
Linear compensators redirects everything forwards so it's got the least concussion, but also offers no recoil/muzzle flip reduction from my experience.
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u/terp312 23d ago
They don't have good pictures on their website, and the video review I found doesn't have good angles. Does it have a port on the bottom as well, or just 3 ports? At least on your 223 one?
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u/Acceptable_Visit_115 23d ago
No bottom ports. Having a port on the bottom would increase the muzzle rise LOL, plus it would kick up dust when shooting prone.
It's like the A2 birdcage, where openings are only on the top and sides.
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u/terp312 23d ago
That makes sense, but doesn't mean they didn't make one for one reason or another lol
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u/Acceptable_Visit_115 23d ago
Haha yeah. I've seen some baffling design choices before.... Can never be too careful!
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u/SexySubordinate 23d ago edited 23d ago
Ruger hybrid muzzle device.
It doesn’t seem to direct much backwards but a metric fuckton to the sides. You really don’t want to be there.
I’ve got one on a 12” barrel in .308 and another on an 18.5 and like both plenty. You definitely feel more “oomph” on the short barrel although both are within 14-18” from the shooter’s face so I imagine it wouldn’t be bad at all on a full length hunting rifle.
It’s not bulky or heavy by any means. It’s quite stubby in length and it’s not particularly expensive. It doesn’t really add much to kicked up dirt when prone either.
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u/CrumblingCanada 23d ago
Literally 0 reason to not use active ear pro.. it literally makes your hearing better than without ear pro
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u/Ciggaris 23d ago
Put on a “faux” suppressor/linear compensator. I find that even though they’re technically not suppressors, because they direct the blast outwards from you, they still sort of fulfill the role to a much lesser degree. Or get a 3D printer and build your own, it’s easier than you’d think!
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u/DashCameraman 19d ago
I think brakes that are shaped like a cylinder with a bunch of swiss cheese holes in it are generally less concussive. Still I'd say just suck up the recoil if you really want to hunt without ear pro. All brakes make any gun way louder.
I use a 24" barrel with a blast forward device because I don't like concussion. Still I use active hearing protection on top of that. I already have tinnitus... Don't need it to get worse
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