accuracy with a muzzlebreak

[da new guy]

I am thinking of getting a 7mm and was thinking of getting it ported or getting a muzzlebreak. My question is does this effect the accuracy of the gun. would it change the point of impact? I don't know that much about rifles so all suggestions are welcome.

[Wingbone]

It might change the impact a little if there is extra weight added to the end of the barrel, but I doubt it will affect your accuracy. It will, however, make your gun really, really, loud. The muzzle blast will be directed back toward your ears. Wear hearing protection always.

[stubblejumper]

Adding a brake may or may not effect the accuracy or the point of impact depending on the individual gun.

[driftrider]

If you're considering just a 7mm Remington Mag, I would not bother with a muzzlebrake. The advantages of a muzzlebrake only outweigh the disadvantages with the really hard kicking cartridges, or in the case of varmint rifles to control muzzle jump so the shooter can spot his own shots. The 7mm Rem Mag kicks only slightly harder than a .30-06, which is stiff but not unmanageable. Like mentioned above, the muzzlebrake will make the rifle extremely loud, so loud in fact that it WILL cause permanent hearing damage is shot without hearing protection. If you put a muzzlebrake on it, you will need to wear ear plugs even in the woods if you value your hearing. It will also not make you many friends on the range. I believe you'd be better served by investing in a top end recoil pad (i.e. Limbsaver or Pachmayer Decelerator). Also, don't buy the lightest weight rifle you can find. Lighter rifle=morre recoil.

If you absolutely must have a muzzlebrake, I'd suggest you look at the Browning BOSS equipped rifles. They come with the ported BOSS muzzlebrake and a non-ported extension (called the BOSS CR for Conventional Recoil) so the rifle can shoot to the same POI as with the brake, without the extra noise, for field use. Savage also makes a muzzlebrake that can be twisted to close the ports (noted in the Savage model number with the suffix "AK").

Mike

[Ridge Runner]

I've got a couple braked rifles and have shot about all of them, if you want a brake to see bullet impacts while hunting, get a holland style brake, the larger oval holes do a fine job of taming muzzle jump but though louder than unbraked rifles, its not the sharp piercing bark of the boss or kd brakes.
I have a holland on a 7mm AM (7mm/338 Lapua Mag improved) and have watched bullets impact whitetails in the scope at 500-600 yds. so much so that I can see where the bullets hits them.
I have a brake like the kdf or boss on my 7mm STW and don't like to use it much couse it hurts my ears BAD! if I shoot at a deer without hearing protection.
RR

[NBDeerHunter]

I have muzzle break on my savage 30-06 and it reduced the recoil by approx 30-40%. It wasn't unbearable but now it is a real pleasure to shoot. If find with mine it doesn't affect accuracy at all.
Also with mine I find that it isn't a huge amount louder just has a different pitch to it now....but ear protection should be worn no matter what gun your shooting.......NO gun is quiet.

[JeffS]

I have a ported Marlin .450 and unless you really need the brake I wouldn't put it on there. Though they do help reduce recoil. We have a 7MM mag that someone gave us that has a muzzlebrake and my buddies 11 year old son shoots it with no problem. Though like it has been pointed out they are very loud and at a range make sure you shoot down on one end and not underneath a cover. If I shoot mine I tell them to stick me at the far end and when I show them what I'm shooting they agree. If you get one and the recoil is too much you can put a different recoil pad on there and not make it so loud.