Brakes aren't just for big bores. Any cartridge with substantial recoil can benefit from a break. I have a gill type on one of my AR's, a radial circular hole type on a .22lr that I use for longer range work, my wife runs one on her .284win.

No reason not to reduce recoil. The only downside is report volume at the shooting position. Wear hearing protection-problem solved.

If you're going to cast stones at muzzle brakes, there better be nothing but steel buttplates in your safe. A muzzle brake ain't anything but a recoil pad that goes on the wrong end of your rifle.