Someone wanna explain to me in simple terms how it affects ballistics? I got that it reduces recoil and barrel rise. Also, that they rattle your ears. How does it effect the bullet though? Do you get slower velocities from losing pressure? Just curious and didn't see much on google about ballistics.
-Jake

It doesn't.

No. You don't loose pressure in the barrel. The bullet has already exited the barrel. A MB is added on to the length of the barrel and has a larger inside diameter than the barrel does and the bullet does not make any contact with the MB.

A MB works when the gasses that propel the bullet make contact with the surfaces of the holes in the MB and actually pull the barrel against the recoil.

Ok what about on my Mossberg 695 slug gun, it has..I guess it'd be called a ported barrel, holes going down the barrel, out near the muzzle. Is this the same thing as a muzzle brake? What's it do? And does it effect balistics?
Thanks so far BigBulls
-Jake

To further BBs explanation...you don't just drill holes in barrels to lose weight. The gas pushing the shot, is going forward. Action/reaction makes us feel recoil, as the gun moves backwards. When the gas is channeled through the brake, it is directed out or to the rear. Action/reaction makes the ejected gas "push" forward on the holes in brake, reducing some of the recoil. The projectile(s) has already accelerated to its potential before the brake. Losing pressure behind it, is exactly what happens when it leaves the barrel anyways. It is not a velocity leech, excepting the idea that it is ineffective barrel length, rather than solid bbl where powder could continue to burn and accelerate the projectile. It's fairly insignificant.

The ports on the shotgun barrel redirect gasses vertically to reduce muzzle rise. Think about installing a mini jet engine on the top of the barrel to push the barrel down when it is fired. It aids the shooter in reacquiring the target or another target quicker.

It does not effect the ballistics of a shotgun.

Thanks guys, that explains it all pretty well.
-Jake