put a pachmeyer recoil pad on your rifle, you'll be farther ahead, only way I would recommend a brake is if your shooting long range and need to see the impacts through the scope. the pad is my first step, I have 4 braked rifles, they are loud, I like the QD Holland brake the best, its just a big boom compared to the sharp, painful, ear piercing bark of the others
RR

How does that thing work? I didn't see any examples.

Here is a link from mercuryrecoil.com that tells how it works.
http://www.mercuryrecoil.com/

Suggest you ask user named buffybr and ask him for some information on mercury recoil reducers. I am fairly sure that he uses them.

Why not try shooting reduced recoil loads???

I've used the mercury reducers on my trap shotgun. They help some, but add weight to the butt of the gun.

They don't come close to reducing recoil like a muzzle brake. Put on a Sims pad, and Vais brake, and it will feel like a .243.

My gunsmith told me he noticed no difference in sound when he put a Vais on his .280. I put one on mine, and he was right. There might have been a slight increase in noise, but it wasn't noticeable to me shooting the gun. I'm sure it was for anybody standing next to me.

Any other brand of brake will be much louder.

Want a muzzle brake
 

Yes BU I have recoil reducers in 3 of my shotguns and two of my rifles. I'm not sure which ones are mercury and which are mechanical. Both kinds do noticeably reduce felt recoil. I have recoil reducers in both of my Trap and Skeet shotguns, my Rem 870 field shotgun, and my .375 Rem Ultra mag and .300 Weatherby rifles.

First they add 6-8 ounces of weight to your gun. More weight will absorb some of the recoil. The theory with mercury or mechanical reducers is that the weight or the mercury inside the reducer tube will move forward in the tube when the gun is recoiling, and it will absorb or spread out some more of the recoil.

I did not notice any significant change in the balance of any of my rifles or shotguns after I installed the recoil reducers. I also cannot hear any mechanical or liquid gurgling sounds from the reducers.

I also have my competition shotguns ported. My single barrel Trap shotgun is Angle-ported, and my O/U Skeet and Trap doubles shotgun has both barrels Pro-ported. The porting reduces muzzle jump, and I do feel a reduction in recoil which helps on my shoulder (especially for events with up to 500 12 gauge targets per day), and also for being able to make an almost instantaneous second shot on doubles targets.

As for muzzle brakes, I have KDF brakes on both my .375 RUM and my .300 Weatherby. After having the brakes installed on these rifles, I would not shoot either one again without their brake.

My .375 RUM did not have a brake on it when I bought it, and when I first took it to the range, it just plain hurt to shoot it. I quit shooting it after only 6 shots. With the KDF muzzle brake, a custom stock that fits me, the recoil reducer and a Limbsaver pad, the recoil from this rifle is now not much more than the recoil from my (standard) 7mm Rem mag rifle.

I have since worked up sub moa loads with both 270 grain and 300 grain TSX and 270 grain Hornady bullets, comfortably shot it 100-200 times, and took it on two successful hunts in Africa which included shooting several animals from prone positions.

Also with a KDF muzzle brake, a custom stock that fits me, the recoil reducer and a Limbsaver pad, my .300 Weatherby has quickly become my favorite rifle. It's felt recoil is less than my .308 Winchester. Its comfortable to shoot off a bench or from any field position, including prone. I've also developed sub moa loads for itwith several Barnes and Hornady bullets.

I've used this .300 Weatherby on several Western US hunts, an African and a New Zealand hunt. I practice shooting it weekly and average shooting about two boxes of ammunition through it each month. Half of the shots offhand at 100 yards, and the other half from prone at the 430 yard gong.

In practice or in hunting, I have never experienced any problems shooting either of these rifles since I modified them to reduce their recoil. Even when shooting prone, I have not had any problems with the brake blowing dust or other debris in the air, and absolutely no problem with excessive recoil on my shoulder.

I also always wear some sort of ear protection when shooting either of these rifles in practice and while hunting.