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Old November 15, 2012, 04:01 PM   #1
crowsing
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243 muzzle brake

Thanks for all the help on previous question. Some interesting points. A couple I did not think about but wanted to get some thought on. It was brought up to put a muzzle break on a 243 to lessen the recoil. Does a muzzle break lessen recoil a lot or just a little. Also I heard muzzle breaks take away some of ur accuracy. And don't muzzle breaks make the gun much louder.
Thanks for all ur help. No more questions I will buy the gun next week
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Old November 15, 2012, 04:05 PM   #2
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There is no noticeable recoil from a .243 win, waste the money on good rings and bases.
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Old November 15, 2012, 04:13 PM   #3
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^x2
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Old November 15, 2012, 04:32 PM   #4
crowsing
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The gun is for an 8 yr old. He might think differently
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Old November 15, 2012, 04:36 PM   #5
Brian Pfleuger
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Muzzle brakes are a lot like any other product in that some versions work really well and some don't.

Yes, the good ones do reduce recoil substantially and yes they do make the gun a lot louder to bystanders and the shooter.
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Old November 15, 2012, 05:11 PM   #6
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Don't know if you are using a "youth model" or not, but the short barrel of such a model already turns a .243 into a real blaster. A brake will only aggravate that. A better investment would be a really good recoil pad.
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Old November 15, 2012, 05:15 PM   #7
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If a .243 is more recoil than someone can handle, then wait a while. I would NOT advise someone to set up a gun to do permanent damage to an 8 year old's hearing.
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Old November 15, 2012, 06:37 PM   #8
Brian Pfleuger
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An 8 year old should be wearing hearing protection, preferably foam plugs under electronic muffs. The sound of the gun from that perspective is not really relevent.
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Old November 15, 2012, 07:14 PM   #9
kraigwy
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Quote:
Does a muzzle break lessen recoil a lot or just a little. Also I heard muzzle breaks take away some of ur accuracy. And don't muzzle breaks make the gun much louder.
Yes, a lot depending on the gun.

No, the brake will not hurt accuracy if put on right.

Yes/kind of/maybe; Depends on the brake. It directs the blast to the side or rear, and down depending on what you want.

I was a RO for last summer's Sniper Hide Match at Douglas WY. One guy came to my station with a brake on his 243. I was setting to his side and the first shot muddied my coffee by throwing dirt.

I then got to watching him shoot,.....the muzzle didn't climb at all. Bearly wiggled.

Muzzle brakes do more then reduce the recoil (they do that very well), but they also keep muzzle jump down so you can see the impact. You can basically see it hit.

A friend of mine showed up for some PD shooting. He had a brake on his 22-250. It was a heavy varmint rifle. I asked why he needed the brake on a 22-250, he says shoot it and see.

I did, you wouldn't think a heavy 22-250 would kick, or there would be that much muzzle jump...............try shooting one with a brake. You can see the bullet hit the chest and the PD explode.

I know a 243 doesn't kick, but there are reasons for putting a brake on such light calibers. I've see several on ARs and they make for some fast follow up shots.

Best advice, find someone with a brake and try theres.

I just put one on my 300 WM, now it kicks like a 243. I got one ordered for my 375 H&H. I'm sure it will improve my shooting with it.

As I said, it doesn't hurt accuracy if installed correctly. The hole in the end of the brake should be .020 more then the bore of the rifle (308 brake would be 328) but you can make it bigger and it still would be effective.

I know some people who had a brake put on his 308, and he can use it successfully on his 260 Rem.

Don't discount brakes, they work, and not just for reducing recoil.
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Old November 15, 2012, 08:18 PM   #10
crowsing
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Ok so who makes the best muzzle break
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Old November 15, 2012, 08:36 PM   #11
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I like Badger Ord.

http://badgerordnance.com/muzzle-brakes/

I think I posted the wrong link on the PM.
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Old November 15, 2012, 08:50 PM   #12
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Muzzle brakes are so noisy that they may do more harm than the recoil
The .243 does not recoil much, and a good recoil pad will make it almost zil. I agree that if he cannot handle that, then wait until he can.
Jerry
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Old November 16, 2012, 08:05 AM   #13
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My daughter's .243 seemed to have excessive muzzle jump. So we shipped it to MagnaPort in Michigan. Their patented process cuts four slots near the muzzle without marring the blueing at all. No more muzzle jump and recoil reduced to almost zero. No extra noise either. Cost was about $135. a few years ago.

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Old November 16, 2012, 09:20 AM   #14
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Muzzle brakes are fine for range shooting, but most of us don't wear muffs for hunting deer or other large game where hearing the animal approaching is important, and only one or two shots may be fired in maybe 20 outings. That shot shouldn't be louder than necessary.

That said, there are some brakes with sleeves that vent forward only.
To minimize velocity of escaping gases, they tend to be larger than direct vented ones.
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Old November 16, 2012, 09:27 AM   #15
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Quote:
My daughter's .243 seemed to have excessive muzzle jump. So we shipped it to MagnaPort in Michigan. Their patented process cuts four slots near the muzzle without marring the blueing at all. No more muzzle jump and recoil reduced to almost zero. No extra noise either. Cost was about $135. a few years ago.

Jack
I think it ported barrel would be a good option. It doesn't usually cut recoil to the degree that a muzzle brake will, but it should reduce it a bit and cut down on muzzle jump.

That being said, I hear good things about badger brakes.
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Old November 16, 2012, 10:24 AM   #16
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If recoil is the primary concern, why not use a .223? There are several loads with bullets suitable for Bambi.
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Old November 16, 2012, 11:15 AM   #17
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I'm all for teaching kids to shoot and exposing them to the great outdoors but certain things don't go together. There's a little bit of "nature's input" involved with this. By worrying about him being able to handle a .243 you're brain is telling you it's too big for him yet you heart keeps trying to have you back door the whole natural progress of things.

Kids, or any shooter really, that can't handle the said recoil of a certain gun and/or cartridge shouldn't shoot/use that gun/cartridge. Quit trying to gadget things up and turn an 8yo into something he's not or a .243 into something it's not.
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Old November 16, 2012, 12:25 PM   #18
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Again folks, recoil reduction is just one of the many benifits of a muzzle brake.

Instead of listening to us, pro or con on brakes, try one for your self.

The noise is no different then without a brake, its just directed a different direction.

Suppose to wear ear protection anyway.

A brake WILL improve your shooting, I don't care if its on a 223 or a 416 Rigby.

Try it. Heck if anyone is close, come by my house and shoot the same gun with and without a brake, see for your self.
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Old November 16, 2012, 01:53 PM   #19
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I shoot a Rem. 700 LTR 308 cal. 20" brl. has some recoil but I installed a muzzle brake do to muzzle bounce. It is a pleasure to shoot. Read about brakes for awile before I had one installed, picked the PGRS - 1 by Bruce Mc Arther. The blast will blow to the side so when I shoot a the range they always ask, what the heck are you shooting. You just take turns firing. Makes for some good range talk. One time I knocked the empty bullet box off the guy's bench shooting next to me. Go for it, it's a blast . Makes shooting even more fun. Be safe Chris
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Old November 17, 2012, 08:03 AM   #20
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I'll cast a vote for Mag-Na-Porting . Works great on anything up to .300 Win. Mag. . Anything bigger would probably benefit more from a brake . The Mag-Na-Porting doesn't increase muzzleblast anything like a brake . The best part is , it doesn't ruin the lines of a rifle like a brake does .
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Old November 17, 2012, 09:23 AM   #21
phil mcwilliam
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While a 243 has little recoil for an inexperienced shooter to tolerate,you have to remember this is for an 8 year old kid. I may be in the minority here, but if you are considering ways of reducing recoil on a 243 for a youngster to handle, then maybe a 243 is a bit too much.
A 222 or 223 may be more suited for an 8 year olds first centerfire(even then under strict supervision), and in my experience are also considerably quieter to shoot. I know kids vary considerably but maybe start on a 222/223 & move on to 243/30-06 territory once the kid has become proficient in a few years time.
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Old November 17, 2012, 05:52 PM   #22
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Start the kid out with a .22. He will have just as much fun without developing a flinch or being afraid of the gun. If you are thinking of deer hunting for an 8 year old, are you doing it for him or you?
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Old November 17, 2012, 06:41 PM   #23
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My daughter is nine and she wants to deer hunt so I'm taking her to OK next week to let her try. I've been taking her hunting with me since she was five, last year she said she wanted to hunt. I told her if she passed hunters safety and kept her grades up I'd find something for her to hunt. She kept up her end so I'm keeping mine, she gets to hunt because she wants too. She gets to decide as well if she actually wants to shoot, as I'll never force her to pull the trigger. I'm just going to give her the opportunity the rest is up to her.
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Old November 17, 2012, 07:18 PM   #24
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Quote:
Ok so who makes the best muzzle break
Mag-na Brake
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Old November 17, 2012, 07:56 PM   #25
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I installed a JP Recoil Eliminator on my Competitor pistol in .243 win. The difference is night and day! If it was a rifle, I'd bet it'll feel like shooting a .22LR.
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