How many of you hunt with a muzzle brake?

[Europe]

I have my first one on my Browning long range hells canyon in 6.5cm. The recoil feels like a .243. Only way I can handle recoil now.

Good for you. glad it is working for you. This was suggested to me as my age increased and my health decreased, but I just could not do it. My favorite caliber, 300 H & H was retired and the Swede became my rifle of choice. All of my rifles are old, like me, and have wood stocks, so that helped a bit also. But the short answer is, no

I took mine off for hunting, noise was too large of a safety issue for me.

.300 win mag, tikka veil

there was a time when PH,s in Africa frowned down on clients using them, but things change---some even for the better

 

[Willy Dee]

I’ll not use one again, after hastily firing a couple shots at a muley buck that popped up in front of me, and I didn’t automatically put the plugs in. Tinnitus is a bitch when you’re only 56….

I hunt and shoot suppressed now. And use electronic ear plugs.

Which earplugs do you prefer?

 

[Talk2elk]

Capital Sports put one on my 300win mag in 1997. Still works amazing to this day. Makes shooting at the range comfortable.

 

[buffybr]

The first time that I shot my .375 RUM its recoil was so bad that I couldn't finish sighting it in. I had a KDF brake installed on it and now it's not bad even shooting it prone. I've used it on two African hunts and one in Alaska.

When I built my .300 Weatherby I had a KDF brake installed on it before my first shot through it. It's comfortable to shoot and I've used it on at least five international hunts, again even shooting prone.

I always wear ear protection when shooting these or any of my other rifles, and when hunting with either of these rifles I bring extra ear plugs for anyone who is with me.

 

[David658]

Do you guys/gals shoot at private ranges, or do you set up at a bench next to someone with your brakes? I could give a hoot or less if you hunt with one, but the very reason many of you don't hunt with one is the very reason you are so beloved by your fellow shooters at the range.

 

[winmag]

Some with, some without. My current big game rifles are big cartridges on light platforms. I definitely shoot better when I don’t have my scope hitting me in the face.

I do have slight, but measurable, hearing loss in my left ear (I’m right handed). Is it from one too many “it’s just one shot so I don’t need to spend the 5 seconds it takes to put in ear plugs”? Or too much duck hunting with high velocity loads with no ear plugs?

Ear plugs are just part of the system now. They go around my neck when I start a stalk, and in when I set up for a shot. If I’m still hunting then I’ll take the break off and screw on the thread protector; the difference in POI at short range is negligible and if the scope hits me then so be it.

 

[MTLabrador]

I don’t have any brakes, but my heaviest recoiling rifle is a .300 Winchester. I’ve started putting plugs in before every shot in the field when I have time.

 

[Don Fischer]

I fired a rifle with a brake on it one time. That will never happen again. Loudest noise I have ever heard!

 

[howl]

Not anymore unless you count flashhiders or linear comps.

The worst part about a brake is forgetting to put the plugs in before firing, with missing out on a shot opportunity because you remembered, and weren't fast enough putting the plugs in a close second.

 

[rjthehunter]

For everyone talking about how hard it is to put plugs in...

When still hunting, I use ear muffs. Like right now. I'm sitting in a box stand with them on my head. If I'm going to shoot, I slide them down on my ears. It takes 1/2 a second. Not worth losing hearing. A couple years ago I f'd up and shot without it. Spent 2 weeks out of work because my inner ear was so messed up I couldn't stand up without puking from being dizzy.... It felt like a late night after way too much to drink when you lay down and your world starts spinning. But it went on for 2. Weeks. Straight...

 

[littlebighorn]

I only have them on my "Boomers", but my lighter recoil rifles are nude.
I'm old and can't hear anyway.

 

[cahunter805]

I hunt with a brake on most of my rifles. I always carry a set of ear plugs in my bino harness and a set of electronic muffs in the lid of my pack.

 

[mtmuley]

No brakes for me. mtmuley

 

[justdada]

It’s a real bitch when you are only 32

This... If I could go back in time, I'd smack myself for shooting without protecting my ears. Anymore, I don't shoot without earplugs, period. Don't care if the critter gets away, the 24/7 ringing in my ears is reminder enough. Makes me want to cry when I see folks letting their children shoot with no concern for their future hearing/disability

 

[A207X2]

This... If I could go back in time, I'd smack myself for shooting without protecting my ears. Anymore, I don't shoot without earplugs, period. Don't care if the critter gets away, the 24/7 ringing in my ears is reminder enough. Makes me want to cry when I see folks letting their children shoot with no concern for their future hearing/disability

Same here. 66 years old and tinnitus constantly in my ears (head?). Flight lines, rock concerts, shooting... What a dummy I was. I'm going to start another thread about "what do you wear for hearing protection while big game hunting" to see what I need to do about protecting what little hearing I have left.

 

[rwc101]

I won't shoot without earplugs, but punk rock and earbuds have done more damage than shooting so far.

 

[mtmuley]

I won't shoot without earplugs, but punk rock and earbuds have done more damage than shooting so far.

When I first started in construction I framed tract homes. I shot a nail gun probably 5000 times per home. 10 homes per year for over 10 years at least. Plus the rest of the homes I built. No hearing protection. Tinnitus? Yep. mtmuley

 

[OntarioHunter]

The first time that I shot my .375 RUM its recoil was so bad that I couldn't finish sighting it in. I had a KDF brake installed on it and now it's not bad even shooting it prone. I've used it on two African hunts and one in Alaska.

When I built my .300 Weatherby I had a KDF brake installed on it before my first shot through it. It's comfortable to shoot and I've used it on at least five international hunts, again even shooting prone.

I always wear ear protection when shooting these or any of my other rifles, and when hunting with either of these rifles I bring extra ear plugs for anyone who is with me.

As a stalker in timber, I hunt with my ears as much as my eyes. I can't imagine trying to hunt that way wearing standard ear plugs. Hunting uplands with plugs in my ears would be hopeless. I need to hear where the dogs are and when a bird flies. So I hunt with my 31" barrel A5 Magnum goose gun. Longer barrel helps immensely. She's heavy for sure but that's fine. I swing a heavier gun better ... and it helps keep me on shape.

I won't shoot on the same team with someone using a ported barrel trap gun. Unless shooting double trap (and no one does at our club) ported barrels are pretty much useless. Just batters the guys on stations at either side. Even with plugs covered by muffs it's still brutal.

 

[brockel]

Tractors, trackhoes, side booms, loud music, lots of guns, gas compressors, gas engines, grinders, and hpumps have wrecked my hearing. Have a constant ringing in my left ear. Makes sleeping without a background noise tough. Wish I’d have had someone driving home the importance of hearing protection from the very beginning. Even when we are using the .22 on the trapline my daughter has to wear her muffs.

 

[jt13]

It's a hard no from me on the muzzle brakes. I'd rather have the recoil than deaf hunting partners.

The 300 RUM is the only exception at the moment and that thing wont go off without everyone in a 50 yard radius wearing ear-pro