# 700 Muzzle Brake



## boudreux (Jan 22, 2009)

Can I get a muzzle brake added to my Remington 700 in .30-06? Is it worth it?


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## GA1dad (Jan 22, 2009)

Yes you can,,,, and it depends on how bad the recoil feels "to you" as to what it is worth.


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## germag (Jan 22, 2009)

Yes. You can get a brake installed.

Is it worth it? Well....you'll have to be the judge of that. Here's what it will do:

1. It will reduce felt recoil by a considerable amount. That, in turn, makes it easier for you to shoot accurately by reducing the tendency to flinch. That's valuable if you spend any appreciable amount of time at the range.

2. The above benefit is not without cost....it's a tradeoff. The brake will increase the noise that is directed back to the shooter and to the sides. In fact, it can be so loud that range muffs alone or ear plugs alone cannot reduce it to a safe level. You may need to use both. This will also drive other shooters near you crazy....

3. Although not a huge problem, muzzle flash is dramatically increased from the shooters perspective as well as from the sides. I've shot deer in the last couple of minutes of shooting light and the flash blinded me to the point that I couldn't see the deer's reaction or which way it went and couldn't really see anything for a few minutes.

4. It will increase the length of your rifle by at least 2 inches. That can make finding a case to fit it (especially a soft case) a little harder, plus it makes it a little more cumbersome getting in and out of blinds, campers, etc.

If you want to buy a good brake and then take it to your gunsmith along with your rifle you might save a few bucks. A good source for muzzle brakes is Harrell's Precision. $30 buys you an excellent 24 port brake either in stainless or "in the white" chrome moly.


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## monkeytoys (Jan 22, 2009)

yes you can get one.  you'll have to have the barrel threaded.  a good one will cost at least 100 bucks.  i know you wear ear pro, but it will also be much louder.  if you shoot at a range with others beside you, they most likely will not like being beside you when you shoot.  

this is a pretty good article on brakes.


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## germag (Jan 22, 2009)

monkeytoys said:


> a good one will cost at least 100 bucks.   [/URL]




Harrell's Precision's brakes are as good as anyone's and they are only $30.00. A muzzle brake is _not_ a precision part with critical tolerances....it is just a threaded steel tube with a pattern of holes drilled in the side. There's no reason it has to be expensive to be good.


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## monkeytoys (Jan 22, 2009)

i was referring to all that I've seen, Vais, Beeny Cooley, JP Enterprises.  They all are priced around 100 bucks.  magna porting will run even higher.  I have never heard of Harrell's precision so I had not seen one at that price point.  and you are correct, they don't have to be expensive to work, but often times they are better looking, perform better, match the barrel profile, provide customer service and so on which drives the price up unfortunately.  

and i'm in no way saying Harrell Precision doesn't do any of these things because I know nothing about them.  it's just my personal experience buying parts for guns.


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## germag (Jan 22, 2009)

monkeytoys said:


> i was referring to all that I've seen, Vais, Beeny Cooley, JP Enterprises.  They all are priced around 100 bucks.  magna porting will run even higher.  I have never heard of Harrell's precision so I had not seen one at that price point.  and you are correct, they don't have to be expensive to work, but often times they are better looking, perform better, match the barrel profile, provide customer service and so on which drives the price up unfortunately.
> 
> and i'm in no way saying Harrell Precision doesn't do any of these things because I know nothing about them.  it's just my personal experience buying parts for guns.



Harrell's Precision's main business is making benchrest powder measures. They are very well known and well regarded in the Bench Rest circles for their powder measures. They also make muzzle brakes. Their muzzle brakes are unfinished....they are to be turned down to match the diameter and taper of the barrel by the gunsmith that installs them. If it is done correctly by a competent gunsmith, it is completely seamless...you can't even tell that it's not part of the barrel. Some of the brakes you buy aftermarket are obvious, sort of like a BOSS System on Winchester or Browning rifles...they are a different diameter than the barrel.


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## swamp hunter (Jan 22, 2009)

Got one on my ruger 7 mm . Mag. kicks like a BB gun. Sounds like a CANNON!!!. As in ,what,d you say for 3 days.


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## germag (Jan 22, 2009)

swamp hunter said:


> Got one on my ruger 7 mm . Mag. kicks like a BB gun. Sounds like a CANNON!!!. As in ,what,d you say for 3 days.



I may be preaching to the choir here (I hope I am)....I'm not trying to preach at all....just offering some advice.

Do yourself a favor, please.....when you shoot, use adequate ear protection. Take it from someone who wishes they did. The damage that you do to your ears when you shoot without protection or with inadequate protection is irreversible and cumulative. I now have 40% hearing loss in my right ear and 60% in my left. Every time you make your ears ring you do permanent damage and it takes away a little part of your hearing that you'll never get back. 

If you are firing a rifle with a brake on it, use range muffs AND ear plugs together. Either one just isn't enough by itself.

Even when you are hunting, that one or two shots does permanent damage to your ears. Walker's Game Ear muffs may seem like a lot of money, but it's really cheap insurance.


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## gastrohman (Jan 22, 2009)

I'd highly recommend you get your rifle barrel Magnaported.  You get the benefit of a brake without the huge increase in muzzle blast.  I did this with my 375 H&H and I like shooting that better than my 7mm that is not Magnaported.  Check it out here:

http://www.magnaport.com/rifle.html


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## gunhand1911 (Feb 9, 2009)

Got mine ported by adventure outdoors in smyrna they ported the barrel itself not a screw on.Looks and works very well.770 333 9880 .guys name is david


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## OldHunter (Feb 13, 2011)

Seems like it would work better to change the existing stock with one that has an effective recoil pad.  My model 700 in .30-06 now has a Rem synthetic stock with recoil pad and the recoil has been reduced by 50%.  Got the stock from local gun show for $50.


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## Gunplumber Mike (Feb 13, 2011)

About 75% of the people that come to the shop and have a brake added later come back and have it taken off.  A straight stock is a better investment.


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## Big7 (Feb 13, 2011)

Limbsaver is a GOOD thing.. 

http://www.limbsaver.com/store/home.php?cat=266


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## 7Mag Hunter (Feb 13, 2011)

I have shot 30-06, 270, 300 winMag and 7mag with brakes...
They DO reduce recoil, but make the guns lots louder.....

I would not put one on my rifles...Start with a quality recoil pad.....
Made a world of difference on my lightweight T- in 7mag...
Best $30.00 I spent...


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## Flaustin1 (Feb 24, 2011)

I just bought a 300 with a break.  Even with ear plugs its still got a good pop to it.  I know its already been said but it you have a brake installed, do not shoot it without the plugs.


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## Dub (Feb 24, 2011)

germag said:


> Yes. You can get a brake installed.
> 
> Is it worth it? Well....you'll have to be the judge of that. Here's what it will do:
> 
> ...



Excellent response, here.


In a .30'06......for me......reasons #2 & #3 above outrule any "benefit" for doing this.  No way in hades would I even consider it.  The .30'06 just doesn't warrant this in a normal weighted rifle.  



Now.....let's say I was using something like a .338 Ultra Mag or some such gun for long range hunting, then I may entertain the idea *only *if I could have threaded brake that also had a non-ported piece to use for hunting.  I don't know if this changes the dynamics of the bullet flight, though.  If so then I would have no use for it.



You will be hated by guys on the shooting range, too.  Get ready for that.  Not going to make any friends there, in fact, you may get laughed at when they see what you are braking.

I know what I'm saying here...I have a .500S&W handgun that has an integral brake.  No way to get this particular gun without it.  I had to have the gun...   Folks at the range hate me when I shoot it.  I always wait until the benches beside me are open.  Can't hunt without earplugs, either.  One shot unprotected and hearing damage will most certainly occur.  I was an idiot for buying it, but could not control myself...had to have this gun.



Get yourself a really high grade recoil pad installed and you'll be surprised at the difference.  Maybe even get some Remington Managed Recoil loads and practice....regain your comfort level and confidence will build.  Flinch will ease up.

If that still doesn't do it for you then trade the thing for  a .270Win or .25'06.

Good luck.


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## Scott 40s&w (Mar 3, 2011)

Recoil pads are a good addition. A mecury recoil reducer added to the stock can also help. Porting a gun does help but is not as good as a well designed muzzle break. The side wall of the port or hole in the break is what does the work in the break. Small holes that are only as thick as the barrel are limited in their effectiveness. Brakes that are larger than the bore work better because they have more surface area for the expanding gas to push against. My 50 BMG rifle feels like a 308 because the break is huge. The muzzle flash can be reduced by changing loads or ammo. All that flash means powder is burning as the bullet leaves the barrel, using a different powder can reduce it. As for noise the electronic ear muffs are great for hunting too. One other thing if you do go with a break get one in a standard thread that way if you don't like it you can change it or remove it and put a thread protector cap on it.

Scott


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## germag (Mar 4, 2011)

Hunting rifles with brakes are just not a real problem at the range as long as everyone is wearing reasonably adequate hearing protection......especially as compared to going to a shoot where you have a dozen or so people shooting Barrett .50 BMGs and .338 Lapua Magnums.

I don't base my decisions on whether to use a brake or not on the preferences of other people, but I do always carry extra disposable earplugs to the range for those folks that are just learning the hearing protection lesson.....


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