Tactical Rifles.net: To Brake, or Not to Brake. That is the Question

TR Tri-Port Break

For many, the old wives’ tales surrounding brakes are overwhelming, yet like most political campaigns, they are based on much rumor and little fact. So, let’s work quickly to clarify this subject.

How many times have we hear those macho words, “Well I’m not recoil sensitive…”? Really, at 25 that may be macho enough to impress your friends, but pass 40yrs of age and it’s just not true anymore.  The desire to impress the guys surrounding you at the range with how you can shoot the ‘6lb Magnum Ass-Kicker That Makes Your Nose Bleed and Your Fillings Fall Out’ rifle, definitely reduces.  Then there’s the other factor, a rarely thought of consideration called ‘technique’!  Simply put, you can’t hit crap if your flinching every shot and anticipating recoil.  If you don’t believe me, next time you’re at the range, pan your spotting scope left and right away from your target and scan the targets around you, then look at the guys shooting the decent groups.  You can see technique on the target without even watching them shoot!  The 6” group on the silhouette zombie target at 100yds is going to belong to the guy who yanks the trigger, has bad body alignment, and never heard the phrase, “breathe, breathe, squeeze…’ Now what the 1” group guys shoot, and you’ll see a marked improvement in technique.  If you’re lucky enough to have a consistent sub 1/4-1/2MOA shooter on the line next to you, stop, stand behind him, watch, learn and listen to what he says… you will learn!

So where does a brake fall into this?
Simple – it’s a shortcut to turn a decent shooter into an exceptional shooter.  The 1MOA Shooter who can largely remove the recoil of the rifle from the equation can focus more on the consistency of his technique. The movement of the rifle during recoil masks indiscretions in our technique.  If we don’t maintain a neutral position, recoil hides it, but remove the recoil and you can see/feel the difference.

How does a brake work?
Jet propulsion is the simple answer. Laws of physics state that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.  In other words, the recoil energy is directly proportionate to the weight of the rifle, that’s why a heavier rifle recoils less.  A 175gr .308 can kill at 1000yds but the same physical energy won’t even bruise your shoulder when you shoot it.  It’s because the rifle is 500 times, or more, heavier than the bullet.  Now, add a brake and you use the gases exiting the muzzle to force the rifle against the rearward direction of the physical recoil energy.  If you could see gases exiting the muzzle of an un-braked rifle, they would move forward in a cone at approximately 45 degree angle on each side of the center-line of the bullet path.  Add a brake and you change the angle of the exiting gases, forcing them outwards to 180 degrees or even slightly further. 

What types of brakes should I avoid?
A brake is a brake, surely?  No, not really.  Some are truly horrible and cause a bad reputation for the decent ones out there…
Anything that has ports all the way around 360 degrees should be avoided as every time you shoot from the prone position, you’ll shower yourself in sand and dirt.  That same dirt is kicked up around the muzzle and with the right wind conditions, small particles can be blown back into the end of the barrel.  Your next round will remove it, but will also have the effect of sandpapering the inside of your crown!  Not good for barrel life! 

Avoid small ports at all costs.  
The varmint style brakes with 30+ little ports may cut recoil, but the smaller port increases the frequency of the sound.  That’s where the “brakes are noisy” comment originates.  Well last time I checked, shooting a 7 Mag without hearing protection, was pretty hard on your hearing, brake of no brake!  The best way to understand the ‘small ports are bad’ concept is to whistle.  Then try to whistle with your mouth wide open – not happening is it?  There you have the small port versus large port argument pretty much put to bed.  Large ports alter direction, they don’t increase frequency of the sound, but shrink the port size and you’ll create an earsplitting report.  This is why the design of the brake makes all the difference.

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