Muzzle brakes are fairly common, appearing in competitions and action movies. Whether it’s at the end of a Barrett 50 cal or 9mm handguns, they serve a specific function, often appealing to competition shooters and hunters. What does a muzzle brake do, what are the pros and cons, and do you need one? Here’s a closer look.
Muzzle Brakes Work to Redirect Gas
The first question you probably have is, what does a muzzle brake actually do? Muzzle brakes have angled ports that help redirect the muzzle blast or gases that would normally come out of the barrel. This helps to reduce recoil, which can give competition shooters, even those shooting lower caliber 9mm ammo from a rifle, an edge.
The typical muzzle blast contributes a large part of what makes recoil. The recoil impulse is negated thanks to the angle of the ports in a muzzle brake, allowing the gun to naturally pull forward instead of kicking back as hard.
Types of Muzzle Brakes
There are two common types of muzzle brakes: radial and chambered.
Radial brakes can reduce felt recoil because of the ports drilled in all directions around the brake body. These are often small but work together to direct the muzzle blast evenly. This keeps the muzzle in about the same place while firing, which can help you quickly re-acquire the target for follow-up shots.
Chambered brakes have a series of ports at three and six o’clock to bleed more gas and dissipate recoil. Some also have holes at 12 o’clock to help prevent muzzle rise. Chambered brakes are known by their more common name, compensators.
Who Benefits From Muzzle Brakes?
Two types of shooters benefit from muzzle brakes: hunters and competition shooters. Hunters with higher-caliber rifles, such as a .308, can benefit from decreased recoil for follow-up shots. The muzzle brake can often cut the felt recoil of larger calibers in half, which also makes it more comfortable to fire.
For competition shooters, it makes low-recoil guns even easier to fire. While shooting 7.62 ammo or other rifle rounds is typically easy to control, competitors need every advantage they can get. Muzzle brakes can help eliminate unnecessary recoil so you can fire off accurate shots repeatedly.
The Downsides of Muzzle Brakes
There are a few downsides to muzzle brakes. If you shoot prone, they tend to kick up dust and dirt because gases are directed downward, which can make long-range shooting harder. Additionally, while most barrel devices make your gun quieter, muzzle brakes can actually make your gun louder while also releasing the concussive blast out the sides of the barrel. The people firing next to you at the range might not be super happy about the extra noise, so it’s something to keep in mind.
Should You Use a Muzzle Brake?
Unless you hunt with large calibers or compete regularly, you probably don’t need a muzzle brake. However, there’s nothing wrong with trying one on your firearm to see if it improves your performance or overall experience. They’re relatively affordable, and many shooters like the upgraded look. If you've been curious about muzzle brakes, there’s certainly no harm in trying one out!
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