Mag na port & muzzle blast opinions please

[Inline6]

Inline6---You are not much of a hunter I take it. Brakes on target rifles just tick off the guy next to you.
Brakes on hunting rifles can/will damage your hearing fast. Many times you do not have time to put on ear protection before you can shoot. If hunting with another they may not get ear protection on before you shoot.
Not butt-hurt and like some technology. I do Mag-N-Port my heavy kickers and that is much easier on the ears while reducing recoil and MUZZLE FLIP.
I do not risk any shot with out a brake. I have a brake on both of my 50bmg rifles. I am very careful about shooting them with someone near me. Only once when a jerk with a mag and brake thought it was funny to set up on the bench next to me and start blasting away did I set up and touch one off clearing his bench of all ammo and such. He was unhappy but the other people liked it.

You need to get a better understanding of hunting/firearms and more. PS with a name like inline6 you should not be talking about modern tech

According to a lot of people on this forum you would be correct. I say that because most people here feel like a shot over 300 yards is not hunting.

As far as address hearing protection, they make electronic hearing protection. You can hear things you did not think was possible. So why would you take them off? You could also use the Surefire ear plugs, they allow you to hear normal sounds and protect you from sounds over 80dbs.

I have read so many stories about I had to hold so many inches over it's back because I thought it was that far away. In today's day of age with range finders, chronograph, and ballistic programs. Why would anyone want to guess? This is one of my biggest complaints when I see everyone getting bent out of shape about brakes. And to be honest, USA is behind the times. Most other countries want you to use suppressors. I would rather run that on a hunting rig. Hell some states will not allow that. But that is a whole other topic.

As far as brakes, I have a completely different take on them. I and many other shoot competition's, all the guy's and gals on the leaderboards have brakes on their equipment. The lack of recoil allows you to see impacts and you will have a faster follow up shot. To illustrate my point, the rifle that I mentioned in the last post I used in competition, one stage was a 500 yards mover. The mover was a 10" and has a path of around 100 feet to move side to side at about 3.8-4.5 mph. I was able to get 10 rounds on target in one pass. The reason I was able to was the effective brake. I guess I had a good run that day, for a second the range owner thought I was running an AR platform and not a bolt gun. Then you have people that injuries that in order to shoot the big bores they need the reduction.

That just a few of my thoughts on the subject.

As far as the name Inline6 it refers to a Dodge I had. It was a Cummins inline 6 that was making 523/1187.

 

[Hoss Delgado]

My experience is that Magna ports do not increase noise as much as a muzzle brake does. It does help tame recoil , but not to the radical extents a lot of people will have you believe . It can be a useful thing to have on the .458 Lott .
It is my humble opinion ( again , just an opinion ) that the only hunting rifle which actually NEEDS a muzzle brake is a .460 Weatherby Magnum . Recoil is monstrous even with the brake and l can't even imagine shooting a .460 Weatherby ever without a brake.

 

[mdwest]

As far as brakes, I have a completely different take on them. I and many other shoot competition's, all the guy's and gals on the leaderboards have brakes on their equipment.

We're talking chalk and cheese here..

The disdain most of the guys on this board have for brakes revolves around their use in real hunting situations as well as in practice at the range..

As a rule PH's hate them.. the PH is typically standing very close, and just off to the side of the hunter when shots are taken.. putting them in direct line with the blast.. not only is that uncomfortable and potentially damaging to their hearing, it also makes their job difficult.. trying watching for impact and seeing whats going on with a cape buffalo that was just hit, after taking a face full of blast from a .416 Ruger with a brake on it..

The argument "wear hearing protection" isnt always viable.. circumstances dictate.. and frankly most PH's I know cant just go out and buy a $300 set of quality decent quality peltors.. theyre lucky if they have a pair of foam ear plugs available to them..

Then there is the range.. Nothing is more irritating that going to the range, sitting next to a half dozen guys that are simply "fun" shooters.. with their $2500 decked out AR15's.. complete with muzzle brake.. and have them put 60-90 rounds each per 30 minute live fire session down range..

I do own a good set of ear pro.. and I tend to double up at the range, using plugs first, then topping off with my electronic muffs.. and its still painful and distracting to try to shoot next to that sort of mess..

Frankly in both situations its a matter of common courtesy in my opinion.. I might like a brake.. but I know going in my PH likely HATES them.. I know going in, everyone at the range when I go to do 20 rounds of practice is going to have a MISERABLE experience if If busting off a round of 416 once every 90 seconds.. so.. why do it? I should train like I am going to hunt.. I dont want to set the stage making my PH miserable on day one.. and if Im not going to use the brake in the field, why use the brake at the range and train differently (while at the same time pissing everyone else off while I am there)..

As for competitive shooters.. again.. totally different scenario.. its going to be a rare occasion that youre going to see an active 3 gun shooter, bench rest shooter, 1000 meter shooter, etc.. sitting on the line on the 100 yard range at your local gun club.. if on the very uncommon day that you do, I have found most competitive shooters to be very respectful of others.. and if/when they are doing something they know might disturb others at the range, they will move themselves to a far corner or do their best to show some consideration (I myself am both a former IDPA and a former 3 gun competitor.. and have lots of friends that still compete)..

 

[crs]

Thank you Hog Patrol for your humorous observations - a chuckle and smile are a good way to start the day.

Muzzle brakes at the range?
You should see what the brake on my daughter's Weatherby Mark V 7mm Weatherby Magnum does!!!!
It blows the dust and dirt off two shooting tables on either side and any papers or empty cases off the table on either side. WOW, but that would upset lots of folks on this thread! FYI, this is why we never shoot it on a public range.

She will never use the brake in the field again after shooting a deer from a blind in a large cedar tree. That deforested all the branches near the muzzle and made her ears ring for half an hour. She then went out and killed her first mule deer with a single 400 yard shot (with muzzle brake removed).

Used properly, porting and brakes can be OK.

 

[PARA45]

Since I shoot at public ranges, I can't dictate what or where others are shooting. If I'm going to shoot my braked rifles, I normally tell the RO what I have, and request the last bench far away from all other shooters. Some of us have to shoot with a break because of injuries, and what not. Not because we are not man enough to tolerate the recoil from a big caliber rifle. Respect of each others preferences, and if someone is shooting something too loud for your taste, ask for another table and move. Maybe we should tell the Army to remove the ports on the barrels of their tanks, Howitzers, or anything that its ported because it's too loud

I have not shot a Mag-na ported rifle, but I have handguns, and they do make a difference, muzzle flip was at best 1/2 of a non-ported handgun. I did not noticed the noise level since I was using double hearing protection.

 

[Inline6]

We're talking chalk and cheese here..

The disdain most of the guys on this board have for brakes revolves around their use in real hunting situations as well as in practice at the range..

As a rule PH's hate them.. the PH is typically standing very close, and just off to the side of the hunter when shots are taken.. putting them in direct line with the blast.. not only is that uncomfortable and potentially damaging to their hearing, it also makes their job difficult.. trying watching for impact and seeing whats going on with a cape buffalo that was just hit, after taking a face full of blast from a .416 Ruger with a brake on it..

The argument "wear hearing protection" isnt always viable.. circumstances dictate.. and frankly most PH's I know cant just go out and buy a $300 set of quality decent quality peltors.. theyre lucky if they have a pair of foam ear plugs available to them..

Then there is the range.. Nothing is more irritating that going to the range, sitting next to a half dozen guys that are simply "fun" shooters.. with their $2500 decked out AR15's.. complete with muzzle brake.. and have them put 60-90 rounds each per 30 minute live fire session down range..

I do own a good set of ear pro.. and I tend to double up at the range, using plugs first, then topping off with my electronic muffs.. and its still painful and distracting to try to shoot next to that sort of mess..

Frankly in both situations its a matter of common courtesy in my opinion.. I might like a brake.. but I know going in my PH likely HATES them.. I know going in, everyone at the range when I go to do 20 rounds of practice is going to have a MISERABLE experience if If busting off a round of 416 once every 90 seconds.. so.. why do it? I should train like I am going to hunt.. I dont want to set the stage making my PH miserable on day one.. and if Im not going to use the brake in the field, why use the brake at the range and train differently (while at the same time pissing everyone else off while I am there)..

As for competitive shooters.. again.. totally different scenario.. its going to be a rare occasion that youre going to see an active 3 gun shooter, bench rest shooter, 1000 meter shooter, etc.. sitting on the line on the 100 yard range at your local gun club.. if on the very uncommon day that you do, I have found most competitive shooters to be very respectful of others.. and if/when they are doing something they know might disturb others at the range, they will move themselves to a far corner or do their best to show some consideration (I myself am both a former IDPA and a former 3 gun competitor.. and have lots of friends that still compete)..

You do realize that even without a brake a PH is still having their hearing destroyed by the rifle being fired. I personally don't let my family hunt without muffs, weather the rifle has a brake or not.

It is what it is, everyone has a choice to make.

Each has a pro and con.

 

[sestoppelman]

Agree with Grady. Very small slits in the barrel. I have a M70 .300 HH maga ported by the previous owner. When I bought the rifle my intention was to have 2-2 1/2 inches cut off the muzzle and re-crown it. After taking it to the range, neither my son nor myself noticed a big difference in the blast. So I am happy with it. And on top of that it may be the most accurate rifle I own.....so I ain't touching it!!!

As most know I hate brakes, in particular at the public range. They have become all too common now and the noob shooters show up with all their tacitcool gear, drag bags, monster scopes, AR based rifles and most all with a muzzle brake. And most of them could not care less about the extra noise they make. I have asked more than one shooter who sat down next to me with a brake to move elsewhere on the line. If I was there first and there are other benches open. If I have to sit next to one who is already there, then too bad for me.

Your post reminds me of an AR I have that does have a brake. Its an Armalite A2 that came so equipped as it was purchased during the Clinton ban years ago. At this point I could remove it and install a flash hider, but it shoots so good I hate to chance mucking it up. I don't shoot it often at the range though, its bloody loud.

Its not cool to have a rifle on the line that blows up a dust storm on either side of them, not cool

 

[Hogpatrol]

I don't mind the AR or AK magdumpers setting up near me. They usually let me snag their brass. Got 400 rounds one day. I shudder to think what their barrels looked like after that session.

 

[Newboomer]

I've got a 404 Jeffery on order from MRC and it weighs in at about 6.9 lbs. I figure with mounted scope and full mag it might pick up another lb. To me that sounds like an awful light rifle for caliber. I hate and will not put a damn can on anything and I don't like brakes for the blast. If I'm going to do anything I guess Mag-na-porting is the answer. I've never shot a mag-na-ported gun so I can't judge. Guess I'll have to see how the recoil is when I shoot it. Not too worried about noise because I use electronic ears.

 

[mdwest]

You do realize that even without a brake a PH is still having their hearing destroyed by the rifle being fired..

Of course I do.

How does that change anything said at all?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

"In short the Mag-N-Porting works well and does not cause more noise problems even when shooting at a crowded range."

I Disagree! Any kind of brake, including "Mag-N-Porting" , deflects more gas thus noise to the rear and/or side and/or up .... by definition and simple physics. That, over time, has a much greater risk for causing other problems either to the shooter or bystander whether it be increased flinching in anticipation of getting hit with the "blast" wave or form hearing loss.

Just last week I was at the range shooting about 6 tables down from a "Mag-N-Ported" rifle and it was annoying and noticeable! Sometimes, if I recognize someone I know who has a braked rifle and have enough time, I'll turn around at the range gate and go have coffee until I figure the person is finished. I pity trackers and PHs who, because of their business have to put up with such in the field. If they say something about it either before or during the hunt they risk tips or business. As an individual without such restraints, I have the freedom to simply let my feelings be known or avoid the problem all together. I know this is not music to the ears of those who wish to remain in denial about brakes on rifles. I have mentioned my views to people with braked rifles at the range in the past and you'd have thought I'd insulted the person's first born.... good grief! No, it's not a second amendment issue- it is a lack of courtesy and respect to other shooters issue or a denial and arrogance issue.

@fourfive8
I have a radial port muzzle brake and agree with every thing you said. When I am at the range I move as far away from others as I can get. It's just common courtesy.
When I was in Namibia I made sure no one was in t h e fallout zone and my PH and trackers always had warning I was shooting so he the chance to cover their ears. Again just plain common sense and courtesy . Strange thing is when hunting I don't feel the recoil or hear the rifle go off.
Bob

 

[mark-hunter]

I just don't understand why everyone is living in at the turn of the 1900s.

The key word is understaniding. And it works both ways.

Hunting community is traditional with their taste, but also practical with their approach.

In one way or another attaching supressor or muzzle brake will prove impractical. (one will be clumsy, the other noisy), and it is definetly not traditional.

So, what you are saying will be unthinkable for most hunters who developped traditional taste, and practical approach.
Gun makers, in general, will have number of models for each of their rifles, and usually only one of all the models in production will have a thread to give possibility for these items, Majority of hunting rifle barrels will not be threaded. So, it is also a norm, not to have these.

However, it will be very common in heavy recoil rifles, eiher military (even traditionally in cals 338 and up, and antimaterial rifles) or target rifles (either to improve accuracy, to tackle recoil, or to allow observing the hits).

Target range etiquette of the target community is different from hunting community, where everything is adjusted for long range sessions, ear protection on every range is mandatory, and everything is adjusted for accurate shot, but even in this case some ranges ban muzzle brakes, or some comepetiton rules ban muzzle brakes.

So definetly, its not widely accepted, either in hunting, or target shooting, and in my view it will remain like that in foreseeable future.

Having said that, for magnaporting, I guess, stands the same as for muzzlebreak.

I was once hunting 2:1, where another hunter used 300 win mag, with magnaported barrel. When he was shooting I stayed behind. The sound is not so loud as with muzzle break, but is somewhat more "whistling", and is really unppleasant to eardrums.
300 win mag is not with "impossible recoil", so I wpuld not have magnaported 300 win mag hunting rifle, however, in a target rifle application, I might consider a muzzle brake for this caliber.

 

[crs]

Magnaporting has value in the field also.
Before I had it Magnaported, My scoped M70 Featherweight .308 would jump off the rest at the range and now it does not.
Just as important, when shooting game offhand, the Magnaport reduces muzzle jump so much the sight picture is not lost. On a recent hog hunt, I backed into the branches of a cedar tree to watch a known game trail. Soon, along came 4 hogs and they paused about 40 yards out to feed. I shot one in the head and without losing sight of the game, was able to sight on and shoot another one in the head before the remaining two broke and ran back from whence they had come.

 

[The Engineer]

The only Magnaported rifle I currently have is a Dakota 10 in 308 Win. Much less muzzle rise with this light rifle and no observed increase in noise to the shooter when out in the open. However, that is not the case when hunting from a stand. The blast comes back into the window and is much louder.

 

[Tanks]

You are killing an animal at the end of the day, you should want to give yourself every advantage possible to give it a quick death.

I don't see how having a muzzle break on a firearm would make someone a better shot.

As far as address hearing protection, they make electronic hearing protection. You can hear things you did not think was possible. So why would you take them off? You could also use the Surefire ear plugs, they allow you to hear normal sounds and protect you from sounds over 80dbs.

I actually had my electronic protection on for the first couple of days of my recent hunt, I couldn't believe how loud the trackers were . I also could not tell direction of the sound as far as the game was concerned.

It might work when someone is sitting at a blind sniping at game hundreds of yards away but it doesn't work when one is stalking game.

I took them off and never put them on.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I don't see how having a muzzle break on a firearm would make someone a better shot.



I actually had my electronic protection on for the first couple of days of my recent hunt, I couldn't believe how loud the trackers were . I also could not tell direction of the sound as far as the game was concerned.

It might work when someone is sitting at a blind sniping at game hundreds of yards away but it doesn't work when one is stalking game.

I took them off and never put them on.

@Tanks
Muzzle brakes can make people a better shot by taming the recoil on a larger rifle. This reduction can enable a person to shot without flinching.
Even tho I'm not to shy of bigger rifles I now use a brake on my Whelen. This has nothing to do with making me a better shot it is to do with minimising the effects of recoil on an already stuffed shoulder.
Bob

 

[Saul]

My hearing is bad enough as is that I am not willing to accelerate its decline by using a muzzle brake. My wife complains enough about the volume of the tv now.

 

[Tanks]

@Tanks
Muzzle brakes can make people a better shot by taming the recoil on a larger rifle. This reduction can enable a person to shot without flinching.
Even tho I'm not to shy of bigger rifles I now use a brake on my Whelen. This has nothing to do with making me a better shot it is to do with minimising the effects of recoil on an already stuffed shoulder.
Bob

"Taming recoil" when shooting offhand or from shooting from sticks is a matter of technique. Heck, Buzz Charlton is maybe 160 pounds dripping wet. He has no issues with recoil from his Heym .500 NE as he uses proper technique and rolls with the recoil. He and I had a discussion about it a week or so ago. Same for countless others that use big bores without muzzle breaks.

Now, of course, fit of the rifle etc. is also important. I will not be shooting a 7 pound .600 OK that does not fit me. At some point you will hit point of diminishing returns on technique.
...

 

[Red Leg]

You do realize that even without a brake a PH is still having their hearing destroyed by the rifle being fired. I personally don't let my family hunt without muffs, weather the rifle has a brake or not.

It is what it is, everyone has a choice to make.

Each has a pro and con.

A PH can not afford to hunt with muffs on his head - particularly in a dangerous game environment. Their directional hearing is as important to keeping their client safe as are their eyes. A muzzle brake complicates his ability to manage the hunt significantly while representing an actual threat to his ability to do his job effectively now and in the future..

It is why they universally hate them. That isn't to say a PH will curse a client to his face who shows up with one. Theirs is an industry that requires polite interaction with whomever has signed the contract - great outdoorsman or drunk or arrogant ass or someone using a muzzle brake. But that doesn't change what he is thinking.

I'll be blunt. If a hunter is, for whatever reason, uncomfortable with the recoil of a particular rifle, step down a caliber, or put a recoil reduction device in the butt, or get a heavier firearm. There are plenty of calibers or rifle designs, that due to recoil, I have no intention of ever using. That doesn't bother me in the least.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

"Taming recoil" when shooting offhand or from shooting from sticks is a matter of technique. Heck, Buzz Charlton is maybe 160 pounds dripping wet. He has no issues with recoil from his Heym .500 NE as he uses proper technique and rolls with the recoil. He and I had a discussion about it a week or so ago. Same for countless others that use big bores without muzzle breaks.

Now, of course, fit of the rifle etc. is also important. I will not be shooting a 7 pound .600 OK that does not fit me. At some point you will hit point of diminishing returns on technique.
...

@Tanks
All my rifles fit me well. Due to recent shoulder surgery that isn't going as well as it should I will take a muzzle brake every time if it allows me to shoot my Whelen for a few more years instead of not shooting at all. The secret is in its use is to respect the others around you and warn them you are using one and they can prepare for the shot.
Bob