What says the THF about a muzzle break on a Ruger American 308? I’ve never used a muzzle break and am looking for input on what to and not to use. TIA!

The only muzzle brake equipped firearms I've shot were pretty loud.
Not really any perceptive reduction in recoil, but I imagine it's different
for different people

A good effective brake can reduce recoil up to 40% however the noise they produce is huge. You can literally make your unprotected ears bleed if using it as a hunting rifle. I have several guns with brakes but none of them I am willing to shoot in a hunting scenario unless I have a nice comfortable rest and ear muffs.

Which brake to look at there are several on the market that are self timed and pretty easy to use and time at home with minimal tools. I like the Harrels tuner brake which is probably more than what you want to deal with but being able to dial a load in is nice.

Ruger's radial loudener is very good at its job. I need to swap it out for a good ol birdcage. My ears are still ringing this morning from shooting a rabbit yesterday with my MPR. Suppressors make a lot more sense than brakes.

I will take the recoil over the noise. The increased muzzle blast will cause me to flinch much faster than recoil.

I tend to agree. Although I don't own one, there's the frequent claim that suppressors increase shooter accuracy by reducing the sound of the blast. That would point to ear protection being a cheaper option in the case of ear plugs, or the new generation of ear plugs that offer both better hearing and noise reduction. The best (and more expensive) of these even include Bluetooth capability.

Are you hunting or target shooting? If hunting I recommend a suppressor or nothing. If target shooting a muzzle brake is the way to go. There are a lot of nay sayers on here regarding brakes, but they work and they work well if you get the right one. I personally recommend the hellfire match from area 419. Great recoil reduction and muzzle rise control allowing you to stay on target and spot your own hits, or more importantly misses. As far as suppressors for target it doesn’t seem very popular. I can’t say why. Go to a competition and it’s one suppressor for every ten brakes and nobody is going naked unless they have a 20 plus pound rifle in 6mm or less.

Hearing protection is a must, and good hearing protection is worth the money.

I put a Gen 2 APR brake on my .338 Win Mag.

https://www.americanprecisionarms.com/collections/muzzle-brakes

Took the rifle Nilgai hunting and used a set of electronic ear muffs. Worked great.

I use them on all my guns , it’s a game changer for me . Yes it’s loud but the barrel rise is significantly reduced. I always use Precision Armament and ear plugs

Watch this …

https://youtu.be/ethO2WoPgRw?si=k0qq-n5IvYLypcwj

Suppressors significantly reduce recoil and blast so they are a joy to use for both hunting and shooting. They get hot and will create a mirage after several shots if you don’t use a cover. I generally use a cover while at the range and don’t when hunting.

I put one of THESE on my 308 CTR. It's the only brake I've ever used that actually reduced the muzzle blast that the shooter hears and feels. I think they got this one right.

Muzzle brakes have their place. A .308 does not have the recoil to be worth the noise of one.

Unless you’re putting 50 plus rounds down range.

I use a brake on anything 243 or larger. But now that I have a suppressor, I much, much prefer it. And they're about to run black friday sales on them.

I hate it when ppl say “brakes are so loud”. News flash, guns in general are loud and thats why we use ear protection. Brakes are highly effective and if they are too loud then go the suppressor route.

But, people say brakes are so loud because... they are loud. They take a loud gun and make it louder... or seemingly louder by directing the blast back at the shooter. Saying that brakes are loud is a very valid part of the discussion when talking about brakes. Is the increased sound worth the reduced recoil? For me, no. For some people, yes.

I’ve never noticed it being louder for the shooter but definitely anyone on the line. I did shoot one in a box stand one time without hearing protection. Bad.

So you can honestly say that if you're at the bench, shooting the same rifle with a brake and then without the brake, you can't tell a difference? You can't be serious.

I can’t say I’m right but I’m certainly serious. If you’re shooting with a radial brake the yeah, that [censored] loud bouncing off the ceiling and the floor, even the bench. Maybe it’s a matter of hearing protection. I don’t notice a difference although I don’t pull a brake to compare, I do shoot brakes and unbraked rifles in the same sitting.

I bought a 6.5 Grendel upper from a fellow. It had a 20” barrel and a VG6 muzzle brake. When sighting it in and finding an accurate load, I wore over the ear muffs, so the sound wasn’t extreme. But when I went hog hunting and found a big Ol Hog, I cranked off a round and Holy S___, that was painfully loud. I’ve shot my 260 dozens of times from the same blind and same window and never used hearing protection, and it has a 20” barrel also. No more muzzle brakes for me. And, let’s be honest, who’d need a muzzle brake on an AR Grendel or a Tikka 260 anyway. It’s not like either one will brutalize you.

Many years ago, at Carter’s Country range in north Houston, I set up on the 200 yard range next to a fellow who had beaten me to the end bench. I was getting ready to shoot my 220 when the guy fired off a round in his 460 Weatherby Magnum with muzzle brake. Good Lord! I moved a few more benches away from him immediately. That’s a round that probably does need a muzzle brake, but it’s tough on others.