Thread: Reducing recoil - muzzle brake or can?

I'm starting to not like shooting my .270. She's bitten me a few times, and don't get me wrong - I'm not a sook and I've done a fair bit of shooting, but now I've developed a nasty flinch. It's a fairly light Rem 700 and I will eventually get a laminated stock for it. As it is my main mountain rifle - (red, fallow, chamios, thar) and I don't tend to shoot a whole lot on a trip, noise isn't an issue.
I intend to get a 223 or 243 with a can for wallabies and other small game plus the occasional venison - the fun gun and great to get the young fella going on.

What I'd like your opinion on, is which will reduce the recoil the most for the .270 - a muzzle brake or a sound moderator? And which gunsmith / manufacturer you'd recommend. Cheers

Brake will reduce it most but with added noise so hearing protection essential (really an unsupressed rifle without a brake is probanly a hearing protection essential tool amyway). I have suppressors on my rifles and find them easy to shoot with the added muzzle weight keeping things a bit calmer

Pm KiwiGreg, get a muzzle break, Be lighter for your mountain rifle and since noise isn't a issue I personally think its the better way to go.

A muzzle brake will get rid of the recoil but not the flinch> The louder noise from it may actually make it worse.

Originally Posted by Barefoot

A muzzle brake will get rid of the recoil but not the flinch> The louder noise from it may actually make it worse.

With a 270 & a T2 Terminator the recoil is minimal at best, like 22-250 ish if that.

The noise isn't an issue because you have to wear hearing protection with all braked rifles, and should with all rifles firing muliple shots.

The muzzle blast from the T2 is directed around the shooter so isnt as much as an issue compared to other brake designs.

Originally Posted by Herne

I'm starting to not like shooting my .270. She's bitten me a few times, and don't get me wrong - I'm not a sook and I've done a fair bit of shooting, but now I've developed a nasty flinch. It's a fairly light Rem 700 and I will eventually get a laminated stock for it. As it is my main mountain rifle - (red, fallow, chamios, thar) and I don't tend to shoot a whole lot on a trip, noise isn't an issue.
I intend to get a 223 or 243 with a can for wallabies and other small game plus the occasional venison - the fun gun and great to get the young fella going on.

What I'd like your opinion on, is which will reduce the recoil the most for the .270 - a muzzle brake or a sound moderator? And which gunsmith / manufacturer you'd recommend. Cheers

I went from a .270 to 7 mm STW and I still think the .270 kicked harder but barked less. Neither were canned or braked. I had developed a flinch with the .270 and cured myself with total blocking of sound...plugs, tape, muffs and a piece of foam ground sheet tucked into my jacket at the shoulder when sighting in...I had someone else load and pass me my rifle, so I never knew if there was a round up the spout or not...soon sorted the bull shit flinch out...I can tell you that nothing looks more stupid than jerking two inches off target with no round up the spout.

Spooks idea to try to train yourself out of flinching works. Seen it do so Suppress it you won't regret it it How do you bush hunt then stop and plug your ears when you are stalking ? . My 270 had a brake and yes recoil all good but deafening and left heads ringing first time I fired it so that's on the shelf. Suppress it then you walk see something lift the gun and fire and the supresser will certainly reduce recoil as well And the animal will have no idea where you are so if required you ll possibly get a second chance and won't scare everything 3 km away . Target shooting muzzle brake ear muffs no problem at all That's my take on it others may disagree

Its a mountain rifle he said so should have time to plug ya ears up before shooting.

Hey Happy i did say "when sighting in"...maybe a bit far down the page. I use no ear protection when hunting as with the adrenilin rush when popping one off, I never hear it.

Originally Posted by Spook

with the adrenilin rush when popping one off, I never hear it.

Your hearing organs will still be taking the physical beating even if your brain does not register the sound due to some other influence.

Originally Posted by Spook

Hey Happy i did say "when sighting in"...maybe a bit far down the page. I use no ear protection when hunting as with the adrenilin rush when popping one off, I never hear it.

Yes I was agreeing totally with you on that As far as unsuppressed
shooting goes three four times a year maybe but don't forget we shoot rabbits and magpies with our 308s a bit plus go through a lot of ammo it's gotta add up sooner or later to ruin your hearing Actually rock concerts got most of mine earlier. Bets it's a cracker day up the hill today Dave !!

Originally Posted by Toby

Its a mountain rifle he said so should have time to plug ya ears up before shooting.

Roger that and he ll thank you for that one day when he loses the best animal of his life whilst doing so .. Ha ha

Originally Posted by Happy

Yes I was agreeing totally with you on that As far as unsuppressed
shooting goes three four times a year maybe but don't forget we shoot rabbits and magpies with our 308s a bit plus go through a lot of ammo it's gotta add up sooner or later to ruin your hearing Actually rock concerts got most of mine earlier. Bets it's a cracker day up the hill today Dave !!

Absolutely cracker day up here on the mountain...had some bastard trying to entice me down for work...even offered money. He seems to have no understanding what it is like up here...wife's away, grandkid is away...bliss

shit things can get complicated on here fast!!! just get a can mate mint. i canned my .270 and its mint. muzzle break a bit loud id reserve those for larger calibers but thats just me.

pros and cons with both , the cheap way to decide whats good for u is to borrow 2 rifles one with each and use them how and where u shoot , expensive way is to pic one hav it fitted then decide on other then realize first one was more suited to u . i prefer cans for what i do like happy said we shoot anything from rabbits up and shoot alot but nt a lot of target shooting so dont hav heat problems , weights nt a problem with new lightweight materials (im regularly told by sme one my day pack is 2 ton over weight followed by some short /fat jokes)