What is the function of a muzzle brake, and why they are used? It’s a good question. Do they really work, or are they just cool-looking devices to affix to the end of our barrel? Stay tuned, because we’ve got the answers you’re looking for.
Newton’s third law of gravity states, “For every action, there must be an equal opposite reaction.”
When a firearm is fired, it propels a bullet forward. An equal and opposite reaction follows in the form of recoil, which pushes the gun backward. When gunpowder is ignited, the high-pressure gas that pushes the bullet forward also pushes the firearm rearward. Sometimes that rearward shove can be objectionable to the shooter. Or perhaps the shooter simply wants to get as much speed and performance as they can out of the gun, so minimizing muzzle rise and recoil are desirable.
What do muzzle brakes do?
A muzzle brake helps reduce the felt recoil when the weapon fires. It can be an add-on to the muzzle of a firearm, although these days, more and more firearms are equipped with them from the factory.
Most muzzle brakes have vents along the top and sides of the device. This permits gasses to escape to the side and upward. Some devices also can vent gas to the rear, counteracting the rearward recoil impulse.
Although muzzle brakes may resemble flash suppressors, they usually don’t function like a flash suppressor. A flash suppressor helps diminish the flash signature, helping to protect the shooter’s vision and also to conceal the shooter’s position by reducing muzzle flash.
Muzzle brakes don’t tend to diminish the muzzle flash, and some can even make it more pronounced.
Which guns can muzzle brakes be used on?
Muzzle brakes are mostly used on rifles and handguns. The ones that are used on handguns are often referred to as compensators.
Have you ever seen photos of tanks and artillery dating back to WWII and even before? Many of those big guns had muzzle brakes attached, and some of today’s muzzle brakes even resemble the ones from years gone past.
What are the advantages of muzzle brakes?
Shooters actually experience several advantages when they employ the use of muzzle brakes. Here’s a look.
Reduced Recoil
The most glaring and obvious advantage is the effects of reduced recoil. As the gasses are vented upward, to the sides, and/or rearward, muzzle rise is reduced and rearward recoil can be reduced.
Faster Follow-Up Shots
As gasses vent upward, muzzle rise is reduced, which helps with faster follow-up shots. This is most noticeable in semi-auto weapons because of their higher rate of fire. In competition, faster shots can mean a higher score. In lethal force encounters, it can mean saving our life.
Less Fatigue
Because the shooter feels less recoil due to the muzzle brake, they will not have to fight the weapon as much. Recoil can cause a sore shoulder and forces the shooter to hold the weapon tighter, both of which cause the shooter to expend energy. The less energy we expend, the longer we can stay at it.
Improved Accuracy
Because we are expending less energy, we can concentrate more on the fundamentals of accuracy (grip, trigger squeeze, natural point of aim, follow-through). Additionally, shooters will anticipate the recoil less, which also contributes to accuracy.
Are there disadvantages to using muzzle brakes?
As with most products, it’s not all pie in the sky. Yes, there are a few disadvantages to using a muzzle brake.
More Noise
Gasses that are normally vented to the front will now travel to the sides and even the rear because the muzzle brake redirects gasses. To the person firing the weapon, this means more noise. Thus, hearing protection becomes even more important than before. Some shooters wear both ear plugs and ear muffs. For shooters who find themselves next to the person using the muzzle brake, the noise and blast can be terrific, with the shockwave slapping them hard.
Barrel Length
Adding a muzzle brake will increase barrel length by at least a few inches, depending upon which brake you’re using. This becomes more noticeable with non-semi-auto rifles (think bolt actions), as they normally don’t have a muzzle device at the muzzle. With semi-autos, most rifles have a flash suppressor at the muzzle, so replacing that with a muzzle brake likely won’t add much, if any, length.
Barrel Threading
There’s good news and bad news with this one. The bad news is that, if you’re not using a semi-auto, you’ll need to have the muzzle of the barrel threaded to accept a muzzle brake. The good news is that nowadays, many manufacturers are adding threaded barrels as standard features for their bolt-action and even lever-action rifles.
Muzzle Brakes — Applications
Let’s take a look at the various applications where a muzzle brake can help us perform better.
New Shooters
For people who are not accustomed to shooting larger bore rifles that have stout recoil, the muzzle brake can make learning a bit easier. They are less likely to develop a flinch from the recoil, which would otherwise harm their shooting habits. The more people enjoy shooting, the better they are likely to become at it. If they fear the gun, they’re less likely to stick with it.
Competition Shooting
Less recoil and muzzle rise means faster follow-up shots. Faster shooting can mean more accuracy and higher scores in competition, which equals wins.
Military/Law Enforcement
When lives are on the line, lower recoil and faster follow-up shots give us speed. Speed saves lives. And because muzzle brakes can reduce shooter fatigue, operators remain more fresh and more capable of doing their jobs efficiently.
Hunting
As with the other disciplines, the less you fight your firearm, the more you can concentrate on accuracy as opposed to recoil. That leads to better accuracy. In hunting, that is a huge advantage. We owe it to the game animals that we’re shooting to make a humane, quick kill. A muzzle brake can help with that.
A Few Models
We’ll take a look now at a couple of models of muzzle brakes out there. It will be a quick perusal without going into great detail.
Surefire ProComp Muzzle Brake 7.62mm
This one is made from bar stock steel construction and the finish is DLC-coated. It reduces felt recoil by up to 70%. The ProComp also has a trick up its sleeve: it can also reduce muzzle flash! It’s specially designed to reduce side blast and rear-directed concussion effects. It’s a SureFire design, so you know it’s going to be high quality all around. At the time of writing, this Surefire ProComp Muzzle Brake retails for $89.99 from GunMag Warehouse.
Surfire ProComp Muzzle Brake 5.56mm
This model is very similar to the one above in 7.62mm, except it fits 5.56mm weapons. The features and construction are the same, and once again, it’s from SureFire, so it’s a good piece of kit. The price, at the time of writing, is $89.99, which is a steal.
Dead Air KeyMo .338 Muzzle Brake
This one fits .338 caliber rifles, which are known for having a stout recoil. As an added bonus, this muzzle brake is compatible with certain sound suppressors. It’s made of durable, steel construction. The price at the time of writing is $89.99.
Tyrant Designs Gen 5 T-Comp Compensator For Glock 19
This one requires a threaded Glock barrel and reduces felt recoil and muzzle rise to allow fast follow-up shots. At the time of writing, it sells for $85.99 at GunMag Warehouse.
Springfield Armory Scout Squad Muzzle Brake
My Springfield Armory Scout Squad rifle features a muzzle brake that is not modest. Its size is large, as is its performance. The size approximates the classic M-14 style flash suppressor. This brake has holes all around the brake except for on the bottom. At the tip, there are three grooves: one on each side and one on top to vent gasses out and up. The front sight assembly is also part of this muzzle brake.
Having personal experience with this setup, I will tell you that it is LOUD! Between the 18-inch barrel that’s firing a .308 bullet and the muzzle brake, prepare for major noise levels. You’ll want to pay extra attention to your hearing protection.
Conclusion
Muzzle brakes can definitely give a shooter a distinct advantage over a non-braked firearm, and I’m speaking from personal experience. The brake on my M1A Scout Squad rifle does an amazing job of taming recoil and muzzle rise. iI seems to work like magic, as the recoil feels like a gentle shove into the shoulder.
Just be ready for increased muzzle blast and noise. But then when we’re shooting, we already expect noise, so is it really that catastrophic? I mean, we’re already wearing hearing protection (I hope!), so some extra noise seems to be a small price to pay for reduced recoil and muzzle rise. To me, the trade-off is worth it.
I definitely recommend checking out a muzzle brake, especially if you already have a firearm with a threaded barrel, which makes installation a snap.
