Muzzle brake/recoil reduction?

[Charlie1022]

I just bought a Ruger American Predator in 6.5 CM and was wondering if I add a Muzzle brake if it will result in similar recoil to my RPR in 6.5? I know the RPR is much heavier and was wondering if anyone has added any weight to the buttstock and if so what and how?

 

[Meeks36]

Not sure if this will work on yours. But in my old single shot 12ga I would take butt plate off. And add lead weight. Buckshot or slugs. Helped a little.

 

[Skylerbone]

I didn’t add weight as the rifle is configured for my daughter but it should be easy to do. I swapped out the stock for a Compact version, added a better recoil pad, and a Seekins muzzle brake. There was little recoil to begin with but it’s minimal with the brake.

Possibilities for weight might include lead shot or sand tucked away in the stock. For that option I’d probably sew the weight into a flour sack then fill the remainder of the void with styrofoam, keeping the weight near the butt.


The Predator’s stock is of course hollow allowing for as much weight as you please (within reason).


SVL makes replacement pads that really dampen the recoil.


Adding a brake keeps the rifle flat on target.

 

[LoonWulf]

Preds balance forwards so adding some weight to the stock helps a bit if you like more centered, or aft, balance. A brake also helps, ive run VG6 gammas on all of mine, and my newest will be getting one as well.
@Skylerbone gave me a very nice radial that ive got on my .300wm RAM (magnum version of the Pred), and that makes for a fantastically easy to shoot rifle.

 

[troy fairweather]

Yup just add some weight or a mercury tube.

 

[mcb]

Get a suppressor, it adds weight, reduces recoil by slowing gases (almost as good as a brake in this respect) and reduces muzzle blast. All those help with perceived recoil.

 

[doubleh]

I put a brake on my AR because I wanted to see bullet strikes on my target and it recoiled just enough to loose my sight picture with a flash hider or bloop tube. The rifle barely moves now. I have watched one of my friend's eight year old son shoot a 6.5 off the bench next to me and the rifle barely moved. The kid was so small he had to stand up at the bench. I complimented him and he got a great big grin on his face and told me he had killed an eight-five pound feral hog with it the week before. Brakes work but at the expense of increase muzzle blast for the shooter. Use GOOD ear protection. I have no quarrel with silencer/supressors except fot the tax stamp and the wait time to get one but brakes and hearing protection are a cheaper and quicker solution.

Edited to add: The brake I put on my AR was an experiment and I ordered one off ebay for 20 bucks. If it didn't work I could just throw in the "didn't work out" box which already has quite a few items in it.. It's just a tanker style brake instead of one of the fancy machined and very expensive one's but it does the job and I wasn't looking for compliments on my great looking brake.

 

[LoonWulf]

I put a brake on my AR because I wanted to see bullet strikes on my target and it recoiled just enough to loose my sight picture with a flash hider or bloop tube. The rifle barely moves now. I have watched one of my friend's eight year old son shoot a 6.5 off the bench next to me and the rifle barely moved. The kid was so small he had to stand up at the bench. I complimented him and he got a great big grin on his face and told me he had killed an eight-five pound feral hog with it the week before. Brakes work but at the expense of increase muzzle blast for the shooter. Use GOOD ear protection. I have no quarrel with silencer/supressors except fot the tax stamp and the wait time to get one but brakes and hearing protection are a cheaper and quicker solution.

Edited to add: The brake I put on my AR was an experiment and I ordered one off ebay for 20 bucks. If it didn't work I could just throw in the "didn't work out" box which already has quite a few items in it.. It's just a tanker style brake instead of one of the fancy machined and very expensive one's but it does the job and I wasn't looking for compliments on my great looking brake.

Down side to the ebay brakes, for anyone considering them, is they are usually bored larger than optimal for the cartridge labeled. Ive found the .223 brakes to be better, but 6.5s and 30s are usually big enough for .35s.
I have a "6.5" brake on my .350 legend, and had a "30" cal on till a friend needed it.
Gotta watch for off center boring and crooked threads too, seen that on a couple.

 

[misser]

i to bought one from ebay . and there was a problem . the gun started throwing bullets in large groups . after studying the brake it looked as if there was to much metal next to the barrel crown. a few minuets on the lathe and the problem was solved .

 

[jmorris]

I have brakes on a few competition rifles and my 50 BMG but I don’t really like the added noise and blast much.

Suppressors, mercury recoil reducers and just weight are preferred methods, in that order.

 

[doubleh]

Down side to the ebay brakes, for anyone considering them, is they are usually bored larger than optimal for the cartridge labeled. Ive found the .223 brakes to be better, but 6.5s and 30s are usually big enough for .35s.
I have a "6.5" brake on my .350 legend, and had a "30" cal on till a friend needed it.
Gotta watch for off center boring and crooked threads too, seen that on a couple.

I never buy anything from an ebay seller unless they have free returns. It's hard to get stuck if they take it back on their dime. I also check the seller's rating before buying. The one I bought is fine and did not affect the rifle's accuracy.

 

[mjsdwash]

https://www.308ammo.com/M1A-SCOUT-SQUAD-MUZZLE-BRAKE-p/m1assmb.htm
I shot an M1A scout with this ugly thing, and it kicked way less than my AR10 of the same weight. I also shot a 7lb Howa 338 with a similar break, and it kicked like a 30-06 and was not uncomfortable prone. Recoil on both was less than a typical 20 gauge shotgun.
http://www.mercuryrecoil.com/ these have been around forever.

 

[LoonWulf]

I never buy anything from an ebay seller unless they have free returns. It's hard to get stuck if they take it back on their dime. I also check the seller's rating before buying. The one I bought is fine and did not affect the rifle's accuracy.

Ive actually only had one that woulda affected accuracy, and there was no issue with the return.
The issue with over sized boring, actually makes it less likely youll see an accuracy issue. The issue is the more over bore dia the less effective the brake is.
Usually the seller can tell you about what ID the brake is, just gotta ask and shop around. Ive got maybe 5-6 cheap brakes now and all have worked within my expectations.

 

[mcb]

Down side to the ebay brakes, for anyone considering them, is they are usually bored larger than optimal for the cartridge labeled. Ive found the .223 brakes to be better, but 6.5s and 30s are usually big enough for .35s.
I have a "6.5" brake on my .350 legend, and had a "30" cal on till a friend needed it.
Gotta watch for off center boring and crooked threads too, seen that on a couple.

You have a 6.5mm on a 350 legends and not getting strikes? My AAC 51T break that my suppressor mounts on, on my 6mm Creedmore, is a 30 caliber break and would not pass a .358 diameter bullet. I wouldn't even trust it to pass a .338 bullet. The port in the exit of the break measures .345.

 

[LoonWulf]

You have a 6.5mm on a 350 legends and not getting strikes? My AAC 51T break that my suppressor mounts on, on my 6mm Creedmore, is a 30 caliber break and would not pass a .358 diameter bullet. I wouldn't even trust it to pass a .338 bullet. The port in the exit of the break measures .345.

Yep, it was sold as a 6.5, but almost all of the cheap ebay "6.5" brakes ive seen have been .32-33id, so was gonna use it on a x39 upper that never materialized.
To be fair that isnt a hard and fast. I bought a vg6 6.5gamma knockoff for a friend that was about .284", a 7mm bullet was a tight fit.

lucked out tho on this one being oversized, as its .375ish (using a .375dia bullet, and a legend case as pin gauges) so can ride on my .350 for when i want a brake.