How A Muzzle Brake Can Benefit Your Rifle Or Large Caliber Handgun
Large caliber firearms like rifles and big bore pistols often have a significant amount of recoil and are extremely loud when fired. Correcting the recoil and making the gun easier to handle is usually not as difficult as you might think, and installing a stainless steel muzzle brake on the end of the barrel can change how the gun handles.
Firearm Recoil
When you fire your rifle or pistol, the gunpowder explosion in the cartridge creates a pressure wave of gases that expels the bullet from the gun. The gases follow the bullet out of the muzzle, creating the push back or recoil that you feel.
Controlling the way the gases leave the firearm can significantly change the recoil effects, and installing a stainless steel muzzle brake on the end of the barrel allows you to change how the gases exit the muzzle. The muzzle brake has several vents along the sides and top of it that redirect the gases so the recoil pressure is reduced and some of the gases help to place force around the barrel. The reduction of the gases can help stabilize the firearm during the shot and make a large caliber firearm much more manageable.
Improved Accuracy
Improving the accuracy of your firearms is not just about better sites and adding fancy optics. The gun's accuracy depends in part on how the gun handles when you are firing multiple rounds one after another. Adding a stainless steel muzzle brake to your rifle or pistol reduces the recoil enough that getting back on the target after firing the gun is faster and easier.
If you need to verify the first shot hit the target or send a second shot downrange, you need to be able to reacquire the target very quickly. The muzzle brake will help stabilize the gun enough that you may find there is little loss of target in the site window when using it.
Installing A Muzzle Brake
There are several different ways that muzzle brakes are installed on firearms. The most common method involves threading the end of the barrel so you can screw a stainless steel muzzle brake on.
Because this involves modifying the barrel of your gun, it is best to take it to a gunsmith and have them thread the barrel and install the brake for you. If you try and thread the barrel yourself and damage it, you will likely void any warranty on the gun and have to purchase a new barrel.
Alternatively, many manufacturers offer barrels that you can purchase that already have threads cut in them so you can install the muzzle brake of your choice. There are many styles and options on the market, but your local gun dealer, like Solvent Traps Direct, may be able to offer you some insight and help you select the best one for your gun.
