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Now that the NRA is getting in a flap about muzzle brakes (next time we shoot at Bisley they are sending someone round with a noise level meter) I was wondering what the effect of replacing the muzzle brake on my .308 1,000 yard rifle with a moderator would be on recoil and accuracy.

Anyone have direct experience of this?

My LMT .308 - as soon as I got it I put a Ase Utra CQB on it. Very accurate.

Then, with CSR rundowns in mind, I put a muzzle brake on it to save weight. Groups opened up a fair bit. Not sure if this is harmonics or the fact its barking so loud !!

Anyway, the Ase Utra is going back on !!! I would rather put up with the extra weight to gain the accuracy and comfort ( mod absorbs as much recoil as brake )


Any further info on the NRA intervention ?

I've not heard anything but the concern is presumably about the direction of noise? i.e. if shooting on Century a muzzle brake would direct more noise towards the houses along Queens Road.

I don't believe a moderator should affect accuracy, so I'd say it is harmonics if you see the groups open up. With one of my rifles there's a significant change in POI between the moderator and muzzle brake. Anything added to your barrel is bound to have that effect so it will no doubt affect accuracy as well otherwise barrel tuners wouldn't work the way they do.

Does this mean I can expect some flak when I shoot my Saiga AK with the NRA Club next time?
Fortunately it unscrews easily with a simple depression of a detent locking mechanism - I just don't like the unpleasantness of some little officious type getting on my case.

I had a brake on my .308 PSS, terrible thing with ports all over and shooting from prone would often blast dirt into your face.
Swapped to a mod and next to no recoil, no muzzle blast and was able to watch the bullet holes appear in the targets.

I have an AI with the .338 muzzle brake and when I screw the moderator over the top of the brake, the recoil is much softer and the accuracy improves.

Racalman wrote:Now that the NRA is getting in a flap about muzzle brakes (next time we shoot at Bisley they are sending someone round with a noise level meter) I was wondering what the effect of replacing the muzzle brake on my .308 1,000 yard rifle with a moderator would be on recoil and accuracy.

Anyone have direct experience of this?

Thanks everyone, that sounds encouraging. I might apply for a variation then. Should get it back this year (TVP) ...

HALODIN wrote:I have an AI with the .338 muzzle brake and when I screw the moderator over the top of the brake, the recoil is much softer and the accuracy improves.

I wasn't aware you could do that. Must be one big moderator?

breacher wrote:My LMT .308 - as soon as I got it I put a Ase Utra CQB on it. Very accurate.

Then, with CSR rundowns in mind, I put a muzzle brake on it to save weight. Groups opened up a fair bit. Not sure if this is harmonics or the fact its barking so loud !!

Anyway, the Ase Utra is going back on !!! I would rather put up with the extra weight to gain the accuracy and comfort ( mod absorbs as much recoil as brake )


Any further info on the NRA intervention ?

Harmonics Bri, you can actually tune the groups for a long barrel to an extent by shifting a weight up and down it, so if you significantly change what is hanging on the end.

Did you develop the load with the moddy on?

The only problem with moderators is they're a consumable part, but thankfully they do last quite a long time.

This is the thread protector on the end of the brake, but unscrew it and screw on your mod... The moderator isn't that much wider in diameter than the brake. It's a good system IMO.

Racalman wrote:Thanks everyone, that sounds encouraging. I might apply for a variation then. Should get it back this year (TVP) ...

I wasn't aware you could do that. Must be one big moderator?

There has for a long time been concern about brakes, I think that was more to do with blast affecting the shooters on the point next to you (possibly sharing the same point) than noise for neighbouring houses.

Is this just a continuation of that old wound?