For all the muzzlebrake advocates out there, what do yall do when you are hunting so a quick shot doesn't make you deaf? Just curious... Shooting next to them at the range with my earplugs on is torture enough. I can't imagine what its like inside of a stand.

You shoot a break inside a stand....like the muzzle is physically inside. Your hearing is boned.

Some breaks ain't bad at all. Almost the same level of noise. Browning BOSS on the otherhand. It'll fold your eye lids back. Inside a stand....I could only guess. But I'd bet you won't be able to hear your grandkids when you get old. Or the TV. Little lone your own fart. It's hurts enough in the open.

I have a break on a 300blk. The sound behind the break isn't nothing to the side of the break. So no issues shooting it. Just sucks if your standing to my side.

I shot an AK with an aggressive break on it. You didn't notice the blast shooting it. Now to the side. The percussion would hit your chest like a hard hand slap. It was LOUD.

NO WAY IN HADES would I pop one off in a semi closed space. NOOOO WAYYYY

I hunt suppressed now. But if I shoot with no suppressor or muzzle brake, I keep a set of ear muffs drapped over my stock in the blind. So, I quickly put on the ear muffs, and grab the rifle to take the shot. It's much quicker than any plugs.

Ive always taken care of my hearing. Some breaks, I use both ear plugs and muffs. Indoor ranges, also get both muffs and plugs.

Then again, I wear plugs using power tools. Sometimes the using vacuum cleaner. Iam sensitive to noise. At 40 i can still hear squirrels scamper up bark at 20yards.

it's not as loud behind the rifle as it is sitting beside it. I keep a pair of earplugs looped through the back of my hat that I can get to in a hurry. In a stand just keep muffs handy, it doesn;t take but a second to get them on.

I have a BOSS on a 7mag a-bolt and my .44 magnum 14" contender is louder. I have never once noticed noise or recoil once the adrenaline has started to flow. On the reverse I was taking shots at a road killed deer to test bullet performance out of my contender .357 and that was torture

They make earplugs with baffles in them that are not electronic; I go some for when I hunt with people who have brakes.

I paid $10 for a pair and they are worth it, you can hear with them in but they close with the pressure of the blast.

I hVe a couple of braked rifles. Both are notably louder from behind the trigger. You do NOT want to be beside either one under any circumstance.

When hunting/shooting deer, I just make sure the muzzle is well clear of the stand and shoot. It's not much different than a slick muzzled rifle. If a group of piggies come out, I grab two pieces of pre-rolled up TP and stuff it my ears right quick just in case I get more than one shot opportunity.

I use electronic ear muffs. I can hear better with them and they keep my ears warm.

300WM, YHM 338 QD brake, standing behind or next to the rifle, it's loud, but with hearing protection, it's not even noticeable. Same goes for my 243 and 260. Some act as if adding a muzzle brake is like standing next to a jet engine. That's not say I would want to fire without hearing protection. My GF took off her ear muffs when I was shooting the 300WM, she was sitting to the side of it, I fired, and she had a ringing in her ear for over a week.

There are some who spell it "break" but it's "brake." Pet peeve

Can't think of a reason in the world that would make me even consider putting a brake on a rifle.

You put a brake on a 243?

+1000! Especially when all your hunting is little old thin skinned and lightly boned deer!

Have owned a few in the past but only have one rifle with a break now. I think the break will stay on the 50BMG. Shot the 7mm-08 Browning A-Bolt that had a BOSS on it one time without hearing protection, ears rang for 3 days. Never shot that one again.

I put a Falcon brake on my 5.56...just to make racket and keep the lookie loos on their toes when I pull the trigger! Almost knocked my son's cap off standing beside me one day...now he stands behind me!

I sighted in a .300 Win Mag for a guy once...I dunno what kind of brake was on that beast, but the blast was more obnoxious than any recoil I've ever experienced.

I had a Model 70 with BOSS for a while. I didn't care a thing about recoil and got a replacement part (it was called "CR" meaning conventional recoil) for the brake that weighed the same so the tuning would work the same. Who needs all the additional noise?

A good brake on a rifle allows me to recover from recoil much faster and not come off target so you can see your impacts. This makes a big difference when shooting, especially at distance, when you can spot your own hit/miss. They also decrease recoil by anywhere from 40%-80%, so you do not fatigue as quickly when shooting 100-200 rounds in 2-3 days of shooting. I have a few rifles that are straight, normal barrels that I don't shoot a lot of rounds through. Recoil does not bother me, but it's nice to have something that reduces your recoil. Yes, they are louder, but I'm going to be wearing ear muffs anyway, so that part doesn't matter.

1/2 the rifles I ever owned had a brake on them. never once had a problem in the field. i never been in a situation that required me to fire off a quick round so i always had pleanty of time to put muffs on. plus my kids have been in the blind with me and they have time to muffs on. you can have hearing damage without a brake. you should always have plugs. a brake forces me to do it. plus i can have a lot more range time without building up a flinch. i hear about guides complaining about them as they dont have protection most of the time, but i don't do guided hunts so thats not a concern.

i know an old prairie dog hunter that put a muzzle brake on a 204 Ruger just so he could see through the scope if he was makin hits on pd's when shooting around 300 yds.....before he had a brake he couldn't tell if he hit or missed and had to rely on a spotter

When I purchased my .308 from Savage, it came with a brake. First one I've ever had and I really enjoy having it, as much shooting as I do. Now the rifle is a .260 and its wearing the same brake. As Chad said, easier to see impact, recover from recoil faster and send another one if needed.

Rigid banded ear plugs around my neck while hunting (they live in the truck) electronic ear muffs while shooting load development, practicing, shooting in a match. Tuesday I spotted a coyote while I was building fence, grabbed the rifle, and the ear plugs. Ear plugs in, dialed elevation, boom, dead coyote and my ears are fine.

I'm having to get the BOSS cut off one of my 300s. I can't keep it from vibrating every screw on that rifle loose. The other one that's identical to it I have no problems with.