how do YOU decide what style of brake to use?

They're all pretty awful and reasonably effective, so I pick the one that looks the least bad. Of course, the best way to use one is under a suppressor.

I use the one my rifle came with ( weatherby rifle)

In all honesty, it’s not near as loud as some others I’ve shot and it works great reducing recoil.

Performance and nothing that directs blast downward bc I regularly shoot prone. One of the best performance wise I've seen is the APA Lil Bastard G2.

The thing with self timing brakes is none of em look all that great.

The best looking AND performing- blended 4 port from Alamo Precision Rifles-- the way they match up to the barrel diameter is unparalleled!!

If it won’t clear other shooters for two benches on either side it’s not effective enough.

They’re all loud and hearing protection should be worn at all times. With that said I don’t wear it while hunting. I said the other day that my biggest goal was recoil reduction but it’s actually the ability to stay on target while firing with recoil being secondary. You also have to consider design. A radial brake will blow up dust, it’s worse when shooting prone but there’s probably some dust on most benches you shoot from. I think you have to outline your goals first, then research brakes.

I like this article. If you research the same blog a couple of years ago the answers were different so it’s ever evolving.

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2019/02/02/best-suppressor/

Keeps me on target, does not excavate a 1/4 acre of dirt under the muzzle.

So side vents, and usually top holes, are the ones that do the best job.

I had a 300RUM and it kicked like a mule. Buddy of mine had a Gentry “quiet” muzzle break on his 7mm RUM and was happy with it, so I went that way. The ports are angled forward and that is supposed to take the sound away from the shooter. It was still loud as heck, however it really cut the recoil down. Kicked less than a 30-30 after that.

^


I have a couple Gen 1 versions which work well.

These are the ones I use.

I really like the Terminator 2 muzzle brake on my .300 Win. Mag. shoots like a .243.

Two of mine were picked because they had top holes as well as the side vents...these help reduce muzzle rise. They are louder than without one but the reduced recoil makes it all worth it.