Thoughts and opinions: muzzle brakes vs flash hiders

Barn Owl Lover

Barn Owl Lover

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I've been thinking of this for a while, and in my own opinion, you usually don't need a brake for most semi auto rifles unless they're really light weight or magnum caliber or magnum level caliber for self loaders. A lot of times, it does seem that the self loading mechanism can absorb some of the recoil and aid in controlability. Also, if the rifle is well designed as far as lay out, that too is a big advantage and reduces a need/want for a muzzle brake or compensator. I can understand that for bolt action rifles and magnum calibers (or .30 full power rounds that are hot rodded even in self loaders) or anti-material rifles due to caliber/power vs weight. But considering that .308 SCARs and HK417s are often perfectly controllable, especially in semi auto (and often in full auto) usually with flash hiders, for those rifles muzzle brakes aren't a 100 percent must have unless you're using them as a race gun or expect to be doing a ton of full auto.

It's also notable that early AK-47s were tested with various muzzle brakes and comps in the late '40s/early '50s to try and promote full auto controllability. But it was decided not to use brakes, due to concussion and muzzle flash tended to be excessive. Of course, the AK-74 onwards adopted muzzle brakes, but the AK-200 rifles primarily use flash hiders, and the AK-19 also chiefly uses a flash hider.

Not that I'm totally against muzzle brakes. One that functions heavily as a flash hider and doesn't produce a ton of concussion can be useful. Just don't adopt one like what's used on a 155mm howitzer if it can be avoided.

Also, just for noting, I did read that a .30-06 M1 Garand had free recoil of about 15 lbs, while the .276 T3 version, which was slightly lighter, had about 7 lbs of free recoil. Though the T2 .276 Pedersen round would've been a bit more like the 7mm-08 Remington than the commonly found versions found today.
 
My SCAR-17 came with a brake that was guaranteed to piss off everyone on the range within 50 feet of me. The side blast is awesome!

I pulled that brake and installed an AAC Brakeout 2.0 which is a combo brake & flash hider. Works pretty well by itself, and everyone thanks me when I use it as a 51t host for a SiCo 762Saker! 🙉 In fact, the last deer it plugged never knew where the bad news came from!!! 🔜🦌
 
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Granted, we're talking artillery here, but the 105mm main guns on the Italian B1 Centauro and Japanese Type 16 tank destroyers have radial muzzle brakes that are integrated into the barrels, with the Centauro's also having an adapter piece that can allow it to function kind of like a side ported brake. These were designed this way so they can use sabot flechette rounds without the sabot components clogging the brake and causing a possible bore obstruction.

That can also be a consideration for small arms ammo, since there's some sabot rounds out there down to .30 caliber, and is common for .50 caliber rounds.
 
My POF Revolution/piston, is an awesome rifle...and really uses the brake that came on it. It's very loud for others, but that really isn't a concern of mine. Being as light as most 5.56 AR's, the brake is a welcome standard piece of the rifle.POF 2.jpg.
 
I've seen this video a few times and it's of an early FN FAL in .280 British with a muzzle brake instead of a bare muzzle or a cone flash hider. Though it's briefly seen, you can see the exit hole for the bullets and it's fairly large, even for a 7mm round. That, and the large expansion chamber between the barrel muzzle and the brake muzzle and how heavily vented it is, makes me think that the muzzle brake, though undeniably a muzzle brake, was intended to be low concussion/low blast and function heavily as a compensator.


And an pic of another early .280 FAL, though the front of the brake isn't shown.

Early FAL left - Copy.jpg
 
Barn Owl Lover said:
I've seen this video a few times and it's of an early FN FAL in .280 British with a muzzle brake instead of a bare muzzle or a cone flash hider. Though it's briefly seen, you can see the exit hole for the bullets and it's fairly large, even for a 7mm round. That, and the large expansion chamber between the barrel muzzle and the brake muzzle and how heavily vented it is, makes me think that the muzzle brake, though undeniably a muzzle brake, was intended to be low concussion/low blast and function heavily as a compensator.

And an pic of another early .280 FAL, though the front of the brake isn't shown.
Click to expand...

Very cool--- I like the early firearms--- interesting to watch their evolution. ;)

Tony
 
I have a brake on my early CENTURY HK91 and CETME. CENTURY put that on during FH ban period, and I have to say it tames the recoil quite a bit, compared to a friend pre-ban HK91.

but mostly I use the brake for the big BOOM and flash it makes 😁 like a74 brake on my AR pistol and AKS-74u and SLR 106u. it really stops the firing line on the range when I shoot, people think I blew the gun up :ROFLMAO:
 
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My POF Revolution came with what is obviously a good brake. It's amazingly easy to shoot, but for guys on either side of you....it's LOUD.
POF 2.jpg
 
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