OK fellas, I have a gun question for you.

I am looking at getting a new deer rifle, a Browning A Bolt Stalker, and I was wondering about muzzle brakes. If I remember correctly, Browning came out with their own muzzle brake called the BOSS(?) that was already installed on their rifles. I have looked on various websites, and I can't find much info about them. The rifles at the gun stores do not have any muzzle brakes on them currently.

Also, can any gunsmith put on a muzzle brake? What is a good one? I don't know squat about them, and would like some good info. About the only thing(s) I do know about them is that they make the rifle a lot louder, decrease recoil, and some increase accuracy. Tell me if these are true or false

please point me in the right direction

thanks in advance

 

I dont know about decrease recoil or increase accuracy, but I do know that the BOSS makes the gun super loud to the shooter. My girlfriend's dad took his off of his .270wsm because he hated it so much.

All of my guns do not have a muzzle brake or anything of the sort on them.

 

The BOSS (ballistic optimizing shooting system) does reduce recoil. It also lets you tune the accuracy.

 

I HATED that system on my 7mag. It went from horribly loud to shatter the woods loud. maybe it increased accuracy but even if it did it was not worth it.
Joe

 

It does decrease recoil,

but the tradeoff is super loud banging. The only thing that i have for my rifles is that LimbSaver Recoil pad, that thing WORKS. my dads 300 win mag recoils like a 30.06 with that thing on.. Not too bad at all for a few shots...

Rick

 

Muzzle brakes can and will reduce recoil. Depending on the design, they can be obnoxiously loud to the point of causing hearing damage. I use them on my prairie dog rifles but my companions and myself are always wearing ear protection in that situation. In a deer hunting situation, unless you are wanting to continuously wear muffs or plugs, I would avoid a muzzle brake. You are going to shoot so few shots that the recoil reduction will not be noticeable. I can shoot a 338 Mag and the one, or certainly the few shots I shoot in the field; I have no recollection of the recoil when I am shooting at an animal. Off the bench is another matter. Many shots fired at a target can start to accumulate felt recoil. Some guys will setup a rifle with a brake to shoot off the bench and remove it for hunting purposes. A simple cap can be made to protect the threads while in the field. An increase in accuracy is questionable. In the game of centerfire benchrest, very few records have been set with tuners or muzzlebrakes. So what it boils down too:

Benefits of muzzlebrakes, reduced recoil and some minor tuning of the rifle is possible with a boss type adjustable system.

Negatives of muzzlebrakes, Noise, noise, noise. Possible hearing damage above and beyond normal. Additional length, additional weight. Shooting around anyone else and P*&(**((## them off because of the side blast and noise.

Try to find someone with a muzzlebrake and hang around when they are shooting it. Try it for yourself and see what you think.
Good luck with what you decide.

 

I bought a H&K 93 that had been converted to full auto years ago, and it had a custom muzzle brake. It was so loud that you could not shoot it without hearing protection. My browning bar 7 mag does not have the boss. I personaly would not want one.

 

I have the 270 with Boss. I'll admit it I am a gun nut (closet bursting at the seams). Of all the deer rifles I own I like this one best. Selection of rounds and loads is excellent and accuracy is unbelieveable. After following the very simple directions for tuning the boss I can shoot a 3/4" pattern of 3 at 150 yds consistently. Noise can be a problem at the range recoil is not bad at all but I have yet to really feel or hear a shot on live game. Rifle is short & light weight and available in wood, which I have, or composite. Match it up with a nice 3X9 Nikon and you will have a first class weapon.

 

- a few years after the introduction of the BOSS, Browning starting shipping their rifles with the standard BOSS as well as a weight-only BOSS system (to tune the barrel vibration for accuracy), which did not have the recoil reduction gas-redirecting holes in -it to reduce the chance of muzzle-blast induced hearing loss...did they quit doing this?


- and I LOVE my boss, my consistent sub-1" groups (and personal best of .462") with a .338 make me a believer in the BOSS system!

 

I got the counter weight with mine, bought in 1998. Never put it on after I saw what the vented system could do.

 

Muzzle breaks are great for snipers because it reduces the noise the target hears, but as far as anything else it's just too darn loud.

 

OK fellas, thanks for all the great replies!