[BillB]

Anyone ever find a muzzle device that effected the accuracy of your 6.8, or any rifle really? Good or bad, perceived or real.

Im talking about a device that wasnt defective in some way. Can the design elements or construction or any other element of muzzle devices effect your good shooting rifle in any way?

Im just being curious out loud. Do you have one you like that maybe you have on multiple rifles? Im not a big brake person mysely, I tend to go in for a simple flash suppressor myself most of the time but the BCM comp seems to work pretty well. What do yall prefer? Flash suppressor? Comp? Not a brake surely.

 

[Nativeman30]

Mostly its been accuracy for follow up shots. I put a strike industries king comp on both my 6.8 and 5.56 for recoil reduction. Muzzle devices should not do anything to the first shot. They help with the second, third...etc.

 

[Xman]

I don't use a muzzle device on a 6.8 unless I run suppressed. My experience is adding a muzzle device adds a weight that changes barrel harmonics and I typically have to redo a load to optimize accuracy.

As Nativeman30 stated, a good muzzle brake can improve speed and accuracy of follow-up shots.

 

[122andy]

Out of curiosity, I've shot mine with and without(Kaw Valley linear comp) and had no discernible difference in accuracy or POI.

 

[BMT85]

I personally haven’t tested if using a muzzle device effects accuracy or not. However, I have seen different muzzle devices effect poi. Usually it doesn’t effect it a whole lot, but one time it did. I had a barrel (5.56) that had a poi shift of around 2” at 50yds going from a brake to flash hider. Groupings didn’t change from what I could tell, but poi definitely did. I believe a magneto speed will do the same thing. Effect poi, but not accuracy.

 

[BoilerUp]

I had a MD come loose and back off a bit during shooting some loads during load development. Boy did that really throw off and open up the groups and really confuse me when trying to interpret the load data / targets! But, I don't have any direct experience or data that a MD either improves or hurts accuracy, but like BMT says, I've seen the POI shift.

 

[hueyville]

Have seen five and ten shot slow fire accuracy from the bench improve significantly from device to device to not at all. Have also seen the torque value of device change accuracy. Often test a build with three devices, increasing torque value in incriments recording the data. If one device shoots significantly better will use it, if not a big difference or any use what's most appropriate for the build.

My turn bolt smith tries three of his brake designs then when finds best tunes the angle of the ports till maximizes accuracy on his test range at 300 yards. If looking for a consistent device from build to build and mounting a suppressor is not an issue then have found the Micro MOA Quiet Control muzzle brake to be one of the most consistent while somewhat range friendly to shooters either side of you. Most of my quick change suppressors have a flash hider and muzzle brake option for mounting.

Test my guns know will use with a can using each of the choices and if it shoots better with one than the other then use the better. Sometimes can add five ft/lbs torque to recommended and groups will close on your adapter if doesn't affect how it clocks and requires a specific orientation. Then an extra washer of varying thickness can help clock it and dial in torque that maximizes barrels harmonics for that device. It takes time and burns ammo but will pay dividends for years.

 

[BillB]

I shot only 5.56 for years and as yall probably have gathered have only been messing with any other caliber, 6.8spc obviously, for only a year or two and I just wish I had the amount of spare parts, extras and options for the 6.8 as I do for a 5.56. I just dont have as many options for the 6.8 as I do for a 5.56. Many things obviously are interchangable but things like muzzle devices, bolts, barrels arent. Naturally everything is for sale and I can buy more parts to try and to test out but as I learned on the 5.56 guns, that stuff adds up quick and I now have a small pile of parts I dont use, unless I want to build 10 more 5.56 guns, which some day I may appreciate having all of those parts, who knows.

What 6.8 cal specific muzzle devices are yall aware of? Do you think its detrimental at all using a say 30cal device on the smaller .277" projectiles? I wouldnt think so but Im not positive.

As to the accuracy and follow up shots, I know that some devices will help with faster follow-ups but as was eluded to by a few posters I was thinking of that first shot, or individual slow fire type accuracy.

 

[stooxie]

Glad the OP asked the question. I don't know the answer but I know that I'm OCD enough to not even want the possibility. My 6.8s are hunting rifles so I just go with a simple thread protector. Deer around here wouldn't give 2 shiznits about a muzzle flash anyway.

What I do know is that any weight on (or off) the end of a barrel will change POI, as BMT85, pointed out. I guess I've gotten to the point where I've accepted that nothing I'm ever shooting at will care if I have a flash hider and I don't need a brake for 6.8. My cans are all direct thread for the same reason. Simpler is better for me.

-Stooxie

 

[constructor]

Just be careful about torque, too much will distort the muzzle especially on 1/2-28 threads. 15lbs is all you need.
I agree, huge chunks metal out on the end can affect harmonics, lighter is better IMO.
Some 5/8" crush washers are too hard, I have no idea why any company would heat treat a crush washer but they do.

 

[constructor]

I shot only 5.56 for years and as yall probably have gathered have only been messing with any other caliber, 6.8spc obviously, for only a year or two and I just wish I had the amount of spare parts, extras and options for the 6.8 as I do for a 5.56. I just dont have as many options for the 6.8 as I do for a 5.56. Many things obviously are interchangable but things like muzzle devices, bolts, barrels arent. Naturally everything is for sale and I can buy more parts to try and to test out but as I learned on the 5.56 guns, that stuff adds up quick and I now have a small pile of parts I dont use, unless I want to build 10 more 5.56 guns, which some day I may appreciate having all of those parts, who knows.

What 6.8 cal specific muzzle devices are yall aware of? Do you think its detrimental at all using a say 30cal device on the smaller .277" projectiles? I wouldnt think so but Im not positive.

As to the accuracy and follow up shots, I know that some devices will help with faster follow-ups but as was eluded to by a few posters I was thinking of that first shot, or individual slow fire type accuracy.

Years ago I read an article that said the gases behind the bullet will travel apx 4 times faster than the bullet when they exit the muzzle, those gases if confined by a muzzle device will try to get around the bullet. for that reason I always tried to design muzzle devices with a partition close to the muzzle so the front part of the bullet(full diameter) is in the partition before the base of the bullet exits the muzzle. Just thinking turbulent gases could affect bullet flight by making the bullet wobble, also why I try to make the devices symmetrical.

 

[BillB]

I wholly agree about the escaping gasses effecting the bullet and the gasses velocities. Watched a production by Federal about flat based vs boattail bullets and their interactions with the gases driving them. The gasses push more completely on a flatbased bullet than they do on a boat tail bullet giving a slight velocity edge to flat based bullets over the boat tail version. The boat tail comes into play at distance . Downrange is where you see the benefits of the boat tail design element but at the muzzle with the gas escaping around the bullet there is more surface area on the flat base ones. It was actually pretty interesting and they had all the super slow mo cameras set up to capture all of their findings.

So, yes, I can see how the gasses, and anything that could disrupt them at the muzzle, have a detrimental impact on the path of that bullet.

As to the types of muzzle devices I use I tend to go in for simple, proven design concept, nothing outlandish for me. But I have been wondering about the effect, if any, these things of any kind could have on our rounds downrange and what if anything could be done to eliminate or minimize it. Im not a tiny group nut but having consistency is nice and especially on that cold bore first shot.

 

[Joseph796]

My experience is the POI changes with different muzzle devices and accuracy can be negatively affected with muzzle devices that do not symmetrically release the gasses, such as, top holes and no bottom holes.

 

[earlytom]

Well some do better than others thats proven...

Well worth the read...

Muzzle Brakes: Ability To Stay On Target

One important aspect of a muzzle brake is helping the rifle stay on target. In fact, I was discussin...

precisionrifleblog.com

 

[Joseph796]

I have a JP Tank on my 223 and love it?

 

[earlytom]

I have a JP Tank on my 223 and love it?

Pretty nice showing. May have to go that way too. I have some others that do real good, but I am probably going to get one for comparison.