Greetings to all!
Looking to get a Encore barrel in either .338 Federal or perhaps ..338x284. Not interested in blowing my eardrums out with a break, some choices would be an Arrestor, Vais, Magna brake, or Magnaporting. any feedback would be appreciated regarding adequate effective without a lot of noise. Want to cut down on wear/tear to me as well as scope, mount will be a SSK TSOB.
Many thanks!

All brakes can be loud. I have a Vais on my Lazz XP and a Lawton on my Dakota XP, they both require earmuff's. I bought a pair of Peltor 6's. I can here range command's and they cut out the big bang.

I have not seen or heard a muzzle brake or porting that i would shoot without hearing protection..the effects on recoil do help save on the body and can help with acuracy.I suggest getting the brake and good ear protection at the same time.

In the case of my 308...... ssk arrestor blast > non arrestor blast!!! i am yet to hear a break that is quiet or even close to the same level as before. Its just the nature of the beast.

Agree with all three: as usual, there ain't no free lunch. In order to "brake" or "arrest" recoil, gases HAVE to be redirected (ie. released) in a different direction than straight out the end of the barrel. The MORE that is "released" in this fashion, the greater the "effects," and the "louder" it will sound because the gases are no longer going straight away from you.

If you are looking for comparisons in efficiency of the different methods, here is what I have learned: Magnaporting with 2 or 4 ports will give some recoil reduction (20% or more), and so on all the way to the Muzzle Arrestor or Magnabrake or ??. These are basically just more of the same. The more holes/baffles/ports, the more gases are diverted and the more recoil reduction results but also the more "muzzle blast."

Sooo....reading your post once again, if you are looking for moderate noise increase but still with some felt recoil reduction, then Larry Kelly's Magnaport would probably suit your needs best.

I had the pleasure of hunting deer with one of the gunsmiths for SSK Industries. He had one of his pet Encores on the hunt with his own Muzzle Arrestor on it and he complained to me that he had over-designed it because the gun barrel DIVED DOWN when he fired it. Go figure!!

Nonetheless, no matter whether you use a straight barrel or any muzzle brake/porting, you will still need ear protection.

Tame the muzzle to save your wrists and head and always wear hearing protection whether at the bench or in the field. End of story.

Recoil

Hi Recoil,

That would be the end of the story except that (and I see you live and probibly hunt in the west) walking miles with gains and losses of 1000's of feet during spot and stalk hunting is a pain with muffs. I wear the little ear plugs with a plastic string between the two plugs but they get tangled and are not handy when game pops up unexpected. I layer my clothing so I'm always taking stuff on and off...so there goes the plugs. You might be able to always have hearing protection available when sitting all day in a tree stand.

With a .308 you probably don't need a brake and one or two shots in the field while hunting. It won't take too big a toll on your hearing over a year or so. But, if your going to brake it you'd better plan on getting some ear protection on before taking the shot or it's gonna hurt.

Bill in OR

My hunting in the west DOES involve walking up and down. That is what the mountains are all about. I wear the electronic muffs. My deseased ex father-in-law used hearing protection at the range at all times but never did while hunting. He sustained substantial hearing loss however. Those short poled weapons even when not ported produce a lot of noise. My hearing is too important to let a little sweat or discomfort stand in the way of protecting it. Once it is gone it is gone. I reckon if you do lose your hearing the situation is solved. You won't need any hearing protection because there won't be anything to protect. IMO.

Recoil

Well stated, Recoil.

I do a lot of backpack/bivy hunting and always carry some type of hearing protection. One thing I do with the plugs with the cord connecting them is tie them around the adjustable strap when wearing a baseball style hat. They hang out of the way and are easily put in if I need them.

I picked up a set of Peltor Tactical 6 muffs with the behind the head strap. They are very light and comfortable. I just wear them clamped to my head just above my ears. I have been on some long hikes wearing them this way and forget they are even there. The only time I notice them is when I'm passing through heavy cover. Low branches tend to grab them.

When I worked st Jensen's, we installed the KDF muzzle break,(we being the gunsmith, I ordered the parts and test fired the rifle). You can get a thread protector and use the KDF while on the bench, remove it and use the thread proector when hunting. You usually do not feel the shots recoil in the excitment of the hunt!

When I worked at Jensen's, we installed the KDF muzzle break,(we being the gunsmith, I ordered the parts and test fired the rifle). You can get a thread protector and use the KDF while on the bench, remove it and use the thread protector when hunting. You usually do not feel the shots recoil in the excitment of the hunt!