A few years ago, I bought a “used,” unfired Tikka Roughtech in 7mm Rem Mag. I was thinking elk and the price was far too good to pass up. I know it’s not a top pick anymore, but tell that to all the dead elk of the last 50 years or more. The gun came with a brake on it, and I didn’t really study it. When I took it out for a first impression, I was amazed by the recoil reduction! I instantly knew, ear plugs and enough ammo and I could shoulder and shoot this thing all day! I was excited and called a buddy the next day to talk about it.
“I don’t like muzzle brakes,” he said. “They’ve got too much blow back and I don’t like all that smoke blowing in my face.” I’m like… what the heck is he talking about? I’d never shot a bolt action rifle with a brake on it before, and I couldn’t recall getting any blow back from my shooting. So, I kind of wrote it off.
Fast forward to… I’m still thinking elk, but maybe a 6.8 Western or 7mm PRC instead. I now have a pair of threaded barrel Brownings that came with brakes as well. I aimed at my target with the 6.8, slowly squeezed the trigger until it broke, and BAM! A face full of smoke! I immediately switched to the 7 PRC. Same thing. I switched to the Tikka. No smoke in my face. Well, the designs were clearly different so I decided I would do some shopping and find brakes like the Tikka had (can’t trade… wrong thread size).
A couple of days later, I’m walking through Fleet Farm and realize their Tikka Roughtechs have a different brake than my 7 Remmy came with. When I got back home, I quickly learned that my brake wasn’t stock. It had been fitted with an aftermarket brake, and it was boxed with it attached.
I’d seen photos. I knew there were all kinds of styles of things that would thread onto a barrel, but I never knew the designs created a different experience. My AR has the same style as the 7 Rem Mag, and having never received blow back from it either, I really wondered what my buddy was complaining about. But now I know. Those cool looking Swiss cheese-like brakes are smoke blowers. No thanks. From now on, every gun that comes with a brake of that style will either be suppressed or get a new brake.
As for my field choice… I still have no idea. More trigger time is required, but all are encouraging thus far!