Muzzle brakes and brain damage

[bikemutt]

I chatted with a fellow shooter and range member yesterday while I was on RSO duty. I've known him for years, and served RSO duty with him many times. This guy is very intelligent, a commercial international pilot by trade, and a serious competitive shooter.

I think because he knows I shoot with a brake, he dove into the risks of brain damage caused by the repeated concussive blast from muzzle brakes. He no longer will use a brake, nor flash hider; it's either no muzzle device or a suppressor. It didn't seem to matter when I explained that the shooter, myself in this case, doesn't feel the concussive blast, it's the folks on the sides, or standing behind the shooter that feel the blast, I say this because I've been the guy standing behind braked shooters.

In any event, this fellow shooter urged me to reconsider using a brake, I have no reason to believe his advice is anything but genuine, and given because he cares about me as friend.

I did an internet search on the matter and found several articles that appear to confirm what my friend told me. That said, I don't shoot 100s or 1000s of rounds on a regular basis, like military members may be required to do. Anyway, below is a link to one person's viewpoint on this which appears in-sync with what my friend stated.

Brain Drain

What do you guys think?

[LeadHammer]

It's possible if you hang out in the blast zone I would think. Also having your face on the stock for many many rounds may do it.
I feel more blast shooting into the wind with no ear plugs with my .17HMR than with my 6.5 w/brake and muffs.

[DHuffman]

A bunch of the BR guys got their undies in a bunch about it last summer.

I've shot beside some pretty annoying or worse brakes competing. You either complain or time your shot so you break yours right after theirs. Not that complicated.
I know of a match where they put the braked guns in their own relay. Whatever I guess but it's getting ridiculous.

[jvw2008]

Guess I would like to know what they classify as "brain damage". Anything from a headache to a concussion could fall under that jargon. Is this analogous to, "stay out of the sun or you're going to get skin cancer"?
All challenges to the body should be tempered with common sense and controlled exposure. Right now, with what I'm reading, I'm not seeing a lot of common sense being applied.

[bikemutt]

A bunch of the BR guys got their undies in a bunch about it last summer.

I've shot beside some pretty annoying or worse brakes competing. You either complain or time your shot so you break yours right after theirs. Not that complicated.
I know of a match where they put the braked guns in their own relay. Whatever I guess but it's getting ridiculous.

The claim, in this case, is less about affecting other shooters, it's more about the effect on you, yourself, shooting a muzzle-braked rifle on yourself. I'm not sure I'm buying the line.

Nothing against suppressors, I own several, but they come with their own set of issues, like holding acrid gas in the barrel which may leave the action from the chamber, closer to my nose than not.

I'm not convinced muzzle brakes are a personal risk; I do believe they may be unpleasant, annoying and distracting for adjacent shooters. The range where I shoot urges members with braked rifles to shoot on the last 5 benches; no problem.

[gman47564]

If the shooter is feeling muzzle blast from his own gun he's using the wrong brake.. I would think the jolt of recoil on non braked guns of the bigger calibers would be harder on ya .. I know I wouldn't want to shoot my 280ai or 300wm too many times without a brake on them. 

[DHuffman]

Like Grant eluded to both situations could be mitigated by choosing the right brake.

[sportacus]

Brain damage caused by rifles with brakes is the least of my worries. Most of my brain damage from other stupid stuff young men do. Wear ear pro even when I hunt. Only use two with brakes; 35 Whelen and 7 PRC.

[DHuffman]

I'd also add people shooting the big obnoxious clamshell type brakes that blast anyone on either side of them from benches at a range and not using a brake that has some kind of 90° baffle/baffles are lacking common courtesy at the very least.

In that situation just because you can't feel your blast doesn't mean you have the correct brake.

A Harrels Radial is the perfect brake in that situation and very effective as well.
A lot of the BR muzzle brake drama is from people using brakes not appropriate for the situation and a lot of it is whining plain and simple.

[LeadHammer]

I had posted this pic before I think but it suits this thread.
I am lucky at our range that probably 90% of the time I am the only one at 300 meters.  The best is out in the field of course as in this pic, since the rifle is even quieter without the overhead roof bouncing sound waves all over. 90 deg first port is a must.

[autoxforfun]

A Harrels Radial is the perfect brake in that situation and very effective as well.
A lot of the BR muzzle brake drama is from people using brakes not appropriate for the situation and a lot of it is whining plain and simple.

Most of my 6mm BR rifles brakeless.  I do, on occasion, shoot one with a Harrels on a 6.5mm.  They are neighbor friendly and do the job nicely.  In fact, most of the folks that I shoot with use Harrels or equiv and there are no complaints up and down the line regarding muzzle blast or noise.

That being said, I did shoot a registered match where I was stationed next to a competitor that was shooting a 338LM Light Gun with a monstrous brake.  Every shot would almost clear my bench of anything that didn't weight at least a pound or so.  I was not a happy camper and complained to the match director.  They put a barrier between us after the first record target that resolved the issue.

[DHuffman]

Yeah I have been benched next to big guns with the wrong kind of brake before, it's not fun and a guy shouldn't have to deal with it.

I always have a couple bar clamps and a towel I can make a curtain with if necessary.