450Bushmaster.net

My childhood rifle, a 30-06, had a muzzle brake. I liked it before it had a brakeI guess I liked it better after my step dad had one added. When I saw that the Ruger American Ranch had a factory brake at the end of the barrel, I was stoked. Maybe my wife will be able to fire it too, I happily mused.

As I wait for scope and ammo to arrive to start zeroing, I did some research on ear protection and scared myself silly. If the internets are correct, this rifle needs muffs plus plugs to prevent hearing loss—even outdoors. That’s fine. I don’t mind covering my ears at the range. But my hope with this rifle is to begin hunting. Many of the folks in the hunting forums seem to leave their ear pro at home when they head out into the field.

Just how bad is the noise from a braked RAR? If I get electronically assisted muffs so that I can “hear the deer,” is 26db DRR enough to protect my hearing?

About how much lower are the decibles if I take the brake off? Could I get way with hunting without ear pro without doing damage if I unscrew it before I start zeroing? Should I be looking into things like linear compensators? Not sure I want to fuss with a suppressor.

Just how bad is the recoil if I take the brake off before I zero? Should I be looking at limb savors or other devices?

I don't have a brake on my AR in 450BM. I wouldn't want one because as you say, I tend to leave my ear-pro at home when hunting. I don't think an '06 needs one either. Maybe build a 350 Legend for your better half?

IMHO, you don't need muffs plus plugs. At least not on my AR based 450b with a 4 port Ross brake. You definitely want something, especially if shooting from anything resembling an enclosure but a pair of amplifying muffs with noise reduction are enough. This is important however A lot of muffs impede a good cheek weld or a good cheek weld can compromises their seal against the one ear. that warrants some investigation before you let one fly. I made the mistake once of being so distracted that I forgot to put mine back on and not only was it painful, it took a few minutest to regain my hearing. Time which can be crucial to hearing what direction and how far the wounded deer ran in the woods. I like my muzzle brakes but yeah, they require protection. That's the price of admission.

Hoot

Thanks both for the reply. I may need to do some experimenting with both setups to see what my tolerance for recoil and noise are. Either way, it sounds like I don’t have to stress out too much about double hearing protection as long as I’ve got good kit amd am using it properly.

Just following up, I found an instructive test of recoil on the bushmaster with and without the factory brake (as well as a couple of aftermarket options and a subsonic round). Looks like quite a substantial difference between factory brake a d no brake. Twenty three percent by my math.

The other factor I find myself wondering about is barrel rise… . This makes me tempted to leave the brake on for the first trip to the range.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CXc4Dxok4c&t=2s

Escape Pod wrote:Just following up, I found an instructive test of recoil on the bushmaster with and without the factory brake (as well as a couple of aftermarket options and a subsonic round). Looks like quite a substantial difference between factory brake a d no brake. Twenty three percent by my math.

The other factor I find myself wondering about is barrel rise… . This makes me tempted to leave the brake on for the first trip to the range.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CXc4Dxok4c&t=2s

The POI will change when you switch back and forth. Sight the rifle in, wearing whatever you will be hunting with.
The Ross brake which is technically a Holland Brake design, not only reduces recoil via the side ports but also reduces muzzle rise via the top ports. Emphasis on reduces not eliminates. Newton's 3rd Law is responsible for most of the recoil from a 450b. A brake doesn't help with Newton's 3rd law, other than add a minuscule amount of additional weight. Whitetails are not hard to kill. Even the meaty ones we grow up here. That's why my favorite 450b bullet for them weighs 200gr. You're not trying to drop a Bison.



Hoot

Field report on the Ruger Ranch. Just got back from my first visit to the range to get zeroed in and feel out the recoil of the 450. After much hmmming and hawing I decided to remove the factory muzzle brake before zeroing in with Winchester XP.

I won’t tell you that the recoil was light. I’m not sure I’d want to shoot this thing all day long 3with just a t-shirt on. But after firing off 30 rounds of zeroing and plinking, I have no regrets about removing the brake. I don’t think I’d want to trade less recoil for more ker-plowy.

If you want to maintain safe distancing at the range of 6 feet or more, put the ROSS SCHULER break on your muzzle. You’ll clear out one or two benches on each side off you after about four shots.

Texas Sheepdawg wrote:If you want to maintain safe distancing at the range of 6 feet or more, put the ROSS SCHULER break on your muzzle. You’ll clear out one or two benches on each side off you after about four shots.

I'm jealous. I only clean out 1 position on either side. My 300 WSSM AR15 with Schuler brake would clear out 2 on either side however. It actually blew stuff off of the adjacent benches.

Hoot

Only time I've shot any of my 450 Bushmasters with no ear protection .... is shooting sub-sonic's .....