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too much comp...possible?


Will Abrahams

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i have a rem 700 VSF in 308. i am kind of a recoil wus, so i was considering putting a comp on it. after reading some of the threads here it appears the JP tank brake is the best at reducing recoil. i wouldnt mind getting the tank brake, however, its kinda funky lookin' so i was considering the large cooley comp instead.

-was wondering if the JP tank brake is "overkill" for 308?

-i can understand how the tank brake is the obvious winner with large calibers such as 338 which has alot of gas volume to work the large baffles. would 308 not utilize the large baffles completly and therefore might as well use a smaller (less wiered looking) comp such as the large cooley?

any thoughts on this???

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The 308 has plenty of gas to work - but the JP is a brake, not a comp. Are you after less recoil, or less muzzle jump?

oops, i should have made that distinction...

less recoil is by far more important to me than less muzzle rise. i would like to put 40 rounds down range without beating my shoulder up.

-does the tank brake work more for recoil and the cooley more for muzzle rise (being the it has ports on top)???

the whole volume of gas thing stemed from that front site article where they tested various brakes. when the JP tank brake did not perform well, the author proposed that it was due to the small amount of gas in the 223 not being fully able to work the large baffles.

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Got it. In my opinion, then, most of the muzzle brakes with holes all the way around (Gentry, Vais, etc) and the styles with opposing ports (JP, Henning, Badger, etc.) both work really well to reduce recoil. The only drawbacks are the ones with holes all the way around will kick up massive dirt when shot from prone. The ones with opposing ports don't do this, but neither design will control jump much at all. To me, I want to spot my own hits on the target, so I prefer a large level of compensation along with the brake.

You can have both features - my personal preference is a side ported comp, with holes on top. I've modified both Badgers and JP's by adding top ports. Works very well. While the 308 isn't a 300 win mag for gas volume, you will see great results with just about any brake from the 308 case size. The only one I haven't favored is the front ported Vais design.

One other thing - don't let anyone try to tell you top ports will ruin your accuracy because the brake isn't "balanced" anymore and it will tip the bullet on the way out - that's pure BS and I have both the field results and shooting ability to prove it. People that say things like that seem to be repeating an urban myth, and haven't actually done much to prove out their comment one way or the other.

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I have 2 uppers for my AR10.

One is a 20" Armalite with a JP Tank Brake.

The other is JP barreled with the Cooley Comp.

On a 5" x 8" piece of steel hung at 500 yards at Cavalier, with the Tank Brake I can watch the hits. With the Cooley, there is enough muzzle rise that I miss seeing the hit.

Both make recoil like a light bullet in a .243. 50 rounds off a bench or prone is a cake walk. 150 rounds in a match is easy.

I expect with Bret's holes in the top the Tank Brake would be even better.

Edited by Scout454
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thanks for the responses guys. i would definetly like to be able to spot my hits through the scope, so it sounds like the tank brake is the way to go.

-Bret, any chance you got a picture (or a rough sketch) of where you would drill ports in the top of the tank brake???

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I don't have the modded JP anymore, the holes were just at 12 o'clock right behind the first baffle, and further out in the second chamber if that makes sense. I do have my current modded Badger Ordnance. I would opt for a slimmer brake than the JP, like the Badger Ordnance here or use a Henning -

For anyone reading this that wants a fully ported round style brake, look at Harrell Precision - they're only $30 bucks and are as good a design as any. I own one of their products - a portable reloading press, and the quality is good. If I wanted a round style brake, I'd buy one of these in an instant. In fact, I might do that just to have a few on hand for future hunting rifles.

Here is a picture of the original comp, and the modded version on my 260 AI. It works very well with the mod, not so great without. Easy to spot your own hits at most any distance with the mod. I'm also including a picture of the Harrell brakes and the Henning brake.

Harrell's site is www.harrellsprec.com be sure to see the portable reloading presses.

Badger's site is www.badgerordnance.com

Henning's brakes are available from me or Henning (I've got one left threaded 5/8-28 for a 308 or 260) at www.crosstac.com and I'll knock $20 off to the Benos world on this last one.

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The least expensive way to go would be the 308 Miculek comp and drill some top holes.

Are you going to give the barrel to a gunsmith to be threaded or do you have a machinist friend? Any good machinist that can thread a barrel properly can also modify/make you a custom brake. It all depends on how fancy you want to get and how much you want to spend.

The last 4 port brake/comp I made for my 308 Tikka looked like it would be great but the rifle was sold before I could ever try it. I've never been able to try any of my brakes on a 308 yet. I know a local shooter with a regular Miculek comp and he says he can pull the trigger standing beside the 308 bolt rifle and it won't move.

If there is a question of port balancing I make some 223 brake/comps with ports offset upwards and they work great.

Nick

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If you're looking for a good 308 comp., I would suggest you give this one a try.

http://stores.sjcguns.com/Detail.bok?no=58

The 223 version tied for the best recoil reduction when compared to several rifle compensators in Patrick Kelly's Front sight article. The 308 version is just as effective. I should know, I designed it. :D

Additionally, please forgive the picture of the comp. That was our actual prototype. Our production models do not have the machine marks.

Erik

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thanks for all the input guys. i decided to go with a JP tank brake. i know its ugly, but all i care about is the performance and i would rather have extra baffle surface than not enough. George from GA percision is going to install it this weekend!!!

That's a good choice. I'm not a big fan of the aesthetics but the flat work.

I ran a Vais break on my 260 and it was so nice my 11 year old son said it was like shooting a 22.

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  • 1 month later...

Good choice. I didn't like the looks of the JP Tank brake but I love shooting it. We shoot at 3" circles @ 300 yards and you can see the holes appear in the paper. The shooters on the side of me don't like my JP though.

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