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Reducing recoil on Rem 700

hobo9650hobo9650 Member Posts: 2,759 ✭✭✭
edited July 2013 in Ask the Experts
Just bought a Rem 700 SPS 308 with 26" barrel 0.820 dia Twist 1-12.

Want to reduce recoil and wandering if I should have the barrel drilled or just add a muzzle brake (adding length). Smith says he knows of no one who will drill a "brake" into the barrel.

Would the additional length of a brake cause any problems or powder burn problems?

Comments

  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes, rifle barrels can be ported to reduce recoil, creating the same effect as an attached muzzle brake. I'm suprised that your gunsmith doesn't know this; to the point where it makes me question his credentials as a gunsmith.

    Anyway, Mag-na-port will port any rifle you send them for $145, and there are other outfits that will do it too.

    http://www.magnaport.com/rifle.html

    If you're really concerned about overall length, that's the better way to go.

    Disadvantages of porting are that its irreversible (though you can cut off the entire ported end later, I guess), that the ports can make a gun harder to re-sell, and that the ports themselves can accumulate fouling. Advantages? Clean look and doesn't alter the overall profile/balance of your gun.

    Muzzle brake has the advantage of being removable if you decide you don't like it, want to try a different model, or want to try a different attachment, like a flash hider or even a suppressor.

    When a bullet passes through a brake it doesn't even touch the brake, you shouldn't have any issue with powder burns, though again, the slots in the brake itself may eventually get fouled and need cleaning.

    Both porting AND muzzle brake typically increase firing noise and flash.

    Note that in your case, I don't know that I'd necessarily do either thing, and certainly not as a first step. A .308 just isn't all that powerful. If you're really having trouble with recoil, make sure the stock is properly fitted to you, and then maybe consider a recoil pad first.
  • midnightrunpaintballermidnightrunpaintballer Member Posts: 2,233 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Basically Beantown beat me to it but I'll leave this here anyways..


    Save yourself some headache and get a slip on recoil pad from walmart for $20. I gave it a try thinking why not and was shocked at how it tamed my rem 700 30-06. Before, I could shoot about 5 rounds from the bench and I was done. After, I could literally shoot all day from the bench and put 40-50 rounds downrange on multiple occasions with no pain.

    Seriously, try it.

    If you're dead set on on a permanent modification, you have two options: Port the barrel, or thread the barrel and screw on a brake.

    Porting the barrel is "drilling holes into the barrel" as you mentioned. There is a company called Magnaport that does this. There may be others but I can't think of them off the top of my head.

    Threading the barrel for a muzzle brake is probably the easiest route. However, if your gunsmith has never heard of porting, perhaps it would be wise to find a different gunsmith to perform such work. If you find a good gunsmith, he can make you a brake and match the contour of your barrel. That way, it looks correct, and not like some ridiculous aftermarket non matching add on. That is the route I would personally go.

    However, that being said, try the slip on pad first. You may find that it's a perfect solution for you. I did. I found that I only needed it for shooting off the bench. I've never felt recoil in the woods before.

    In fact, I no longer need mine. I blew up that particular gun and I'm having my smith make me a muzzle brake while he's installing the new barrel and blueprinting the action. [:D]

    Cover shipping and it's yours.
  • Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mag-na-Port is EDM machined into the existing barrel. This keeps the look and length the same, but is reported to reduce recoil and muzzle rise.

    Your adding a brake will, naturally, make the barrel longer that the 20" size it has now (unless the same amount is cut off before), and it will change the look and maybe the handling of the gun. It should reduce recoil and muzzle rise, but this varies with style and size of the brake. Some are threaded on, and with a thread cover you can take it on/off at will without fear of damaging the threads. Since it is added after the end of the existing barrel, a brake rarely affects powder burn or velocity readings to any great degree.

    It will increase noise, both to the shooter and especially those shooting around him/her. Personally, I HATE shooting near folks who use brakes (Especially on minimum recoil guns like AR-15's), but if it is present because of a physical need for the shooter, then I'll live with it.

    The gun weighs 7.5 lbs without scope, so roughly 8.75+/- with one and ammo in the mag (more for a bipod if attached). Since it isn't a 5 lb featherweight, and .308 recoil is not all that great, recoil should not be be all that bad. Also, by using reduced recoil loads and adding a softer recoil pad you can bring that recoil impulse down even further without having to go to the expense and hassle of adding a brake.

    But the choice is, as always, yours to make. [:)]
  • hobo9650hobo9650 Member Posts: 2,759 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks fellows, you advice is most helpful.

    The reason I want to reduce recoil as much as possible is for my 16 year old gd. She loves firing various guns in my collection, especially the m44 and m94 (6.5x55).

    She has been hunting with me this past year and I want to get her set up and dialed in before deer season. Thinking the additional weight of the Rem 700 will help reduce the recoil. She shoots my 30-06's but I've noticed the recoil effects her, even with pads. She is a small lady, but tough as nails.

    Midnight: Thank you for the offer of the pads, I got one this morning.
  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,572 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I dislike the straight back recoil of ported guns. I'd add some lead to the voids in the stock and load lighter bullets for her. A better recoil pad would be nice.
  • tocamohatocamoha Member Posts: 271 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Check out LIMBSAVER recoil pads .They're among the best.
  • Okie743Okie743 Member Posts: 2,700 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by hobo9650
    Thanks fellows, you advice is most helpful.

    The reason I want to reduce recoil as much as possible is for my 16 year old gd. She loves firing various guns in my collection, especially the m44 and m94 (6.5x55).

    She has been hunting with me this past year and I want to get her set up and dialed in before deer season. Thinking the additional weight of the Rem 700 will help reduce the recoil. She shoots my 30-06's but I've noticed the recoil effects her, even with pads. She is a small lady, but tough as nails.

    Midnight: Thank you for the offer of the pads, I got one this morning.


    I have grandkids that shoot normally hard kicking guns and I reduce the recoil by reloading using reduced loads for their guns. I use accurate arms 5744 powder and load their guns to 30/30 velocities for deer hunting and most of the guns can be tuned so as the scopes don't even have to be readjusted at 100 yards when going from the regular HV loads to their LV loads. I tune the point of Impact of the bullet on target by fine tuning the powder weight. They shoot 7 mags, 30'06's, 308's and the guns are Rem 700's or Winchester 70's, few Ruger M77's and the reduced loads makes target practice fun. The reduced loads for most calibers can be found on-line at accurate arms site or by calling their tech dept.
    We don't use the muzzle brakes around kids or groups, due to the excessive side blast from a muzzle brake when hunting and I don't hunt around nor walk with anyone when hunting if they have a muzzle brake. (almost had eardrums busted from others shooting a muzzle brake gun when I was not expecting such, me standing to the side of them and the blast force taking me down. First time I got muzzle blasted I thought I was shot. If it ever happens to you, you will not forget such, you will get gun shy when you see one on another hunters gun and you will not walk beside them. (the blast force comes back at about a 45 degree angle from the end of their barrel)
  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,870 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mag-na Port is a very good for keeping the barrel the same length, and it works [;)] I sent a Ruger Redhawk 44mag to them and it cut the felt recoil down [^]
  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by hobo9650
    Thanks fellows, you advice is most helpful.

    The reason I want to reduce recoil as much as possible is for my 16 year old gd. She loves firing various guns in my collection, especially the m44 and m94 (6.5x55).

    She has been hunting with me this past year and I want to get her set up and dialed in before deer season. Thinking the additional weight of the Rem 700 will help reduce the recoil. She shoots my 30-06's but I've noticed the recoil effects her, even with pads. She is a small lady, but tough as nails.


    Gotcha.

    A few suggestions (and now I'm repeating):

    -Light loads will solve ALL the problems here. If you reload, you can easily cook up some yourself, but if not, you can check out these from Remington:

    http://www.remington.com/en/products/ammunition/centerfire/managed-recoil/managed-recoil.aspx

    -Recoil pad helps tremendously, BUT the slip-on type typically increase length of pull of the gun, and a proper fit of gun to shooter is still important. Too short amplifies recoil, and too long amplifies recoil AND makes the gun impossible to handle correctly. So make sure the gun still fits OK.

    -In my opinion, the recoil from a stock M44 is worse than Remington 700 in .308. Although the M44 is a bit heavier, the 7.62x54R cartridge is slightly more powerful than a .308, the Mosin has relatively poor overall 19th century ergonomics, designed for short Russian peasants, and the short barrel makes a godawful noise on these.

    The point is, if your GD actually enjoys firing an M44, I'd think she ought to be OK with a nice Remington in 308!
  • hobo9650hobo9650 Member Posts: 2,759 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    She loves to shoot the m44 at dusk and see the flame out the barrel. I sure reducing the recoil will increase her shooting skills.

    I've got some great info from this thread.

    Thanks to all.
  • tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by tocamoha
    Check out LIMBSAVER recoil pads .They're among the best.


    +1

    I have them on just about every hard kicking gun I have. It reduces the secondary(felt recoil), to about half.

    Best
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