500s&w

You might try to give JohnSmiles a holler on here. I am sure I remember that he has/had a .500 Handi.

I'm very pleased with my Encore, (after Loctiting the base screws! - I thought I had done that) if you put glass on yours you really need to do that - the reputation on knocking scopes loose is warranted. I'm running a 400gr JSP at 1900fps and it's grouping up about 1.5" at 100yds - which I consider fine for that kind of rifle. Mine has a brake and a good pad and is quite pleasant to shoot. I didn't use it this season as Magnum hunted with it. He was so close several times at dropping the hammer on one - evn had it cocked and the crooshairs one the backend of one but it never turned for him. I still have to think it should be VERY effective!

PM incomming

Based on what I've seen over on SP and my own personal experience, I'd have to disagree with that statement. The "average" muzzle brake won't do much- I will agree with that. However, a JP, a Holland Quick Discharge or clone, or any that have the same functional design will certainly help with felt recoil. I've shot a Remington XP100 chambered in 6.5 BR that had a modified OTT "shark gill" brake on it and that gun hardly moved.

A good brake can make a world of difference, IMHO.

Muzzle pressure on a 22" 500 S&W with a 350g on top of a near maximum load of suitable powder will be LESS THAN 4000 PSI.

A XP-100 in 6.5BR, assuming a 14" barrel and 120g projectiles on top of a near maximum load of suitable powder, will be MORE THAN 12,000 PSI.

Apples and oranges.

Unless you want the brake for the "cool" factor, your money would be better spent elsewhere.

Lead is pretty much free for the buttstock, a mercury reducer runs about $55.

$55 won't buy the muzzle brake, let alone get someone to flip the switch on their lathe to fit it.

That's quite an understatement! ;D The power on this thing is incredible! (my grandfather thought I was hunting military aircraft instead of deer when I told him what round I was using) Still, like dbd870 said, a good pad, good muzzle break, and securely-mounted scope makes this very fun to shoot.

However, when you're in the field, take a pair of earplugs to quickly put in before you fire. I experienced ear discomfort for several days (almost a week) after firing at, and missing a deer during youth season.

You win. Physics loses. Sorry for wasting your time.

I don't know how you can think physics "looses", when the brake is creating the physics?

The brakes I mentioned before- JP and Hollands QD essentially have a "bore" or two that is just a few thousandths of an inch bigger than the barrel bore diameter. They have ports angled either to the side or rearward. When the bullet exits the muzzle of the barrel, the propelling gases are as well. These gases are routed out of the ports of the brake, which is what pulls the gun forward and reduces "felt" recoil.

It's these same brakes that are allowing the handgunners over on SP to shoot high-powered rifle rounds through handguns using RIFLE scopes. Without those brakes, there would be no safe way to do so.

Last I checked with him (it's been probably over a year), Ross over on SP (which is who I think Dave was alluding to) was charging $60 plus return shipping to install a brake on a barrel. I think that price may now be up to $70-80 with his new styles, but it's money well spent, IMHO.

We are talking about a 500 S&W Handi Rifle here, not Neal Coopers 500 A-Square "ELE".

But since it keeps coming up - His pistol generates nearly 20,000 psi at the muzzle. The same cartridge in a 22" rifle generates just under 8,000 psi.

Any guess as to which muzzle brake will be more effective?


Adding 2 lbs of weight in this 6.75 rifle will drop the recoil 22%, depending on your math. That's a known quantity, adding weight WILL DO THIS.

Adding 6 ounces of muzzle brake is an unknown, Based on the muzzle pressure - I wouldn't expect much and wouldn't waste my own time fitting a brake, let alone pay someone to do it.