Why don't more muzzle brake ports point up?

[south]

You know like the Remington VTR which has the triangle barrel and the intergrated brake into the top.

Reduces recoil and muzzle hop, right?

Seems like a good thing, why don't they do for all brakes?

[Chronos]

Two issues here, recoil, a factor of the forward acceleration of the bullet and muzzle jump or lift, a factor of stock design

The bullet travels forward so all the recoil energy is rearward therefor a brake with radial ports is all that's required

However a stock that puts the recoil above the point of resistance (your shoulder) will direct some of that rearward recoil upwards, lifting the muzzle

A stock designed for a heavy recoiling sniper rifle is shaped to it a prone shooters shoulder close to the centreline of the bore where as a hunting stock is shaped to be shot standing with the buttpad below the centreline of the bore putting the sights or scope closer to eye level. This creates more muzzle lift hence the need for ports higher to counter lift

Maybe some brakes aren't correctly matched to the rifles they're fitted to

Chronos

[Westy]

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You Said What now???

[FuzzyM]

Two issues here, recoil, a factor of the forward acceleration of the bullet and muzzle jump or lift, a factor of stock design

The bullet travels forward so all the recoil energy is rearward therefor a brake with radial ports is all that's required

However a stock that puts the recoil above the point of resistance (your shoulder) will direct some of that rearward recoil upwards, lifting the muzzle

A stock designed for a heavy recoiling sniper rifle is shaped to it a prone shooters shoulder close to the centreline of the bore where as a hunting stock is shaped to be shot standing with the buttpad below the centreline of the bore putting the sights or scope closer to eye level. This creates more muzzle lift hence the need for ports higher to counter lift

Maybe some brakes aren't correctly matched to the rifles they're fitted to

Chronos

Hence why the AR-10 was a good idea?

[SendIt]

If you're shooting with a brake because you really need one (e.g. .338wm, .50bmg etc.) it would make for a terribly inefficient brake.

This is overly simplistic, but if you say a barrel as a top, bottom, and two sides, porting the top will only give you 1/4 of the potential recoil reduction.

Instead of 1/4 recoil and hop reduction, you'd be much better off with 4/4 recoil reduction.

Personally I think the VTR barrels are just a bit of a gimmick.

[Tonit]

Instead of 1/4 recoil and hop reduction, you'd be much better off with 4/4 recoil reduction.

Yep. You wan't an efficient brake design, not just one that vents 'up'.

Less recoil will mean less hop anyway.

[halberg]

Personally I think the VTR barrels are just a bit of a gimmick.

Ditto.

They have a quarter of a muzzle brake

[south]

Maybe some brakes aren't correctly matched to the rifles they're fitted to

Good point I suppose.

The "quarter brake" thing makes obvious sense now that I read it too.