Q: I had my rifle Mag’Na’Ported with the understanding that it was a muzzle brake, but although it stops the muzzle of my .375 H&H flipping upward on the bench, I can’t see that it has had any effect on recoil? What do you think?
Robert Kerr
A: I had my Model 70 Winchester in .375 Wby. Mag. Mag’Na’Ported and my experience was the same as yours. In my book, Mag’N’Port is a compensator and not a muzzle brake. Both are muzzle devices that employ high-velocity propellant gases escaping from the muzzle to do the work. The purpose of a muzzle-brake, however, is to reduce felt recoil by diverting propellant gases rearward in such a way as to pull the gun forward to counteract part of the recoil forces. Theoretically, the most efficient muzzle-brake is capable of reducing felt recoil by up to 80 percent, but most don’t get beyond 40-60 percent. A compensator is designed to reduce
muzzle rise when guns are fired by diverting gases upward to push the muzzle downward. Since as much as 30 percent of total recoil is the effect of the jet caused by high velocity gases exiting the muzzle, considerable energy is available for compensators to use. The well-designed Mag’Na’Port pushes the muzzle down with sufficient force to force the muzzle down instead of up when the gun is fired. As a large part of felt recoil is due to muzzle rise, a compensator may reduce recoil to some extent, although that is not their primary purpose. It is technically possible to combine a muzzle brake and a compensator into a single unit.
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