do you need a muzzle brake for your original rifle ???

[section-five]

i have a 1917 Enfield 30-06 rifle that is in original state accept for the stock.
a 30-06 being a 30-06 it has a real harsh recoil to it , and i am the owner of a bum shoulder .
trying to find a solution to reduce recoil on my rifle without sporterising ( destroying) it i came across a tooling company that is specialized in making muzzle brakes.
the name of this company is Witt machine & tool Co. www.wittmachine.net. based in Ft. Garland CO .
i gave them the measurements of my muzzle and after a week or so i received my muzzle brake .
i found a drastic reduced recoil and also a reduction in barrel lift during firing .
only problem was the muzzle brake was slightly cut to loose so it came flying off after about 20 shots .
due to the tapered barrel of the enfield it is important that measurements are precise or it will slip off.
i found mine 30 yards down range ( lucky me :-) ).
after contacting Witt machine i received a new muzzle brake free of charge .
Witt machine is in the process of designing a muzzle brake that accommodates space for the original front sight , i am very hopeful for something real good for that.
In short , if you have a precious rifle like an Enfield , mauser ,garand or anything like it and you want it un-destroyed but your shoulder to remain intact , i can recommend Witt machine for your muzzle brake to reduce recoil !!
its a well made product that is very reasonably priced.


enjoy shooting the old guns , but honor them by keeping them original !

[Johnny Peppers]

Another solution is to load your own ammo. Load it down to around 1800/2000 fps and the difference in recoil is amazing. That is one reason shooting lead bullets is so enjoyable in the old militaries.

[section-five]

Another solution is to load your own ammo. Load it down to around 1800/2000 fps and the difference in recoil is amazing. That is one reason shooting lead bullets is so enjoyable in the old militaries.

i agree , thing is , getting the proper ammo for 30-06 was kinda hard for a bit.
i know i shouldn't be shooting 180 grain , but i need to empty shells first before i can start filling , and sadly enough the federal 180 grain is cheaper then compared to the nicer lapua 30-06 .
true , around 150 grain is plenty enough for the 1917 enfield , but fmj was hard to find for a while and most ppl who hear one is looking for fmj's around these parts start thinking ur gonna shoot someone with it , sighs , dumb rednecks.
ow well , eventually all will work out just fine.
ow , and i want my projectile to land further away then 300 yards or so . lol

[Lon]

I suggest you consider a shooting shoulder pad. The thickness varies depending on the amount of recoil. I use a rather thick one when shooting my M1 Garand. You can use the pad with any high recoil weapon and not have to modify any of your rifles.