Yeah, we could really get in the weeds on this debating actual recoil vs felt recoil, etc. I really am not a fan of brakes, but all my “comp rifles” wore/wear brakes. And, most comp shooters use brakes.
The fact is that a braked rifle will tend to move less after the shot than a suppressed rifle, making seeing trace and impacts through the scope significantly easier. But, the muzzle blast and concussion of a brake can make them significantly less pleasant to shoot than a suppressed rifle. I hated shooting in a squad of braked rifles, and would move as far away as practical until my turn on the line.
A suppressor, on the other hand, has virtually zero concussion. And, the recoil impulse is elongated as compared to a bare muzzle. (The slow push vs sharp punch analogy) The lack of blast and the elongated impulse can make the perception of recoil much lower. I know that I can shoot much higher round counts from a suppressed rifle than I can with a braked rifle. An 8 stage match always left me with a headache. Not so with a suppressed gun. But, for all of the benefits, a suppressor will tend to push the rifle further off of target than brake, making seeing impacts more difficult.
The comp world has spoken and brakes are still king.
But…
For a young kid in a hunting scenario? Suppressor all day.
