338 Lapua Mag tuner brake

[Roblonsberry]

I’m using my factory muzzle brake but am interested in getting a tuner brake for my 338 lapua mag. Anyone try the EC tuner brake on a 338 lapua mag? I’m not sure if it’d work anywhere near as well as my factory cadex brake.

I’m open to other brand suggestions.

 

[BCX]

@Sleepertruckguy

 

[badassgunworks]

@Sleepertruckguy

What the hell is that ???

 

[BCX]

Me paging my buddy Sleepertruckguy or as I like to call him brokenSleepertruckguy or overboostAdam . Little inside joke…. I believe he uses tuner brakes on his 338 and 375.

 

[Sleepertruckguy]

I pulled off a terminator t4+ and put on an EC tune brake. The EC tune brake is plenty effective for 338 lapua. Is it as effective as a cadex? Probably not, is it good enough to be worth using a tuner……yes. The EC tune brakes are as effective as your type area 419 brake, with the addition of having a tuner. Give it a try, if you don’t like it just sell it to BCX, that guy will buy anything.

 

[Dutch308]

I’ve been thinking about it for my RPR 338. Is the EC as effective as a brake as the factory Ruger brake? I don’t mean to start another debate about how many rounds it takes to prove it works as a tuner (or not…), but do you tune for charge or for velocity? I’ve noticed that when I find the golden ticket for velocity (low ES/SD) and my (5 shot) group confirms it, the next time I use that load, something has changed and I’m getting a different velocity. It seems that case capacity grows with every reload, temperature here in MN ranges between 20 and 90 (I usually don’t go shooting when lower or higher). I also noticed that after I put around 500 rounds through the rifle in the last 3 months, the throat has grown.
Anyway, it’s not like I’ve wasted money before on things I didn’t need or things that didn’t work and the price of the EC tuner isn’t something to lose sleep over. In short, rather than changing my powder charge all the time to recreate that “perfect” score/group, will a tuner help me in adjusting for mentioned variables?
BTW… What has kept me from buying one so far is the fact that I like the looks of the factory RPR brake, but in the end sticking to a known reloading recipe and adjusting for variables (causing different velocities) would be worth it.
Thanks!

 

[ClintC]

I’ve been thinking about it for my RPR 338. Is the EC as effective as a brake as the factory Ruger brake? I don’t mean to start another debate about how many rounds it takes to prove it works as a tuner (or not…), but do you tune for charge or for velocity? I’ve noticed that when I find the golden ticket for velocity (low ES/SD) and my (5 shot) group confirms it, the next time I use that load, something has changed and I’m getting a different velocity. It seems that case capacity grows with every reload, temperature here in MN ranges between 20 and 90 (I usually don’t go shooting when lower or higher). I also noticed that after I put around 500 rounds through the rifle in the last 3 months, the throat has grown.
Anyway, it’s not like I’ve wasted money before on things I didn’t need or things that didn’t work and the price of the EC tuner isn’t something to lose sleep over. In short, rather than changing my powder charge all the time to recreate that “perfect” score/group, will a tuner help me in adjusting for mentioned variables?
BTW… What has kept me from buying one so far is the fact that I like the looks of the factory RPR brake, but in the end sticking to a known reloading recipe and adjusting for variables (causing different velocities) would be worth it.
Thanks!

I have a EC tuner brake on my 6.5. Far cry from 338. Believe me I know. I also shoot 50 BMG. It makes a 6.5 fill like a heavy 223. I have mdt brakes also. the two brakes them selfs fill the same. The EC tuner brakes will help with accuracy as it is a tuner. When adjusting the tuner, you can see the groups shrink and grow as your tuning your barrel. The EC tuner brake is not for a beginner shooter. well the tuner part will be a wast of money if you can’t hold on target.

 

[Sleepertruckguy]

I’ve been thinking about it for my RPR 338. Is the EC as effective as a brake as the factory Ruger brake? I don’t mean to start another debate about how many rounds it takes to prove it works as a tuner (or not…), but do you tune for charge or for velocity? I’ve noticed that when I find the golden ticket for velocity (low ES/SD) and my (5 shot) group confirms it, the next time I use that load, something has changed and I’m getting a different velocity. It seems that case capacity grows with every reload, temperature here in MN ranges between 20 and 90 (I usually don’t go shooting when lower or higher). I also noticed that after I put around 500 rounds through the rifle in the last 3 months, the throat has grown.
Anyway, it’s not like I’ve wasted money before on things I didn’t need or things that didn’t work and the price of the EC tuner isn’t something to lose sleep over. In short, rather than changing my powder charge all the time to recreate that “perfect” score/group, will a tuner help me in adjusting for mentioned variables?
BTW… What has kept me from buying one so far is the fact that I like the looks of the factory RPR brake, but in the end sticking to a known reloading recipe and adjusting for variables (causing different velocities) would be worth it.
Thanks!

The EC tuner will only help shrink your groups if you have perfected your load and solved all the other issues. It will not take a bad or inconsistent group and make it good. It will only take an almost perfect load and make it 1%-5% better. I'm an absolute nut job who will spare it nothing to accomplish this. It will not change your velocity or compensate for other issues causing your load to be inconsistent.
If your case shoulder keeps growing you may have your sizing die set up incorrectly. Once your brass has been fired at least 2-3 times with a powder charge that is high enough your case will be completely formed and will not grow any more.
Throat erosion is normal and will get worse every 100 rounds (approximately). You will have to compensate by seating your bullet out farther. The Tuner will not have a large enough affect to compensate for throat erosion.
If I'm being 100% frank, I would say the EC tuner would not be worth it on a Ruger RPR. I'm not knocking the RPR, I know it can shoot well, but the EC tuner is really meant for highly tuned precision instruments. For equipment that is already consistently shooting at least 1/2 moa or better. The EC tuner really shines when you can consistently hover around 1/4 moa groups and turn them into under 1/4 moa groups (around a 100 yards).
Hope this helped you decide. If you'd like any more specific information that may help you just reach out. Happy to help if I can.

 

[Dutch308]

Thanks, that helps. I anneal my brass (AMP) after every firing. I bump my shoulders very little (Triebel FL die). Using RCBS Precisioin Mic fired cases (Lapua) read 0.001 and I set the shoulder back to 0.000, I measure my powder with the ST and the press is a Turban. Seating with Redding Comp die. For my doing as good as it gets. Reading your comment about getting better consistency after 3 firings made me think and I believe that definitely played a role. New brass reads -0.005 on the PM so that contributes to different average velocities with the first few firings (while ES/SD are good within a batch). My brass lasts around 15 reloading cycles. I was hoping a tuner could be used to “dial in” for real hot or real cold weather. With my RPR I can do .7moa using either 250 Scenars or 300 Berger OTM.

 

[Sleepertruckguy]

Well it certainly sounds like you know what your doing. A good friend of mine SWEARS that his tuner helps with temp swings. He spoke with Eric about this and Eric confirmed. When temp drops you pull the weight out, when temps are hot pull the weight in. Or the opposite, temp drops pull weight in, temps rise pull weight out. The only other thing I can tell you is this. If your still having velocity swings and your headspace/seating depth is the same consider this:
How long has the bottle of powder been unsealed?
Are your primers and powder being stored in the humidity controlled room?
What is the the humidity level in your powder storage room?

Humidity in your storage room can play a HUGE role. I was having similar issues years ago. I installed a large dehumidifier that keeps my storage area at a constant 40% humidity. Solved a ton of issues.

If you've got all that under control and still having issues, buy a new barrel for the RPR before you buy a tuner.

 

[Dutch308]

Yes, my dehumidifiers are also set for 40%. Great minds, huh?
I can get N170 only in 1Lbs containers, so they don’t last long after opening.

I’m probably 1300 rounds into the factory barrel, the plan is to get an LRI barrel at some point. That said, you did convince me to try the EC tuner brake first and waste less barrel life of a new barrel while learning the ”magic” of a tuner should I later decide I want a tuner anyway.

 

[ClintC]

We are always trying to get that edge. I think you will like the tuner brake. Even if it’s just a little better groups.

 

[Dutch308]

Well, if nothing else the muzzle got a good cleaning after I removed the factory brake. Crazy amount of baked on carbon….
Btw…. Mr Cortina shipped within a few hours of ordering.

 

[Sleepertruckguy]

A dirty muzzle break will destroy accuracy. And yes, he ships very quick, and he always leaves a good piece of candy in there too.

 

[Maggot]

I just started using a Fat Bastard. Tames a 7mm PRC down to a stout 223 and stops muzzle rise.

 

[Sleepertruckguy]

I’ve used a wide variety of brakes, in my experience MPA makes the most aggressive brake. As with anything it’s give and take. Almost no recoil, but it throws all the sound back at your face. Same self timing jam nut as the fat bastard, twice the amount of recoil reduction, twice the amount of noise directed at the shooter. Made shooting a carbon fiber barrel/stock feel like a 20 pound 223. Pretty wild. They only make them in 6.5 and 30 cal. Too bad they don’t make them in larger bore diameters.

 

[Dutch308]

The EC tuner brake appears to work as a brake and as a tuner. Bad thing is now I need more of them
I did stop at “8” for now as that seemed to print a 1-hole(ish) kind of group at 100 and moved to 200.