Has anyone tried the new (as of June, I believe) Hellfire Match brake from Area 419? Is it any better then the Hellfire 3-port brake? Significantly?
Area 419 Hellfire 'Match'
- Thread starter fxdrider
- Start date
I plan on using one as a “compromise”on a 300wm. I originally had a sidewinder on it due to it being a magnum but I didn’t want to have to use a dedicated suppressor due to the different adapters. The hellfire and hellfire match use the same one.
I would guess the answer to your question would depend on what you plan on using it for? The match is designed to control muzzle rise better that the gen1 hellfire. It won’t control recoil any better to my knowledge. If you are using it for match shooting or ringing steel it will be better in that regard I would suspect. Area 419 has a lengthy video on YouTube and their website that explains the improvements/changes well.
I would guess the answer to your question would depend on what you plan on using it for? The match is designed to control muzzle rise better that the gen1 hellfire. It won’t control recoil any better to my knowledge. If you are using it for match shooting or ringing steel it will be better in that regard I would suspect. Area 419 has a lengthy video on YouTube and their website that explains the improvements/changes well.
Yeah, I should've mentioned I'm planning on using it on a Tikika CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor. PRS matches and recreational plinking, mainly. Honestly, I find the regular 3-port Hellfire very good. Just wondering if the Match was significantly better.
Before I posted this I did a search but couldn't find much. I'll try again.
EDIT: Nevermind. Found it.
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Just put a match on a 300 NM that I was having issues controlling. Very pleased with the results. My 14 year old was able to put 2 in the same hole his first time shooting this rifle.
Well, I went and bought one. They had them in stock at Brownell's. Hope to get it to the range tomorrow(Friday). Bringing a regular Hellfire to compare it to.
I realize that... my current barrel profile is Bartlien 3B. Limited options.
It looks nice. I wonder if it's true that the Match Sidewinder produces the same concussion as the regular Sidewinder.
It would be neat if someone got a sound meter and compared the Db of different brakes. I wonder if a higher Db to the shooter correlates with a greater reduction in recoil.
It would be neat if someone got a sound meter and compared the Db of different brakes. I wonder if a higher Db to the shooter correlates with a greater reduction in recoil.
Made it to the range this morning. As the photos show, the Hellfire Match is a bit longer and larger in diameter than its older brother, the original Hellfire.
How does it shoot? With this gun, a gas-gun from Palmetto State in 6.5 Creedmoor, it worked at least as well as the original.
By feel, I really couldn't tell much difference. I guess the real test will be when I do a comparison with my favorite bolt gun - a Tikka CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor.
Video on Rumble
How does it shoot? With this gun, a gas-gun from Palmetto State in 6.5 Creedmoor, it worked at least as well as the original.
By feel, I really couldn't tell much difference. I guess the real test will be when I do a comparison with my favorite bolt gun - a Tikka CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor.
Video on Rumble
Funny that you mention that! We have been doing some testing as of late with some interesting results that we will probably publish in the future. Long story short; recoil is a funny thing and a louder "bang" makes recoil feel worse, even if the shooter is physically experiencing less force to their shoulder. The perfect system is quiet to the shooter, but also vents enough gas rearwards to effectively reduce recoil (VERY VERY VERY hard to achieve and find the correct balance).
Anyways, we may have data for you sometime
- Josh
Not really. But it's a covered range so I have to be double-plugged (earplugs + muffs). Would like to shoot it in the open to better evaluate.
I'm interested in this. Did you compare your brake to your competitors?Funny that you mention that! We have been doing some testing as of late with some interesting results that we will probably publish in the future. Long story short; recoil is a funny thing and a louder "bang" makes recoil feel worse, even if the shooter is physically experiencing less force to their shoulder. The perfect system is quiet to the shooter, but also vents enough gas rearwards to effectively reduce recoil (VERY VERY VERY hard to achieve and find the correct balance).
Anyways, we may have data for you sometime
- Josh
I havent seen any brake manufacturer test their brakes against other companies with real data. The precision rifle blog did it years ago, but it's really outdated now. Everyone has really upped their game since then.
It looks like the MDT did the best in this test and didn't shake the guys camera like the Sidewinder.
Some interesting freeze-frame photos I snap-shotted from video I took at the range session. These are 3 different shots, all the first video frame where smoke appears from the muzzle.
I’ve tried both on a 6.5PRC and a 6 Creed. As shown above, the Match version is bigger and heavier. For recoil, it’s hard to say but my impression is that there is a slight reduction in recoil. It also seems that the Match version has less “jump.” The noise is different; I’m not sure if it is more or less, but with the Match version I feel like am behind a bubble of noise, not in the middle of it. Of course, this is all very subjective.
Are the adapters that these screw into the same? Is it larger on the Match model? If the same, easy enough to just swap a few out to test. When mine show up.
Yes, both Hellfires use the same adapter.Are the adapters that these screw into the same? Is it larger on the Match model? If the same, easy enough to just swap a few out to test. When mine show up.
Nice, that will make it easy to try them out on a few existing rifles I have. Even some back to back range tests.
Yep we did! Tried to keep things as un-biased as possible too
Very interesting results and lessons learned from the testing and like I said before, I hope that we can share this data with you guys in the future!Josh
It helps if you make it an NFA itemFunny that you mention that! We have been doing some testing as of late with some interesting results that we will probably publish in the future. Long story short; recoil is a funny thing and a louder "bang" makes recoil feel worse, even if the shooter is physically experiencing less force to their shoulder. The perfect system is quiet to the shooter, but also vents enough gas rearwards to effectively reduce recoil (VERY VERY VERY hard to achieve and find the correct balance).
Anyways, we may have data for you sometime
- Josh
- we did the same series of tests, and the Maverick was born. The Hellfire Match is an attempt to get as much of that accomplished as possible in a brake.
Got an email from 419 the other day that the Hellfire Match 6.5 was back in stock so I jumped on one, two uni adapters, and a TBAC Ultra mount.
Everything I have seen or handled from 419 has been totally top drawer.
Everything I have seen or handled from 419 has been totally top drawer.
Any chance you could pull both collar and brake OD measurements for the original and match?
