I am thinking about putting a muzzle brake on my "social shot gun". It has an 18" barrel, and I am thinking about Pro Porting the barrel, but I wonder if there is a better system. Pro Port is good enough for very fancy trap and skeet guns, but I wonder if there is something better, like having the barrel threaded like you do for choke tubes or even something I have no idea about. I know this is not the usual talk for this forum, but this is where I feel comfortable posting and I have used the forum for years and you guys are the best.

Thanks,

Dwight

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Veritas et Humanitas

Dwight, my limited experience with porting and muzzle brakes is that they work to a degree but increase the blast and noise. I would just as soon feel the recoil as have my ears ringing.

Muzzle brake's not worth it for social work. What you gain in some recoil reduction, you lose in increased flash and percussion -- both of which are already going to be an issue for close quarters in the likeliest of scenarios, i.e., indoors and low-light.

Chokes are for keeping a tighter pattern at distance. Again, for social work, how far are you expecting to have to shoot? A cylinder bore expands 00 buck at roughly one inch per yard. Think about that; we're talking two feet of expansion -- about the size of a large pizza box -- at 25 yards. Do you really need to choke that? If so, is it really self defense at that distance?

A basic, quality shotgun with an 18.5" barrel; intelligently chosen defense ammo; a good defensive shotgun course; ongoing practice -- these are what you should spend your money on.

Options: a sling; mounted flashlight; mounted ammo holder.

One man's opinion.

Exactly right.

Porting can help with muzzle rise, if that's an issue, but it will increase the flash. Muzzle brakes will help with recoil, but they make the gun louder. Percussion, as Hapworth said, is right- you'll feel it from the brake.
For a social shotgun, I'd skip both, and get a really nice stock for it. If you don't already have one, a butt with a pistol grip is a huge help to controlling a shotgun (Speedfeed is one of my faves- built solid).

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Taste the wares, Email.

If you ever go to the Reno rifle range that has a metal roof, you will notice that there is always a table or two empty next to the guy that has a muzzle brake on his 30 Mag rifle !!

Same goes for a shotgun and PLEASE don't have one put on or done to your shotgun if you shoot over a hunting dog !!

They don't wear ear plugs.....................