Black Warrior?... John Masen

[RustyJames]

After reading a number of previous posts about the benefits of added the Black Warrior (double?) Muzzle Brake I ordered one from Cheaperthandirt.com (Catalogue number: RGR-050 see link below)

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd/product...E8PAJ5PQDW2BPB8 (http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd/product.asp?sku=RGR%2D050&thru=fr&mscssid=KPAGLNUL9GFH9PD6WE8PAJ5PQDW2BPB8)

My initial concern was that the picture provided by the internet displayed a blued rather than SS so I called up customer service who stated that the picture was wrong and even though Black Warrior didn't have the Mfg. # provided by Cheaperthan... I was assured I would receive the right part.

Turns out I received a muzzle brake from John Masen (the John Masen card included in the package was the tip):

http://www.johnmasen.com/Merchant2/merchan...tegory_Code=RMA (http://www.johnmasen.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=J&Product_Code=FFM1&Category_Code=RMA)

Upon calling customer service again, their tech service was unavailable (leaves at 4PM CST... wish I had his hours!) and they were unable to help me. So I'm wondering, have any of you who ordered from Cheaperthan.. actually received the muzzle from Black Warrior? Any opinions on the John Masen Muzzle brake?

(I have emailed tech support at Cheaperthan... and am awaiting a reply).

[reloader]

From my previous surfing around looking at that very issue I would make the following assumption. I believe Black Warrior is the name of the line of products produced by John Masen and sold at a discount (volume buying) by Cheaper Than Dirt.
Help any?

[Savary]

They are the same thing as far as I can tell.
I wouldn't get worked up about it.
Let us know if your groups get any better.

[RustyJames]

I heard back from Tech support and there's a mistake in the labeling of the product. Thanks for the replies. I'll post y'all when I shoot this weekend (weather permitting)

[Varmint Vaporizer]

RustyJames,

Did you know that Cheaper Than Dirt is located in Ft. Worth, TX?

I had the same experience with the double brake I ordered from cheaperthandirt. I'm curious: did tech support say the package you received was mis-labeled or that the web site had it mis-labeled?

On the website, when you click on the RGR 050 the photo is wrong. If you look at the photo on the web site for the blued double brake, both the ss and blued versions are shown in the photo. They look exactly like the ss one I received though it had John Masen on the package.

I was wondering if it was actually a double brake or a flash suppressor. It was my understanding that a brake would have an inner bore approximately the same size as the barrel inner bore while a flash suppressor will have an inner bore quite larger than the barrel bore. Obviously, the RGR 050 has a bore much larger than the inner bore of the barrel. Any experts out there that can clear this up for me?


V.V.

[smokey]

I've owned my mini for about 15 years. recently I bought the muzzle brake that you are reffering to from cheaper than dirt. The transaction went like this: I ordered it , they sent it, I received it. (about a week) I live in Michigan. I test fired it, and the results were just about like everything I read. it went from 7-8 inch@100 to approx 3-4inch@100 with handloads. not amazing accuracy but a definite improvement. I learned that if I want to use it as a 200yd coyote rifle I'll have to opt for the $500 bull barrell. one other thing, it did improve the 50yd accuracy to approx 3/4 ":sniper:

[RustyJames]

Got to go out to the range and found vast improvements in my accuracy. About 4-5 inches for my groups, but I think i can get a little better with more practice. I was even able to poke holes (not shatter) in the trap clays that were laying around at about 110 yards, but most did shatter... which was also alot of fun!

[John Wagner]

I have one of those John Masen double muzzlebrakes too (ordered it directly from Masen). And I wonder if any of you other guys who're using them find that yours didn't fit as tightly as it could. After I drove in the new roll pin that comes with the brake, I noticed that if you grabbed the brake by the tip and moved it up and down, it would wobble very, very slightly. It seemed to me that this would reduce its effectiveness in damping barrel harmonics, so I drove thin strips of brass shim stock (from an auto parts supply store) between the brake and the sight base to which it fastens. It's solid now, but I've been wondering if anyone else had the same problem.

[John Wagner]

Originally posted by Varmint Vaporizer
RustyJames,

[snip]

I was wondering if it was actually a double brake or a flash suppressor. It was my understanding that a brake would have an inner bore approximately the same size as the barrel inner bore while a flash suppressor will have an inner bore quite larger than the barrel bore. Obviously, the RGR 050 has a bore much larger than the inner bore of the barrel. Any experts out there that can clear this up for me?


V.V.

I don't know the answer to your question, and I sure don't claim to be an expert. But on another forum, I've read that the real value of the Masen double muzzlebrake has nothing to do with any muzzlebrake (upward venting) action at all. What I read there was that what it actually does is reduce barrel harmonics in the Mini-14. And being as it's a pretty long and heavy chunk of metal, it's more effective than other, shorter muzzlebrakes. It seems reasonable to me, since, as you say, it doesn't look as though the actual muzzlebrake effect would be very strong with the bore being so much larger than the actual barrel bore.

[Satan2655]

Originally posted by John Wagner
I noticed that if you grabbed the brake by the tip and moved it up and down, it would wobble very, very slightly. It seemed to me that this would reduce its effectiveness in damping barrel harmonics, so I drove thin strips of brass shim stock (from an auto parts supply store) between the brake and the sight base to which it fastens. It's solid now, but I've been wondering if anyone else had the same problem.

Yes, I have the same 'problem'. However, the play in the brake doesn't seem to hinder any functioning. Perhaps, if I shim it the same way, I might get even more improvement in my pattern?

[cajungeo]

I ordered the same alleged double muzzle brake you guys ordered, the catalog said, mfg. Black Warrior, while Cheaper Than Dirt is an outlet. My package didn't refer to John Mason, but that dosen't mean that co. didn't make it either. Mine fit snug with no slop, probably because of my lumpy barrel, the lumps take out the slop. Did you guys look at the first brake set? (the 6 holes) My barrel blocks 2 and 1/2 of the 2nd set of holes, leaving only 2 and 1/2 of 2 holes to vent. Would that make it a one and a half muzzle brake? The vents on my Taurus pistol are called a compensator. The end is larger than the bore on the inside. It vents gas upward to reduce recoil. The one we have on our mini should work the same. Has anyone ever fired their mini with the brake on at night to see if it also reduces flash?

[Satan2655]

I have fired mine in late dusk, but not 'dark'. It does reduce the muzzle flash appreciably, but I could still see the flash in the bottom eighth of my scope circle. In dark, that flash might be just enough to ruin my night vision.

[cajungeo]

Am I wrong, if ya had a couple- three more slots on the bottom of the front set, would it then be a flash suppresser? If it would be then you could call it a 1/2 brake / flash suppresser.