Building a rifle from parts is a rewarding process, chiefly because it gives you the ability to customize literally every aspect of performance along the way.
Many choose the .308 Winchester as the cartridge around which they build their AR platforms. It’s powerful, easy to find and relatively affordable, and carries a lot of ballistic energy, especially when compared alongside the arguably more popular .223 Remington or 5.56 NATO.
But that power comes at a price, in accordance with Newton’s Third Law. For all of the force that travels out of the barrel in the bullet, there is an equal reaction rearward – recoil.
Shooters are in a constant war of attrition with recoil, and luckily, direct gas impingement siphons off some of that force to cycle the BCG. Recoil is not as severe in these autoloaders as it is in repeaters – but is there anything more you can do to put a muzzle (pun intended) on the recoil of the .308 Winchester?
Let’s Talk .308 Ballistics
The force carried by a .308 bullet at the muzzle will vary according to the weight of the bullet and the propellant charge. These same factors will affect .223 or 5.56 as well.
But here’s what really stings – almost literally – a side-by-side comparison between them.
Accounting for the fact that loads affect felt recoil, you can still expect a range between somewhere around 4 and 5 foot/pounds of force at the muzzle from a round of .223 or 5.56. Anyone who’s ever shot one will tell you that recoil is light at worst; that’s one of the most attractive things about those cartridges.
Comparing the .308’s ballistic performance at the muzzle is a sharp wake-up call for recoil-sensitive shooters. Again, performance will vary according to load, but you can still expect force ratings of anywhere between 20 and 24 foot/pounds. Even on the low end, that’s 4 times higher than .223, and it could be higher.
In short, the .308 produces significantly more felt recoil than the .223, but you may be able to tack something onto your .308 upper during the process to help with that – a muzzle brake.
How a Muzzle Brake Improves the Shooting Experience
A muzzle brake is actually a fairly simple device that is generally threaded onto the end of a rifle’s muzzle. They contain a series of ports that direct gas out the sides of the muzzle instead of porting all of it out at the front.
This gives the gas – and the force it carries – somewhere else to go instead of straight back into your shoulder. It doesn’t eliminate recoil, but it does significantly diminish it, allowing shooters to capitalize on the ballistic advantage of more powerful loads without having to suck up the recoil.
You wouldn’t forget a high-quality bolt carrier group or a charging handle with your build kit or with your complete upper assembly – don’t miss the chance to throw a muzzle brake into the mix and cut back on recoil as a result.
Visit 5D Tactical for a Complete .308 Upper
Thinking about building your rifle with a .308 upper receiver and making a muzzle brake a part of the build? You can get both of them – and lower receiver blanks and jig kits – over at 5D Tactical at 5DTactical.com.
Check out their website and get in touch with them directly if you have any questions about their products or the process. You can reach them at 508-834-4223 or at Sales@5DTactical.com.