Adjustable Shrouded Brake

[daj]

Browning (BOSS), Que Industries and others have marketed combo barrel brake/tuners in the past. An adjustable shroud placed over the brake negates the brake but permits barrel tuning. Such a fitting could be handy for discipline swaps eg between PRS and F-Class. Does anyone know of the legalities of this arrangement under the SSRs?

[johnk]

If it doesn't have exposed ports, it's not a brake as I see it but if you want an absolute answer, it's the Rules Director's conundrum.

[daj]

Thanks John. That's how I see it.

[jasmay]

Be careful, that is starting to look/sound like what could be confused as a sound moderator or silencer, illegal here.

[daj]

Jasmay, I checked the Qld Police website before posting. The regs read: "......(h) a silencer or other device or contrivance made or used, or capable of being used, or intended to be used, for reducing the sound caused by discharging a firearm;"

"...reducing the sound...."????? hmmm. Where and by how many dB? In front of the muzzle? To the side? Behind the shooter? etc etc. A brake reduces the sound in front of the muzzle. Does that make it an "illegal" silencer? No. A bloop tube will "reduce the sound" by a measurable amount also. As you can see, the regs definition is pretty loose - but we all know what their intent is.

I'll take some SPL readings with and without the brake+shroud, and see what the difference is. A few dB plus or minus should not cause any concern given that an average moderator can reduce SPLs by 30dB or more.