[West O'5]

EXTREME difference in noise!!
I have an XCR-L 5.56 comes standard with flash hider.
I decided to put a MB on it cuz that's what all the tacticool kids do.🙄
First day out with the new MB installed,I put a few mags through it wearing muffs,then took a smoke break and reload a few mags.
Got set up to shoot again....realized I didn't have my muffs on and thought..."oh well,I don't intend to wear muffs when I'm coyote hunting...how loud can it be?".....BANG!!
BIG MISTAKE!! I nearly blew my left ear drum I'm sure(right handed shooter)
I was deaf in my left ear for better part of the next hour,very painful ringing that continued well into the night,and still some discomfort following day.
NEVER AGAIN WILL I SHOOT A BRAKED RIFLE WITHOUT MUFFS!!
And that was a lil 5.56,I can't imagine a .300WinMag!!
Mind you....I was in fact shooting off of a bag set up on front rack of my quad,so perhaps the quad deflected excessive shock waves back at my left ear vs. say shooting in a wide open space,I dunno,but I have no desire to test the theory?
FWIW,prior to that day I had fired hundreds of rounds with flash hider installed and ZERO ear protection both hunting scenarios and plinking without muffs on many occasions no ear protection and no ill effects.ONE single unprotected shot fired with muzzle brake was more then enough for me to learn lesson.....not fun and more then a bit scary,probably did some permanent damage I'm sure.