Spotter Up team recently got some trigger time with the new muzzle brake from ZRODelta, the Cowl Induction Brake (CIB) Gen 2, and came away pretty impressed with its ability to reduce muzzle rise and keep the gun on target easily, even compared to some of the best muzzle brakes on the market. The ZRODelta CIB Gen 2 has 4 ports on each side and is designed with two flat wrench surfaces along most of its top and bottom length for ease of installation.

Here are the features and specs directly from the ZRODelta website:

Features/Benefits –

• Our proprietary design allows for the most effective recoil reduction on most calibers (.223 up to .308)
• Better recoil reduction by up to 72%
• New slim design that is under 1″ diameter
• Tapered ports for a sleek, blended look
• Caliber specific brakes provide maximum performance
• Horizontal ports help to create a minimal ground signature to keep dirt and debris away from shooter
• Better on target and follow-up shots due to less rifle movement
• Rifle movement reduction allows for shooter to watch target penetration
• Flats to allow the attachment to barrels with standard wrenches
• Matte black nitride coating standard, and Cerakote colors are available
• Includes shim set

Specs –

• Weight: 0.35 lb.
• Material: 4140 Alloy steel
• Outer diameter 0.88” on thread end and 0.99″ on exit end
• Length: 2.86”
• Shim thicknesses: 1-.002, 1-.003, 1-.004, 1-.008, 1-.010, 1-.015
• *NOTE: Requires barrel to have a shoulder behind the threads to properly time the brake. Thread adapter use is not recommended or supported, and will void warranty
  
• Color: Black nitride. Cerakote colors are available for an additional $20.00 charge
• Caliber and Thread Pitches Below:
• 6.5mm — 5/8″-24 TPI
• 5.56mm/.223 — 1/2″-28 TPI
• .300-.308 — 5/8″-24 TPI

Installing the brake on my competition rifle was straightforward. The brake comes with a set of shims of different thicknesses so you can properly time your brake to your barrel. Being able to use any crescent wrench along the length of the brake was a nice design feature as well.

Shooting Review

I have tried and used in competition several of the most popular muzzle brakes on the market, including offerings from Surefire, Lantac, HIPERFIRE, VG6, Ferfrans, Bravo Company, and others. I believe they all work well at what they are intended for, which in the case of true muzzle brakes is to reduce the amount of muzzle rise and keep the sights on target for fast follow up shots and rapid strings of fire. In my opinion, these muzzle devices belong pretty squarely on competition rifles, as the advantages are obvious in a race against the clock, but are outweighed by the disadvantages present in a tactical, law enforcement or duty situation. The disadvantages being a decrease in FPS, and an increase in loudness, flash and concussion to those nearby such as your teammates, ESPECIALLY if used indoors. This is debatable obviously, especially if you are talking about a single person using the rifle for self defense, however that discussion is beyond the scope of this review.

Based on my previous experience with muzzle brakes in competition, the ZRODelta CIB Gen 2 works at least as well as the best of its competitors, and possibly is the flattest shooting muzzle brake i have personally used. You can see some close up video and slow motion footage below of myself and some teammates testing the brake at Panthera Training Center in WV.

I have to caveat the claim of the ZRODelta brake being possibly the best with the fact that all quality muzzle brakes work well, and the differences in performance between the best ones in the hands of someone with decent recoil management skills is almost negligible, although it is noticeable. As you can see in the video above, the muzzle is barely moving at all, and the sights stay on target very well. I will admit that the effort it took to keep the gun on target using this brake seemed to be slightly less than with other brakes, hence my claim that this may be the best brake i have used.

Final Thoughts and Rating:

Overall i think this is a very effective muzzle brake and it is well engineered to give a competitive advantage to anyone who uses it, and i will be keeping this brake on my competition rifle for now. However its cost ($199) is significantly higher than similar brakes on the market which also work very well. So the question is whether or not the amount of performance increase is on par with the price increase, to which i would say that no it is not. You can buy very good performing muzzle brakes for around $125 that perform very close to as well as the ZRODelta CIB Gen 2. However if you aren’t concerned about your gun budget, and you simply want the best performing brake on the market, then the ZRODelta CIB Gen 2 should definitely be on your short list of muzzle brakes.

Cost: 3
Comfort (if applicable): NA
Durability: 5
Functionality: 5
Weight: 5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5

The scale is defined as:

Poor/unacceptable (1): Worse than expected, or desirable; of a low or inferior standard or quality.
Fair (2): In conformity with reasonable expectations, but in comparison to competitors is may be deficient
Average (3): Common item; item neither lacks from or is superior than a competitors item.
Good (4): The item is desirable and has qualities that excel in comparison to a competitors item
Excellent (5): Outstanding, possesses superior quality; remarkably good

Material Disclosure

I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer via Spotter Up so I could test it and give my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give this product a good review. All opinions are my own and are based off my personal experience with the product.

*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.

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