Ruger Muzzle-Brake Fixed Blade Knife by CRKT ~ Review

by Jim and Mary Clary
Another knife review from the Clays. Which one of them will win out, keeping the Ruger Muzzle-Brake Fixed Blade Knife in their collection?

USA -(Ammoland.com)- There are a lot of “chopper-camp” knives on the market. They all have one thing in common, they are big. Most of these blades rely on their size and shape to appeal to the buyer. As such, the majority use pretty cheap steel in their construction. This is also a common problem with the majority of the machetes on the market.

When Ruger decided to add hunting knives to their brand, they did not make the same mistake that other firearms companies made: Mass produced throw-away knives with cheap steel. Ruger insisted on decent steel in their knives and utilized a well-known manufacturer (CRKT) for their production.

The result…. good knives at an affordable price. In fact, CRKT went one step further. They enlisted the design skills of several well known bladesmiths including: Ken Steigerwalt, Bill Harsey, Robert Carter, Matthew Lerch, Ken Onion and Ryan Johnson.

Ruger Muzzle-Brake Fixed Blade Knife

When we saw the Ruger Muzzle-Brake Fixed Blade Knife at the 2017 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Mary immediately recognized it as a “Ken Onion design”. Although she has never met him, she has been a fan of his blades ever since using his Skinner (CRKT #K700KXP) four years ago. Whenever we have an opportunity to test knives, she always wants to add Ken’s knives to her collection.

Ken’s blades almost always have a high hollow grind, and once you see one of his blades, you will be able to recognize his “angles” and style in every knife that he puts out. The Muzzle-Brake is no exception. This is a very well balanced camp knife.

It is large enough for “chopper duty” around your camp, but not so large that you couldn’t use it to dress out an elk or deer. Based on a modified Bowie design, it has a blood groove, not sure why that is necessary on a hunting knife, but it is a nice touch.

When 8Cr13MoV stainless steel is properly heat treated (HRC 58-59), it is tough, corrosion resistant and holds a good edge. It is approximately equivalent to Japanese AUS-8 stainless steel and is easy to re-sharpen when needed.

The Ruger Muzzle-Brake Fixed Blade Knife comes with a DOTS sheath and belt attachment. The DOTS system is the toughest and most reliable on the market for attaching a blade to your backpack, a MOLLE loop or your belt.

And yes, the knife is now part of Mary’s collection.

Ruger Muzzle-Brake Fixed Blade Knife Features & Specifications:

• Model number: Muzzle-Brake (R2501K)
• Designer: Ken Onion
• Type: Hunter/chopper camp knife
• Blade type: Clip point, hollow ground w blood groove
• Traditional Bowie design
• Blade length: 7.50 inches
• Blade width: 1.50 inches
• Blade thickness: 0.187 inches
• Blade material: 8Cr13MoV
• Hardness: 58-59 HRC
• Edge: Plain
• Sheath: Injection molded nylon
• Handle: Glass Filled Nylon – full tang
• Overall length: 12.0 inches
• Weight: 11.1 ounces
• Country of origin: China
• 2017 MSRP: $99.99 ( much cheaper online )

I am not sure whether my bride will let me take this one into the mountains, as I have a tendency to misplace things… call those times, “Senior Moments”. So, I’ll probably have to order a second one for myself.

As we expected, Ken and CRKT have produced a good blade, worthy of the Ruger name, that will be invaluable around any camp.

About Jim and Mary Clary:

Jim and Mary Clary have co-authored over three hundred and fifty articles, (and counting) on shooting and hunting. You can read many of them on AmmoLand News.

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