the blockage in the barrel of the gun will cause increase of pressure in the barrel which in the worst case scenario will burst the pressure increase may also result in a fire plume striking the marksman 39 s face the function of the muzzle guard is partly to prevent foreign matter from entering the barrel and partly to prevent injurious pressure from building up for this function the bottom 150 of the impact protector 1 a is generally formed as a membrane the membrane is of lesser thickness than the remaining material of the impact protector the thickness of the membrane is selected such that the membrane ruptures before harmful pressure has built up in the barrel if a shot is fired by mistake with the muzzle guard mounted in place the intention is naturally to remove the impact protector before the gun is fired in which event the impact protector can be hung on the bracket 2 as shown in fig2 in certain embodiments indications of fracture are provided in the form of grooves and in others the membrane is of a thickness which decreases towards its centre the bracket 2 which is included in the embodiment of the impact protection device 1 shown.