Abstract: A hydraulic recoil brake system for braking the recoil of a gun barrel during and after the firing traverse period. The system includes a hydraulic cylinder in which a hollow piston and piston rod are reciprocally mounted in the cylinder. The piston rod is connected to the gun barrel. A regulating throttling mandrel is fixedly mounted in the cylinder and axially extends into the hollow piston and hollow cylinder. The piston and cylinder are constructed and shaped in such a way that at least two flow passages F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 are defined. While the first flow passage F.sub.1 is present during the entire recoil movement the second flow passage F.sub.2 is present only during the firing traverse period. The second flow passage F.sub.2 extends from a first inner partial chamber disposed in front of the recoiling piston to a second partial inner chamber disposed behind the recoiling piston.