Your Thoughts & Opinions On Handgun Porting

[QKShooter]

There was obviously some keen interest in the topic of ported firearms as related to Self~Defense firearms.
We had members who wanted to voice their comment and personal opinion concerning the possible merits and disadvantages of handgun barrel porting for both (Revolver & Semi~Auto) ~
Please post those comments and opinions here.

Another member does have a thread open with porting questions but, please stay on topic to that thread as per my notation in that thread.

Those who have posted off topic comments in that thread please feel free to post them here in this one.

Your thoughts on ported handguns? Have at it here.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bud White]

heres mine from the other thread

Mag na port is about the best but I will say unless it is a high pressure round it dosen't help a lot.
The 44 Colt Anaconda I have I barely notice a difference. It's magna ported.

But now the 629 Carry Comp I have it works very well. Came with a big port on it. I would go with at least With a Quad port from mag na port on handgun, The Double don't do much.

I have shot my 44 in low light and dont see a lot more muzzle flash than any other no ported gun

On a Rifle i will tell you it makes a heck of a difference not so much from the ones i have used on a pistol or Wheelie

[P95Carry]

I am too mean to pay out as an experiment!! Ergo - I can live without it!

My Raging Bull has a compensator on barrel - integral, so not quite porting as per a special job ........ hard to say if that does much with .454 but it sure lets out some flame ... mind you as per my fave muzzle flash pic - flame belches out of every other area too!

[Bud White]

forgot to add as chris brought up the porting or comp as comes on the xframe 460 and 500 work excellent way better than my mag na ported 44

[HotGuns]

I am not an advocate of ported guns for defensive use,especially for new shooters and here are my reasons why...

They are loud...very loud...to the point of being distracting when practicing.

Depending on the mode of carry, those ports can and will fill up with crud. While usually not a problem because they will get cleaned out when firing, that crud flys up and around and is another distraction.

On pistol barrel lengths that are popular for concealed carry, the barrels are short enough that they will be some unburned powder and residue that will fly up into the face. Getting powder into the eye stings and if left in the eye for any amount of time it will scratch the lens and make the eye very irratated. After awhile, it'll feel like a 2x4 is stuck in your eye. Not good.

In the house at night, you might get by with a little muzzle flash when you have to shoot. If you've got a ported firearm and you shoot, you just lit up yourself and the whole area that you are standing in. Any combat vet that has ever engaged the enemy at night time knows that often the only thing you see is the muzzle flash from his gun and that it what you are shooting at.

If you feel like you need porting on your personal firearm to control the muzzle flip, you need to consider going to a firearm that you can control in rapid fire.

When shooting from a barricade or cover, such as a door frame, window opening or even shooting besides a telephone pole, the blast from the ports can deflect more stuff and redirect the gas right into your face.

Now, I do understand that they do have their uses...I have several myself. On a hard kicking magnum, they Will allow a faster second shot...but if its a "good" shot, you shouldn't need another.

If you are competing, IDPA, IPSC or just shooting steel plates at the local club, then more than likely you will be wearing eye and ear protection so that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. On the other hand, if you are carrying concealed and get into a situation where you must shoot for your life, then you probably wont be wearing eye or ear protection and if the first shot puts something into your eye, when you need it the most, it could be the last problem you have to worry about.

On the other hand, even though I would not recommend a ported firearm for self defense, if you are aware of the advantages and disadvantages and decide that its what you want, I have no problems with that as it is just one of many decisions that you must make when deciding to carry.Its your decision...just make sure that thats what you want.

[QKShooter]

My only experience with a ported revolver was with a S&W BodyGuard J~Frame.

I had it done a long time ago. I originally sent it to Mag Na Port for an Action Tune Job & their version of Internal & External hard chrome.

They did that (action tuning) back then & that was before I learned how to do my own revolver tuning.

Mag Na Port called me up on the phone and (I think) asked me about chamfering the cylinders before they did the plating & it was at that time (pretty sure) that I told them to go ahead with the porting. We are going back years here folks...a few more than a few more than a couple.

They did a beautiful job.
I really did not notice anything more than a slight reduction in felt recoil.
Maybe a slight difference in recoil impulse is more like it???
I am not really recoil sensitive anyway...so maybe I'm not the perfect person to be the judge on that. I did not see any incredible advantage or increase in speed shot to shot...but, that is my gut impression and not scientific.

I did notice that when point shooting from close in and right out of leather I would sporadically get some hot particulate blowing in from under my shooting glasses. It did not happen every time but enough that I was slightly concerned about it.

I ended up trading back that BodyGuard. It was purchased by a Pittsburgh City Detective who did end a BG life with it. I found that out later on. He clipped a Drug Dealer in the noggin with it. Good shot!

On the plus side I WOULD suggest that anybody that wants the absolute SMOOTHEST shooting wheel gun have the innards chromed.

That WAS the slickest revolver that I ever shot bar none.

I am not sure what process they used...it was Armoloy or Metaloy (not sure) but, whatever process it was it was not a high build chrome...more in the metal rather than a surface finish - on it like bright chrome.

[HotGuns]

I think that on some guns porting does little good. On other guns with high intensity cartridges and longer barrels it make more difference.

I once shot two identical Dan Wessons .44 mags that a friend of mine used for silhouette shooting...identical in all aspects except that one was ported. Both had the 8" heavy vent ribbed barrels and there was quite a difference on the ported one and the way that it shot.

It made a handful of gun almost pleasant to shoot.

On a shorter barrel with an mediocre caliber such as a 9MM, I dont think the advantage outweighs the disadvantage.

[SIXTO]

I remember stirring it up a little last time this topic came up.

In addition to all the other reasons not to port a defensive gun, my thought is if you need to port a handgun, you dont shoot well enough to take advantage of the small amount of performance gain porting provides. The disadvantages well out weigh the advantages.

The snub nose .357's and larger do gain the most from porting, but I still would never port a carry gun.

[QKShooter]

SIXTO
That's OK you can stir it up on the topic of porting. No problem.

I'm limited on ported handguns though I've shot .45s with compensator's on them but, not sure how much small advantage was due to the gaping gas exit holes or just hanging the extra weight out in front of the pistol.

My Up or Down vote an a .38special ported "J" snubbie would be not worth any negligible advantage with some possible real world defensive disadvantages.

[Gunnutty]

I'll be the odd man out. I have a Colt Delta Elite 10mm that is ported. I've shot them without porting and the recoil wasn't to bad. Then I purchased this one and really enjoy the difference. It is loud and there is more muzzle flash I agree with you guys there.
Did I 'NEED' the porting ? Probably not. I was shooting the non ported Colt pretty well. But I can tell a difference.
I do carry this gun not every day but quite often.
Your point on particulate in the eyes is a good one. Have had no problems with that yet, but can see where it would be possible.

[HotGuns]

A 10MM. That would be considered an "intense" caliber I think...

you must be a man of good taste !

[Catalina]

Shot a Springfield Armory Champion "V10" vented. Thing breathed fire & was loud. Couldn't imagine shooting it anywhere but outside in the daylight.

[QKShooter]

I did see a Mag Na Port .22 Long Rifle S&W Model 41
That's right a MagNaPort .22LR

I can't imagine EDMing through that much metal and making such a smooth clean flawless port. But, they did it.
The EDM process is pretty doggone amazing.

The actual porting job was magnificent but, that was real specialty rimfire target pistol.

I didn't get to shoot it but, got permission to pull the trigger on it twice.
An extremely LIGHT trigger.
Way too light for me and my powerful mutton~chop mitts.

[HotGuns]

EDMing beats the heck out of milling or drilling holes. With the latter, you've got burrs in the bore to worry about.

There will be no burr with EDM and you can machine an electrode in any shape you desire to use.

[lowflyer]

I'm anti-porting. I have no good reason. I just don't think it is necessary. It doesn't satisfy my basic cost/benefit requirement for justifying a modification.