How does barrel porting affect a Glock?

[Texasred]

I plan to order a Glock 21 soon enough but would really like to get the barrel ported simply to gain the supposed benefits?

But looking closely it seems that the more exposure might seem to get the gun dirtier quicker or affect reliability or durability. Does anyone have any first hand longterm experience with this modification before I blow my money.

What about any other handguns in general?(XDs, 1911s, revolvers?)

thanks fellas

 

[C-grunt]

I personaly dont like it at all. I have fired one once and the blast coming out of the top bothered me.

 

[RON in PA]

Glock makes a compensated version of the G21 (G21C) as well as most of their other models.

I have a G19C and like it very much, less muzzle flip and quicker recovery time. The front sight does get dirty so you need to wipe it down after a while if the whiteness of the white dot is important to you.

Should not affect longevity in the least.

Do not believe BS about flash affecting vision during low light conditions, the flash from the cylinder gap of revolvers is worse. The C models are loader so make sure your hearing protection is good.

 

[makarovnik]

Probably doesn't

I'm not sure it helps all that much. With my limited experience with Glocks I've noticed that they tend to twist my wrist (especially the .40S&W). While the porting will help with muzzle flip I'm not sure it will help with recoil or twisting. Who wants a big flame coming out of the top of the muzzle when you're ytrying to re-aquire your target/sight picture? Not for me.

 

[Ala Dan]

I don't care for ported guns, period. As stated, they will quickly ruin your
hearing if proper protection is not worn.

 

[PzGren]

I got a 4 hole comp barrel for a Glock 34 for laughs and giggles and got a 20% time reduction shooting double taps at three 8" paper plates at 7 yards. We tried that with a timer with three different experienced shooters with about the same results.
In general higher pressure loads will work better in a comped gun, the .45 is rather a low pressure round.

Depending on the powder, if it has flash suppressants or not and its burning rate, you do not need to have a fireball over the barrel. My .357 SIG loads have much more muzzle blast with a slow burning magnum powder than the 9mm from the comped barrel with a 122gr bullet and a relatively fast powder.

The noise is more of a problem since the noise is not going forward and away from the shooter, pretty much as bad as the flash hider in a Hakim or the AK47 brake. You will have a slightly reduced velocity but accuracy is about the same.

If you get a G21C, you can always put a non comped barrel in that sells for $99 at Glockparts.com.

 

[stevelyn]

For range work or competition, ported/compensated guns are great even if they're louder. Muzzle flash isn't much of a factor here either.

However, for CCW/HD/SD they suck. If you ever have to shoot from a close-in retention position any piece of clothing or hide that's in front of the ports/compensator is going to get cooked by the jet of hot gas. Flsh nowadays is more dependent on ammunition and weather the powder has been treated to reduce flash.

 

[10-Ring]

I'm not a fan of ported guns...had one once & got rid of it. Maybe as a racegun, it might have a competitive edge, but in most other applications, no thanks. As for the Glocks, I found the "C" versions tended to shoot a bit low compared to other non-ported guns