Magnaported Semiautomatic Pistols - Opinions Sought

[Anthony]

Hello Everyone,

Magnaport International has offered their porting service milled "through the slide" of semiautomatic pistols for many years. In that time I have only read scattered reports of its effectiveness with one report saying that the conversion has a tendency to create a build up of powder residue between the slide and the barrel after about 100 to 200 rounds causing the slide to drag and the pistol to malfunction.

While I was at SHOT earlier this year I had the chance to talk with the owner and a gunsmith of Magnaport International and asked them about this problem directly. They answered that they did not have any such problems with the conversion anymore.

Has anyone on the board had their semiautomatic pistol so modified by Magnaport International?

If yes, did you experience this or any other problem?

Is it a good conversion?

Thank you for your input.

- Anthony

P.S. Please do not let this deteriorate into a "ported versus non-ported" handgun debate. I already own defensive revolvers ported by Magnaport International and am fine with the concept.

 

[10-Ring]

If you're happy w/ the work on your revo's you should be at least satisfied w/ the work if done to your semi's.

 

[Anthony]

Come on guys (and gals)...no one owns an auto like this???

- Anthony

 

[ambidextrous1]

Doesn't Springfiedl make a ported version of their Ultra Compact?

 

[Anthony]

Yes, Springfield does, but that does not help me.

I have a specific gun that is no longer made that I would like to have Magnaported...specifically a Smith & Wesson 1006 in 10mm Auto.

Also, the type of porting Springfield uses is very different from the one Magnaport uses.

- Anthony

 

[10-Ring]

I have only shot one handgun that was actually magnaported. It did nothing for the gun except maybe slow down the bullet. Really up to the shooter, if you find value in it, it'll prolly be worth while.

 

[AZ Jeff]

Porting effectiveness is highly dependent on the cartridge being fired out of the barrel. This is because the ports direct gas upward to lessen muzzle jump, and the more gas pressure available, the more effective the gas jetting can be.

For low pressure rounds like .45ACP, .38spl, etc, the port effectiveness is marginal. For high pressure rounds like .38 Super, 10mm, etc, the results can be quite effective.

There is a downside to porting--if the pistol is held in any position such that the ports are below the shooter (like a close-in, waist-high, weapon retention position), the shooter gets to feel the results of the ports on his face--NOT pleasant.

Also, most porting jobs that port thru the barrel wall, and then thru matching slots in the slide, deposit crud on the outside of the barrel in proximity to the ports, necessitating thorough cleaning of the OUTSIDE of the barrel as well as the inside.

BTW--most porting jobs have NEGLIGIBLE impact on bullet muzzel velocity. This has been measured numerous times on various ported pistols, and velocity loss is usually less than 2%.

 

[makdaddy03]

I have two revolvers with ported barrels. The ports work wonderful, really tames the recoil in both the 357 mag and the 44 mag. I could see where there might be a problem in a semi auto. but, I figure if you keep it clean then you have no worry. Good Luck.

Now you have me wanting a ported semi.

 

[HankB]

I have a Mag-Na-Ported rifle, and found the porting to be worthwhile - though not quite as effective as the screw-on muzzle brakes, it doesn't priduce the ear-shattering backblast, either.

I've fired a .44 mag revolver which was ported, and the relative reduction in recoil didn't seem nearly as obvious as on the rifle. Handguns seem to benefit more from the "compensator" type muzzle brakes - probably a case of powder/bullet ratio and pressure at the muzzle.

It seems reasonable that semis MagNaPorted through the slide gum up faster. More importantly, I've also heard (second hand, third hand, or whatever) that handguns with relatively thin barrel walls should not be fired with lead bullets at high speed, as the softer lead will slightly extrude into the ports and eventually lead to splitting of the barrel.

 

[Futo Inu]

Sorry, can't help. I had a barrel on a pistol magnaported once, for a Glock 29, but it wasn't "through the slide", since it was a custom Bar-sto extended length barrel. It seems to work nicely, though.