To port or not to port? that is the question.

[btefft]

To port or not to port? that is the question.

I was wondering what your opinions about porting the barrel of a handgun were. The gun I'm thinking about porting is my "wife's" Ruger SP 101 (it's really mine, but she thinks its her's). I have two SP 101s, neither are ported.

1- Have you ever shot a ported handgun?

2- Does it really make the gun more manageable?

3- Did the "blow-back" from the ports constitute a problem?

4- Do you have any ported handguns?

5- If you have ever ported a handgun, are you glad or sad that you did it?

Hack

 

[oneounceload]

porting makes a nice big flash and a lot of noise - like holding an M-80 in your hand when it goes off....otherwise I'll pass

 

[john44402]

1. Yep

2. Slightly less muzzle flip, but recoil seems the same.

3. No blow back.

4. Yep, Smith 629 Power Port.

5. Bought it ported.

 

[presspuller]

Its your gun and you can do what you want but I would not waste the time or the money or the gun having it done.
As has been said it makes it LOUDER and more flash.
My thinking is if you need the porting to help control the gun then get a smaller gun.
But its your gun and your money so let us know how you like it if you have it done.

 

[Japle]

1- Have you ever shot a ported handgun?
Sure. I had a ported .44 AutoMag. For hunting, it was great.
I have a ported .45 Witness. I swapped the barrel for a non-ported one. Why? See below.

2- Does it really make the gun more manageable?
Yes. I shot my Witness next to an identical unported gun. There was a noticable difference in muzzle rise.

3- Did the "blow-back" from the ports constitute a problem?
Ports on a combat/self defense gun are a mistake. When you fire from a retention position, all that gas and unburned powder (there's always some unburned powder) hits your eyes. Bad. Very bad.

4- Do you have any ported handguns?
Still got the Witness, but it's no longer ported.

5- If you have ever ported a handgun, are you glad or sad that you did it?
.44 AutoMag - glad.
.45 Witness - sad and out the cost of a new barrel.

 

[btefft]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not gonna do it. I'll let her shoot 38s and I'll reload some minimum charge .357s for her.

Afraid I'll mess up a nice gun.

Hack

 

[rcmodel]

Smart move!

 

[nalioth]

Something not covered yet, is that when you touch a ported handgun off at night, your night vision goes bye-bye.

 

[Majic]

Before I port a gun I would use lesser powered ammo or go to a weaker caliber. Evidently I can't fully control the gun if I need to port it and porting is just robbing the load of energy making it somewhat weaker.

 

[mavracer]

Something not covered yet, is that when you touch a ported handgun off at night, your night vision goes bye-bye.

not true, another internet rumor out of control.:banghead:

 

[Phil DeGraves]

1. Yes.
2. Perceived muzzle blast was greater (especially in low light), recoil was the same, and muzzle flip perceived to be slightly less.
3. Sparks did shoot back toward the shooter, though disconcerting, did not pose a threat. Again, in low light, it was very undesirable and caused "retina burn." (it was a.44 mag).

not true, another internet rumor out of control.

Don't even pretend to speak for me. It does, however, depend on ammo used.
4. No. After trying it out, felt that the cost and disadvantages did not outweigh the extremely (albeit subjective) insignificant perceived advantages.

 

[Japle]

Oh, I almost forgot: When you shoot lead bullets through a ported gun, lead strips off, zips through the ports and plates the sides of your front sight. You can brush it off, but in the meantime your front sight gets wider and wider.

If you shoot plated bullets through a ported gun, the plating strips off and the tiny sharp pieces fly back and stick in your cheeks and forehead. If you thought you had a flinching problem before........

 

[mavracer]

Don't even pretend to speak for me. It does, however, depend on ammo used.

I'm not saying you dont see a little more flash from the ports.but shooting magnum rounds at night with or without ports has the same effect.

 

[O C]

Porting

I have a couple of .45 ported semi-autos (Springfield V-10 and EAA Witness Compact). Under combat training conditions, the porting had no noticeable effects. Even at low presentation, I didn't notice muzzle blast, lead or jacket shavings, or any other distractions. I haven't shot them in the dark, so don't know about flash blinding. If given the choice of porting or not, I wouldn't do it, even if free. But on the other hand, I don't have an objection to it either.

 

[btefft]

Now, you all got me thinking. I've decided to not port my Ruger SP101, but I have a Ruger Super Blackhawk, with a 7.5 inch barrel, and with a Millett Red Dot Scope on top.

It is strictly a hunting/range gun and will probably never be used in a self defense mode. I bet porting would be of benefit to this hand cannon.

You reckon?

Hack

 

[DawgFvr]

Why does the same old topic come up with the same old...wrong...information come up...again...and again.

Search is your friend.

 

[glockdriver]

I had a custom built SP-101(trigger job & cylinder work, night sites ,etc) with a ported barrel and I regret to this day trading it in

 

[TimboKhan]

Why does the same old topic come up with the same old...wrong...information come up...again...and again.

Search is your friend.

If everyone used the search function, there would be no discussion, thats why. Either that, or then everyone would start complaining about thread necromancy, as already happens.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

Personal experience on a Springfield Ultracompact 3.5" V10 .45 with dots on the sights.

Within the first few rounds the dot on the front sight was fouled. It did not matter what brand or configuration of round I used.
The blast to unprotected ears was not just loud it was painful, much more painful than my non ported Kimber .45 (granted that gun has a full 5" barrel) I always use hearing protection but had to try it and my friends tried it, we all concurred. The instructor I had in the Farnum course also concurred.
There is residue between the barrel and the slide after shooting.
There is debris expelled that will hit you in the face if you fire from the hip, yes it does, I know. You can't always assume a two handed Weaver stance for SD.
I sold the gun for these reasons, on the other hand Springfield offered to install a non ported barrel for $150.00, not a bad deal.

On target shooter it has advantages, for ccw and SD I vote no.

 

[buck460XVR]

1- Have you ever shot a ported handgun? Yes

2- Does it really make the gun more manageable? Yes, especially in big bores with hunting ammo. Not only are they more manageable, they are much more comfortable shooting all day at the range. My youngest son has been shooting Magnum loads outta my 686pp since he was 8 and full house loads outta my .460 X-Frame since he was 13. He has done so safely, comfortably and accurately.....I believe having the guns ported/compensated made that possible.

3- Did the "blow-back" from the ports constitute a problem? No......since I don't hold my revolvers next to my face when I shoot, I have never experienced the shrapnel in the face thingy. I don't think in my guns it's any worse than the blast from the B/C gap. Nor have I ever experienced the infamous front sight fouling.

4- Do you have any ported handguns? All my revolvers are ported or compensated. They are all used primarily for hunting, so loading them down to wussy loads is not an option. Since I don't hunt in the dark, the increase in flash is irrelevant.

5- If you have ever ported a handgun, are you glad or sad that you did it? My 686 came factory ported, the 629 and the X-frame are PC models with a compensator. I have shot similar models with similar ammo and noticed the biggest advantage came with stout hunting ammo. At .38/.44 special/.45 colt levels the difference was nil. If the low power loads were all I ever shot, I would not own a ported/compensated gun. But in my case, and the way I use them, I would never go back. I have also shot similar models with aftermarket porting such as Magna-porting and found them to be a big disappointment......and a waste of money

 

[the foot]

One can make the argument that
porting is an advantage in hunting handguns. I believe that it is a good idea; however, for other applications I have doubts about porting.

Don't port the SP101, waste of money. Convince her to shoot reduced .357 loads or .38 special.

For defense with the .357, the maximum load is not required. I reload for my family, several females included, also SP101 is in the mix. I simply give everybody the option of shooting an accurate safe effective reduced load in their revolver.

 

[joeoim]

I saw my first 357 ported in 89. It belonged to a hunter. He was proud of it and wanted me to shoot it. We were in the mountains where I could just shoot. Windy day.
First shot deafened me, 4th I got some hot powder in the side of my face. Didn't shoot the 5th.
Gun didn't flip as much.
I have no interest in ported hand guns.
I can imagine other disadvantages firing in close, or in tight quarters.

Joe

 

[grumpycoconut]

Who cares if its a waste of money. Port that sucker! My Glock 22C is ported. Yes, it is a full time carry gun. Yes, the porting mitigates recoil and my follow up shots are faster. Yes, its a bit louder, especially at indoor ranges, but that's what hearing protection is for. Yes, I've shot in close retention positions with no problems with powder burns. If I ever need to cap someone while in the clinch I don't think that a few powder burns are going to be at the top of my list of concerns. No, my night vision has never been effected by muzzle flash and I have shot it in the dark (of course that is what flash lights and modern low flash gun powder are for). Yes, if you want to see neat muzzle flashes those burning bunny ears are soooo cool. The self blackening front sight can be frustrating if you are incapable of using your thumb to wipe it off. Most importantly, once you learn to balance an empty ammo box on top of the ports and then light one off you can help add to the pure fear factor that porting possesses.

Just do it! Port it!! Don't be rational!!! LET EMOTION RULE!!!! All hail the burning bunny ears!!!!!!

 

[DawgFvr]

I own a few weapons. This one is my favorite of all time...er, well, I like my M1 Garand just a tad bit more:



Bottom line: It meets Old Fluff's 5-5-5 rule of thumb: I can fire five .357 mag (hot) rounds in five seconds at five yards and keep the impacting rounds within five inches of POA.

 

[Mountie855]

A while ago I bought a S&W 629 44Mag Quadraport Mountain Gun for a "do almost everything", woods-walking, maybe close range hunting gun.

No intent on using it for self defense, though it certainly is capable- just the enjoyment of shooting cast bullets for plinking, informal target, maybe medium game hunting.

I made a big mistake- no more ported guns for me! It is obnoxiously loud, and does crud the front sight up, not to mention the area around it. Any perceived benefit from porting is obscured by the negatives, IMO.

I have been wrestling with replacing the barrel, having it shortened (almost as expensive), or trading/selling it.

Others here have testified to the benefits of porting for them, and I don't dispute their statements, but I didn't experience any benefits. Possibly on the longer-barrel, harder-recoiling calibers porting is worthwhile.