Revolver Barrel Porting

[rtw]

What is your opinion of the merits of porting a defensive revolver-say a j or k frame Smith or a GP or SP Ruger with barrel lengths of 3" or less?

Thanks. Dick

[R9SCarry]

Not for me Dick!!!  I have yet to shoot a ported snub and find any major benefit ... I'd rather back off the load a shade if really necessary.  

Big downer to me is muzzle flash ... and assuming that there is always a real possibility of an ''incident'' taking place in subdued light - I'd rather not have that extra fireball!

I think much ''taming'' of snubs can be thru a combination of load choice and grip being solid.  Others mileage may well vary!

[RJ HEDLEY]

I, for one, don't care for porting.  Effects your night vision,  increases noise, smokes up front sight, and will ruin a Night sight, if positioned beside the sight. But the worse one is if you must draw the gun back close to your body to fire it, like in close quarters.

[BillinPittsburgh]

If you have to shoot an attacker less than 5-6 feet away, the best way is usually from a pectoral-indexed retention position, which would direct those hot gases right up towards your eyes.

Porting might be valuable in dealing with an extreme case of recoil-shyness, but it would be my last resort, behind finding a more suitable caliber, adding rubber grips (which can stick to concealment garments, even causing them to be lifted up over and behind the gun as you move, thereby exposing the gun to view), and increasing the weight of the gun.

[rtw]

Thank you! Dick

[R9SCarry]

[size=13]Thank you! Dick[/size]

Excuse the frivolity but .. Dick ... for some reason the way you wrote that reminded of Rowan and Martin's laugh In ... remember ? ....

''Say good night Dick''

''Goodnight Dick''.

 

[rtw]

Good night Chris.

I especially remember Goldie in her bikini.

[FireBreather01]

Back to reality! -I have my S&W 629 .44 mag ported and it works quite well but porting a defensive handgun is a bad idea, IMHO. The ported gases become a small and potent blow-torch when a round is fired - even to the point that you can blow a hole through your eyes, stomach, and other 'lower' areas! If you ever have to fire your gun in a car or are wrestling with an attacker this becomes a very real concern.

[dr16]

This is an interesting thread and the subject always "stirs the pot" a bunch.

A couple of years ago a friend and I were at a bar listening to a  writer for a well known "slick" pontificate on the dangers of porting and brakes. He finally had to admit that he had never dealt with any on a handgun. But he never changed his very vocal comments. We all had another drink and parted friends.

I had my first handgun Mag-Na-Ported in '82 - a 2 1/2" Smith #66. It worked so well that I followed up with the 4" #66 duty gun and a 3" #57(41 mag). Shortly after that I had my ASP Mag-Na-Ported and when I got a Freedom Arms # 83  4 3/4" 454, I had Mag-Na-Port put three ports in it (one on either side of the front night sight and one right behind it). Add a Glock #30 with night sights to the Mag-Na-Ported list today.

Back then we had to qualify with what we carried and that included both day and night firing.

I still remember the first time that we had to do that - I was really anxious about it due to the comments that I had read.

However, the anticipation was the worst part - I shot very well with both the Mag-Na-Ported ASP 9MM and the 4" Smith #66 with issue 158gr 357 ammo. Choose your ammo very carefully if you are doing nightfiring whether you have a ported gun or not.

The only gas and powder particle damage I have personally encountered was self inflicted when I absentmindedly extended a finger on my left hand (like a dumbass) in a two hand grip with the 454. I am very lucky in that I didn't lose any finger but did I did embed some powder particles in it (just a reminder to be careful in the future).  Fortunately a home remedy drew it right out!

That was from the barrel/cylinder gap!  

Your mileage may vary!

Dave

[BillinPittsburgh]

Hi Dave,

Always good to hear from someone with experience on the subject.

I do have a factory-ported Taurus 3" .44 mag., and can confirm that it does throw bkack stuff over the front sight.  I have also seen ported 1911's with highly visible rear tritium sights and powder residue all over the front sight. so my objection to combining porting with night sights remains, and I regard night sights as almost a necessity.

I have never personally tested the theory that the ports would throw hot gases into one's face during shooting from a pectoral index, but it certainly makes sense from the position of the ports.  Do you have any experience with this?

[dr16]

One of the main differences between Mag-Na-Porting (which is patented and an EDM process) and the currently fashionable style of porting, is the location and departure angle of the ports. Notice how the gas is directed away from the sight.

http://www.magnaport.com/hgun.html

Your mileage may vary - but it works well for me.
Dave

[BillinPittsburgh]

Thanks, Dave.  I didn't realize that Mag-Na-Port's system claims to be designed to work with night sights.  Most others offering porting don't seem to have put much thought into this problem.

So, the only remaining objection is shooting from a pectoral index.  The way I was taught to do this, the knife edge of the hand and bottom end of the grip are brought into the side of the pectoral, with the hand about as far back as it will go, and the gun canted at an angle of about 30-45 degrees towards a palm-up position.  Can anyone present different information on this issue?