Barrel porting at home?

B

BudS

New member
Winchester 1300 Defender: how easy would it be for me to port the barrel myself? Or would it be better to let a smith do it? With several mouths to feed, I'm doing my best to be frugal! Thanks! (Also to be posted in The Smithy- I get more & better ideas with multi postings.):)
 
IMO, not worth it. I'm lukewarm at best about porting anyway, and drilling holes in my bbl means having to hone off any metal that impinges into the bore afterwards.

You'll get more reduction in kick by adding a few oz of lead to the stock, adding a S/S or cuff, etc.
 
Or you could try swapping your barrel with somebody, and git you one with a removable choke. That way, you can try one of the compensated chokes on the market. If you don't like it, toss it.

If you go ahead with the homee-brew method, at least buy yourself the drilling jig available through Brownells. It'll keep your bit from walkin on you, and gives you a predetermined pattern of holes that's known to work.


Edited to add - The best way to make sure a barrel uncontrollably rusts for the rest of your life is to not use metal etch or not soak it in oil after exposing bare metal to the outside world. Make sure to drop the end of the barrel in a bucket of oil for awhile after drilling, until you reblue it.
 
I have seen a couple home drilled shotguns. Noise is horrible, recoil is nearly unchanged, it is a waste of time IMO.
 
Ditto. I've shot a couple and there may be some difference in muzzle rise, but hard to tell. Better to apply the money to a Surefire forearm light - that extra weight really tames muzzle jump.
 
Sawed "slits" work better than drilled holes.
Put three of them right smack on the top. You'll find muzzle flip is almost halved. If you've got a stock though, I wouldnt bother doing anything.. you'd hardly notice any difference.
 
Thanks!

I'll just leave it like it is...already using Aguila ammo and I've installed a barrel light and an Advanced Technology full stock w/pistol grip and a shotshell carrier. I recently added a sling, so it works better, but I'm looking for one a little longer. Even fully max'ed out with 23 rounds of the Aguila ammo (12 in the tube, one in the chamber and ten in the carrier) and slung, it's still fairly easy to carry. The extra weight reduces the already-reduced recoil of the Aguila ammo (about that of a 20 ga.). Better leave well enough alone! Thanks again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top