Barrel porting, Pro's and Cons

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raggiejack

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Can anybody explain to me the advantages of having the barrel ported on a firearm.

Do you loose any significant velocity on the bullet with gas escaping from the ports?

regards.
 
Advantages:
1) lessened recoil
2) faster follow up shots
But you only see these results with a good porting job or with a true compensator. A compensator does a much better job by having an expansion chamber to catch the ezpanding gasses and redirecting them to do the work.
Barrel porting can work but not as well.
Disadvantages:
1) lower bullet velocity. Usually not that great a differance, around 50 fsp. which can affect bullet expansion.
2) more muzzle flash
3) more noise
4) you don't want to point shoot a gun with a comp. or porting as hot muzzle gasses are redirected up toward your face.

I like compensators when I'm target shooting but I don't like them on a deffensive gun.

My .02
 
I agree with Woody, and add the next problem: I have seen ported revolvers and rifles that have developed stress cracks in the area of the ports on the bottom of the barrels. Not often but enought times to have decided that I would not port my revolvers.

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
Jim V, I was planning to buy the Taurus 606 .357 Mag with a factory ported barrel.

My question is, do factory ported barrels suffer from the same simptons, that you just mentioned?
 
Woody's response was pretty comprehensive. About the only debatable thing left out would be decreased night vision from the increaesed muzzle flash. This is just food for thought since there'd probably be decreased night vision from the unported muzzle flash anyway.

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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
 
A comp barrel will reduce recoil, but I don't recomend them for a carry weapon. The muzzle flash at night will blind you.

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Guns don't kill people, people kill people !
 
One last thing not memtioned. Porting is really only effective on high pressure calibers such as 9x19, .38 super and 40 S&W. In .45 ACP it's not nearly as effective. This is why pistols in .45 ACP need large comps with large expansion chambers. If it's for a game gun use a real compensator. If it's for a serious gun forget about porting, don't handicap yourself.
 
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