It seems like every manufacturer is offering ported barrels for handguns these days. I don't really get it, except for compitition shooting, and there aren't that many people racin'. It seems to me like ruining good guns. Why are people cutting into a perfectly good firearm?

It is a common misconception that "porting is for competition shooting."
In fact, porting is not useful for competition, and only OPEN division in USPSA allows Compensators, which actually significantly reduce muzzle flip. IDPA prohibits ALL porting and compensators.


Unless you have a high-pressure cartridge, porting effects are minimal, but, boy, is it a raging fad now!!

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Science plus Art

From what i remember from the Glock 32c i had the main reason is to increase noise levels. Dang that thing was loud and fun to shoot.

Sounds like a PITA to clean, I'll pass.

I have a few Mag-Na-Ported guns, and we will stick to the hand guns. My first was a 28-2 357mag 4" that was finely tuned and ported when I bought it. The hottest 180 grain 357 load you would run in an N-frame has the felt recoil of 38 target wadcutters in a K-frame!

I had a Super-14 inch 44mag contender barrel Mag-Na-Ported. I shot loads in it that would destroy a model 29! They were well beyond Super Blackhawk only loads. The porting made it so I could hold on to the hand cannon, That allowed 330 grain bullets to make small groups at sizable distance!

I had picked up a Springfield 1911 factory compensated gun several years ago, and sold it 3 years ago. It gave me more flash, more noise, and very limited recoil reduction. But the rules in competition changed almost every year back then and after it was "outlawed" it was very inexpensive.

I have hunting rifle that are Mag-Na-Ported also. For target use there are much better systems for recoil reduction. But for light weight rifle shooting offhand snap shots at 400 yards, they delay the muzzle climb long enough that I could make shots as if from a BR gun. However it DID NOT reduce recoil, it maybe increased felt recoil, but the rifle became more stable!

This system has a very good use, but it is expensive ($165 in 1984 for rifles) and is limited in purpose.

Ivan

My dad had his Ruger Blackhawk 44 mag Magna Ported many years ago. He claims it made a big difference.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I agree. Unless for unlimited type competition, I believe it's mostly just a "feature" to sell. Like cutting holes and geometric designs in the slide to lighten it so it will cycle faster. I've shot guns with different types of porting. Some, a lot more effective than others. With Mag-Na-Port especifically, it did moderate muzzle rise and cause the guns to recoil in a more linear, straight back, fashion. It did not reduce actual recoil in the least. Rather, the more linear recoil was actually unpleasant, to me at least. I do not compete anymore, much less in Open Division. To each his own, but for carry and/or range use, I have no need for holes cut in my slides and barrels......ymmv

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NRA Life, COTEP 640

I've got a Taurus 7-shot .357 that's ported. I bought it many years ago on a whim while up in Nashville on a day trip. It shoots well and I suppose the porting holds down muzzle rise a bit but since I don't have another 4in .357 of the same frame size I really don't know. As far as felt recoil I think the mushy grip (whatever Taurus call it) probably does more than the ports... but then maybe the mushy grip allow the gun to move more in my hands thus allow more muzzle rise... whatever. Waste of hole drilling as far as I'm concerned, but if you're going to drill a bunch of useless holes in a .357 revolver seems like Taurus would be the way to go. Looks kinda neat though.

Years back I had my 4" 629-1 magna ported. It definitely helped for target acquisition during .44 mag side matches. It's a tool that works better now.

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"from my cold dead hands" C.H.