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Old 04-23-2018, 03:14 PM
Cal44 Cal44 is offline
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Default Is a ported revolver a bad carry piece?

I have a 60-9 that is factory magna ported.

What are the disadvantages of carrying a ported revolver?

Should I be looking for a non-ported version?

To me, less muzzle flip seems like a plus.

Model 60   357 Magnum?????-60-9-jpg

Last edited by Cal44; 04-30-2018 at 07:07 PM.
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Old 04-23-2018, 03:21 PM
spring1271 spring1271 is offline
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I find them fine during the day but try it in low / no light and see how much it affects your vision. The gases going vertical can be blinding and distracting in those situations. So try it and see with your carry ammo and see how it works for you.
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Old 04-23-2018, 03:47 PM
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Mine is ported, 45 acp revolver, I like it , carry it and shoot it a lot.
A lot of people will give you all kinds of reasons why it's bad....I own one, shoot one and carry one and all of those reasons have turned out to be non-issues.
One person claimed I couldn't shoot it while it was inside my coat pocket...maybe thats a legitimate reason but I don't shoot guns while they are in my coat or pants pockets....I got body parts in there so I take it out my pocket before dropping the hammer...works real good that way.
Shoot yours a bit under low light , it doesn't have to be dead of night, and see if the porting bothers you. I honestly don't remember seeing any undue flash and ammo selection could play a role also, I've seen some advertised as low muzzel flash....try it first.
Gary

Last edited by gwpercle; 04-24-2018 at 10:19 AM. Reason: Spelling: ligitimite isn't correct...legitimate is
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Old 04-23-2018, 04:18 PM
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Less muzzle flip is better.

Part of the problem is peoples expectations of what handgun porting is designed to do. Many think it reduces recoil and are disappointed in the experience. As you are obviously aware, it reduces muzzle rise.

I have been carrying ported firearms for decades. I have a ported PC Model 940 Special with me right this minute. It is one of dozens of ported forearms have I have owned or shot


Most of what you hear on the Internet is more Internet rumor than fact.

Cheap practice ammunition is loaded with inexpensive powder that lacks flash suppressant. Most all of your Premium self defense ammunition offerings have a flash retardant added to the mix so this notion of being blinded by your first shot is not the case.

Additionally, if the blinding issue were a true fact, it would be a problem for almost EVERY Revolver out there since gas escapes the barrel cylinder gap long before it reaches a port.

When was the last time that you, the shooter, complained about the muzzle flash from the B/C gap?















Porting is not for everybody, some folks just can not warm up to it. Try it for yourself. Have an open mind and then decide.

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Old 04-23-2018, 04:22 PM
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Since I've been carrying for near 30 years and not having shot anyone as of yet, I'd carry it and not give it another thought.
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Old 04-23-2018, 04:57 PM
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No problem carrying a ported gun whatsoever. Anyone spouting BS about night vision has obviously never shot a handgun at night, of any variety. Not only is the muzzle flash of a ported gun no more blinding than a non-ported gun, but in a revolver there is also a little thing called a barrel/cylinder gap between the cylinder and forcing cone that will also throw a flash regardless. Same thing goes for in the pocket shooting, if a non-ported wheel gun can be fired from a pocket without setting you ablaze so can a ported gun. It's nonsense the internet myths that survive, usually carried on by those with no direct knowledge of the topic. Carry on and don't worry about the porting.
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Old 04-23-2018, 05:42 PM
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hold it close to your body or face and pull the trigger, not going to be fun who knows what position or grip is going to be used on a self defense gun
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Old 04-23-2018, 05:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigggbbruce View Post
Since I've been carrying for near 30 years and not having shot anyone as of yet, I'd carry it and not give it another thought.
I carry a gun for the day I might have to use it, not the 10,000 other days that I don't.

Try shooting a ported revolver from a retention position a few times and then decide whether or not you still want to carry it -- for me the answer is a huge "NO".
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Old 04-23-2018, 05:45 PM
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I carried a Taurus 445 which is similar to a Bulldog in .44 Spl. It was ported and I love it. Carried it for about 10 years before selling it.

Flash at night is dependent on the powder used. If you get flash with one bullet try another it may be better.

Till I owned a ported revolver I didn't think much of them. When I fired it at targets my opinion changed.
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Old 04-23-2018, 05:59 PM
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The ports are usually 1/4" or so from the end of the muzzle. Does the muzzle flash of a non-ported gun blind you at night? The 1/4" isn't going to make any difference in the amount of flash. You're going to get a whole lot more flash from the end of the muzzle in a 360 deg flash than any amount you'd get from a couple of small slots 1/4" from the muzzle.
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Old 04-23-2018, 06:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by silversnake View Post
Try shooting a ported revolver from a retention position a few times and then decide whether or not you still want to carry it ....
That would be my concern, carbon blasted toward my eyes from the ports if a close-in attacker forced me to fire from retention.
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Old 04-23-2018, 06:50 PM
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It's a bad idea for the same reasons a ported shield is, which Craig Douglas recently banned from his classes. 10/21/17 ECQC Albuquerque, N.M.

As of today I am disallowing the S&W Shield with factory porting from ECQC coursework. In my professional opinion the factory ported Shield is an unsafe pistol for any kind of close body/contact/retention style of shooting.

-Craig Douglas
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Old 04-23-2018, 07:24 PM
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I don’t own ported guns. On my auto pistols I go up two sizes stronger on the recoil spring. This calms down the recoil. With the magnum revolvers I live with the recoil.
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Old 04-23-2018, 07:32 PM
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I have several. I carry them on occasion. Shooting at night is not a problem. Im not worried about close combat burns or anything like that. The only real difference will probably be your ears bleeding after shooting it. These things are LOUD. Unless you are going up against hundreds of zombies I would say its a non issue also. To be honest if you are put in a situation to actually pull and use your CC, chances are you are not going to notice any of these things.
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Old 04-23-2018, 07:55 PM
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I have a comp on one of my 45’s. When I’m slow fire target shooting, it is distracting. The extra little blast towards my face leads to a slight flinch in anticipation. My ported 45 is not as noticeable.

Don’t think it’s an issue in a defensive situation.
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Old 04-23-2018, 11:11 PM
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'Try shooting a ported revolver from a retention position a few times and then decide whether or not you still want to carry it -- for me the answer is a huge "NO".'

I don't know what type of retention position you use, but I have practiced this many times and with the butt tucked toward torso/hip, there is no problem firing a revolver this way. If the cylinder gap gas escape is not a problem, why would the gases escaping the ports be a problem?
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Old 04-23-2018, 11:28 PM
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I wouldn’t carry a ported gun.

Others have discussed many of the usual points against them so I won’t enumerate them.

My experience with ported guns is that they are unpleasant to use (noise, blast) and produce trivial benefit.

I wouldn’t buy one and won’t use one.

But that’s just my opinion, of course.
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Old 04-23-2018, 11:36 PM
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Beats the hell out of a slingshot! Carry that thing. If you study the statistics of actual defensive gun use, more often than not the gun is never fired. If it "fits" you and you are confident in it and with it...carry it.
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Old 04-23-2018, 11:46 PM
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Years ago I carried a ported model 19 snubnose. The report was considerably louder due to the porting ,that I opted to only carry .38 specials in it. Not damaging my hearing was a big factor in switching to a charter Arms 44 special Bulldog.
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Old 04-24-2018, 12:15 AM
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Why do you want porting?

This is a serious question. What do you hope that it will accomplish?

People have a hard time distinguishing between things that are useful in competition, and useful in combat. A ported or compensated barrel, for instance, might shave a few hundredths of a second off your split times. Useful in competition. Not so useful in self-defense.

Now, this is the part where someone jumps out and goes "HURRDURR fight for your life every advantage every microsecond counts hurrdurr". I can feel people reflexively winding that response up as I type.

However, that response is wrong:

(1) A few hundredths of a second is a humorously small amount of time. Claiming that the difference between life and death is that small is a pretty clear mark of a defensive gamer. If I said that a 1.5" group at 7 yards was too big for defensive shooting, you'd conclude I was a moron, and you'd be right. Well, suggesting .01 seconds matters is equally silly. If you think that a single hundredth of a second matters, then you'd better not carry .45 ACP. It takes a whole hundredth of a second longer to reach the target than 9mm!

(2) Porting isn't free. It costs you velocity. Velocity is part of the penetration equation. You need penetration in order for the bullet to reach (and break) parts of your attacker's body that he needs in order to attack you. Is a few hundredths of a second you gain really going to outweigh the loss in velocity?

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Old 04-24-2018, 01:41 AM
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Also, I propose we add "ported barrels" to the wife-gun and bear-thread list.
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Old 04-24-2018, 09:24 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gwpercle View Post
A lot of people will give you all kinds of reasons why it's bad....I own one, shoot one and carry one and all of those reasons have turned out to be non-issues.
One person claimed...
Yup.

Too many keyboard "experts" will parrot what they've read or heard from others, but the opinion of the man with direct personal experience carries genuine weight.

I have three ported CCW-size .357 Magnum revolvers (porting done by Marc Morganti at Gemini Customs), and have fired all three extensively, in varied lighting conditions and with a number of different commercial loads, mostly 158gr .357 Magnum JHP.

NONE of them blow firing residue into my face, not even with the barrel held inches away.

NONE of them show any visible bright flash from the porting holes.

ALL of them do show perceivably-reduced muzzle lift and reduced "felt recoil".

I have no way to measure comparative decibel levels of ported vs. non-ported guns, but as far as my well-muffled ears could tell, there was no difference in noise.

Barrel porting done by expert hands can be a genuine benefit for a CCW gun, as long as you test the use-characteristics of the loads you'll use for carry.
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Old 04-24-2018, 10:28 AM
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Quote:
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I carried a Taurus 445 which is similar to a Bulldog in .44 Spl. It was ported and I love it. Carried it for about 10 years before selling it.

Flash at night is dependent on the powder used. If you get flash with one bullet try another it may be better.

Till I owned a ported revolver I didn't think much of them. When I fired it at targets my opinion changed.
I love my 455 ...ports and all . Never going to sell this one .
Carried since 2004 , porting is a nonissue and recoil seems less than my 1911's. Don't knock them unless you have actually owned one.
Gary
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Old 04-24-2018, 10:54 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by silversnake View Post
I carry a gun for the day I might have to use it, not the 10,000 other days that I don't.

Try shooting a ported revolver from a retention position a few times and then decide whether or not you still want to carry it -- for me the answer is a huge "NO".
Then I guess that after the ONE time I MIGHT need it, I'll evaluate the results after the fact.

Close your eyes when you pull the trigger.

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Old 04-24-2018, 03:44 PM
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Will it shoot +P Ammunition?
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Old 04-28-2018, 08:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by silversnake View Post
I carry a gun for the day I might have to use it, not the 10,000 other days that I don't.

Try shooting a ported revolver from a retention position a few times and then decide whether or not you still want to carry it -- for me the answer is a huge "NO".
Can you describe your experience doing this the negatives you have experienced? Or is this conjecture?
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Old 04-28-2018, 09:13 PM
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At 1 time I owned 2 Rugers, a snub sp101 and a Redhawk 357 both with the hybraport package done by Jack Weigand. They had, in tandem conical ports along the top of the barrels, similar to the pic of that Taurus 45acp. While shooting the sp101 at an indoor range, the overhead light shattered at the exact moment I fired. COINCIDENCE or escaping gasses???? A retention position, or squatting down behind cover shooting upwards (or ANY other position) that may get those ports in your direction, would be a bad thing, IMO.
OTOH TEHO, & you may look good with some "sunburn". Probly (???) a non issue with a magna port that directs those gasses to the sides.
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Old 04-28-2018, 09:44 PM
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SAWBONES somewhat answered my main concern about having a ported snubnose (.38 or .357) when he replied...

-
"NONE of them blow firing residue into my face, not even with the barrel held inches away."
-

With my not owning any ported firearms, nor having ever fired a ported firearm, I have no way to confirm this.

However, my biggest concern is the effect of having to fire a ported snubnose revolver during an encounter where one would be in very close proximity (namely, a hands on struggle) with the perpetrator and having the immediate need to do a contact shot to the perpetrator's upper body while the ported snubnose was close to the shooter, and the port chambers being directed upward, toward shooters face.

I know that in a contact shot from a revolver, the gases would naturally escape from around the cylinder (outwards) and muzzle (in toward the body), but I've always wondered about the discharge pressure (blast) and gases which were directed upward through the porting? Would that have an adverse effect on the shooter?

I'd be interested in hearing any comments about this matter.
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Old 04-28-2018, 10:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beachcomber View Post
SAWBONES somewhat answered my main concern about having a ported snubnose (.38 or .357) when he replied...

-
"NONE of them blow firing residue into my face, not even with the barrel held inches away."
-

With my not owning any ported firearms, nor having ever fired a ported firearm, I have no way to confirm this.

However, my biggest concern is the effect of having to fire a ported snubnose revolver during an encounter where one would be in very close proximity (namely, a hands on struggle) with the perpetrator and having the immediate need to do a contact shot to the perpetrator's upper body while the ported snubnose was close to the shooter, and the port chambers being directed upward, toward shooters face.

I know that in a contact shot from a revolver, the gases would naturally escape from around the cylinder (outwards) and muzzle (in toward the body), but I've always wondered about the discharge pressure (blast) and gases which were directed upward through the porting? Would that have an adverse effect on the shooter?

I'd be interested in hearing any comments about this matter.
Watch the video in post #12.
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Old 04-29-2018, 05:51 AM
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It's not the gases that are dangerous--it's the particulate ejecta. You ever hear MEs discuss "stippling" on the deceased? Aside from the bullet, there are very small, very hot pieces of powder and primer that travel down the barrel and exit the muzzle. Stippling on the clothing or skin of a person who was shot indicates that they were shot at very close range, as these particulates are very small and thus, don't carry their velocity very far. But certainly further than arm's reach.

Do the ports spew the stuff along with the vented gases? Dunno. Probably. Is it possible to learn to angle a ported barrel away from your face when shooting from retention? Sure.

I just don't see what the point is, in a world where you can't spit in a gunstore without hitting two or three great defensive handguns.
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Old 04-29-2018, 07:45 AM
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I've had a ported 3" 65 since the mid-80s...... it was the hot mod from mag-na-port.

Then all the arguments above on both sides started... first in the 'Gun Rags" and then the internet........ with no one changing the other's mind on the subject......

S&W Performance Center put out a "dozen'' or more ported/expansion chamber short barreled revolvers in the 90s and beyond.

I guess I'd come down agreeing with Colt_SAA arguments.....

I saw improvement with muzzle flip when shooting full bore .357 magnums.... but as I generally carry +P .38s in my 65..... if I had to do it over again ...... I'd probably pass.
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Old 04-29-2018, 07:55 AM
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I carried a ported Glock 23C for awhile. It was easier for me to run than a regular 23.

The key is training, the same as it is with anything else. It is fine to shoot from retention. You just need to tuck the grip into your gut and cant the ports away from you. No Big deal.
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Old 04-29-2018, 10:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beachcomber View Post
SAWBONES somewhat answered my main concern about having a ported snubnose (.38 or .357) when he replied...

-
"NONE of them blow firing residue into my face, not even with the barrel held inches away."
-

With my not owning any ported firearms, nor having ever fired a ported firearm, I have no way to confirm this.

However, my biggest concern is the effect of having to fire a ported snubnose revolver during an encounter where one would be in very close proximity (namely, a hands on struggle) with the perpetrator and having the immediate need to do a contact shot to the perpetrator's upper body while the ported snubnose was close to the shooter, and the port chambers being directed upward, toward shooters face.

In the interest of being as clear as possible, my experience was as follows.

After having zeroed my ported CCW Ruger 2.25" SP101 with Buffalo Bore .357 Magnum 158gr JHC loads (which is the favored CCW load simply because it hits right to POA, in my gun, in my hands), I purposely held the barrel, with different shots, from 2-6" inches from my face, with the ports directed mostly upward and my face to the side, firing that particular load several times and in somewhat different orientations (that is, differing angulations of the barrel), in order to ascertain whether there was particulate matter or hot gases that I could feel on my cheek.

There were none.

I did not place the barrel ports directly in line with my face, since doubtless there would have at least been the possibility of skin burn in that case, but I wanted to be certain about whether expelled material might be an issue in the event of an actual defensive use if the gun chanced to be in fairly close proximity to my face and eyes.

(BTW, I notice that Marc Morganti now seems to offer his Hybra-Porting with the ports directed either about 45 degrees to both sides or straight up. My guns were done by him over a decade ago, when there was only one sort of porting offered, and the ports are oriented directly upward.)

My brief trial shooting as described relieved any anxiety on my part about using this ported gun, with the noted load, in a defensive setting. I know there may be some velocity loss with the porting, but there is also a palpable improvement in felt recoil and a noticeable reduction in degree of muzzle lift.

As to whether other loads (e.g., 125gr .357 Magnum) might expel offensive material , I simply don't know. I don't use that load for CCW because it didn't provide correspondence between POA and POI as well as the 158gr Buffalo Bore load.

I place foremost emphasis on accuracy and precision in any gun. The gun in question has fixed sights, and after having determined the single best load in that gun, I did the "porting close to face" testing with only that single load.

Take it FWIW, no less, no more.
Best.
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Old 04-29-2018, 10:40 AM
ken158 ken158 is offline
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If you NEED to use a CCW, ported or not, you will never notice a difference in a fire fight. Don’t let internet speculators and gun fighters make these kind of decisions for you. Buy what you are comfortable with and practice, keeping in mind that a 100% shooter will shoot a 70% in a gun fight and the odds go down from there.
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Old 04-29-2018, 11:31 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by colt_saa View Post
Less muzzle flip is better.

Part of the problem is peoples expectations of what handgun porting is designed to do. Many think it reduces recoil and are disappointed in the experience. As you are obviously aware, it reduces muzzle rise.

I have been carrying ported firearms for decades. I have a ported PC Model 940 Special with me right this minute. It is one of dozens of ported forearms have I have owned or shot


Most of what you hear on the Internet is more Internet rumor than fact.

Cheap practice ammunition is loaded with inexpensive powder that lacks flash suppressant. Most all of your Premium self defense ammunition offerings have a flash retardant added to the mix so this notion of being blinded by your first shot is not the case.

Additionally, if the blinding issue were a true fact, it would be a problem for almost EVERY Revolver out there since gas escapes the barrel cylinder gap long before it reaches a port.

When was the last time that you, the shooter, complained about the muzzle flash from the B/C gap?















Porting is not for everybody, some folks just can not warm up to it. Try it for yourself. Have an open mind and then decide.
Damn you have some nice revo's there! I'd be proud to own them for sure. I agree with your reply and enjoy the muzzle rise reduction of ported barrels. And you're correct again; with any self defense ammo worth it's salt will have flash retardant powder and muzzle flash is not an issue at night. It certainly hasn't been for me and my 1-7/8" barreled "J" frames at least. The only slight negative for ported barrels is decibel increase... which is moot in a self defense situation from my experience.
The only issue with extra noise is going to be the looks you get from the guys shooting to the left and right of you. But then again, it's a gun range and guns are loud. The benefits of porting outweigh the slight downside in my opinion. YMMV...
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Old 04-29-2018, 01:02 PM
ImprovedModel56Fan ImprovedModel56Fan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wise_A View Post
Also, I propose we add "ported barrels" to the wife-gun and bear-thread list.
I think I understand your attitude and opinion, and I certainly sympathize with them, but, in the end, I disagree. I have a double-Magnaported 3" 629, and it recoils significantly less than my 4" 29. I don't know anything about milliseconds to recovery, although I could probably find out. I just like my 3" better than my 4" when shooting .44 Mags, and that is a good thing all by itself. If I shot them more, it would probably also mean that my 3" would be more accurate (no flinch).

I have never had to fire a revolver (or any other arm) in self-defense, but I believe that if I had to fire a revolver without arms extended, I would not find gas from ports to be my most pressing problem, and I would probably be trying to take my second shot, if any and if necessary, from the ground. To clarify, I am not planning around shooting while rocked back on my heels, and don't feel that I would gain anything by choosing a weapon for that purpose.

Anyway, what's the difference? My Model 15 and its FBI loads will suffice or won't. At least I actually carry it or its aluminum cousin. How many who are reading this actually carry 16x7?
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  #37  
Old 04-29-2018, 01:08 PM
Mister X Mister X is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ken158 View Post
Don’t let internet speculators and gun fighters make these kind of decisions for you.
I absolutely agree.

"The biggest negative thing I see with the porting is that if you have to fire from a retention position, it will blast hot gases and debris up toward your eyes. That's not just a distraction; it could cause permanent vision damage, and at the worst possible time."

- Massad Ayoob

"I don’t like ported barrels on self-defense guns nor do I care for them on range training guns. The clearest danger is the risk of hot, explosive gases vented up into the shooters eyes and face."

- Michael de Bethencourt

"Ported barrels can be downright dangerous when fired from retention. I have personally seen where what appeared to be part of the jacket embed itself into the face of one of our officers during retention training. Even if no hard particles leave the port, the gas definitely is directed straight into your face."

- Mike Moore, Gunsite Academy Instructor

"I have zero use for the comped Glocks. I have seen people injured from shooting them from retention and not getting the gun canted outboard enough before pulling the trigger."

- Chuck Haggard

"I do know one thing about the retention position. It sucks when one is using a ported gun!!!"

- Marty Hayes

"Compensated Glocks--retention shooting is miserable, flash is increased, and I am aware of one organization that had reliability issues with them due to debris build-up."

- Dr. Gary Roberts aka DocGKR

"I ran my Glock19C during live fire and had some issues with the muzzle blast during several positions. I had to switch to a regular Glock 19 after my nose and mouth were bleeding."

- John Rooks after attending Craig Douglas'(Southnarc) ECQC class.
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