My newest love is the 586 L-Comp. Love the 3" barrel, the 7 rounds of .357 Magnum and the ability to reload fast with moon clips. Sounds ideal, right? Plus the ported barrel makes the recoil more manageable which seems like even more of a good thing, right? But then I read the negatives on ported barrels and the little devil on my shoulder is asking if I really want all that muzzle flash in my face. But then the angel on my other shoulder reminds me that the L-Comp would never be used as a carry gun so if I'm only shooting it with good lighting the muzzle flash won't be an issue.

And then of course there is the issue of noise. Do I really want to be that guy at the range with a revolver that can shake the windows in a house a quarter of a mile away?

So once again I turn to you experienced shooters and collectors for advice. Let's have a discussion for all the newbies out there (yes, that includes me) on the good, the bad and the ugly of your experience with ported revolvers.

There will always be haters of ported firearms

They repeat the same incorrect assumptions that have been circling the Internet and the water cooler/coffee shops that came before the Internet. Sometimes they even quote a firearms expert or two. You will set your cloths on fire if you shoot from retention, or you will blast debris into your eyes. The muzzle flash will blind you if you have to shoot at night, you will be deafened by the sound from the port, etc, etc.

I have had an L-comp since they were released in 2000.

This is not my first ported/compensated firearm and by no means is it my last. I have put tens of thousands of rounds down range through the firearms over the decades

I am guessing that you have not yet fired an L-comp or one of it's many Smith & Wesson brothers

There is no giant muzzle flash that blinds you while shooting. If one actually existed, EVERY shooter would have been blinded by the flash that comes from your revolvers barrel/cylinder gap. There are plenty of internet photos of the extreme flash from the B/C gap. Why are we all not blinded from that ?


If you are on the fence enough to listen to a few hundred Internet opinions, then your best bet is to actually shoot one of these firearms or something similar. That is the only way that you will know if it works for you or not

Unfortunately you never went into your profile to complete the information. We have no idea where you are located. If you are in the Central Florida region, I would be glad to meet with you and give you the opportunity to shoot an L-comp along side some non-ported snubbies

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"Acta non verba"

I have a M&P 2.0 Performance Center 9mm which is ported (my first ported handgun).

I'm not sure it makes much of a difference with 9mm, but the porting is barely noticeable after awhile, and the smoke and flame look like a V - if you can see it. Even so, I'm a fan.

Not a big deal. Others should comment on the more powerful ported handguns in .44 magnum, etc.

The only problem I’ve ever had with ported guns -besides more fun- was a slightly more narrow cartridge selection.

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- Post No Bills -

Thanks for the offer Colt SAA. Unfortunately, I'm no longer in FL or I would take you up on your very gracious offer. I've edited my profile to reflect that I live in Maine now.

I'm not on the fence at all. I love the 586 L-Comp and yes, although it's a pricey little number I learned long ago that you generally get what you pay for in this world.

I have revolvers in several different calibers and actually love the muzzle flash especially from my .44 Magnum. There are two responses so far saying the flash from ported barrels is not unmanageable so I'm most likely going to be bringing an L-Comp home in the near future. Again, thanks for your great offer to come shoot with you.

Why is the cartridge selection limited because of a ported barrel?

Ported guns have a much restricted pool of potential buyers than an unported gun in the event you ever want to sell the gun. They are harder to sell and they generate lower prices than comparable unported guns. Ported guns don’t hold value very well.

The proverbial muzzle flash isn’t a practical concern, contrary to the keyboard warriors’ fears. The porting does make a bigger cleaning chore.

In my experience, a ported L frame in 357 doesn’t help my shooting.

Ported guns are miserable devices for anyone besides the shooter on a firing line: the enhanced noise and blast won’t make you any friends at the range. Of course, if you get some pleasure by rattling other shooters, a ported gun is just the thing for you.

A significant portion of big game hunting guides won’t guide hunters using ported rifles because of the noise and blast they generate.

More noise for sure. Also some can be a pain to clean with some loads. I also agree about resale value normally be poor as well.

I have been shooting a comped 686 at the Bianchi Cup for many years. Won a lot of stuff with it. A compensator is the same as porting with more holes. One of the great things about it is that the recoil of my 140 power factor loads is about the same as a bunny fart wadcutter in a non ported gun.

The best way to get the most out of ports or comps is to use a powder made for that purpose. There are 2 powders I have used for that. One is AutoComp and the other one is Power Pistol. Both are formulated to generate more gas than usual (I think), and so work the ports or comp more effectively. The AutoComp burns hotter than the Power Pistol, so in a revolver you can burn your hand on the cylinder during a reload with fewer rounds than you would with PP. There is more flash and noise than with other powders, which seems logical.

I also have a 3" M65 that is ported with 1/8" holes on either side of the front sight, similar to some Taurus revos. That one shoots about any load from light target to magnum to about the same POI when using the normal POA. I didn't expect that when I ported it, but it's a really nice side effect. Apparently the different gas pressures make it self regulating.

An easy way to make ports and comps stay cleaner and clean up easier is to start out clean and spray the holes with Dillon Case Lube or welder's anti-spatter before firing and about every 50 or 100 rounds.

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Protocall Design

So....Colt ssa......we'll put you down as "undecided" on the whole ported barrel thing!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL.... I've got a 3" magna-ported 65 from about 1986...... not blind and can still hear..... but given that I carry +P .38s in urban concealed carry ..... wouldn't do it again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...just an opinion. Personally, I just don't care for ported guns. It's a macho thing I guess that goes with shooting big guns. Of course that's just stupid personal opinion, so feel free to port, or not to port, if that is your question.

If it helps you shoot better, that's a good reason to have a ported gun.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I only owned 1 ported gun, a 29-3 which was magna-ported. I never saw the benefit of the porting. The recoil was never that bad with the full under lug barrel. On perhaps a smaller lighter .357 it may have some benefit.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

My 357 ported guns didn’t like lead round nose at +p velocities.

The 44 magnum with comp preferred jacketed exclusively.

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- Post No Bills -

I have ported and non-ported guns, I have not noticed any appreciable benefit between the two. I will note the fireball at night might be a bit more but not greatly so for the ported handguns.

I have never found cleaning the exterior of the gun around the ports to be much of a chore. Usually just a wet patch or two and a few swipes with a brass brush for a really stubborn spot.

How can the gas venting UPWARDS cause discomfort for the people standing BESIDE the shooter?

I have a ported 4" 29-3 that I bought unfired. It's a beauty, and I got it very cheap for an unfired piece because of the porting.

I can't tell much difference in recoil between this and my non-ported M57, and an M58 with similar loads. The ports are a pain to clean; as well, when I shoot lead bullets the red ramp quickly becomes a gray one. While I love the 29, I would NEVER pay to have a revolver ported.

This info is worth what you paid for it.

The increased smoke and muzzle flash from an L-Comp compared to a conventional 586 won't be a problem. Probably would make shooting even more fun. And the indoor ranges I use are always filled with young guys blasting away with their very loud guns so the extra noise would pose no problems there but I can see the extra noise being an issue at my outdoor range. Last thing we want is complaints from the nearby houses so I hesitate to shoot any mag loads at my outdoor range.

Would a 3" 586 L-Comp seem significantly louder than comparable loads in my little 3" Model 60?

Just enjoy your 586 L Comp.

I have a S&W M19 Carry Comp 3" and a 2 3/4" 66-8. Can't tell any difference in "Flash or Blast". Recoil seems a bit moderated with the Carry Comp.

I've had a 6" Magnaported Freedom Arms .475 Linebaugh and a custom 5" S&W M29. Also had a ported S&W 7 1/2" 629 Stealth Hunter along with the aforementioned S&W 19 Carry Comp. Never found "Blast or Flash" to be an issue. Never had a problem cleaning ports.

On several occasions with different people a side by side comparison of the magnaported FA .475 Linebaugh and an unported S&W M329 .44 mag, both with top end loads - H110 in the 475 and A2400 in the M329 - consensus, the M329 was quite a bit lowder.

FWIW,

Paul

Forgot to mention the Taurus Titanium 2.5" 41 magnum - ported and definitely makes a difference in felt recoil compared to it's Charter Arms stable mate with no dif in blast or flash.

taurus lower left - it's a couple of ounces lighter than the Charter Arms

What muzzle blast ?!?

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Ported 460XVR snubbie.

Just messing with you. No comparison.

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Why would it? A comp/port doesn't create extra gas, just redirects part of it.

You wear eye & ear protection when you shoot, right?

Stop worrying about it.

Buy it if it's what you really like.

But if you want quiet, buy a BB gun.

.

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We gotta hold onto what we got

I say do it!
Then get an AR pistol with a 7.5" barrel in .556 then when you shoot it at the range, no one will ever notice the puny little report of the ported pistol at all. Trust me, people pour out of the range when you open this baby up on binary.

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Plastic's for toys - J. Cooper

It's your pistol. Do what makes you happy . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Since no one has stepped up about limited ammo selection......If you very carefully read all the stuff on the back of an ammo box, some ammunition warns against use in ported barrels.

Never having seen any, my best guess is that lead bullets and plated bullets "have issues" (or the lawyers are worried about potential issues) in ported barrels from shaving the surface of the bullet. I used to build compensators and the lead build up from .45s could get interesting. You see the same thing in .22s. You can probably get used to the flame from the ports. I recall being startled the first time I shot a comped .45 in dim light. BUT, that isn't a .357.

That's funny you mention that. Just yesterday at an indoor range the guy in the next lane was firing an AR pistol. I could literally feel the floor shake when he let that thing rip.

Simple. On any unported revolver, that field of your view from 11 to 1 o'clock is entirely blocked by topstrap and barrel. Muzzle flash exiting at the crown is dispersed equally 360 degrees. With ports, much of that gas is obviously redirected upward, rocketing out of the ports. Your eye can't HELP but pick this up in your line-of-sight. Under the indoor lighting of your range, this may merely be disconcerting. With lack of light, such as night hours, this may be perceived as far more intense. You've really got to shoot your chosen gun/s and load/s in such conditions to judge if the porting is really worth the benefit you perceive.

purchased it seems to cut down lift but flash discolors my my front sight

He owns TWO POCKET ROCKETS! That is almost 1% of the total population of that model! No wonder I can't find one! ! ! !
jcelect

I've never owned a ported handgun. Is the main function to reduce recoil?

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"Acta non verba"

Now that is "showing off" or rubbing my nose in it! That is 1% of all !
jcelect

The laws of physics cannot be bypassed. Porting works. It HAS to because of physics. The stouter the load the better it works. Period. I majored in physics and took a course on ballistics. Does it increase nuzzle blast? Again, it HAS to. Is it horrible? Not so much in handgun loads but in a rifle it is significant. If it did not work Mag-Na-Port would have gone out of business a long time ago. I have a 4" 629 that I sent to them decades ago. They called me to ask me what load I was going to be shooting in it. I replied that I was using 300 grain hard cast, heat treated gas checked bullets. They suggested double porting the gun. Just about everyone who has fired it has tried to buy it from me. Apparently, it has not hurt its value at all. This is probably the most I have ever written in a post but I felt compelled to set the record straight.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Remember what I said about opinions..................

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S&W Accumulator

Well I'm about to take delivery on a new 586 L-Comp. I'll probably put the rubber grips on it, take it to the range and see how it compares to my 3" Model 60-15 with 158gr .357 target ammo. Should be a good time. Does anyone have an opinion on what ammo to use and stay away from with the 586 L-Comp?

The reason that more self defense loads are showing up using low flash powder.

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The comments about short ARs are kind of funny, but also true. I can remember a SWAT team member cranking off a bunch of rounds from a really short AR on "group therapy" at the end of a range session. I was a good 40 yards away and it was obnoxious. There is a reason that many people advocate for suppressors as a safety device.

I've also done some trap shooting with my Mossberg 590. It's a service gun with an 18" barrel, and Vang Comped. When I was not being cussed at, more than a few people called it "The Earthmover". The concussion was epic.

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NHI, 10-8.

My guess would be shot loads would be on the list of what not to shoot in a ported revolver.

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Several years ago I purchased a 6 1/2' bbl 29-2 that had been ported. I also had a 6''bbl 629. I could not tell any difference in flash or bang between the two revolvers. Both were accurate and both had smooth actions. I would not pay to have any hand gun ported because I don't see the need. YMMV.

I only own one ported gun. A Taurus 617 TTi.

The "TTi" stands for Total Titanium. It is a 2" 7-shot K-frame sized snub that weighs around 19oz IIRC. The barrel liner, hammer, and trigger are the only steel parts, and all the rest is a lightweight titanium alloy.

Needless to say, the porting is VERY helpful shooting 357 magnum rounds from a gun this light. It tames what would otherwise be a very hard "flip" of the muzzle into manageable recoil. Flash and noise? How much more flash and noise can you get from a 2" snub nosed 357 magnum revolver? The benefits are well worth whatever slight increase there may be in flash and noise IMO. YMMV.

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