Does the porting on the 642Powerport help with recoil? I've not shot a 642 but I would guess recoil is significant with this little airweight.

Does the porting on the 642Powerport help with recoil? I've not shot a 642 but I would guess recoil is significant with this little airweight.

I too would like to hear from any owners of the new ported 642 to hear if it makes a big difference.

Recoil, being a subjective issue and all, is not that bad with standard pressure loads in my standard 642. I do think the hotter and/or heavier +P loads are a bit much for most shooters.

Bigger grips help a bunch.

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Centennial Every Day

Recoil is relative.

Personally, I have never thought any ammunition in my 642 produced severe recoil. My carry loads are Cor Box +P DPX and Remington +P 158gr LSWCHP's. While both are a little snappy, I couldn't see where porting the gun would be worthwhile. After all, this is just a .38 spl. I agree that a good set of grips will make a difference. I use Uncle Mikes boot grips.

In this case, I'd vote against porting.

We have 642 PowerPorts in the store where I work, but I have not shot one, nor have I found a customer who has shot one to give me an opinion. So take that into consideration when you read what I write next.

Don't buy it. I have shot other PowerPorts including the 686 6" PP and the 629 3" "Carry Comp" and then compared them to solid barrel counterparts (686 6" no port and 629 3" "Trail Boss" no port). The port is supposed to reduce muzzle flip, and in my opinion it does not do that to a significant degree. The port is not an effective compensator as found on "race guns". Those have multiple (usually progressively bigger) holes and usually have extra weight at the muzzle.

Add to that several reasons not to have a ported barrel on a close-up personal defense gun: 1. it's louder (not too big a deal IMO) 2. you're redirecting muzzle flash right up into your sight picture (bad for low light/no light shooting) 3. you're venting hot gases and particles out yet another direction on a revolver. Typical revolvers vent gases/particles out the muzzle and out the b-c gap to the left and right. Add a port and now your venting up, too. At the range, not really a big problem. In a fight, up close and personal possibly at contact distance with your assailant, potentially a big problem especially if the gun goes off near your face. In fact, if you do an "Arizona Rescue", it WILL go into your face.

My advice is worth what you paid for it, but if you ask me (which you did), I'd go with a bigger grip and/or lighter bullet as suggested above or get an all steel J or all of the above. At the very least, see if you can "try before you buy" at a range that has one for rent or from another shooter that has one already.

Good luck.

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khclark: Being a res of AZ, I'm very curious as to what an "Arizona Rescue" is? Regards, H-F Hank

Thanks for confirming my opinion. My decision is to get a 442 no lock.

khclark makes some very good points.

I think you made the right decision. If you are looking for a good rust preventative for the 442s' cylinder, give Shooter's Choice Rust Prevent a try.

...and does it really exist? I heard about it in a class once. I've never read, seen, or heard about it since, so maybe it's an urban legend.

The story goes: an armed suspect attempts to escape a building (somewhere in Arizona) surrounded by police by closely surrounding himself with several hostages, covering all of them including himself with a blanket or somesuch, and walking out. Supposedly, responders dealt with the situation by having one officer fling off the blanket while another jumped into the "crowd" and head shot the bad guy. Because he was surrounded by hostages, the officer made the shot by pointing the gun more or less upwards under the chin of the bad guy, so no hostages were in the direct line of fire.

The point being made in the class (which was a short-barreled revolver class) was that one must take some care with how one's revolver is oriented during contact shots. For such an "Arizona rescue" shot, for example, one should turn the revolver so that the topstrap is towards your face so as not to get sprayed in the face/eyes with potentially injurious gases and particles from the B-C gap. I guess with a pistol, you'd want to be sure the ejection port is not facing you (but I don't really even know how to operate those bottom-feeding guns ).

If anybody knows more about this event or even if it really happened, I'd like to know more about it...

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I have a 642 powerport and I have no problem with it. Personally what ever you like and are happy with.

Yeah, I'll say an "amen" to that. Despite my previous comments, I'm a strong believer in "if it works for you, then it works for you."

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The Powerport 642 is my newest purchase and I couldn't be happier. I've got an older 442 as well as a Python snub that makes it out to the range with me from time to time.

I just bought Powerport a couple of weeks ago and it's only been to the range once but I shot it along with my other 2 snubs.

Out of the 3, I would say the Powerport definately is the softest shooting of the bunch. I thought for sure the Python, with the extra weight and bigger grip would have been but surprisingly enough, I felt like the Powerport had a softer recoil. My brother also shot with me that day and confirmed it (he's now on the hunt for one also)

The trigger definately is still rough but I'm sure that will smooth out with time. It'll never get to the Pythons level but I don't expect it to.

Those who say it's louder than usual because of the port should definately shoot one back to back with other snubs. I really didn't hear much of a difference. If anything the concentration of the blast felt/sounded diffused, if that makes sense. I used various 38 and 38+P rounds including some wadcutter loads I had left and it shot just fine.

I bought the one and only gun the store had. They were just putting the tag on while I was holding the 642. Had I come sooner, I might have missed the purchase.

I'll have to take it out again but for it's first outing, I'm very satisfied.

Regarding khclark's comments on the PP revolver, I'd have to agree. The only PP I own is a 686-5PP. It was a deal at the time so I bought it. Does it reduce recoil? I don't really know...maybe slightly. I do know it's louder with 357 loads and the flame is bright (in your line of sight) shooting out the top muzzle port. No matter what the revolver, personally I'd prefer no powerport.

I have several revolers "ported" one is a 686 2 1/2 " I didn't notice much recoil difference. I like it for the recovery between round. Seems not as much muzzle rise in a ported weapon.

I can shoot my 41 magnum with full magnum rounds one handed with no problems since being ported