The only Mag-Na-Ported revolver I own is a custom 8.5" barreled Freedom Arms Model 83 in .454 Casull

Mine is actually double ported and was done prior to being shipped from the factory and I very much like how it shoots.

I have never owned a S&W hand ejector with a Mag-Na-Ported barrel, but I am considering purchasing a couple of them from a friend who is having to get out of shooting sports due to his health. These would include a Model 686 and a model 627. He also has a Ruger Redhawk that's been ported.

Other than being extra loud I don't really see any other negatives......and the benefits would certainly be being able to get back on your target much quicker especially in a hunting situation.

Thoughts/opinions???

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Tom Graham SWCA #2303

I have a double-Magnaported PC 3" 629 with good grips. I always knew it worked, but I finally got around to actually shooting it side by side with my 4" 29 with good grips. The ported 629 has distinctly less recoil and muzzle rise with the same full-power ammo. Muzzle flash is inconsequential in the daytime, and, wearing ears, I don't recall any difference in noise. No blast or powder residue touched my face, but I was aiming using the stock iron sights.

I see no drawbacks to the porting, but I have never used unjacketed bullets, nor do I expect to use the gun without arms extended.

Hope this helps.

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Formerly Model520Fan

My RSR Wholesale special run 629-1 came magnaported along with other features. I like it

Have several Mag-Na-Ported guns in both SA and DA...

The DAs are a 3" 657 with the standard two ports and a 58 with Quad-Ports.

Have shot the 58 in IDPA along with an unported 58 with the same loads in an IDPA shoot..two stages with each gun... With standard POLICE 210s at 950 there is a noticeable difference in muzzle rise and recovery time...

Have shot the 57 with a non-ported 3" in the same session and there was a difference but not as noticeable as when shooting the two 58s against the clock...

Have shot jacketed, plated and cast bullets through both guns and there isn't any problems but with plain cast the front sight blade will get some lead dusting especially if the blade has a colored insert...

Bob

My T/C Contender in 14” 35 Remington is magnaported. I’ve fired it without and now with the porting. Huge reduction in muzzle rise.

I don't want ports but I don't own any .41 and .44 mags anymore and my M&P 10mm doesn't kick much at all. I've heard guns that are ported frequently sell for LESS money than if they where not ported. If the ports look like somebody used their drill press to make the ports, the gun is going to sell for a whole bunch less.

I’m not a fan.

I have 2 rifles (300 Win Mag & 264 Win Mag) a Super 14" in 44 mag, and one you would care about. A 28-2 4". With lighter loads it is less impressive, but with my 180 grain maxed out carbine loads it was like shooting 38 Spec full wadcutters in a Model 10!

In my rifles it reduces recoil of heavy for caliber in the 300 and greatly reduces the muzzle jump in the 264.

In the Super 14" with factory 240's was a waste of money, but with my "Way over safe in any Revolver" 300 grain loads it makes them standable (barely)!

Ivan

"Hate" is too strong a word, but I wouldn't want to own a ported firearm.

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FBINA, 204th Session

629 was getting loose when Smith had recall on cylinders, had them retime it at factory. Lots more shooting and it went to the late Fred Sadowski at 300 Gunsmith in Colorado to be tightened up. Met the Kelleys (Larry and Ken) at a handgun only hunt near me. It was getting loose again so they took it with them after hunt and it came back with 5"bbl, Quad ports, trigger job, satin bead blast, and tight Don't shoot near as much any more, but the ports do help with full power loads. You can see a little lead and carbon on the muzzle end of the ports, but I've never felt it. Several people at the hunt had 454 Casulls that were Mag-Ported. Thinking of porting my M69 4" to help with muzzle jump.

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PTLAPTA!

I have a Magna Ported 6” 629-2. I bought it already ported in 1991. Used but like new. It’s a little louder but not a lot. It reduces muzzle flip but still has a push back recoil to it. I’d say it feels like shooting my 6” 686. I’ve never seen a shooter S&W sell for less because of a true “Magna Port” job. Ported at Bubbas would definitely impact value. But not Magna Port.

The only ported gun I have is my .500 Magnum. Just about all the 500 Magnums I have seen were ported. This is not the Magna Port, it’s obviously factory. It doesn’t bother me but I’d prefer it weren’t ported at all.

It's the most powerful revolver I have. There's no need for porting. Maybe if I got into Casulls and the like I'd consider it.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I own a 642 .38spl that was factory maga-ported, purchased around 1997/1998. I don't mind it, but not sure it makes much difference. A 2" .38 subnose barks no matter what, I don't feel the magna porting makes it any worse. I figure the potential recoil reduction can only help.

I have a magna -ported model 29-2, 6 1/2 bbl. I cannot tell any difference in noise or flash. It shoots great.

I have a 3" 629 Trail Boss magna port that I like a lot.

I have 2 ported 629s. A dash 6 and a dash 1. Wish i had more.

No opinions one way or the other. Would not turn down a ported S&W for the right price.

Like most things in life, ported barrels are a compromise. While they do reduce muzzle rise, and can help to reduce felt recoil, they do so at the cost of reduced velocity and increased blast/flash. As such, the intended role of the firearm is important when considering whether or not ported barrels are a good thing.

To me, a very powerful magnum handgun with a ported barrel makes sense, while less powerful guns do not. Something like a .460 or a .500 magnum which tends to have an abundance of power isn’t hindered as quickly by a modest loss in velocity the way that a .45 ACP or something along those lines would be. Also, a gun used entirely for target shooting can be good candidates for porting while I absolutely wouldn’t consider a ported gun for defensive use.

So, yes to MagnaPort, but only on the right gun.

Shot this group today. Factory magna ported. 240 gr jsp sized at 431 with 25.6 grs 300MP. 1330 fps. 429” was 1400 but group was bigger.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m currently conversing with Magnaport about working on my 629-6 3”. It’s a bit rough for me with even my midrange 240 grain SWC’s. They recommend the standard one port per side versus the two port as it apparently works better for big bores. I’ll be shipping it off probably at the beginning of June.

Depending on how that goes I’ve got a 66-7 2.5” in my collection that led a rough life before I found it. The lock was removed and plugged but it looks like it was stored in a toolbox. Lots of little scratches. I think I’m going to have them do their “vapor hone” finish as well as port it. Might have them polish the screws and the back of the cylinder while they are at it. Turn my ugly duckling into a swan…..

The Vapor Hone finish is what they put on my 629. (pic in post #10)

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PTLAPTA!

I have shot them but have no plans to own one.

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Front sight and squeeze

At this point in time I only have one. A 2 1/2inch 66-1. It shoots great. Objectively I haven’t noticed a lot of difference. I probably need to do a side by side comparison.

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SWCA 3255 SWHF 615

I regret having this gun magna ported, but at the time it was just a 350-400 3" k frame. I did it because at the time there was a S&W performance center gun that was basically a 65LS with the double Magna port. I don't remember what it was, i think it was green or something. At the time it was cool. The porting works great with full house 158 .357s.

Thought I had a better pic, but I don't. It has the double trapezoidal ports going down through the rib on each side, rather than through just the barrel.

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I’m not a fan of anything ported...handgun or long gun.

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Some Might Say.

When I was guiding big game hunters in the 1960’s and early 1970’s we wouldn’t guide hunters who had magna ported rifles because of the noise and blast effects on the guides. You could really get hurt if you were in the wrong spot when sport touched off his magna ported rifle.

We had a couple rifles without ports we loaned out to the hunters who had magna ported rifles. No one complained about them and they managed to harvest the hunter’s trophies just fine.

Let's be clear that there's a difference between MagNaPorting, as done by the company of the same name, and anything with a gas expansion chamber (ie: muzzle brake, integral or otherwise), or just some big holes drilled in the barrel.
The MagNaPort company does good work and have offered some cool packages. Also, it's not just for big magnums. I know from having talked to them, that they have ported small caliber guns to good effect.
As an example, when the .22 Short cartridge was allowed under ISSF rules for International Rapid Fire Pistol, many competitors chose a ported barrel. Some pistols, such as made by Hammerlï and Walther were manufactured as such. In the case of an unported gun, such as some High Standards, MagNaPorting helped make them competitive. When you have to raise a pistol from the 45 degree angle with one hand and fire five precision shots at five different targets at 25 meters, anything that disturbs your aim and follow-through is a problem.

I have one of the 3" ported Trail Boss versions. I've shot it a fair bit. Mostly full daylight but some dusk. I've never noticed any ill effects from the porting. If it's louder than other 3" 44s I can't tell. It certainly no louder than my unported 69 snubbie. Any full house loads out of a short barrel 44 mag is going to be fairly impressive in lower light. From a shooters perspective the ported 3" doesn't seem noticeably worse. I have done some hip shooting with it during qualifications. I think it's 3 double taps at bad breath range. I didn't have any issues.

The only 1 that 1 that I've ever owned. 29-2, 4" nickel. Make recoil very tolerable. Bob

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Have a 629-2 Mountain Revolver that had the single Magnaports flanking the fs ramp like the nickel 29-2 posted just above when I bought it used years ago.
Read somewhere that a batch of these were sent to Magnaport from either the factory or the distributor for the same treatment, dunno if that's true or this one was sold this way .
Will have to break it out of the safe and compare to my 629-3 Mountain gun side by side on the range one day.

On a side note the First time at the range noticed residue on the front site blade red ramp insert.
Second time the baughman ramp insert went missing.
Have since replaced the Baughman red ramp with a Patridge fs blade with gold bead insert.

Thank you all for the feedback.......much appreciated.

I may be listing a few ported revolvers including a 627 (Performance Center), 686 and a Ruger Redhawk in the near future.....so keep your eyes on the classifieds!!

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Tom Graham SWCA #2303

I’ve never liked the looks of them.

If I was in the market for a particular model and found one with porting? I’d keep looking.

YMMV

My 29-5 had Hard Chrome finish and was Mag-Na-Ported when I bought it. I wouldn’t have had the porting done but I don’t mind it and don’t think it looks bad.

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SWCA #1917

....is a .357 mag and I've shot a .44 mag. If I shot a REALLY hot pistol I might go for magna-port, but I just don't see the need. Muzzle rise doesn't give me a problem getting back on target. I don't encounter brown bears or hunt anything big, so there's no sense in being a macho man where I would actually NEED a magna-ported gun. Maybe years ago I would have shot a pistol just because it was hot, but those days are gone.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Honestly the 629 I had magna ported did not seem to make a lot of difference but I could not compare side by side with another gun. I will say that my 3 “ 19 carry comp with proport has noticeable less muzzle rise than my “6 m27 side by side.

I'm on the fence regarding ports. None of my "big bore" revolvers are ported (.44 Magnum or .41 Magnum...I don't hunt or own any .500 or .454s). I did buy a Highway Patrolman Model 28-2 years ago that had some porting holes drilled in the barrel, but they don't seem to reduce recoil or muzzle flip. Unfortunately, Mag-Na-Port Int'l. couldn't turn those holes into actual Mag-na-ports for me. I do have a ported M&P PC Shield 9mm that I use for EDC...and IMO the ports do reduce both recoil and muzzle rise. I can see how ports would help with the big bore revolvers.

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My Shield .45 from PC ported. Lite & shoots true. Seems less muzzle rise than 1911? Anywho, pleasure to carry & shoot.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

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And so it goes...

I once owned a Taurus Tracker in .44 Magnum that was ported & to tell the truth I couldn’t tell much difference in recoil from other un-ported guns.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I have a 4" 629 no dash that's Magna-ported, it's the last S & W I'd ever part with.

I like the work that comes out of their shop
629-2 mountain revolver

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Anything ported is a deal-breaker for me, regardless of mfg or how good the price might be.

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Some Might Say.

I don't understand the ported hate. Modern trainers have proven that porting not detrimental in low light/no light (with defense ammo) because of modern powders. Spalling is very low on EDM and it lowers recoil. Unless you just hate your wrists, I don't see why you wouldn't want it with any caliber. And before all the haters get involved yes that includes firing up from inside a jacket or hoodie pocket. You already putting holes in it.

I have no personal experience using a ported gun, but I remember an article about them in one of the gun mags years ago. IIRC, the author appreciated the ported .44 magnums lowered recoil/muzzle rise and faster target reacquisition for follow-up shots. The downside was the loss in energy at impact - his bowling pin targets were knocked over much less violently than when shot with a non-ported model.
Fortunately, bowling pins are more easily deterred than bears.

Todd