Does porting lower the value of a gun?

Have an opportunity to buy a 29-3 that’s been ported by Magna Port many years ago.

The gun is in pristine condition.

__________________
Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

For a collector, aftermarket porting hurts the value; in fact, it wipes out a substantial portion of the value, because serious collectors are all about originality. For a handgun hunter, it might increase the desirability. But, don't expect it to raise the price, necessarily. It's the old, old story of gun trading -- if I'm the seller, it's a treasure; if I'm the prospective buyer, it's trash. If I'm going to buy it we'll likely have to thrash out some middle ground between what you want and what I am going to offer, and it will end up being less than you're likely to get for an unaltered gun.

__________________
Pisgah

I personally won't own a handgun with holes in the barrel.

__________________
S&W Accumulator

Overall, porting lowers the value of a gun.

For many people, a ported gun is so undesirable as to take the gun out of consideration to purchase unless the price is so low as to make it possible to quickly flip it for a small profit.

The market for ported guns is much smaller than for an unported version of the same gun. They’re hard to sell unless priced very aggressively.

With all due respect, I didn’t ask about what you want. I asked a specific question.

Porting works whether you like it or not.

__________________
Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

That’s what I figured. Collector versus hunter. I’m not a collector thankfully.

The porting doesn’t bother me. I know it works. Just have to make sure I get it for a decent price.

__________________
Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

How does the bullet get out?

__________________
protocalldesign.com

More importantly, How does the bullet get in the barrel?

__________________
"Acta non verba"

As Pisgah mentions, this goes both ways.

In the vastness of this Nation we have many times more shooters/hunters than there are collectors and for most of them Porting done correctly by a reputable company does not devalue the firearm .

In the populace of this Forum's active members the opposite might be true. Certainly we have a lot of collector' voices.

As I am sure you are aware, almost anything done to a Smith & Wesson outside of the Factory devalues the firearm for most collectors. Sometimes even Factory work will devalue the firearm eg. a factory refinish turns off many collectors

But then collectors will do a 180 and go on a Grail like quest to find a conversion done by John Jovino's shop, Austin Behlart, King and others.

Sometimes it just takes a few decades to go from undesirable non-factory work to collector's item. However I do not think porting will go down that path

__________________
"Acta non verba"

29-3 1982 dropped recessed cylinders and pinned barrels for crush-fit barrels. Smith & Wesson Model 29 - Wikipedia

This is not a collectors item. Its a shooter. I like my 29-2 8" Mag Na Ported barrel.

$800.

I would buy a new current model. They have many improvements & a warrenty.
Both my 29-2 & early 629 had cylinders that started rotating backwards on firing.

Attached Images

Screenshot_20200530-205039.jpg (287.2 KB, 36 views)

Yes, if you are planning on selling it. It is a plus if you like porting.
Ed

My 8 3/8 29-2 was ported in the early 80s for 100 yard pigs. I still have it. It likes 180 XTPs. Mine is about 95% to look at and would be about the $750 range. I still have the original stocks I removed when new.

So where does the factory 627 V-Comp fit into this discussion? Is it not a factory revolver that's "ported" ?

A cousin of mine had a .44 Automag and he sent it to Magnaport for porting, and as for me, I couldnt tell the difference when he got it back, as far as recoil. I believe that unless you have a muzzle brake that is designed like the one on tanks, or Barrett .50 caliber rifles, your not gonna see much difference in recoil. Just my opinion after 50 years of handgun hunting.

There is opinion and there is demonstrated fact. The market may show occasional examples that one might argue are "exceptions to the rule" but that doesn't change the rule or make it any less true.

Aftermarket porting to the revolver reduces it's value without question and also makes it less marketable. However, to the right buyer, it could make it more attractive.

If you are the buyer and you like porting or you don't mind porting, then you are presented with a gun that has a flaw and you can use that aftermarket porting to aim for a lower price than offered.

If you are the buyer and you see an end game that has you possibly re-selling the revolver at any time in the future then go in to the purchase knowing full well that you are buying a gun that is less desirable than EXACTLY the same revolver without the porting.

I am happy to discuss further thoughts about .44 Magnum revolvers, porting, M-N-P specifically and I have hands-on experience with all three of those side bar topics but your post #5 makes it look like saying another word is unwelcome.

I was at a local gun show yesterday and a guy was looking at a 610 and talking to the guy at the table. They were talking about ported barrels and he mentioned he had a 1006 and a 1076 and sent them off to magnaport. Thankfully they were making everyone wear masks, so the cringe on my face wasn’t so noticeable.

__________________
USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

I bought a Model 58 many years ago that has a Magna Port barrel and also someone made it into a round butt too. Also had a bobbed hammer, since replaced with an original. Came with original box and papers. Bought it to shoot snd I have had a lot of fun with.

Sure, round butt and ported barrel reduces the value, but since I bought it to shoot, that's fine with me.

Yes, I paid $250-$300 less for an unfired, Magna-ported 29-3 a couple of years ago. The same dealer had two other 29-3s also unfired from the same collection (but not ported) that were much higher priced.

Honestly, I can't tell much difference in the recoil than with other, nonported 4" M29s. I would never pay to have a revolver ported, but I like this revolver very well, indeed in spite of the porting.

Yes, porting devalues a gun considerably. And a gun with ports will have a greatly reduced buyer pool, no matter the condition or the price.

__________________
FBINA, 204th Session

Does porting have more of an effect in controlling muzzle rise in a shorter or longer barrel? Or does it matter? I’ve had a few ported revolvers and semis pass through my firearm accumulation over the years, but never had an unported version of the same gun at the same time to compare them to. The only one I have now is a factory power ported 629-4 6”. It’s not unpleasant to shoot, but I would have passed on it if the price wasn’t so good. I even picked up a 5” unported barrel to swap it out with if I couldn’t live with the porting.

__________________
USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

The longer barrel benefits more from porting. I feel the bullets barrel time is longer & maintains pressure longer in the system.

The closer to the chamber the gas is vented, there will be less muzzle rise. Shorter barrel, less velocity, less muzzle energy.

But the weight of the barrels needs to be considered.


If you drill 8 holes right in front of the chamber of a Ruger Mk1 22 lr, 5 1/2" bull barrel pistol, it becomes almost recoiless.. Gas is released very early, velocity is lower. Was for ISU rapid fire back in the 70's.

Just how i see it. Could be wrong?

In general Porting does devalue the gun because it permanently alters the original condition. Some guy's like it, many do not, including myself, Personally I would not buy a ported gun regardless of how low the price was. Others might pay slightly more if they are a big fan of porting.

Porting adds to the perceived noise level, is just another part to lead, foul and clean, and unless you are shooting a 500 S&W Magnums in large amounts - just unnecessary to me. Again - some will swear by Porting - some hate it. Personal choice item.

I finally took a photo.

Attached Images

	DSC00509 (2)29-2.jpg (93.7 KB, 19 views)
	DSC00520 (2)29-2.jpg (108.6 KB, 17 views)

I bought a mag na ported 4" 66 in March just before the lockdown and have only recently been able to shoot it at the range. With the same loads (Magtech 158 FMJ FP) it shoots "softer" than the 6" 686 I also bought from the same owner. DA accuracy is pretty good at 25 yards, I'm out of practice though.

This is the first mag na ported gun I've shot, but I'm sold--to me, it works.