Ported 9mm Shield question

[iPac]

I think the porting of any handgun under an 8" barrel is about worthless. I just don't see where it provides any benefit. My 3" 629 is magna-ported and I honestly can't tell a difference. Still kicks and rises just like any other 44mag.

Although, if a handgun is going to be ported, a revolver would be the much better choice. I won't even say how I really feel about porting an auto such as the Shield, but I will say it's purely a marketing pitch playing on the new "tacticool" fad. I'm sure quite a few novices will pay the extra money for the cool factor, but it's good to hear most folks here bought them for the other features, not the porting.

The only thing I can see a ported auto accomplishing is a guaranteed longer cleaning session. To each their own though, and enjoy what you like. The more people who don't like something just leaves more for those who do.

 

[Ranger17]

I'm sure quite a few novices will pay the extra money for the cool factor, but it's good to hear most folks here bought them for the other features, not the porting.
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Yep bought mine mainly for the trigger (i am not one to mod a gun w/ after market parts) and the FO sights. Sure i like the looks of the porting, but that took a back seat to the rest.

And yes porting adds a little more time to a cleaning session, but I'm talking minutes not hours so no biggie for me.

my .02 anyway

 

[hexnut]

My S&W 640 357 mag with 2-1/8 barrel is louder and has more muzzle flash than either of my ported Shields. Get over it. If you don't like a ported Shield don't buy one. No need to continually run them down when you don't own one and probably never will. Post about something you do like.

 

[Talldog]

Went shooting with my BIL for the first time yesterday. We traded Shields, I have the model with tritium sights and no safety, and he has the PC, ported with hi viz sights. By the time we left, I had decided that I'm going to trade in my other Shield with the white sights and buy a PC. It was that good.

 

[kgpcr]

Talldog they are that nice! I love the fiber optic sights. I also really like the trigger on my ported Shield. Very nice and its also very accurate for the size gun it is!

 

[Mister X]

It will likely reduce muzzle rise to some degree and theoretically allow for slightly faster follow up shots. To what degree is subjective. I've seen reviews comparing the regular and PC versions stating the reduced muzzled rise is minimal or hardly perceivable. Others coming to the opposite conclusion.

And remember that the reduced muzzle rise from porting does comes at the cost of less bullet velocity and therefore less energy being transferred into the target, which to me is not a very good trade off, especially in a 9mm.

There is also the possibility for powder residue and debris to be ejected through the ports. This isn't a concern at all at the range, but could be a potential issue in some type of close-quarter defense situation where you must fire from some type of retention position. I've seen a couple of videos of people firing the PC shield from a very upright posture/low hold retention stance at the range(and of course wearing safety glasses) and then declare that there are absolutely no concerns, but I've seen reports from way too many well respected, high profile defensive shooting instructors who have witnessed problems firsthand when conducting close-quarter shooting drills with ported guns to dismiss it. They subsequently all recommend against a ported handgun for defensive purposes. Plus, if you have ever participated in or even just watched a close-quarter force-on-force class, you'll see some very odd shooting position employed and the same applies to actual defense situations.

The trigger is considered by most to be "better" on the PC version, but these are concealable close-quarter defense pistols rather than target guns and the regular version is more than adequate for that task. The regular trigger might actually be better since I believe it is slightly heavier which is preferred on defensive weapons IMO.

A far as the sights, the vast majority(90+ %) of civilian defense shootings take place at very close distances. Most inside 3-5 yards. At those ranges, those "upgraded" sights won't likely be of any advantage since you should probably be utilizing theat focused shooting at those ranges.

If this is intended to be a concealed carry/self-defense pistol, my recommendation would be to stick with the standard model.

 

[rwsmith]

To me, ports on a Shield...

To me, ports on Shield don't accomplish anything. Get the regular model and love it.

Porting a Shield seems like the stuff we used to add to cars to make them 'go faster' that really weren't anything but eye appeal.

 

[oneounceload]

.....I read ports ARE louder, but when I share the lanes with others shooting .40 or .45, a ported 9mm is not a concern.

I wear in ear and ear muffs for hearing protection, but you make me curious about any decibel differences between the ported and non ported Shield barrels... I'll find out next range trip.

The people who don't like them probably don't own one. LOL

I wear plugs in and muffs over when shooting metallic - the concussion from someone next to me with a ported gun is painful. Large bores in an inside range are brutal....and I'm about half deaf due to college days of Jimi at volume 9 with headphones on.......................

 

[kgpcr]

I have fired over 150 rounds with it and no problems!! As for the porting I do think it helps with recoil and flip a bit. My wife sure likes this gun!!

 

[Wee Hooker]

I have fired over 150 rounds with it and no problems!! As for the porting I do think it helps with recoil and flip a bit. My wife sure likes this gun!!

Thanks for reporting back. I figured she'd like it. I have a PC (ported) shield in 45 that I'm smitten with. Honestly, I don't feel it has any more noise /flash than similar short barreled 45's I own. Recoil is quite manageable too. Sights and trigger alone make it worth the extra price of admission.

 

[Talldog]

To me, ports on Shield don't accomplish anything.

I have to disagree. When I was shooting on Saturday, I started with my non-ported Shield, and on the first shot, an abrasion on the bottom of the thumb on my shooting hand opened up. I put a band-aid on it and was able to continue, but it functioned as a recoil indicator for the rest of the session. I felt every shot with my Shield, but when I switched to my BIL's ported Shield I didn't feel anything. That and the hi viz sights is what made me realize I want one.

 

[sandog]

Like hexnut said, get over it.
Some guys that don't own a ported Shield are continually bad mouthing them, they are not a fully compensated race gun.
The two small ports are not causing any of the problems the detractors say about them, if they were, we who own the PC's would have said so.
Are there any benefits to the ports ?
My PC is in .40, and I don't have a non ported Shield in the same caliber to compare, but my PC .40 Shield is more pleasant to shoot than my Full Size M&P .40. Less recoil and less muzzle rise out of a smaller lighter pistol, so yes, I'd say the ports DO accomplish something.
Maybe the guys that complain about the PC models wish they had got one, but since they didn't they choose to denounce them instead, rather than provide correct info about them.
If you don't own a PC, and haven't shot one from various positions, etc., please refrain from commenting about them.
The argument I really like is how much more difficult the ported Shield is to clean.
What is around the ports in the barrel and the cuts on the slide is powder fouling only. Put some solvent on a rag, and one swipe and it's clean. It takes me an extra 5 seconds to clean than my non ported autos.

 

[Mister X]

I never understand why this particular topic always becomes so contentious and eventually devolves into an uncivil argument. I can see this thread heading in that direction.

This is a forum and as such, there will be discussion and debate. It should remain civil and respectful. There will be opposing opinions posted as there should be. It shouldn't be personal or taken personally.

Numerous well respected instructors such as Massad Ayoob, Michael de Bethencourt, Grant Cunninghm, Marty Hayes, Chuck Haggard, Mike Moore and Dr. Gary Roberts have all advised to avoid choosing ported guns for defensive roles as well as stated they have witnessed firsthand the potential problems of ported weapons actually demonstrated in classes.

If someone is asking about the Shield, I assume it's for concealed carry/personal defense and I respond accordingly. I don't understand why someone would choose it as a range/target pistol, but maybe they do.

If I knew nothing about the issue and was looking for answers, I would be much more inclined to listen to what well known professional defensive shooting instructors had to say on the matter vs the opinion of anonymous internet gun forum posters, but maybe that's just me. If I was a beginner, I would want as much information and as many different perspectives as I could get to further my knowledge and understanding to make informed decisions. That seems like a common sense approach to me, but everyone is of course free to do as they see fit. Irregardless, no disrespect intended and I think none shown and I expect the same in return.

 

[kgpcr]

Another 200 rnds through it without any problems of any kind. I no longer own a Shield 9mm. It is now property of my wife LOL. She loves it!! Now I think I need the same ported model in a .40!! The FO Sights and trigger are worth it and then some!!

 

[hexnut]

Us anonymous internet gun forum posters actually own the PC shield and have personal experience with it verses those who only read what others might have to say. These experts have lumped all ported guns in one category and many of them probably have no personal experience with a ported shield as well. It gets ridiculous what length some of these haters of ported guns will go to, to make people think like them. Its as if they should have the right to tell us how to spend our money and what we should like.

 

[CentFlMod500]

After reading this thread I had to take mine from the safe after 6 months and go out back and fire her... 2 mags 5 rounds each ran perfect, trigger is excellent, but it was loud.

 

[0849]

Porting Thumbs Up for Me

Us anonymous internet gun forum posters actually own the PC shield and have personal experience with it verses those who only read what others might have to say. These experts have lumped all ported guns in one category and many of them probably have no personal experience with a ported shield as well. It gets ridiculous what length some of these haters of ported guns will go to, to make people think like them. Its as if they should have the right to tell us how to spend our money and what we should like.

Just thought this post by hexnut was worth repeating, and, as a side note, it is always worth being cautious about following direction of "experts" in any field. My over 55 years experience with firearms, over 10 as an armorer and instructor, has proven to me: 1. You never really know for certain until you experience it yourself; and 2. One real life experience / test is worth ten thousand "expert" opinions.

I like ports, thinking about porting my CS9 and 3913TSW. I also like manual thumb safeties, and magazine disconnects --- wow, the ultimate firearms heresy according to some "experts"

 

[Mister X]

These experts have lumped all ported guns in one category and many of them probably have no personal experience with a ported shield as well.

It gets ridiculous what length some of these haters of ported guns will go to, to make people think like them. Its as if they should have the right to tell us how to spend our money and what we should like.

Is there something unique about the Shields porting so that the concerns these various experts raise is not applicable?

All anyone has to do is look at a picture or watch a video of a PC Shield being fired to see how the ports vent. There is nothing extraordinary about them. They vent in a V pattern which presents no concerns when firing from extension, but potentially could cause some very serious problems when fired from a high/tight retention position where you must cant/tilt the pistol and subsequently align the inside row of ports with your face. Not guaranteed to occur or even necessarily likely to occur, but still worthy of concern and with no real practical self-defense benefit gained from the ports, I would ask why risk it.

That's simply my opinion. I have no issues if someone disagrees with me as long as they are respectful about it and I am by no means on a crusade to make someone think like me or trying to dictate what gun anyone purchases. This is a forum not an affirmation club and I am participating in the debate-discussion.

The PC Shield is just another tool to me. I neither love nor hate tools. I have absolutely no personal feelings towards tools. I do want people to make informed decisions and have an understanding of the different perspectives when the objective is finding the best tool for the job of self-defense. There is pretty much a consensus among defensive shooting instructors in the recommendation of avoiding ported guns for defensive use. Anyone is free to blindly dismiss that if they wish, but I don't believe that would be very wise and think it prudent to learn why exactly they advise against them if they don't know or understand why. And they very well may still select a ported gun despite the potential concerns, but I think a whole lot of people are selecting ported guns with very knowledge about them.

 

[hexnut]

I liked my first one enough to buy a second one. Nothing succeeds like success. Give it up X didn't you get in trouble for this last time. Having never shot a ported Shield you sure know every thing about them LOL

 

[0849]

Yup, every revolver has a gap that lets hot gasses escape

I have one of the Performance center ported 9's.

I shoot at an enclosed, dimly lit range. The flash is no worse than any other gun I shoot, and that's a somewhat embarrassing number.

Does the porting do a lot? Meh, not really that I notice.

Is it an issue if the gun is fired from a very close distance to the body?

Potentially yes, derbies from the ports could be projected into the eyes for example. Anything is arguable. For that matter the same argument can be made if a J-frame revolver is fired too close to the body.

I bought it because of the enhanced trigger which provides a superior trigger pull in my opinion.

What I had planned to do was buy the gun, then pick up a non-ported barrel for it to use as a CCW gun.

Fact is, I don't need to - the ported shield is just fine for carry as it is.

As Dennismn so correctly points out "For that matter the same argument can be made if a J-frame revolver is fired too close to the body". Wonder why those experts that show outrage over ports on the Shield never manifested itself against those that carry revolvers for self defense, as hot gasses escape from the gap between the front of the cylinder and the barrel, as anyone who has ever let their fingers get close to that area well knows.