Why are ported revolvers so bad?

[Harkrader]

Proper grip for controlling the 329PD.

Grip for controlling the 500 Linebaugh

500 Linebaugh ports

329PD ports

Hearing protection for the 500 Linebaugh

WOW! What a range of opinions and statements based on, one must suppose, actual use!

I have two ported revolvers and the benefit is boldly obvious. The first is a Ruger Redhawk modified by Hamilton Bowen to .500 Linebaugh. This gun was, and to a degree still is, punishing to shoot. I had MagNaPort cut four trapezoid ports into it. Unfortunately, I don't have an unported version to offer as comparison, so you have only my anecdotal comment.

It does make a difference. It has a 5" barrel and I think, with no comparative evidence to back it up, that the ports make a difference - when used in concert with good energy absorbing grips.

My 329PD with four trapezoid ports can easily be compared because I have an unmodified one. I have let people fire them side-by-side with full-spec .44 Mag ammo, and hunting rounds with bullets up to 300-gr, and everyone notices the reduced muzzle flip and states the recoil is less painful. Note: It is STILL painful!

The 500 is already excruciatingly loud, so I don't know that the ports add anything to it. There is flash from the ports in daylight, but even in low light it does not interfere with aiming. The key is to NOT look at it, but keep focus on the target. There is no such thing as "double taps" or "quick follow-up shots" with this cannon.

Fired outside, I don't see any increase in blast for the 329PD either. Fire from the ports is not visible until the light is quite low. I suppose that is due to modern powder making less flash.

In short, ports make a notable difference in both revolvers. I have no adverse results from them and I'm glad I had both done.

 

[625smith]

I would not like to fire my 4" 500 without porting



I also shoot a 629-4 Trophy Whitetail that is power ported. Porting does reduce felt recoil.

 

[Watchdog]

Why are ported revolvers so bad ...why so negative on porting?

Mag-na-porting destroys any value a gun might have had as a collector's item.

I won't buy a gun with holes in the barrel...or even worse, the slide.

 

[mgb223]

I don't get porting a short barrel. It's like my short barrel rifle there is so moch un burned powder it doesn't matter. Run a heavy bullet down a long barrel vs a light bullet and you can see why you would want to port a long barrel. Senseless to port a short barrel!

 

[Groo01]

Groo here
I have many ported guns, handguns and rifles.
First, though porting increases the pressure [force felt] from the barrel back at the shooter, It does NOT increase noise[ in a revolver.
The cylinder gap is closer to the shooter.
The flash is over rated [ remember that cylinder gap?]
The porting does not reduce recoil but it does reduce the rotation
or rise of the barrel and there for the hit you take in the web of the hand.
The thing about porting [ as with compensators]
is that they work better with heaver loads.
If you try to make a gun easier to shoot by reducing the load
you have just " shot yourself in the foot"
And lastly, porting a short barrel works verrry well indeed, I have an SP 101 2 1/4 in that the porting
makes shootable with 180/200gr "hunting" loads[aka Groo Monster Maulers]
Another is my 3in 629 Trail Boss. The porting takes the sting out of the web of my hand ,moving it down to the palm
where I can take it better]

 

[Mehutch]

Porting is like laser sights, like them or hate them. 1911's with 5" vs. 3". Revolver vs. 1911's. On and on we go. I have a ported gun and never even noticed anything different or problematic. Would I ever buy another ported gun... nope. Not because of the bigger flash, or of the louder bang, or because of shooters blindness, nor because of the ugly factor. All is silly... any gun is loud and has a big flash. Shooting from the chest, by that time you've waited to long to fire, and if I am falling backwards it is natural to break your fall with your arm and hands. Duh! Don't like red heads, don't date one.

 

[justicetyme]

Shooting from the chest, by that time you've waited to long to fire,

Exactly my sentiments as I expressed in an earlier post.

 

[mazer]

Well, I can state unequivocally that a ported gun does reduce muzzle lift and recoil. I've owned and shot 44magnum in just about every configuration you can mention, with and without ports. And yes, it is louder and yes it adds something else to clean, but my ported 44mags are the BEST SHOOTING GUNS I have in those calibers. When I owned a Desert Eagle in 44mag it was not pleasant to shoot. Added a muzzle brake and it became a smooth easily manageable and very accurate hand cannon.
This Stealth Hunter is one of the most pleasant firing revolvers I own due to the porting. I think most folks don't like ported weapons if they are beside them...which is understandable, but to actually shoot one??? You will definitely notice the difference in the heavier calibers.
Here is my 2001 "no color" Stealth Hunter...oh, and I married 2 red heads.....I'm a glutten for punishment!

 

[Arc Angel]

You cannot shoot revolvers for more than about 5 minutes without having some blast come back on you from the barrel/cylinder gap. If it can happen from there, then it is only a matter of time until hot gases or hot particles come out the slots or gas ports straight up into your eyes (if shooting from the hip), or back into your eyes (it can happen even with glasses on your face).

Porting is dangerous, makes the gun louder, and makes the gun ugly.

I cannot speak for anyone else, but that is why I am negative on porting.

Oh, and because, like FLGRs in 1911, I really do not think it does much for you.

Besides, why cut slots or holes in a perfectly good barrel?

Thanks!

I just adore a really good internet gun forum myth. Sooo cool! Keep it going, OK.

I'm probably pushing close to a hundred thousand rounds through numerous muzzle-ported pistols; and, to date, I don't remember, 'getting my nose tickled' by powder blast on more than two or three occasions; AND, I honestly couldn't say whether or not that, 'tickle' came from the ports, or the cylinder gap.

Worse than this, although I've experimented a few times, I've never been able to set my clothes on fire, either! Maybe if I were to soak myself in gasoline I might be able to ignite something, though, huh!

You know, like this very sad ported pistol barrel tragedy! (It's real, honest! I saw it on an internet gun forum.)

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

I shot 1911s with several different kinds of porting and comps for years with great success. When porting or comps are designed correctly, that is the area of the porting or the internal area of the comp match perfectly the area of the bore you should be able to shoot a target from 12 inches away and get only a bullet hole, not a blown up target. When this matching is done the escaping gasses all go out the ports and none out the muzzle. We also learned that when loading for "Major" bullet mass is all important when talking about recoil. In 45, from 152 gr. to 230 gr. when loaded to major, I could not discern a difference in recoil. This system for a revolver is a little more difficult to figure out because of gasses escaping at the forcing cone. We did a 6 inch 45 acp S&W by back cutting into the muzzle and porting and could detect NO difference. Most recoil in an auto is from the recipricating mass of the slide popping around. A round shot in an auto has far more "kick" than the same round shot in a revolver of equel weight.

 

[b_san]

Mag-na-porting destroys any value a gun might have had as a collector's item.

Except when they're factory runs. The ported early PC guns are some of the most valuable modern Smiths you can buy right now.

 

[Termite]

Ported revolvers

A revolver has pressure escape at the cylinder gap which might render the porting not as useful as in a pistol. For the same reason, contrary to Hollywood movies, revolvers are not good candidates for silencers. I shoot mostly magnums, with fairly heavy loads, and didn't notice a lot of difference, ported, or not.

I don't have as much auto pistol experience, but I did notice a bit less recoil with porting. That's my two cents worth.

 

[jjdoodah]

My experience is with several S&W 29/629 8 3/8", several 7.5" Superblackhawks, a Taurus 3.5", and a Dan Wesson. My present 629 has the original "Magna-Port" from 1979-80. It seems to take the muzzle jump and transfer it to a backwards force. Personally, unless your looking for a quick recovery, the accuracy with magnums is unchanged, and I prefer the jump VS: the "kick".

 

[ruger 22]

If you are bothered by recoil then you will notice a difference in porting. If recoil does not bother you you will not feel a difference since you do not feel the recoil in the first place. I have not tested handguns but on shotguns after a 400 round day with a ported versus non-ported gun you will notice a very substantial difference.

 

[Arkiepup]

The Magna-ports on my FA .454 Casull really cut down on the muzzle flip and makes it, in my hands at least, more accurate due to less perceived recoil. My factory Power-Port S&W 6" 629 and 686 6" are my only other ported revolvers. Both are much easier to shoot with less muzzle rise and more of a push rearward. I have shot both side by side with my non ported 629's and 686's and can definitely tell the difference. None of the three are ECW's.

 

[Tom S.]

My experience is with several S&W 29/629 8 3/8", several 7.5" Superblackhawks, a Taurus 3.5", and a Dan Wesson. My present 629 has the original "Magna-Port" from 1979-80. It seems to take the muzzle jump and transfer it to a backwards force. Personally, unless your looking for a quick recovery, the accuracy with magnums is unchanged, and I prefer the jump VS: the "kick".

From what I was taught in school (granted, a l-o-n-g time ago), that is physically impossible. "X" amount of pressure is generated by each round. On an untouched barrel, whatever remains from what escapes from the cylinder gap pushes directly back to the shooter. Adding vents, as Magna-port does directs a portion of that gas up, which translates to a) less force towards the shooter, and b) force against the rising motion of the barrel.

Recoil, the force generated in the opposite but equal reaction equation, can be effected in many ways, but the force always remains a constant. For example, if you lowered the barrel so that it was even with say your two middle fingers, the muzzle would rise much less (if at all), but your hand would still absorb all the force. The only way to divert this force is to direct it in another direction, and that is what Magna-porting does. It's physically impossible for it to add to the actual recoil, let alone felt recoil.

Psychologically, the louder report, caused by escaping gasses that aren't rushing away from the shooter, but parallel instead, could make your brain think the recoil is worse, but it's not, it has to be less, though not significantly.

 

[saemetric]

Best Magnaport recoil reduction I've had is on my TC Contender in 35 Remington. Significant enough to be quite noticeable.

 

[TfflHndn]

I guess I don't get the issue with porting a "collector" gun. If it's a factory port, I don't see why it would reduce the value. It's an option on the original gun, much like having a factory target trigger or hammer. If it's not a factory feature, why would someone port a "collector" (i.e., non-shooter) gun? I'd only port a gun I intended to shoot, and the shooting would impair "collector" value for those who wanted a NIB, unfired specimen to sit in a safe.

Anyway, I have a couple ported guns, Smiths (927 and 632), a SIG 229 in .40 S&W, and a Super Redhawk .44. The porting makes a difference to me in the full-power loads, and I've never noticed any negatives in target loads. I wouldn't port a gun that was not a magnum or high-pressure cartridge (i.e. .40 S&W, .327 mag), but that's just me.

 

[therewolf]

I have to agree, that with the really large calibers, porting may

help. But it's become a fad, and frankly, IME, with smaller calibers

it sucks. Be especially careful with gas operated rifles, it was throwing

off my cycle pressure on my AR10, all so some ******* could make the

rifle look fancy on the showroom floor..

 

[JackD]

I traded a 9mm and 40SW M&P Shield for ported versions of each. The ported versions are so much easier to shoot and handle in my opinion. These are my carry guns. Through training I've learned how and where to direct the gases in a close quarters situation to avoid barrel exhaust. These Shields are no louder than their predecessors. I hope to get another set as a backup.

No one hopes or wants to ever need their weapon. I'll thank Smith & Wesson for these ported versions if I ever need them in an emergency and will say nothing if I receive any minor injuries because of them.

I have found that the benefits or ported slides and barrels truly outweigh their costs.

The best way to truly know is to give it a try.