Ported barrel?

[51_60_colt]

While looking at mossbergs I noticed they have a 535 and an 835 mag. 835 has a poted barrel...what is the advantage of this?

[zippy13]

It's for recoil reduction. In reality, it does more to eliminate barrel rise (if done properly) which makes it quicker to get on your second target and may reduce some of the upward kick to the cheek. They are also great for collecting gunk as a micro bit of the wad is left behind as it passes the ported area. (All of my barrels either came ported, or I had it done after later.)

[RoscoeC]

I got a great deal on a Beretta A390 with a 30" ported barrel. This was my first (and only) ported barrel shotgun. If it does anything one way or the other, I can't tell it. Some folks complain that they are too noisy. Again, I don't notice it, and no one else has ever said anything, so I'm not buying that one either. Shotguns operate at such low pressures compared to pistols or high powered rifles that I really don't think porting is going to do much.

Now, with all that said I would not buy a shotgun just because is was ported, not would I reject one because it wasn't. For me it is just a non issue.

The ports do collect plastic and powder residue, but it doesn't seem difficult to clean up to me. My porting is oblong holes, not round ones, so a toothpick, an old toothbrush and about 4 or 5 minutes is all it takes.

[zippy13]

In the world of comp guns, a modification doesn't have to be earth shaking to be a success. If the mod will increase your score just one target over the course of an entire tournament, then many will consider having it done.

[Scorch]

835 has a poted barrel...what is the advantage of this?

It makes the guy standing next to you on the line at a trap shoot jumpy so he misses more than you do.

[dabigguns357]

Pretty much nothing.I have a mossberg 500 with a ported slug barrel and when i shoot it,it still kicks like a mule.I friend has the same barrel minus the porting and there is so little diffrence in mine and his.

[zippy13]

Originally Posted by dabigguns357

I have a mossberg 500 with a ported slug barrel... friend has the same barrel minus the porting and there is so little diffrence in mine and his.

You admit there is a difference, not a big one, but still a difference. It may not be a big deal to you, but you're not shooting several hundred rounds a day.

One aspect of porting that is seldom mentioned is night shooting. If your HD gun has a ported barrel, I highly recommend that you shot it in the dark just so you know what to expect in a tactical situation.
Many folks have a HD gun to address things that go bump in the night, but they practice only in daylight. Does that make sense?

[RoscoeC]

You admit there is a difference, not a big one, but still a difference. It may not be a big deal to you, but you're not shooting several hundred rounds a day.

Good and interesting point. While I say that I notice no difference (I have 11 shotguns), when I am shooting several hundred rounds in a day, the A390 with the ported barrel is the one I always reach for. Maybe that slight difference is why? There are too many factors to make the call, it is the longest barrel gun I have, it has a nice wood stock, it fits me very well, etc. so it's hard to say, but I can't rule it out.

Your point about practicing at night is a very good one. I have done night shoots with a pistol . Guess I need to get out with the shotgun at night too. The night sessions were during pistol classes and I learned quite a lot.

[BigJimP]

I'm with Zippy13 on this one....

A ported barrel ( at least on a 12 or 20ga ) significantly reduces muzzle jump between the 1st and 2nd shells - and whether you are hunting or shooting Skeet or Sporting Clays - it makes shifting your eyes to pick up the 2nd target a lot easier - before you make a move with the gun to insert it on the line of the bird. Even on an 8 1/2 lb O/U - I think it'll reduce muzzle jump a good 6 inches.

All of my Trap guns are ported as well - and 75% of the time, you're only shooting 1 target so it doesn't really matter. But if you're shooting doubles or Continental Trap - where you load 2 shells - it makes a big difference.

There is a debate about whether porting reduces recoil or not / personally, I don't think it does much - but since recoil is cumulative, every little bit will make the difference over a 200 target day....

Porting on semi-autos / I have a Benelli super sport that is ported - and I like it. It's a very light gun, like most semi-autos at a little over 7 lbs out of the box / and while the action cycling absorbs the recoil - without the porting, in a light gun, I think you would get a lot of muzzle jump.

In my view porting does not affect the Trap shooters standing next to you on the line / and look around .... 90% of the better Trap shooters are shooting ported barrels / and Skeet and Sporting Clays shooters ....so it must be helping their game a little. Just because 90% of the guys are shooting ported guns doesn't make it better / maybe they just have newer guns - but most Trap shooters are shooting 32" or 34" barrels - and the extra noise coming out of those barrels - when you're about 8 feet to the right or left isn't a big deal, in my opinion.

Now shooting next to someone with an 18" barrel on a Trap line - is plain out obnoxious from the muzzle blast - especially on a hard left or right target.

I would recommend a gun with ported barrels for Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays or hunting. To me every little bit helps.

[oneounceload]

Venting gases upward through little holes will have no effect on the backwards movement from recoil. I have doubts as to whether it helps muzzle rise since I shoot light loads to begin with. That being said - if the gun I wanted, (usually Browning) already comes with them, no biggie - would I pay extra tpo have someone do it? Not worth it to me. It WILL let your squad mates know when you pull the trigger though - there is a noticeable amount of side noise

[dabigguns357]

I'll have to fire a couple of rounds off at night to see the effect,sounds like fun.You are correct in saying that a ported barrel is louder,but with slugs and in a pump shotgun there isn't enough of differnce to tell the 2 barrels apart.

I admire those who can shoot 100's of rounds but i would never want to fire that many slugs,(ouchhhh)from any gun,ported or otherwise

[capt. jas.]

Will reduce some muzzle jump. Will be noticeable to some and non-existant to others. A gimmick for recoil reduction in a shotgun in my opinion. Not much louder for the one shooting it but really bad for bystanders or others on or near a firing line.

[zippy13]

Originally Posted by oneounceload

Venting gases upward through little holes will have no effect on the backwards movement from recoil.

The expelled gasses are a significant portion of the total muzzle energy equation. A demonstration of muzzle gas energy was made by John M. Browning in 1889 when he used a "washer" (perforated disk) forward of the muzzle of Winchester '73 lever-action lever action rifle. The washer captured enough energy to operate the lever via a linkage and spring assembly to convert the lever gun into an auto-loader.

Think about it this way... The gas vented at the ports it's no longer going out the muzzle; therefore, it no longer contributes to the muzzle energy and the subsequent rearward reaction. Directing the gases from the muzzle (porting) to reduce recoil is used from artillery to hand guns. As far as reducing muzzle lift, it demonstrates an application of Newton's third law.

[RoscoeC]

Just for jollies, here is a very nice shot of the result of porting. This is a lady that was in my shotgun class shooting a Vang 870 with porting. Note the gas plumes.

[Ruger4570]

Several years ago at a Skeet shoot in Tucson I had my lower barrel ported. I had shot my first 50 rounds and was not scheduled to shoot again til the afternoon. It was a BIG shoot with lots of vendors selling guns, shooting vests, ammo, hot dogs, most everything. One vendor was equiped to do barrel porting, I asked how long it would take, he said an hour or so. I gave him the barrels to my Browning O/U and said, "Do the lower barrel" he came back with I should do both barrels, I said why, he said for the reduction in muzzle rise. I said, I am shooting Skeet, I only need a reduction for the first shot, the second shot doesn't matter as I am done shooting til the next station.
I got the gun back and went to my station for the second 50 targets.
I saw absolutly NO change in muzzle rise, NONE, NADA, NOTHING, ZIP, ZERO etc.
If there is a difference, I could see none and I am a fairly experienced shooter.
The ONLY thing I could see change was the change in my pocket went to the vendor.

[zippy13]

Ruger4570
It may be that any change in muzzle rise is not significant enough for you to notice. Porting the lower barrel is less effective than the top for at least two reasons:
1. Due to your Browning's side ribs, the bottom barrel's ports are positioned less vertical than the top barrel or the bottom on a gun without side ribs. Obviously, the more horizontal the ports are orientated, the less effective they will be. Look a the pic (above) posted by RoscoeC, the centers of the port gas plumes are about 45% degrees -- not very effective. If you're going to have physics work for you, you've got to give it a chance. I've heard of guns where the upper barrel ports are truly vertical and ducted through the top rib.
2. The eccentricity of the lower barrel being less that the upper, it rises less under recoil. Consequently, porting the lower barrel (even if it could be vertical) is relatively less effective than porting the upper.
I, too, have had barrel work done in some vendor's trailer at a major shoot. I'm guessing, when you had your Browning ported, the ramifications of having just the lower barrel done weren't fully discussed nor disclosed.
Sorry to hear of your disappointment,
Pete