Does a ported shotgun barrel help?

[jtischauser]

I just got into a sweet Open Division Benelli M2. I am considering getting one of my barrels ported to help reduce recoil or muzzle rise or whatever else it would do to help me be able to shoot faster.

Is a ported barrel worth essentially ruining a $500 Benelli barrel? What are your experiences with ported shotgun barrels?

 

[The Antichrome]

Get some ported chokes and try 'em out.

 

[jtischauser]

Get some ported chokes and try 'em out.

Thinking along the lines of what Trapr days about lack of umgh in a shotgun load I would guess that a ported choke is a complete waste of time. I would venture to guess that the closer the ports were to the chamber the better it would vent the gases?

 

[brandt9913]

Every shotgun I've ever seen ported is near the end of the barrel. I do not know the specific reason why, but they all are at the end of the barrel. Logic would say that the gas being ported at the end of the barrel near the top would help reduce muzzle rise, but I have never shot a ported barrel.

 

[dennishoddy]

Every serious trap shooter, and the same in the sporting clays world have ported barrels.
I would think the suggestion of ported chokes would be good advice, and the further out the barrel the ports are, the more the effect. Just off the top of my head, the lever and fulcrum effect would win.

 

[The Antichrome]

Thinking along the lines of what Trapr days about lack of umgh in a shotgun load I would guess that a ported choke is a complete waste of time. I would venture to guess that the closer the ports were to the chamber the better it would vent the gases?

That would make sense..esp since we are talking about semi autos that we're trying to shoot fast.
However, in sporting clays, people always ask "do ported barrels make a difference?" The answer is: Will you be able to tell a difference? To find out, try some ported chokes...if you cant tell a difference, then dont bother with porting your barrel.
Porting the barrel on an o/u supposedly makes less difference than a ported choke.
But, let me tell ya Comp-n-Chokes absolutely make a difference in felt recoil (I couldnt tell a difference in muzzle rise)
I've shot very similar guns side by side with and without porting and couldnt really tell a difference, other than noise...but comp-n-chokes...I could tell. So who knows?... I do know that porting makes it harder to clean your gun;-)

If I ever buy my 'dream' sporting clays gun (Kolar)...it wont have ports...but it will have a full double set of Comp-n-chokes.

 

[jtischauser]

WTH are comp-n-chokes?

 

[brandt9913]

Any K shotgun is a dream gun Robert. I have been told when shooting my o/u to always select the bottom barrel for the first shot. It supposedly makes for a quicker second shot on doubles. I didn't ask for a reason why, but the multiple gentlemen that told me this had grey hair and usually went 25/25 in skeet league.

I never noticed if the guys with K guns in my skeet league had ports in their barrels or not. The K gun guys all had tube inserts and shot 28 ga or .410 because they liked the challenge. The guy that taught me the most about shooting skeet used 20 ga tubes when shooting in 12 ga events because "if I miss with a 20 ga, I would miss with a 12 ga."

Skeet is a completely different type of shooting than 3 gun. I don't think a ported barrel will have any more effect on recoil than a ported choke.

 

[The Antichrome]

WTH are comp-n-chokes?

http://www.comp-n-choke.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=CNC

I was dubious of them, but a lot of S/Clays use them. I've used them, they work, period.

I'd also like to try the Rhino's that George Digweed uses.
http://www.rhinochokes.com/choke_tubes.htm

 

[brandt9913]

WTH are comp-n-chokes?

It is a choke tube with ports that acts as a compensator.

Jesse, you have to remember that most of these choke tubes were based on hunting or sporting clays that usually has only a couple quick shots together before reloading. The Federal and local government tends to frown upon more than 3 shells in a gun when migratory bird hunting.

 

[The Antichrome]

Any K shotgun is a dream gun Robert. I have been told when shooting my o/u to always select the bottom barrel for the first shot. It supposedly makes for a quicker second shot on doubles. I didn't ask for a reason why, but the multiple gentlemen that told me this had grey hair and usually went 25/25 in skeet league.

Yep, bottom barrel first in Sporting Clays too. Thats the rule of thumb for faster recovery...and it's true, in my experience anyway.
I attribute it to bore axis height.
Interesting that my Browning o/u has different (more) porting on the bottom barrel.

 

[dennishoddy]

Porting the barrel on an o/u supposedly makes less difference than a ported choke.

Correct. The choke is further out on the barrel.
The same would hold true on a 24" barrel vs a 30" barrel with barrel porting.
There are other factors that could have an influence, but they are marginal at best.

 

[jtischauser]

It is a choke tube with ports that acts as a compensator.

Jesse, you have to remember that most of these choke tubes were based on hunting or sporting clays that usually has only a couple quick shots together before reloading. The Federal and local government tends to frown upon more than 3 shells in a gun when migratory bird hunting.

Are you saying that ported chokes won't help me during a 10 round tube dump?

 

[Deathtrap]

Mid barrel comp

 

[dennishoddy]

Are you saying that ported chokes won't help me during a 10 round tube dump?

Bottom line is that a ported barrel, ported choke will help.
Consider the differences you have seen with ported AR'S.
Some are good, some suck, and some are AWESOME!
Same in the shotgun world.

 

[dennishoddy]

Mid barrel comp

Your correct, as the highest pressure in the shotgun is at the level of the end of the burn rate of the powder. Most shotgun powders have a burn rate in the first 18". Any distance past that is reducing velocity by friction, per earlier discussion. Different powders can make a difference, but not much.
Shotgun manufacturers compensate for this by having more ports at the end of the barrel,
Its interesting to note that "low" brass shells are relegated to dove and quail loads.
"Hi brass" shells are "magnum".
In actuality, that is a marketing ploy. All have similar pressures, (SAMMI REGS)and that tiny bit of brass around the base has no effect on the pressures that the shell has.
There is a company that produces 100% plastic shells for shotgun. They even reload very well.

 

[mike cyrwus]

Mid barrel comp

What, do you have gun touretts syndrome? Go back to playin MW3, sonny boy.

 

[Corey White]

Yes it dose. My brother had his forcing cone lengthened, and angle ports drilled on his 391. It made a big difference. His barrel rise now is nearly nonexistent. The 391 is a light kicking gun to begin with, now the little kick it has, comes straight back. My over and under has the same things done to it. We use these guns for sporting clays. The 391 has a 30" barrel, my over and under has a 32" barrel. I don't know how it will work on shorter guns, but we've had good luck with our longer ported barrels.

 

[jtischauser]

Yes it dose. My brother had his forcing cone lengthened, and angle ports drilled on his 391. It made a big difference. His barrel rise now is nearly nonexistent. The 391 is a light kicking gun to begin with, now the little kick it has, comes straight back. My over and under has the same things done to it. We use these guns for sporting clays. The 391 has a 30" barrel, my over and under has a 32" barrel. I don't know how it will work on shorter guns, but we've had good luck with our longer ported barrels.

Who did the work and where are the ports located on the barrel?

 

[okieglock83]

Jesse, check out Vang Comp's shotguns...they are amazing and they do make a difference. Funny I saw this post my buddy called me this morning wanting some help selling a Vang gun...