Magna-port a 4" 44 Mag?

[D.B. Cooper]

Anyone ever magna-port a 4" barreled 44 magnum revolver? (In my case a Ruger Redhawk.) Or has anyone seen one at a range?

I don't put a lot of faith in the statement "reduces perceived felt recoil" because that seems to arbitrary and subjective to quantify, however...if it reduces muzzle flip and would help me get the front sight back on target quicker, allowing for a faster, more accurate second shot...I would be interested in that. At $100, if it can do that it would seem like a good expenditure.

Any thoughts?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Posting the barrel doesn't reduce recoil, it reduces muzzle flip or rise.

 

[Charliefrank]

My buddy had a super Blackhawk cut down to 4 5/8" and magna ported. Recoil was somewhat stout with full throttle loads. Muzzle rise was somewhat reduced but muzzle blast was brutal. I decided then I didn't need it done to mine.

 

[joed]

I don't have one that is ported but did at one time. I'm a firm believer in porting if there is recoil involved and a second shot may be needed.

My first ported revolver was a Taurus 445 in .44 Spl. Very much the size of a Bulldog but better made. I miss that gun and wish I hadn't sold it. With it I believe I could have put 5 rounds in someone as fast as I could pull the trigger. It does tend to make the gun louder so there is a trade off. All I remember is the muzzle of that gun was always on target.

Also had a friend with a .40 GLOCK that was ported. It was a joy to shoot that one too, the muzzle always stayed on the target.

If I was concerned about having a second shot I would have the gun ported.

 

[Powerstroke505]

I own a S&W 629-4 with a 5" magna ported barrel ( bought it that way) with a full lug barrel. I also own a S&W 29-4 with a 4", I honestly can't tell the difference in actual recoil, I can say muzzle blast and report are bigger/louder with the 5". The 5" has less muzzle jump but I can't say if its the porting or the added barrel weight.

I'd like to remove the porting honestly just because of how loud it is. I bet it looks pretty cool shooting in the dark.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

If I was concerned about having a second shot I would have the gun ported.

The gun's primary purpose is as a bear gun, so yeah, a follow up shot, if and when it happens, is pretty important.

 

[paul105]

Miculek video on magna porting. Comparison - ported v non ported using hi speed photog. A couple of minutes in 4" .44 Mtn Gun v .44 Mag M329 Scandium/Titanium

 

[CraigC]

I'd never have a gun ported. It doesn't reduce recoil, it redirects it, transmitting more straight back into the palm. All the while increasing noise and blast.

 

[mcb]

Brother has a ported 44 magnum Taurus. It's loud and flashy. I own a fair number of revolver and don't think I would have any of them ported. I can't run ported revolver in USPSA or IDPA and for most application the noise and flash seems to offset the recoil control. If it was a one of the super magnum revolvers (460 S&W 500 S&W or similar) porting or a break starts to make sense. I think 44 Magnum is probably for most people right on that transition where porting may or may not make sense. For me I would not port a 44 Mag.

 

[joed]

I don't think you can go wrong if you want to do this for having a second shot in bear country. Some hate it but others swear by it. I was a hater till I had one, now I'm a believer. As said it won't reduce recoil but it keeps the muzzle pretty much on target.

 

[CraigC]

I don't think you can go wrong...

I wouldn't say that. With shipping usually about $200 round trip, plus the cost of porting, you're spending a good bit of money on something you'll never get back if you find out you don't like it. Replacing a barrel on a single action is easy but on a DA like the Redhawk, you're better off just getting another gun. So this could easily turn into a several hundred dollar mistake.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I once thought about porting a revolver. Then I realized

It doesn't reduce recoil, it redirects it, transmitting more straight back into the palm. All the while increasing noise and blast.

If you ask me, minimizing the blast in the face from the concussion is more important to follow up shots than reducing muzzle flip slightly, especially in a "bear gun". Recoil and muzzle flip can be mitigated with practice. Save the money on porting and spend it on ammo to practice. It'll do you more good in the long run.

 

[farm23]

I have 2 guns ported. One a 7.5" Freedom Arms 454 with a scope and the second a S&W 3" 44 mag. No matter what one does the laws of physics will not be changed, you manage the recoil but it is always there. In my experience Mag-N-Porting does redirect and reduce the rise of the barrel and in the case of the FA I like it but with S&W the muzzle blast and dirty sight takes away form the advantages. I also have a Charter Classic Bulldog and I thought about getting it ported until I compared the S&W and the Bulldog after a shooting a cylinder thru each. I decided the reduction in muzzle flip was not worth the dirty sight. Now days my main hunting gun is a New Model Blackhawk 45/8" 45 LC and it is not scoped and not ported. In my opinion porting a Redhawk will reduce muzzle flip but you have to decided if porting is worth the down side.

 

[CraigC]

I once thought about porting a revolver. Then I realized

If you ask me, minimizing the blast in the face from the concussion is more important to follow up shots than reducing muzzle flip slightly, especially in a "bear gun". Recoil and muzzle flip can be mitigated with practice. Save the money on porting and spend it on ammo to practice. It'll do you more good in the long run.

Yep, won't be doing any point shooting with a ported 4" .44Mag.

 

[joed]

If I were looking at 2 identical guns where one was magna ported and the other was not I'd pick the ported one every time. I'm a believer in porting ever since my first ported gun. To those concerned about muzzle flash try a different propellent.

 

[25-5]

I had my S&W 629-1, 4" magna ported many decades past. I used it for competitive IPSC style side matches. It definitely helped target acquisition, however, I did not notice any reduction in recoil.

 

[Deanimator]

Back in the early '80s, a college classmate and fellow Army officer had a ported Dan Wesson .44 magnum.

The thing practically recoiled downward... very much in contrast to my 4" S&W Model 29-2.

 

[Sunray]

"...is as a bear gun..." To opt for any handgun depends a great deal on how close Yogi is and how PO'd he is at you. From under 100 yards, you'll have less than 6 seconds to recognise the threat, draw, aim and fire. I'm not convinced a ported revolver would make the slightest difference. It does drastically reduce muzzle jump though.
However, Ballistics by the Inch tested a 4" 629 and a ported 3" 629 with very interesting results. A factory 240 grain bullet was actually faster out of the 3". Still won't matter if Yogi is under 100 yards away. http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/44mag.html

 

[Sam1911]

I shoot a 4" 629 a lot. Sometimes with full Magnum loads. Sometimes in weak-hand-only IDPA stages. I don't want and wouldn't buy porting.

 

[AZAndy]

I have a double-ported S&W 325 (.45ACP). Since it's an Airlight, I'm glad the porting is there. My 625, of the same size but actual steel, doesn't need it, because it's heavy.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Miculek video on magna porting. Comparison - ported v non ported using hi speed photog. A couple of minutes in 4" .44 Mtn Gun v .44 Mag M329 Scandium/Titanium

I saw that. I would have liked to have seen a straight across comparison, 629 -> 629. Comparing a non-ported 629 to a ported 329 doesn't tell me much. Also, not to suggest that Micculek lacks integrity, but I have to wonder how much of that video is influenced by the fact that they sponsor him.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

To those concerned about muzzle flash try a different propellent.

That only works if you're handloading.

 

[highlander 5]

I have a super Blackhawk with a 4 5/8" that I had MagNaPorted and it has turned from a first class wrist wrenched into something that's reasonably comfortable to shoot.

 

[BigBore44]

The concept has been intriguing to me. But it just doesn’t qualify the price. My 7.5” Redhawk handles recoil quite nicely. I can get 6 well aimed shots off in 10 seconds. If you’re really concerned about bear, swap to cast bullets and TrailBoss or Universal. You’re recoil will feel like 44spl and will provide more than enough penetration. But IF Yogi charges you, a Smith 500 will feel like a 380.

 

[joed]

That only works if you're handloading.

No, watch the Miculek video, he covers that. Hornady and others have been using powders that do not flash. It really is a pretty good video. He has been using ported guns for 30 years.