Ported barrels

[John Peddie]

I have a chance to buy a ported 12 ga. pump, built in 2011 and very little used.

Asking price is "a song".

But I'm concerned about the noise and blast effect of the porting, especially in a shared duck blind.

Since I've never shot a ported gun, I'd appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Shotgun porting is a strange concept to me. I have shot the ported slug barrels that Mossberg has and couldn't notice anything to speak of any different from non ported.

Shotgun projectiles are usually slowing down before they get to the end of even the shorter barrels. Porting having any effect on rapidly diminishing gas pressure once it reaches the porting could only be measured as maybe slight. I have never had what I would call a problem with muzzle rise from a shotgun either and that is what I would want my porting to minimize.

So, I am really unsure of whether your duck blind partner would be affected by the porting because I have never been a bystander to anyone shooting a ported shotgun. I do however, find the porting to be worthless in giving any sort of benefit to the shooter, at least with 3" slugs.

 

[Armored farmer]

Porting reduces muzzle rise. Not s big deal to a hunter firing 200 rds/yr.
Pretty big deal for the competitor firing 200rds/day.

I would buy it if the price was right. Your buddy probably wont notice the extra noise from the ports.

 

[243winxb]

All porting makes more noise. Some more then others. I have a 12 ga 3" O/U pro ported, from Mag na Port. Its better then drilled round holes. I would not port a shotgun that fires only target loads.

Have a Mossberg slug factory ported. Its worth having.

If the price is right, buy the gun. Give your fellow shooters ear plugs.


If worried about resale value, don't port.

 

[243winxb]

Better photo of Pro-Port. To much wood in the other photo.

 

[PapaG]

I guess I'd want to know a few more details like brand, barrel length and chamber length. An 18" ported High Standard would be worth a much smaller song than a 30" 3" BPS.

 

[Armored farmer]

Better photo of Pro-Port. To much wood in the other photo.

View attachment 851313

Yes. But what beautiful wood it is!
The grip and wide rib looks like a Ljutic?
The case looks browning.

 

[Milkmaster]

I wouldn't be shooting in a blind with my partner using a ported barrel. I see it often with newbees at the trap field. All the difference in the world to the guy next to you even if you don't hear much difference when shooting it. Ask your shooting partners if they can tell the difference. If they don't mind problem solved. Just my opinion...should be yours

 

[FL-NC]

Both of the barrels for my Mossberg 930 are ported. One is a turkey barrel, the other is the longer one for ducks and the like. I have fired both with other people pretty close to me. No one complained about it, and of course the muzzle (and ports) were pointed away from us.

 

[PapaG]

Oops, saw the made in year part. Can't be a High Standard. Personally I see no use for ports on a shotgun other than possibly for the first shot at doubles. Somewhat hypocritically I shoot a Cutts equipped M12 for skeet once in a while and it is noisy but my buddies are cool with it. More holes to clean. Kind of cool to watch on a misty day.

 

[bearman49709]

My son and I were hunting in a duck blind with a friend of his.
Since they had hunted together before he knew my sons shotgun was ported and complained about the noise, he sat between us and never knew mine was ported so he didn't say anything about the noise.
When we were done and getting our stuff together to leave he saw my barrel and couldn't understand why it wasn't as loud as my son's when they were the same brand and same length barrel.

 

[cfullgraf]

I have two shotguns with ported barrels, a Browning Citori 12 ga Skeet grade and a Browning Citori 20 ga O/U. At least on the skeet field, no one has ever complained about excessive noise from either of these guns.

Between the 20 ga with the ported barrel and the 12 ga ported barrel Skeet gun with 20 ga sub-gauge tubes installed blanking out the porting, I really do not see much difference in the muzzle rise between the two guns.

As a result, I will not pass on a shotgun because it has porting if it fits my other needs but on the other hand, I will not spend money on after market porting.

 

[Virginian]

You will not shoot anywhere near any of our dogs in the blind or the field with a ported barrel. I know many other duck hunters and professional guides who have the same rule.

 

[pignut]

I guess if hearing protection is not adequate for ports it probably is just not adequate to start with. I see plugs in ears that are just barley inserted. I wonder when I see that who they think they are fooling.
Good custom made ear plugs are worth the cost and work better.
my opinion only

 

[Jessesky]

I don’t think I’m alone when I say that I dislike porting. It’s definitely significantly louder when I shoot clays with someone who has it. And most masterclass shooters I know don’t even use porting

 

[cdb1]

I owned a Mossberg 930 briefly with a 28” ported barrel. Never noticed it being louder but I didn’t shoot it much and didn’t shoot it in a confined space. I have zero use for ported shotgun barrels and in my mind they are a gimmick.

 

[cfullgraf]

The thread on cleaning over/under shotguns reminded me about cleaning barrels with ports in them.

My 20 gauge Citori has Pro-Port porting and they are fairly easy to clean.

My 12 gauge Citori skeet gun has Kolar porting, if I remember correctly--the porting is a lot of little holes. These are more difficult to clean. I use an old tooth brush brushing inside and out to get all the powder and plastic residue cleaned out.

Cleaning the ports is another thing to keep in mind if porting a barrel.

When I was shooting competitive skeet, my 20 gauge averages were better than my 12 gauge averages so I shot the 12 gauge event with the 20 gauge sub-gauge tubes installed. With the tubes installed, the gun was a bit heavier and swung better than without the tubes. Of course, the tubes blanked off the porting in the 12 gauge barrel.

This extra weight may not be desirable with a hunting shot gun.

My 20 gauge Citori (26" barrels) has been fitted for my 5 ft. 2 in. wife (another story for another time) and she likes the benefit the Pro-Port porting gives her. She humors me and shoots with me once in a while. I trade this activity for something she likes and vice-versa.

 

[nettlle]

I have a 12 gauge Mossberg 935 Ulti Mag with a ported barrel that I shoot 3.5" Federal 2.5 oz loads out of. I am glad the barrel on this gun is ported.