Ported Barrels.

[ajw65]

I am trying to understand the want of a ported barrel on a gun like the PUG. I would think you would want all the velocity possible. If it doesn't effect velocity then do the ports truly work?

[Canoeal]

Yea I think that way too. You don't really need porting in short barreled guns...

[redhawk4]

It could be with a short barrel, there is so much surplus powder to burn that the drop in velocity is very little. My main reason for not liking ported barrels is the extra noise and blast for the shooter. There doesn't seem much point having it on any handgun that doesn't have that much recoil in the first place. It's a log time since I shot a Pug, but I do not recall it having recoil that would necessitate a ported barrel. I believe they have their purposes on the right handgun and caliber, but sometimes I believe they are included because they are seen as trendy and desirable to some, rather than necessary.

[grayelky]

One of the goals of porting is to reduce muzzle flip. I have one of the 1 1/8" Black Jacks, which is ported. If you shoot it back to back with one that is not ported, you can tell the difference. It does reduce the muzzle flip, even on a mini. Before someone discusses how much more muzzle flash is created by the ports, I failed to notice much of a difference. Regarding velocity loss, I doubt there is a measurable difference, but I have never chronographed either one, so that is just an educated guess

[theysayimnotme]

I should expect the value to be very little due to the short moment arm. I have a ported barrel on a 16" 45/70 Contender barrel & I believe it is quite effective.

[Uncle_Lee]

You guys are missing the real benefit of the ported mini.

The high cool factor.

[riadat]

Because after they made the lr mini and the magnum mini, pretty much everything else was superfluous.

For the mission of the mini, IMO, you don't need sights, you don't need fancy reload systems, nothing.

In emergency, pull, cock, shoot.  Range 10 feet or less.

Anything else is because it looks good, is fun, is cool, or u just think it is neat.

[zburkett]

For what I use it for I nee extreme accuracy at 10 feet.  I need sights and a lot of practice.

[Bj]

I never heard anything about ported barrels causing a drop in velocity but in a way it does seem logical.  Does anyone have any facts about that?

[grayelky]

In the case of the mini, the bullet is already part way out of the barrel before the gas has the opportunity to start to exit through the ports. If there is a measurable drop, it cannot be much.

[Bj]

Was the ported Pug offered by NAA or was it a distributor special?

[MR_22]

You guys are missing the real benefit of the ported mini.

The high cool factor.

[MR_22]

Regarding velocity loss, I doubt there is a measurable difference, but I have never chronographed either one, so that is just an educated guess

I would be willing to chronograph comparable NAA minis with and without porting, except I don't have one with porting. I have a decent Chrony to use for this, so if anyone in or near Utah County wants to do a shooting session, we could get together and answer this question. Or I could buy one! That's also  a valid method to answer this, except for my upcoming double Ranger purchase will probably prevent that anytime soon.

[mrmurl]

I personally would not like to have the ported barrel on a Mini.  The extra flash and noise along with unburned powder, in my opinion should go out the end of the barrel and not out the top and back on the shooter.  Putting it down range would seem to be the logical thing.  It is bad enough to think if God forbid you have to use a gun in a situation the noise and confusion is going to be bad anyway.  Add to the extra flash and noise would not be a good thing to have to deal with.  Just remember if you ever have to use it in a bad situation; you will be arrested, you will go to jail, and you will be sued. Even if you have witnesses to all the facts.  I carry because I would rather be alive and fighting back then dead and no recourse.

[MR_22]

I personally would not like to have the ported barrel on a Mini.  The extra flash and noise along with unburned powder, in my opinion should go out the end of the barrel and not out the top and back on the shooter.

I'm actually really curious if a ported mini would in fact produce more of a blinding flash when in the dark than a regular mini. I think that's something worth testing. Could you actually measure that, or would it be purely subjective?

I've heard people talk about this issue before, but is it fact or urban legend? I don't really know.

I also recently purchased a Taurus 8-shot .357-Magnum revolver with an 8-3/8" barrel with porting--four holes on each side. Would THAT produce an extra flash as well? You would think so, but does it? Does it really? I don't know.

[mrmurl]

I have only fired one pistol barrel with porting, it was an older model Dan Wesson 44 mag.  I did fire this in twi-light and the flash from it was outstanding.  The flame was directed upward and outward along with the flame exiting the barrel end behind the bullet.  That compared to another 44 without porting and fired at a different time, but at twi-light also was much different.  The flame out the muzzle of the barrel was a large billowing flame pushed away from you.  The flame from the ported barrel seemed to me to almost envelope you as the shooter.  The flame went out of both sides of the barrel and upward and you could also see flame going out the muzzle.  Not sure if this is subjective as the revolvers were fired at different times and not on the same day and it has also been a few years since either one of the incidents occurred.  I was not really thinking about a comparison of the flames either.  I can say that either one of the guns did a real number on whitetail bucks though. 

[MR_22]

Interesting. So I suppose then we could ask if porting on a .22 shoots enough of a flame upward or not. I can see it with a .44-mag, but still have the question about a .22LR. I could even see it with .22-Magnum (or are we talking about the Magnum?). I think some testing is in order.

[cfsharry]

Little, if any, value on a pug. Great value on larger caliber handguns.
When Magnaport first started I had an old model Ruger .44 mag Magnaported. It made a substantial difference in controllability.

[Warthog]

Well, it feels better to shoot my ported vs my unported PUG.  Lot less flip but for sure don't get one nor believe me, you surely know better than I.

[theysayimnotme]

Long ago I had a Hi Standard Olympic pistol with an attachable muzzle break. There was a noticeable difference even with standard velocity .22 shorts. Of course the slight extra weight may have been part of that.
It went with several others when I sold off some guns I really wish I still had (.410 & 28 gauge Remington 1100s) but I had just gotten married & I needed a new car. (Pinto station wagon)

[lign]

You guys are missing the real benefit of the ported mini.

The high cool factor.

Ha ha! Agreed Unc! I have a ported 3" barrel 44 mag with bobbed hammer and round butt. Honestly, I don't think the recoil is any less than my 6" barrel Smith 629. But the little one is somewhat lighter, so maybe that accounts for it. The little 44 mag "carry gun" has fancy aftermarket stocks that have literally cracked due to the stout recoil.

I would really love to hear from someone that has done a side-by-side comparison of the NAA magnums with porting and without. Muzzle flip with these little guns is the most challenging aspect of follow-up shots. I have a tough time keeping the thing from ending up pointing straight up and completely re-positioning after each shot. That's why I like my folding grip, which lets me control the little beast.

[redhawk4]

Well, it feels better to shoot my ported vs my unported PUG.  Lot less flip but for sure don't get one nor believe me, you surely know better than I.

Let's say it reduces it by 50%, what is half of just about nothing?  Perhaps it's because I have huge hands and large arms, but I just don't see the problem porting is meant to cure on a Mini.

[Warthog]

Yeah, I have big hands too.  It does reduce the muzzle flip but then, I did say no one ever cared much about what I had to say.

[smokeless joe]

You guys are missing the real benefit of the ported mini.

The high cool factor.

I'm going with uncle_lee on this. I just think it looks cool
Not sure with such a small barrel that it would make much difference. But not doubting those that say otherwise as I have not shot one and therefore have no knowledge in regards.

[autofull]

i agree with riadat on this one. i carry my pugs for 10-15 feet of defense shooting. now, if they are armed and trying to hurt me i will go for center of mass because i no longer can retreat very well due to twin back injuries and will not be food for a bad guy, thank god i live rural and not much goes on yet cause i have no desire to hurt anything. my two into the hat,  kevin.

[mrmurl]

Yeah, I have big hands too.  It does reduce the muzzle flip but then, I did say no one ever cared much about what I had to say.

Warty; I cried big ole tears after reading how you are disregarded on this forum.  I thought that it was such a shame that you were disrespected so much.  At least I respect what you have to say.

I have like I said never shot but one gun with porting, so in no way am I a person to know what I am talking about in the porting of a mini.  It does seem to me that in such a short barrel it would not have much if any effect.  But Warty says it does so I believe him.  I would like to see him do an actual side by side test with results.  On the short barrel it seems to be that the cool factor would be the main objective of porting.

Just my two cents and worth every bit you paid for it.

[Warthog]

My PUGs, top is the ported one with the tritium sight.

[smokeless joe]

My PUGs, top is the ported one with the tritium sight.

Are those boot grips on the ported pub NAA issue?

[Warthog]

No, they're not.  I put them on after I got it, it came with the rubber grip like the other ones do.

[smokeless joe]

No, they're not.  I put them on after I got it, it came with the rubber grip like the other ones do.

Ok then where did you get them?

[Warthog]

Bought the grips from NAA, though I have had them a while.  Pretty sure they still have them though.

[smokeless joe]

Bought the grips from NAA, though I have had them a while.  Pretty sure they still have them though.

ok so they are NAA issue but as an accessory. I like that look on the pug. Thank you warty.

[Warthog]

They are NAA made and sold as an accessory Joe.  They are nice and I do love mine and they feel great in the hand.

[redhawk4]

Yeah, I have big hands too.  It does reduce the muzzle flip but then, I did say no one ever cared much about what I had to say.

I wasn't trying to devalue your point, sorry if it came over that way, recoil and muzzle flip etc. are all very personal issues based on how the gun fits you and numerous other factors. I had a Ruger LCP once and that thing hurt so bad to fire, I sold it. It would somehow abrade the web between my thumb and forefinger and make it burn really badly each shot I fired. Used for SD, I might have had to find out what he bad guy had in mind, because it might have been less painful than firng the LCP. I started using a Guardian 380 instead, which in theory has worse recoil being a blow back design, without issue. So I won't argue the porting can work for you and the fact I don't think I need it is irrelevant to anyone else's actual experience.

[Warthog]

not a worry redhawk.  just my observation.