Porting a shotgun barrel

[ovenpaa]

Does anyone here shoot a Shotgun with a ported barrel and if so does it make a perceivable difference to muzzle flip and or recoil? I ask because I am thinking about porting a barrel prior to finishing so now is the time to do it however I am not sure of what change to expect having never shot a 12 bore with a ported barrel.

It will be used with slug and heavy shot.

[HH1]

Yes, my Benelli M2 Practical has a ported barrel and I do think it helps with speed shooting. I also have a M1 Super 90 with just a normal ribbed barrel. The other difference is that the newer M2 has the comfortech stock so does that play a part too? I don't know.

[Blackstuff]

The stock on the M2 definitely helps with recoil, I've shot one with a solid stock and its a fair bit more bumpy.

As for porting I think it depends quite a bit on the porting itself (where it is on the barrel, the size, direction and number of holes etc). As I couldn't easily fit a muzzle brake to my BR99 I had a bit of a look into porting and I shot two versions of the same gun, one with and one without and on some it didn't seem to make a difference at all (two different O/U's) and on others it did (An O/U, a pump and a semi-auto). In the end I didn't do it.

[DaveB]

Do the people shooting with you a favour, and reconsider. I hate shooting with people using ported shotguns.

[Geoff]

I had a Remington 11/87 ported for slugs, didn't make a scrap of difference. I now have a muzzle brake on my Bora 99 and it certainly makes a significant difference.

[Blackstuff]

Do the people shooting with you a favour, and reconsider. I hate shooting with people using ported shotguns.

Where are you standing for porting on top of the end of at least a 24" barrel to be a problem

[ovenpaa]

it is a 24" barrel as well. I asked because the barrel will be in the Mill for some front sight work so it would be simplicity itself to carry on and drill a couple of extra lines of holes at the same time. I am also not a fan of muzzle brakes and this is effectively the same thing, probably best to leave it as it is.