Rudukai13 Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 So I have an idea tossing around for the 6"-barreled Ruger GP100 I'll be picking up soon; I'd like to have a gunsmith machine ports/a compensator into the end of the barrel, but I'm thinking instead of just having a few small ports cut into the barrel (like Magnaporting), that I would have the 'smith use the last half or full inch of the barrel and convert that material into a true integrated compensator - Cut larger slots and expansion chambers into the material of the barrel and shroud itself. In my mind, with my basic understanding of physics, ballistics and firearms, this should work very similarly to a comp on a true threaded barrel and possibly even better, since the tolerances around the bullet will be rifling-tight as it passes through the "compensator". Is there anything I'm not considering or thinking of that would make just a simple porting job the more preferable choice? Obviously having a true full-on compensator designed and machined into the barrel will cost more than just ports, but if it works better to keep the revo shooting flatter, it's worth it to me. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatJones Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Our 38 special loads probably make less than half the pressure and gas volume of a 38 super open gun. It takes a lot of gas to run a comp, that's one of the reasons 38 super took over from 45 in the early compensated guns. With a ported barrel, the bullet is still plugging the bore for a moment. With the bullet still in the barrel it directs more gas thru the ports providing less muzzle flip. My ported J frame recoils _down_ slightly with 38 special loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanc Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 So I have an idea tossing around for the 6"-barreled Ruger GP100 I'll be picking up soon; I'd like to have a gunsmith machine ports/a compensator into the end of the barrel, but I'm thinking instead of just having a few small ports cut into the barrel (like Magnaporting), that I would have the 'smith use the last half or full inch of the barrel and convert that material into a true integrated compensator - Cut larger slots and expansion chambers into the material of the barrel and shroud itself. In my mind, with my basic understanding of physics, ballistics and firearms, this should work very similarly to a comp on a true threaded barrel and possibly even better, since the tolerances around the bullet will be rifling-tight as it passes through the "compensator". Is there anything I'm not considering or thinking of that would make just a simple porting job the more preferable choice? Obviously having a true full-on compensator designed and machined into the barrel will cost more than just ports, but if it works better to keep the revo shooting flatter, it's worth it to me. Thoughts? aside from what pat said, I have considered in the past threading a revolver barrel so i could screw on a typical comp for an auto. my limited reading implies at least some comps are desinged to "work" with minor loads. Also, as has been clarified to me, a comp is meant to have gas pull the gun forward as it hits the comp chambers, added bonus of enough gas giving the down push. Like pat said though, holes seem to be effective from people I've talked to and I'm considering doing this to my 929 after this season is over. In icore, all the top open shooters are shooting 120-130 pf and all of them have holes/comps or some combination thereof... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikey357 Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Check out Mark Hartshorne at Pinnacle Performance--He has some experience "Comping" Revolvers--HTH....mikey357 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toothguy Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Wichita Arms used to make a Slab Side compensator that fit over a Smith and Wesson 686 factory barrel. Something like that might give you what you want and be removable for versatility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudukai13 Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 Hmm...So if 38 special makes a revo with just ports recoil down slightly, I imagine it makes it fairly difficult to shoot .357 mag out of the same revolver? I want the flexibility of being able to shoot different loads, since the gun will be pulling duty as a fun range toy first and foremost, as well as defensive purposes, and some competition. In fact if I had to choose one or the other, I'd rather use whatever design/combination of ports/comp would be optimized for best results with .357...Anyone know if that poses any additional challenges? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 (edited) I have a S&W M65 with 3" barrel that I drilled holes in. There are 5 1/8" holes in a row on either side of the front sight, similar to how Taurus did on some of their revolvers. It works really well with 38 Spl. or .357 Mag. over a variety of loads. One of my .357 loads with 180 grain bullets feels to me like it has about the recoil of a .38 +P. Felt recoil is fairly subjective however so it's somewhat difficult to quantify in a meaningful way. It seems like a good improvement but would require side by side testing with another of the same make and model to compare the real difference. Edited July 16, 2015 by Toolguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevoWood123 Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 One of the guys that I shoot with runs a 627 that has 4 vertical ports in the barrel. He runs 38s and 357s through it. His was done by Mark at Gemini Custom in Frankfort, KY. He said that he definitely feels a difference in the way it shoots, and he also said that the ports out of the top don't bother him as much as he would have thought (they act like little smoke stacks). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudukai13 Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 One thing I do know is that however the ports/comp is cut, it'll have to avoid the top strap of the revolver - I'll be mounting a Weigand picatinny rail to the revolver, for both aesthetic reasons and as the optic mount for a C-More Railway. So, no vertical cuts into the barrel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevoWood123 Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 (edited) He's been running an RMR on his, but his ports are towards the end of the barrel. The front sight was machined off the barrel, so totally flat out til the end, then the ports were machined in. He is going to be switching to a C-more and supposedly is getting a new mount that sits fairly low from what he says. It was set up just like this, minus the long rail. Edited July 16, 2015 by RevoWood123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatJones Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 This is the revolver that recoils down slightly. It's a Wiegand custom and there's not a lot of metal left in the top of the barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 I find it amusing how some people are OK with a barrel like that but they have a heart attack over a #6-48 threaded hole that goes into the bore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudukai13 Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 The attached image isn't a picture of my gun, but it is a 6"GP100 with th Weigand optic mount on it. This is what will have to be worked around to create whatever ports/comps end up on the gun. I'm also planning to have the last inch or so of the underlug machined off, as well as some lightening cuts machined through the rest of the underlug in a pattern similar to the gaps in the optic rail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Halley Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 ???Nobody has said this yet, but it's a Ruger...how aesthetic could it ever be?????? I have eight of them... but they're all single actions...?muahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevoWood123 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) This is the revolver that recoils down slightly. It's a Wiegand custom and there's not a lot of metal left in the top of the barrel. _20150716_193016.JPG Good looking gun. I like the look of the vertical ports myself, been considering an ICORE open gun... Wiegand Custom designed that style of port system, I believe they called it the Hybra-Port. Which is now being done by Gemini Customs out of Frankfort, KY. They can also do them off to the sides slightly (kind of like a v-port) instead of going straight up. https://www.geminicustoms.com/ruger-revolvers/ Edited July 18, 2015 by RevoWood123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatJones Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) The port is tapered, larger on the outside. I read somewhere it is shaped like a rocket nozzle. Probably a 12° cone. Edited July 18, 2015 by PatJones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevoWood123 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 You are correct PatJones. The gun my buddy has, the ports are tapered (larger in the top), it almost looks like cylinder chamfering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudukai13 Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 The tapering of the ports is designed to increase the Venturi effect of the escaping gasses, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudukai13 Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 The V8 Hybra-porting from Gemini looks like an appealing option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revoman Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 I actually had slots put in like Mag-Na-Port. 2 on each side but they were cut larger on the inside and tapered to the outside. Worked on the principle of a garden hose and a nozzle. As you start to shut off a nozzle the stream get stronger and shoots water further out and if you open the nozzle all the way the water has no force behind it. So the gunsmith who did this for me used the same principle on the slots. The larger hole on the inside and got smaller as they came to the outside. Worked great but traded the barrel when I had Pinnacle Custom make me a barrel with an integrated comp and port holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudukai13 Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 (edited) Well, I just purchased a NIB blued 6" GP100 off Gunbroker...And so it begins Edited July 20, 2015 by Rudukai13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductorjd Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 I have a GP100 with a Wichita Compensator and love it but I can’t figure out how to post the picture of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductorjd Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ysrracer Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 I know on my 9mm S&W 929 I can tell ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE with or without the factory comp. Your millage may vary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMM50 Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 (edited) S&W does make some 686 models (6 and 7 Shot) with a comp in the barrel. Also some 627 8 shots have removable comps. Easy enough to modify. And 929 has removable comp. Edited February 12, 2020 by GMM50 typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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