Side ports or not in comp

[Dane460]

Im going to be replacing my STI trubor barrel and am going between another standard trubor barrel and do Poole holes again or get Brazos trubor barrel with side port in the comp and also still run popple holes...so my question is as the side ports make a difference? Running 9 major 

[zzt]

The purpose of ports in a comp is to redirect all the gas before it exits the front of the comp.  In an effort to get the gun to run flat with just a comp, people add more and more powder.  Once you get to the point where gas exits the front of the comp, you are increasing the recoil your hand feels.  So you can add side ports to relieve some of that extra gas.  Then you are shooting softer and flatter.

 

The easiest way to get a gun to shoot flat is to add poppels.  Those high pressure jets of gas really hold the muzzle down, but at the expense of a harder hit to the hand.  The poppels rob gas from the comp, so there isn't as much gas to push against the comp baffles and pull the gun forward.  You add more powder to compensate, but at the expense of loudness.

 

Basically, if you have poppels and a comp, like the load you are shooting, but have a lot of gas exiting the front, add side ports.  If you like your load and how soft it shoots, adding side port will increase felt recoil.